Part-time Assistant Fire Marshal

General Statement of Duties

Performs difficult protective services and administrative work overseeing and conducting fire safety inspections, responding to emergencies, preparing and maintaining records and reports. May review site and construction plans as directed.

Distinguishing Features of the Class
An employee in this class is responsible for conducting County fire safety functions under the supervision and guidance of the Fire Marshal. Work involves conducting a fire prevention and inspection program to ensure compliance with state and local fire laws, codes, rules, and regulations. Work includes inspecting commercial and retail establishments, schools, and health care facilities, and, if requested, residences. The employee conducts fire education and safety programs, and training. The employee may also be responsible for implementing established emergency action plans in the event of natural and/or man-made disasters. Considerable independence and judgment are required in all aspects of the work, particularly in fire inspections. Considerable public contact requires that the employee exhibit tact and diplomacy in seeking compliance with fire laws, codes, rules, and regulations. Work is performed under the general supervision of the Fire Marshal, and is evaluated through observation, conferences, and written reports concerning the quality and effectiveness of work performed.

Duties and Responsibilities
Essential Duties and Tasks

• Conducts fire inspections for all new and existing occupancies to ensure safety; reinspects to ensure violations have been corrected and to verify fire code compliance.
• Participates as a member of the fire investigation team as needed to help determine origin and cause for fire.
• Schedules and/or conducts fire prevention and public education classes.
• Develops and maintains records and reports of fire inspections; enters data into software programs; files and maintains hard copies.
• Assists personnel with interpretation of codes and standards
• Provides consultations for prospective new and existing business owners as requested.

Additional Job Duties

• Performs related duties as required.

Recruitment and Selection Guidelines
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Thorough knowledge of the laws and ordinances pertaining to fire prevention and the construction and occupancy of buildings, state fire codes and related building codes.
• Thorough knowledge of the methods of readily ascertaining the presence of existing or potential fire hazards.
• Thorough knowledge of fire suppression and prevention principles, practices, methods and equipment.
• Thorough knowledge of the hazards common to various types of construction and the storage of flammable and hazardous materials and explosives.
• Basic knowledge of the principles and practices of fire investigations and fire educational and prevention programs.
• Ability to read and interpret building plans, to recognize fire hazards, and to make recommendations for their correction; ability to work independently, to observe carefully, and to interpret and enforce codes and ordinances firmly, impartially, and with tact.
• Ability to prepare and maintain accurate, clear, and concise records of work activities.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with medical personnel, law enforcement personnel, academy recruits, other fire/ems agencies, associates and the general public.
• Thorough knowledge of emergency vehicle operations and response criteria.

Physical Requirements

• Work requires the regular exertion of up to 10 pounds of force, frequent exertion of up to 25 pounds of force and occasional exertion of up to 100 pounds of force.
• Work regularly requires speaking or hearing, using hands to finger, handle or feel and reaching with hands and arms, frequently requires tasting or smelling and repetitive motions and occasionally requires standing, walking, sitting, climbing or balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling, pushing or pulling and lifting.
• Work requires close vision, distance vision, ability to adjust focus, depth perception, color perception, night vision and peripheral vision.
• Vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word and conveying detailed or important instructions to others accurately, loudly or quickly.
• Hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels and to receive detailed information through oral communications and/or to make fine distinctions in sound.
• Work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data, visual inspection involving small defects and/or small parts, using of measuring devices, operating machines, operating motor vehicles or equipment and observing general surroundings and activities.
• Work frequently requires working near moving mechanical parts, working in high, precarious places, exposure to fumes or airborne particles, exposure to outdoor weather conditions, exposure to extreme cold (non-weather) and exposure to extreme heat (non-weather) and occasionally requires wet, humid conditions (non-weather), exposure to toxic or caustic chemicals, exposure to the risk of electrical shock, working with explosives, exposure to vibration, wearing a self-contained breathing apparatus and exposure to blood borne pathogens and may be required to wear specialized personal protective equipment.
• Work is generally in a moderately noisy location (e.g., business office, light traffic).

Desirable Education and Experience
Graduation from high school and considerable experience in fire service, fire prevention and fire education; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Special Requirements
Possession of a valid North Carolina driver's license upon hire.
Minimum of NC Level II Fire Inspector Certification upon employment.
Obtain Fire Investigator Technician Certification within two years, with the goal to obtain NC Fire/Arson Investigator Certification or International (IAAI) Certified Fire Investigator Certification.