Deputy Fire Marshal

Performs difficult protective service work inspecting buildings and properties to minimize fire hazards, participating in fire investigations, performing public fire prevention education, and related work as apparent or assigned.  Work is performed under the supervision of the Assistant Chief/Fire Marshal.  The Deputy Fire Marshal’s shall be capable of performing all work as outlined in the job description with each of the Deputy Fire Marshal’s having primary and secondary duties. Both Deputy Fire Marshal’s shall be capable of being assigned to either role within the Fire and Life Safety Division.  

Duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed.   The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position.

RESPONSE

Responds to emergency incidents and non-emergency incidents and participates in city/department events and activities both during normal business hours, and after-hours as available.

Personally, or through subordinates is responsible for activities at the scene of an incident, deploying personnel, equipment and apparatus to meet the needs dictated by the incident.

 Actively participates and assists with Minnetonka Fire training sessions relating to various fire service topics.

Overview of Responsibilities

• Carries out the department’s fire inspection function to include research of code issues; conducting scheduled periodic inspections; conducting investigations of life safety complaints and false alarms; coordinating activities with other city departments and agencies; accurately completing and evaluating inspection reports and maintaining data and files.
• Manages the division’s Public Fire Safety Education Programs; conducts fire safety classes; plans, organizes and conducts fire safety programs and events; conducts juvenile fire setter interventions.
• Performs a variety of administrative duties including incident report review; inspection/incident data entry; prepares written correspondence; develops inspection policies and procedures; appropriately manages confidential and privileged information.
• Assists with the department’s fire investigation function to include: conducting investigations, coordinating with other agencies, preparing reports, and maintaining data and files.
• Accurately completes and evaluates investigation reports.
• Assist with plan reviews of fire protection systems for new construction and alterations of existing buildings; reviews construction site plans for issues related to provision of fire protection.

Inspection & Enforcement Bureau

Primary

• Coordinate, schedule, and conduct periodic and follow-up building inspections to ensure compliance with the state fire code and city ordinances.
• Issue written correction orders to building owners, property managers, building maintenance personnel, and/or occupants. Educate and explain fire code violations and solutions for compliance in plain language.
• Manage existing building Knox Boxes. Update keys and maintain key boxes.
• Conduct building follow-up visits after calls for service to ensure suppression and alarm systems are back in service, operational, and that building access keys work
• Investigate concerns or complaints from the public to determine if a code violation exists
• Review and issue permits for outdoor fireworks displays
• Develop and maintain relationships with building owners, property managers, building maintenance personnel, and community partners
• Perform customer stabilization at fire scenes, and conduct or assist with fire investigations, or other assignment as determined by the incident commander
• Utilize the department’s record management system to track data related to fire inspections 
• Other duties as assigned

Secondary

• Create age appropriate fire and life safety lesson plans and presentations for various age groups and audiences. Coordinate, schedule, and conduct presentations, station tours, and specialized training utilizing training props (fire extinguishers, hands-only CPR, and AED).
• Coordinate and conduct fire department outreach programs including the Quality of Life Follow-up Program, Care Facility Follow-up Program, and the Home Visit Smoke Alarm Program 
• Plan, coordinate and execute department events, and participate in other city events and community outreach events
• Develop content for social media, digital platforms and print publications
• Assist various buildings in emergency planning and preparedness 
• Analyze data to determine fire and injury risks in the community and refine existing, or develop new programs and solutions to increase fire prevention and injury reduction

Community Risk Reduction Bureau

Primary

• Create age appropriate fire and life safety lesson plans and presentations for various age groups and audiences. Coordinate, schedule, and conduct presentations, station tours, and specialized training utilizing training props (fire extinguishers, hands-only CPR, and AED).
• Coordinate and conduct fire department outreach programs including the Quality of Life Follow-up Program, Care Facility Follow-up Program, and the Home Visit Smoke Alarm Program 
• Plan, coordinate and execute department events, and participate in other city events and community outreach events
• Develop content for social media, digital platforms and print publications
• Assist various buildings in emergency planning and preparedness 
• Analyze data to determine fire and injury risks in the community and refine existing, or develop new programs and solutions to increase fire prevention and injury reduction
• Develop and maintain relationships with building owners, property managers, building maintenance personnel, and community partners
• Perform customer stabilization at fire scenes, and conduct or assist with fire investigations, or other assignment as determined by the incident commander
• Utilize the department’s record management system to track data related to education efforts 
• Other duties as assigned

Secondary

• Coordinate, schedule, and conduct periodic and follow-up building inspections to ensure compliance with the state fire code and city ordinances.
• Issue written correction orders to building owners, property managers, building maintenance personnel, and/or occupants. Educate and explain fire code violations and solutions for compliance in plain language.
• Manage existing building Knox Boxes. Update keys and maintain key boxes.
• Develop, maintain, and update pre-incident plans
• Conduct building follow-up visits after calls for service to ensure suppression and alarm systems are back in service and operational, and that building access keys work
• Investigate concerns or complaints from the public to determine if a code violation exists
• Review and issue permits for outdoor fireworks displays

Minimum Qualifications: 

• High school diploma or GED;
• Minimum of five years of firefighting work experience;
• Must be a licensed firefighter in the state of Minnesota, or the ability to obtain licensure within one year of hire;
• Current Emergency Medical Technician certification with the Minnesota Emergency Medical Services Regulations Board;
• Certified MFSCB Firefighter I; 
• Certified MFSCB Fire Inspector I or obtain within one year of hire;
• Certified MFSCB Public Fire Educator I or obtain within one year of hire;
• Experience using a computer, specifically Microsoft Office Suite and Emergency Reporting software;
• Valid Minnesota Class D driver’s license; 
• Ability to successfully pass a physical ability test, pre-employment physical, psychological evaluation, and criminal background check; 

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Associate’s degree in a related field or equivalent combination of education and experience;
• Previous experience as a fire inspector;
• Previous experience as a fire investigator;
• Previous experience with plan review;
• Certified MFSCB Fire Inspector II; 
• Certified MFSCB Firefighter II; 
• Certified Fire Investigator through IAAI or NAFI;
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills;
• Principles and modern methods of fire suppression and prevention;
• Additional coursework in fire science, business, finance, management and/or public administration;
• Coursework in plan review, fire investigation, public fire safety education and code enforcement;
• Education/teaching experience;

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Thorough Knowledge of: 

• City and department policies and procedures; 
• Federal, State, and local codes and ordinances; 
• Microsoft Office Suite and position specific software applications;
• Firefighting principles and practices;
• Fire apparatus maintenance and operation;

Highly Skilled In: 

• Firefighting and emergency operations; 
• Conducting command functions; 
• Leadership and management practices and implementation of programs; 

Strong ability to: 

• Perform strenuous activities or exert peak physical effort during emergency, training or investigation activities for prolonged periods of time under conditions of extreme heights, intense heat or cold and dense smoke; 
• Operate and use office equipment; ability to effectively communicate both orally and in writing; 
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers, subordinates, supervisors, other departments, outside agencies or vendors, public officials, and the general public.

Physical Requirements:
This work requires the frequent exertion of up to 10 pounds of force and occasional exertion of up to 100 pounds of force; work regularly requires speaking or hearing, frequently requires sitting, reaching with hands and arms, pushing or pulling, lifting and repetitive motions and occasionally requires standing, walking, using hands to finger, handle or feel, climbing or balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling and tasting or smelling; work requires close vision, distance vision, ability to adjust focus, depth 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, assembly or fabrication of parts within arm’s length, operating machines, operating motor vehicles or equipment and observing general surroundings and activities; work frequently requires exposure to wet, humid conditions (non-weather), working near moving mechanical parts, exposure to fumes or airborne particles, exposure to toxic or caustic chemicals, exposure to outdoor weather conditions, exposure to the risk of electrical shock, wearing a self-contained breathing apparatus and exposure to bloodborne pathogens and may be required to wear specialized personal protective equipment and occasionally requires working in high, precarious places, exposure to extreme cold (non-weather), exposure to extreme heat (non-weather), working with explosives and exposure to vibration; work is generally in a very loud noise location (e.g. jack hammer work, garbage recycle plant).