DEPUTY FIRE MARSHAL 2

Job Description:

DEPUTY FIRE MARSHAL 2

Description

OVERVIEW

Do you want to make a difference in your community? Do you want to work for an award-winning organization? Kitsap County DCD has earned national awards for the permitting system, public disclosure request system and risk check program. It has received two Governor's Awards for comprehensive planning efforts and is recognized for its natural resources program by federal and state agencies as the "go to organization" for Puget Sound Restoration efforts. The department has very engaged employees dedicated to delivering effective and efficient services to the citizens of Kitsap County. Nearly all employees are Lean Six Sigma trained and have development plans that encourage career growth at all levels.

DCD is seeking a dynamic fire professional to fill our Deputy Fire Marshal 2 position.

Please learn more about the department at: http://www.kitsapgov.com/dcd/default.htm

Position Summary:
An employee in this classification investigates fires to determine origin, cause and circumstance, conducts criminal investigation of fires determined to be arson or involving other criminal activity, reviews fire alarm, sprinkler, building construction, fire protection and water supply plans for code compliance, inspects new construction projects and existing occupancies for code compliance and, undertakes enforcement actions as required for conditions found to be out of compliance with adopted fire and building codes. Serves as a program lead. The incumbent works closely with and provides assistance to individuals in Community Development, other county departments, fire districts, law enforcement, other prosecutorial agencies, the public, and project applicants.

This position will be posted continuously until filled.
A first review of applications will occur the week of September 16, 2024.
Virtual interviews are tentatively scheduled for the first week in October.

QUALIFICATIONS FOR PERFORMANCE OF THE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• High school diploma or GED; AND
• Five (5) years’ experience in fire prevention and investigation, plan review, existing occupancy, and new construction inspection; OR two (2) years’ experience at the Deputy Fire Marshal 1 Level, AND
• Current ICC (International Code Council) certification as a Fire Inspector II, AND Current ICC Fire Plan Review, Building Inspector or Commercial Plan Reviewer is required at the time of hire; AND
• Certification as a Fire and Explosion Investigator issued by the National Association of Fire Investigators (NAFI), or as a Fire Investigator issued by the International Association of Arson Investigators is required within twelve months of the date of hire.
• An Equivalent combination of education and experience may be accepted.
• Position may be underfilled as a Deputy Fire Marshal 1 (four years of related experience, twenty-four months to obtain investigator certification.

PREFERRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Current Fire Investigator certification issued by either NAFI or IAAI.
• Additional ICC certifications relating to fire protection or commercial building construction and use.
• Associate or higher degree in Fire Protection Engineering, Fire Investigation, Fire Science, Fire Technology, or a closely related field.
• One (1) year experience as a supervisor or lead worker.
• Additional education may be substituted for up to two years of the required experience.

Driving Requirements:

• The successful incumbent must meet the driving requirements of this position and submit a copy a current driving record/abstract (from state of residency) to review for eligibility to drive for Kitsap County prior to employment. The successful incumbent must obtain a valid Washington State Driver’s License prior to hire and maintain a satisfactory driving record as outlined in the Kitsap County Vehicle Use Policy.

This position is categorized as:

• Category 1: Driver operates County-owned vehicle.

Criminal Conviction Standards:

• The successful incumbent will or may have unsupervised access to children under 18 years of age, a vulnerable adult, or a vulnerable person, or access to a secured/confidential facility or computer system(s). As a result, Kitsap County will be conducting an extensive criminal background check by law enforcement agencies, which may include fingerprinting.
• Please review the following list of disqualifying crimes and negative actions to determine if you meet our standard for this position: https://www.dshs.wa.gov/ffa/disqualifying-list-crimes-and-negative-actions

Required Licenses, Certificates, Examinations/Tests and Other Requirements
Please note: The incumbent is responsible for obtaining and maintaining all of the following required licenses, certifications and other requirements.

Prior to employment, the successful candidate must:

• Submit official transcripts from an accredited college or university or business school if education is being used to meet the minimum qualifications.
• Submit proof of current required certifications.
• Pass all job-related examinations/tests necessary to demonstrate required knowledge, skills and abilities, as determined by the hiring authority at time of job posting.
• Be able to fulfill all traveling requirements of this position and meet the qualifications and guidelines of the Fleet Risk Control Policies in the operation of a motor vehicle on County business, including possessing and maintaining a valid Washington State Driver's License and the appropriate amount of automobile insurance.
• Prior to employment, the selected applicant must provide a copy of their State driving record.
• Be able to pass Law Enforcement background check.

Within 12 months of appointment (24 months for DFM 1):

• Incumbent must obtain a Fire Investigator certification issued by either (NAFI) or (IAAI).

Working Conditions/Physical Activities
(The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by the employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Kitsap County provides reasonable accommodation to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.)

Work is performed in the office, at construction sites, within existing occupancies and at fire and other emergency scenes.

Positions in this class typically require:

• Walking, bending, stooping and twisting.
• Reaching above and/or below shoulders.
• Handling/grasping documents for equipment.
• Sitting and/or standing for short or extended periods of time.
• Clear speaking and adequate hearing sufficient to communicate effectively and respond appropriately in-person, on the telephone, or using other electronic media.
• Hearing audible signals, traffic, equipment, warnings.
• Vision sufficient to drive a vehicle during daylight and nighttime hours, read source materials, plans and drawings, to read computer and similar screens and see detail or color.
• Repetitive motions for computer/tool/equipment use.
• Exertion of force of 50 pounds occasionally, 10 pounds frequently, and/or 5 pounds continuously to lift/carry/move objects, files/documents, and field equipment necessary to conduct inspections.
• Climbing steps and ladders, traversing rough, slippery and / or uneven terrain on construction or other sites.
• Field inspections or evaluations may require extended periods of walking or standing, driving or riding in a passenger vehicle, keyboarding, looking up or down and handling small hand tools like flashlights and clipboards.
• Ability to occasionally fit into sometimes limited spaces like attics and crawl spaces.
• Ability to crawl, climb ladders or temporary scaffolding stoop, duck, kneel, twist, extend arms above head to accomplish required examinations; and balance sufficient to traverse walkways, uneven or slippery surfaces, ascend and descend ladders and stairs.
• Exposure to a variety of weather conditions may occur while driving or conducting field work.
• Exposure to physical hazards from obstacles, heavy equipment, construction materials, locations at, above or below grade, various airborne pollutants including smoke, heat and the byproducts of combustion at fire scenes, chemicals, heavy metals, spray paints, loud noises, and domestic animals.
• Requires daily contact with other individuals some of whom may not be compliant with applicable regulations and unreceptive to regulatory contacts.
• The ability to don and work in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) including firefighting bunker gear, full and partial face respirators, Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA), fall protection, head, hearing, foot, eye, and other PPE or protective equipment as required.
• Ability to effectively function with exposure to fire and law enforcement apparatus at emergency scenes where flashing or oscillating colored lights are present.
• Ability to work in an open office environment.
• Ability to work with an incident command structure.

Incumbents may be:

• Exposed to individuals in stressful situations who may not be stable (physically or mentally) or who may become uncooperative or combative at fire and emergency scenes or during investigations.

ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE OF DUTIES

In this role you will be able to:

• Perform on scene and follow up investigations as needed to determine the origin, cause, and circumstances of fires; identify and secure evidence to support cause determinations; document fire scenes using photography and video or other formats and prepare detailed and accurate reports of findings and conclusions. Serve in a standby capacity to respond 24/7 to fire scenes, building collapses or other emergencies as required to investigate fires and other situations in inclement and other weather conditions
• Review all manner of applications and plans submitted for new building construction, land use activities, fire protection systems, operational and construction permits, temporary and special uses to determine compliance with applicable fire and building codes. Prepare detailed reports and necessary permit processing functions as needed to approve applications. Maintain records of application reviews in the department's electronic permitting system (SmartGov).
• Conduct on-site inspections of new and existing buildings and tenant spaces as needed to support construction or permitting activities. Approve, deny and/or make recommendations concerning applications based on inspection findings. Prepare detailed reports of inspection results and maintain inspection records in the department's electronic permitting system
• Conduct criminal investigations of fires determined to be caused by arson or other criminal activity in cooperation with the Sheriff's Office, the Prosecutor's Office, and other law enforcement and/or insurance investigative agencies Provide expert witness courtroom testimony concerning facts and opinions about various fires as required.
• Investigate fire trends and detect possible criminal activity, evidence of arson or other criminal activity.
• Identify and preserve collected evidence and prepare and maintain proper records of activities.
• Develop detailed case files and make expert opinion statements of fact to document the fire loss and prepare case reports for civil and criminal litigation.
• Provide expert witness courtroom testimony concerning facts and opinion regarding the point of origin and cause of fires.
• Issue notices identifying fire hazards, code violations and initiating enforcement action, setting time limitations for abatement and authorizing issuance of Certificates of Occupancy, permits and licenses.
• Coordinate inspections and identify violations or necessary code modifications for contractors, building, property, and business owners.
• Perform acceptance testing for the installation of fire protection systems (fire sprinklers, alarms, water supply systems and fire flow).
• Document inspection and plan review findings and recommendations and maintain corresponding reports.
• Provide communication on code requirements, interpretations, rules or policy and on-site problems revealed by inspections.
• Act as lead worker over assigned employees: organizing, assigning, advising, motivating, training, and making recommendations of the evaluation, discipline and selection of employees.
• Assist the public by phone, virtual, and in person with fire and safety code questions regarding applications for permits and review of building plans.
• Maintain electronic files, databases and official files and records of inspections, complaint investigations, plan reviews and related documentation in accordance with record-keeping policies.

OTHER POSITION RELATED INFORMATION

• Who May Apply : This position is open to the general public. Applications will be screened for qualifications and completion of all the required materials and forms. The most competitive applicants may be contacted for further steps in the selection process, which may include testing for office and computer skills.
• This position is classified as eligible for overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
• This position is covered under a collective bargaining agreement with AFSCME 1308. Internal applicants should be aware that a change in union status or bargaining unit may impact your benefits and accruals. Please contact Human Resources if you have questions.
• Kitsap County is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please contact our Human Resources Office.
• This recruitment is being used to fill an existing open position and may be used to fill future openings for up to six (6) months.
• Work hours for this position are Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

At Kitsap County, we strive to take care of our team! Our employees are the greatest asset of Kitsap County, and we take pride in offering a highly competitive compensation and benefits package to all eligible employees.

County Paid Benefits Include:
Medical - Kaiser Permanente (HMO) or Aetna (PPO)
Dental -Delta Dental or Willamette
Vision - VSP
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
Life Insurance - Basic, Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D), Voluntary Term Life Insurance (VTL)
MetLife Long Term Disability
Voya Voluntary Insurance
Transportation incentives
Employee Assistance Program
Travel Assistance Program
Wellness program https://spf.kitsapgov.com/hr/Pages/Wellness.aspx
Benefits become effective on the first calendar day of the month following the month in which the employee is hired except if the employee's hire date is the first calendar day of the month, benefits begin on the day of hire. More information about employee benefits is available on the county's website at: https://spf.kitsapgov.com/hr/Pages/Benefits.aspx or the Kitsap County Digital Benefits Guide .

*Voluntary benefit options also available at the employee's expense

Retirement:
Employees are covered under the PERS retirement plan provided through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems and Social Security.

Deferred Compensation (IRS Plan 457b): tax-deferred savings program

Holidays
11 paid holidays and 2 additional floating holiday per year

Vacation Leave
New employees are credited with 48 hours of annual leave upon hire and will be begin accruing at the rate of 8 hours per month starting on their 7th month of employment. Employees may carry over 360 hours from one calendar year to the next. Annual leave accrual will increase upon tenure, as follows:

Upon completion of 3 years: 15 days per year (10.00 hours per month)
Upon completion of 5 years: 20 days per year (13.33 hours per month)
Upon completion of 10 years: 25 days per year (16.67 hours per month)
Sick Leave
All new hires will be credited with 48 hours of sick leave upon hire and will begin accruing at the rate of 8 hours per month starting on their 7th month of employment. Employees may carry over 1200 hours from one calendar year to the next.

***Part-time employees benefit contributions and leave accruals will beprorated***

Additional compensation that you may be eligible for:
Shift differential
Overtime
Stand by pay
Call-back pay

Current County Employees
If you are transferring or promoting into this position you are responsible for reviewing these benefit changes; prior to accepting a position. In addition, it is your responsibility to notify the Auditor's Payroll Division of a change in union status.

Union Membership
This position is covered under AFSCME Local 1308 Courthouse Employees collective bargaining agreement. To view the bargaining agreement please visit our website: https://www.kitsapgov.com/hr/Pages/Collective-Bargaining-Agreements.aspx

NOTE: This is a general overview of the benefits offered through employment with Kitsap County, and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. If any information on this document conflicts or is incorrect with the provisions of the Personnel Manual, applicable laws, policies, rules or official plan documents they will prevail. The Personnel Manual is available at: https://www.kitsapgov.com/hr/Pages/Personnel-Manual-2019.aspx

Salary:

$30.05 - $42.47 Hourly