FIRE CHIEF, DEPARTMENT OF
FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE

DEFINITION OF CLASS:

This is uniformed, executive level work exercising full authority over all fire, rescue, and emergency medical service activities in Montgomery County. Contacts are with high ranking legislative and executive officials within County Government, officials of equivalent rank in other governmental jurisdictions, and private sector and community organizations or groups. The purposes of the contacts include presenting, justifying and defending controversial positions where conflicting and opposing viewpoints, goals and objectives are strongly advocated and must be reconciled to develop suitable alternatives, or arrive at acceptable compromises.

The employee in this class plans, develops, implements, and evaluates the County's fire and rescue policies and programs by directing subordinate officers to plan, coordinate, and supervise all: fire and rescue operations and service delivery; fire prevention, code enforcement, and investigation activities; fire and rescue communications center activities; delivery of comprehensive fire and rescue training programs; program development for the fire and rescue service; Department and Local Fire and Rescue Department (LFRD) capital improvements; community safety education and outreach; labor negotiations with relevant unions; negotiations with the volunteer fire and rescue representative(s); and emergency medical services training coordination and evaluation. The work is performed under broadly defined missions, functions, and general administrative direction with little technical guidance. The employee exercises full and final accountability for all matters associated with completing work assignments, including determining the work to be performed and the methods used. Results of the work are considered technically authoritative and evaluated in terms of the public safety system's role in promoting fire protection and life safety for the County. Guidelines consist of broad policy directives and basic legislation, and require the employee to use considerable judgment in interpreting the intent of the guidelines and in generating specific policies and guidance for use by subordinate officers in developing various components of the overall public safety system. The complexity of the work is reflected in the need for planning, directing and integrating a broad range of fire and rescue services functions and programs. The work requires consideration of public safety, capital improvement, and community relations issues and impacts, and development of solutions that accommodate conflicting objectives from a variety of organizations, groups and individuals. The work of directing the public safety program is essential to the mission of the County Government and affects the lives and property of all County residents. The work is primarily sedentary; however, the incumbent must meet Integrated Emergency Command Structure certification requirements and possess the ability to perform firefighting and incident command tasks.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES: (Illustrative Only)

Develops and implements a comprehensive County-wide plan concerning the overall manner of operations for all fire and rescue units and resources.
Develops and implements a comprehensive County-wide plan for the delivery of fire and rescue service.
Develops and implements a standardized National Incident Management System (NIMS).
Develops and implements a comprehensive County wide fire prevention program which serves to consolidate the efforts of all personnel who are assigned fire prevention activities.
Directs the development, legislative enactment and enforcement of all fire and life safety codes of the County, and enforces all State laws that involve fire protection and life safety.
Develops and prepares specifications, purchases all fire and rescue apparatus, and assigns such apparatus to the various fire and rescue stations.
Establishes and directs the fire and rescue communications services, data management, and coordinates purchase and assignment of all communications equipment.
Develops and manages all Capital Improvement Projects, including all fire station construction and renovation.
Develops and submits policies to the Fire and Rescue Commission for approval in accordance with the County Code.
Initiates, prepares and maintains all automated data collection and analyses of the Fire Protection and Emergency Medical Incident Reporting System for the County.
Develops and implements all County wide fire and rescue training programs, and administers these programs through the management and maintenance of the Public Safety Training Academy.
Prepares and presents the Annual Budget request and Capital Improvements Budget for the Fire and Rescue Service, and controls and approves all expenditures of appropriations.
Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with local, regional, State and Federal agencies engaged in fire protection and emergency medical services.
Performs other related duties as required.

RECOMMENDED QUALIFICATIONS:

Experience: Extensive (7 years) experience in fire and rescue management, operations, and intergovernmental disaster management, with at least four (4) years in a managerial or supervisory capacity, which included responsibility for fund and budget administration, program planning, implementation and administration.
Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Master's Degree in Fire Science, Fire Administration, Fire Protection Engineering, Public Administration, or a related field.
Equivalency: An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Extensive knowledge of the principles and practices of fire and rescue training and supervision.
Extensive knowledge of principles and practices, objective and trends of fire prevention and investigation.
Extensive knowledge of national disaster management guidelines, programs and procedures.
Extensive knowledge of fire and rescue organization, functions, laws, rules, regulations and procedures.
Extensive knowledge of national, State, and local building and fire safety codes.
Extensive knowledge of emergency medical service delivery systems.
Thorough knowledge of the methods of obtaining active public interest and cooperation in accomplishing fire prevention and rescue objectives.
Considerable knowledge of the functions of other departments, agencies, organizations and associations related to fire and rescue service operations.
Skill in planning, coordinating, and managing major fire and rescue incidents, and major disasters, both from intra- and inter jurisdictional approaches.
Skill in oral and written communication sufficient to develop defenses and justifications for decisions reached.
Skill in working closely and harmoniously with volunteer fire and rescue services.
Ability to attend meetings and perform work assignments at locations outside the office.

LICENSE: None.

MEDICAL GROUP: Medical History Review (optional Core I Exam).

Class Established: February 1973
Revised: July 1987
October 2002
December 2004