Fire Training Center Superintendent (Emergency Services Department)

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Superintendent of the Berks County Fire Training Center is responsible for the management of the county’s emergency services training facility. To accomplish this mission, with guidance from the Deputy Director of Emergency Services (DDES), the Superintendent will manage all aspects of the physical plant and program at the facility. The Superintendent will efficiently manage all interactions with facility users to ensure a coordinated program that maximizes the use of available facilities to meet the needs of as many response organizations as possible. The Superintendent will be responsible for supervising the workload and scheduling of all facility employees. The Superintendent will work in conjunction with the DDES and the Special Projects and Operations Officer (SPOO) as necessary to maintain the department’s emergency response equipment cache stored at the Fire Training Center. These responsibilities will be successfully executed by the Superintendent through efficient management of the resources (human and financial) made available for operation of the facility. These tasks will be executed with a great deal of independence and only nominal oversight by the DDES. As a member of the Department of Emergency Services, the Superintendent will support the emergency response mission of the department when necessary. This employee in this position will have access to restricted facilities/emergency incident scenes and information that is classified as secure and for law enforcement use only. Additionally, information relating to the finances and personal situation of individuals impacted by disaster will be accessible. As such, the employee must understand the importance of confidentiality and the severity of breaching this confidentiality.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES:

The duties and responsibilities of this position include, but are not necessarily limited to:

Essential Functions

• Responsible for all facets of physical plant management of the Fire Training Center. This includes coordinating or personally performing any maintenance task necessary to ensure the safe and reliable continuation of service of the 14-acre $8 million facility. This task could involve direction of facility staff or the coordination of an external party to conduct the maintenance. In this context, maintenance refers to preventative maintenance, restorative maintenance, and facility improvements.
• Plan for both short and long term maintenance to ensure facility safety and longevity.
• Attend meetings or training outside of normal work hours as required.
• Assist in the planning and preparation of department budgets, particularly in areas directly related to the incumbent’s areas of responsibility.National Fire Protection Association Firefighter II, Fire Officer II, and Fire Instructor II.

Pennsylvania State Fire Academy Suppression or Master Instructor Certification.
Pennsylvania State Fire Academy Certification Evaluator.
PA Department of Health certification as an emergency medical services practitioner (EMR, EMT, or higher).
National Fire Protection Association Hazardous Materials Technician
*

• Responsible for maintaining compliance with all environmental standards placed upon the facility.
• Responsible for all aspects of program management at the facility. The Superintendent will execute this responsibility within the guidelines and budgetary parameters set forth by the DDES.
• Oversee the operation of the facility’s National Fire Protection Association certification program to ensure it is operated in compliance with guidelines set forth by the National Professional Qualifications Standards Board and the Office of the Pennsylvania State Fire Commissioner. This responsibility includes management of the actual test processes from inception through final reporting.
• Supervise all employees assigned to the facility including scheduling, discipline, payroll, and evaluations.
• Supervise, sometimes indirectly through other employees, the operation of all facility users to ensure compliance with established safety guidelines. Follow through with all problems regarding facility users to ensure future compliance or makes recommendations to the DDES concerning sanctions.
• Supervise the cadre of facilitators assigned to the facility including payroll.
• Advise the DDES on all aspects of facility management including, but not limited to, budgetary impacts, anticipated operational and capital needs, and facility user concerns.
• Assist the DDES by interfacing with county first response organizations (law enforcement, fire, EMS) to maintain open lines of communication regarding issues of importance to the department. This includes interfacing with the Fireman’s Association Training Committee and Fire Zones as necessary.
• In conjunction with the DDES, updates policy and procedure documents that direct the actions of facility users.
• Attend training programs as directed by the DDES to ensure personal competency in program areas of responsibility.
• Develop or update programs of instruction as necessary to ensure that available materials address current needs and trends and incorporate best available statistics and facts.
• Communicate regularly with counterparts at other county training facilities, the PA State Fire Academy, and the National Fire Academy to maintain current knowledge regarding trends in emergency services training that will impact the department’s program. These interactions will be by telephone, e-mail, and in person.
• Is available to participate in department emergency operations including, but not limited to, as a member of the Berks County Special Operations Group, as a participant in damage assessment teams, as a staff member in the Emergency Operations Center (EOC).
• Maintain availability after-hours to handle emergent programmatic and facility issues at the Center.
• Maintain necessary qualifications and licensing to operate emergency vehicles (class B motor vehicles) in compliance with departmental, county and state policy and regulations.

MINIMUM EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s degree plus seven years of experience in emergency services or related field with demonstrated emphasis in emergency services training OR an equivalent combination of experience and training that provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position.
• Possession of or the ability to obtain the following certifications:

National Incident Management System 400, 700, and 800 level with instructor certification preferred.

Any equivalent combination of experience and training that provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position.

MINIMUM KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Thorough working knowledge of all laws and standards relating to emergency services training in the Commonwealth of PA including, but not limited to:National Fire Protection Association standards

PA State Fire Academy Minimum Standards for Accreditation
OSHA 29CFR1910.120, 134, 146
National Incident Management System

• Must possess excellent computer skills, including mastery of all components of MS-Office (including MS-Access), along with an ability to learn other computer applications utilized by DES.
• Must possess demonstrated professional quality administrative, verbal and writing skills with a strong emphasis in the production of technical writings and communication of ideas and concepts to individuals with widely varying levels of education.
• Must possess demonstrated skill in delivering presentations to groups of varying sizes with diverse educational backgrounds.
• Must possess a thorough knowledge of emergency services principles and practices (fire and EMS).
• Successful completion of an extensive initial and biennial criminal background check through the Commonwealth Law Enforcement Assistance Network (CLEAN) and National Crime Information Center (NCIC) systems.
• Ability to plan and coordinate the activities of a large number of diverse response agencies to ensure efficient use of time on-site
• Familiarity with general principles of emergency response and recovery, especially policies and procedures as they relate to the Berks County emergency response community.
• Ability to handle stress.
• Physical presence in the office is required.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

Be able to sit, stand and speak for long periods of time. Use a computer daily for extended periods of time. Sitting for long periods of time without relief, bending, reaching, walking. Ability to work long shifts (12-16 hours) as necessary in times of emergency. Ability to function continuously under extreme stress with regards to workload, content, and reliability. Accurate vision (correctable) with normal color vision, and good hearing (correctable) in both ears. Continuous use of a computer terminal, video display equipment, and a headset. Ability to utilize normal computer/human interface devices (HID) (mouse, keyboard, keypads). Must be able to carry and lift 50 lbs. to a height of 72 inches. Must be able to lift and carry 100 lbs. while wearing protective clothing weighing approximately 50 lbs. Must be capable of climbing ladders while carrying equipment and tools and bending to work under consoles and equipment. Must be capable of working for extended periods in extreme environmental conditions (hot, cold, heavy winds, snow, and rain). Must be able to work for extended periods, both long hours during emergency calls, as well as periods of rotating 12 hour shifts during EOC activations. Must have color vision and good hearing to permit the detection of visual and audible alarms. Must be willing to accept potential exposure to hazardous materials including known carcinogens, molds, and other environmental contaminants. Must be capable of passing comprehensive biennial physical examinations and respiratory protection fit tests to ensure fitness for duty. Must operate large vehicles (response trucks) including the towing of large trailers.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT:

Many of the responsibilities of this position will be executed in a normal office or classroom environment. However, emergency response and recovery operations will necessitate completing work tasks in field locations or at remote sites as the situation dictates. This could require the employee to operate in harsh conditions not typical for an office worker. Some job functions may need to be executed in personal protective clothing including respiratory protection of various levels. The employee must be capable and willing to operate in protective clothing up to and including Level A as defined under 29 CFR 1910.120. Additionally, the position has responsibilities that require live fire exposure both in structural and outdoor environments. These tasks will require the employee to be comfortable in wearing structural firefighting ensembles and making entries into live fire conditions with temperatures exceeding 1,000 degrees F. These are conditions that have a high likelihood of causing minor injuries including heat related illnesses, burns, and respiratory exposures. While all possible safeguards are engineered into the environment, serious injuries and even death have resulted during similar evolutions at other facilities. Position will require travel to training locations outside of Berks County; overnight travel may be necessary. Regular travel throughout Berks County is also required. Occasional attendance at evening and weekend classes and meetings is part of this position’s responsibilities. Position will be assigned communication devices (pager/phone/radio) which must be carried in accordance with department procedure to assist in reaching the employee in emergencies. Due to the need for rapid availability to address community emergencies and departmental issues, the incumbent must maintain residence within 30 minutes travel time to the County Emergency Operations Center. This position is considered mission critical, and as such, is not subject to liberal leave or other work limitations during emergency operations. The incumbent in this position must be physically present in the workplace.

This position description serves as a guideline for communicating the essential functions and other information about the position to the applicant/employee. It is not intended to create a binding employment contract nor cover every detail of the position and may be changed where appropriate.

ABOUT US

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

The County of Berks provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, political affiliation or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $47,818.00 - $79,696.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Reading, PA 19605: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)

License/Certification:

• Driver's License (Preferred)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $47,818 - $79,696