Battalion Chief

Serves as a senior leader in the Leland Fire/Rescue Department, coordinating a battalion of firefighting companies that perform protective service work. Manages captains who perform technical and administrative work in commanding and coordinating fire and rescue operations. operations. Lead captains and crews to meet Town of Leland Fire/Rescue Department mission, values, and standards. Supervise and evaluate Fire Rescue Captains and ensure their crews are properly evaluated. Coordinate with the department’s training captain to ensure that professional development and training standards are met for captains and crews. This position is designated as essential during emergency or disaster situations. Work is performed with the general direction of the Deputy Fire Chief.    

Essential Job Functions

• Oversees activities at emergency scenes as incident commander, assessing situations and determining tactical objectives, and evaluating performance and making suggestions for future activities; conducts post-incident critiques. 
• Directs multiple emergency companies responding to fire, medical, hazardous material, rescue and all types of emergency incidents. 
• Oversees administrative programs for the entire department, as assigned. 
• Provides pre-hospital care in accordance with departmental and Brunswick County policies; protects privacy of all patient information in accordance with departmental policies. 
• Assigns, directs, trains, monitors and manages, supports the professional growth and development of assigned personnel; rewards, disciplines, coaches, counsels, and evaluates assigned personnel performance. 
• Serves as the supervisor for assigned staff and interns while they are on duty; coordinates daily shift assignments and tasks; ensures staff respond timely, effectively, and professionally responds to emergency incidents as required. 
• Evaluates the training needs of personnel and works with the department’s training officer to develop and provide training relative to deficiencies in emergency operations; coordinates specialized training sessions; coordinates, evaluates, and conducts multi-company drills.  
• Participates in the maintenance of equipment and facilities; operates department apparatus, vehicles and radios when needed. 
• Oversees and participates in the management of fire suppression, prevention, training and disaster preparedness program services and activities. 
• Represents the department at various community events. 
• Attends and participates in professional group meetings; stays abreast of new trends and innovations in the field of fire prevention, suppression, training, and management; participates in professional development for leadership and management. 
• Prepares a variety of public information materials; conducts or has others within the department conduct public information/education classes related to fire prevention, emergency medical services, hazardous materials, disaster preparedness and other department activities. 
• Prepares and maintains a variety of records and manuals. 
• Performs work during emergency/disaster situations as assigned. 
• Regularly demonstrates the Town’s core values of respect, engagement, supportive work enviornment, communication, and service excellence and holds others accountable to do the same. 
• Performs all other duties and responsibilities as assigned. 

• Bachelors Degree with coursework in fire protection technology and extensive experience in fire prevention and suppression including considerable supervisory experience. 
• Possession of a valid NC Class B driver’s license. 
• Possession of IFSAC or ProBoard Firefighter, Fire Instructor II, Fire Officer II. 
• Possession of Technical Rescuer General certifications within 12 months of appointment. 
• Possession of NC Emergency Vehicle Driver certification within 12 months of appointment. 
• Possession of Basic Life Support certification. 
• Possession of a NC EMT credential.  
• Completion of NIMS ICS 100, 200, 300, 400, 700, and 800 courses within 12 months of appointment. 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Ability to create and foster a mission-focused and values-driven cultural environment that promotes the creation of excellent outcomes for the department’s internal and external stakeholders, and helps people want to be their best. 
• Comprehensive knowledge of the geography and street layout of the service districts and surrounding areas.  
• Comprehensive knowledge of fire ground tactics and strategy, the Incident Command System (ICS), principles of incident safety, automatic and mutual aid agreements, hazardous materials incident management, confined space and technical rescue techniques. 
• Comprehensive knowledge of fire science theory, principles and practices and their application to a wide variety of emergency service operations including fire suppression, fire prevention, and fire investigation; operational characteristics of fire apparatus and equipment including emergency driving techniques, modern fire loss, and fire prevention principles, methods and practices. 
• Comprehensive knowledge of departmental policies, procedures and manual of operations of the Fire/Rescue Department. 
• Thorough knowledge of applicable federal, state, and local laws and codes and regulations pertaining to fire and emergency medical service operations. 
• General knowledge of Brunswick County EMS protocols. 
• Ability to operate in extremely dangerous scenarios and life and death environments that potentially expose the individual to great bodily harm or death. 
• Ability to perform in dynamic, highly stressful situations. 
• Ability to react quickly and calmly in all types of emergency and departmental scenarios. 
• Ability to analyze problems, identify alternative solutions and project consequences of proposed actions. 
• Ability to work extended hours and days to meet all operational needs when necessary. May be recalled to duty at any time by the Incident Commander or the Fire Chief. 
• Ability to make arithmetic computations using whole numbers, fractions, and decimals. 
• Ability to compute rates, ratios, and percentages. 
• Ability to follow oral and written directions and communicate effectively orally and in writing. 
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with associates, other medical personnel, law enforcement, outside agencies, and the general public. 

Physical Requirements

• Ability to pass the annual Job Physical Ability Test (JPAT). 
• Ability to wear a respirator (SCBA) to safely perform firefighting operations, or perform rescues in conditions where smoke or gases may be present; duties may require SCBA usage for thirty (30) minutes to several hours at one time. 

This work requires regular exertion of up to 10 pounds of force and occasional exertion of up to 100 pounds of force; work regularly requires standing, walking and speaking or hearing, using hands to finger, handle or feel; frequently requires reaching with hands and arms, pushing or pulling, lifting, and repetitive motions; occasionally requires sitting, climbing or balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling, smelling; work has standard vision requirements; vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word; hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels; work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data, visual inspection involving small defects and/or small parts, using of measuring devices, operating motor vehicles or equipment and observing general surroundings and activities; work occasionally requires exposure to wet, humid conditions (non-weather), working near moving mechanical parts, working in high, precarious places, exposure to fumes or airborne particles, exposure to toxic or caustic chemicals, exposure to outdoor weather conditions, exposure to extreme heat (non-weather), exposure to the risk of electrical shock, working with explosives, exposure to vibration, required to wear specialized personal protective equipment, and exposure to bloodborne pathogens; work is generally in a moderate noise location (e.g. business office with typewriters and/or computer printers, light traffic). 

NOTE: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employee may perform other related duties as assigned to meet the ongoing needs of the organization. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable an individual with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  The Town is interested in hiring qualified candidates who are eligible to work in the United States. However, we are not able to sponsor visas.