Assistant Fire Marshal

Johnston County•Johnston County Public Safety Center, NC

12d

About The Position

The Assistant Fire Marshal is responsible for fire code enforcement and inspections, technical consultation with fire departments, fire investigations, public education, and plan reviews. The role requires maintaining records and reports and applying independent judgment, initiative, analytical skills, and knowledge of federal, state, and local fire code and hazardous materials policies and regulations. The employee must make and communicate accurate decisions during emergencies and interact tactfully and diplomatically with the public. The position conducts origin-and-cause fire and explosion investigations and serves as a subject matter expert and liaison for county resources that may be needed during fire and emergency management operations. Work is performed under the general direction of the Deputy Fire Marshal and evaluated through conferences, reports, and feedback on services and emergency coordination. The position is Monday through Friday, 0800–1700. Work may involve hazards associated with inspections, investigations, hazardous materials, and emergency management, including indoor and outdoor work in extreme heat or cold, exposure to high heat, chemicals, atmospheric conditions, and blood-borne pathogens. The employee may sometimes need to wear a respirator and work in close quarters.

Requirements

Graduation from a two-year college or university and five years of experience in fire and rescue services, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Valid North Carolina Driver’s License with a satisfactory driving record.
North Carolina certification as a Fire Investigation Technician, or ability to obtain it within one year.
Minimum standard Level I Fire Inspector certification or higher, issued through the North Carolina Department of Insurance Code Officials Qualification Board.
Thorough knowledge of federal, state, and local policies, procedures, laws, and regulations related to emergency services and fire marshal activities.
Thorough knowledge of fire inspections, fire investigations, emergency management, and hazardous materials handling and storage.
Working knowledge of Google Workspace, Word, Excel, SmartDraw, and GIS applications.
Knowledge and skills in conducting fire inspections.
Knowledge of incident safety and incident command structure.
Knowledge of hazardous materials incident management.
Knowledge of confined-space and technical-rescue techniques.
Skills in management, organization, and supervision.
Skills in conducting fire investigations and using modern methods to collect and analyze data.
Ability to plan, organize, direct, and supervise paid and volunteer staff, especially during emergencies or disasters.
Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.
Ability to react quickly, effectively, and professionally in emergencies and major disasters.
Ability to exercise sound judgment, determine suitable options, and make decisions in emergency matters.
Ability to interpret, explain, and apply laws, policies, procedures, and regulations in emergency situations and daily operations.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with emergency agencies and personnel, volunteer emergency service organizations, public officials, business and community leaders, department heads, supervisors, and employees.

Nice To Haves

Valid North Carolina Class B Driver's License.
Standard Level II Fire Inspector certification.
North Carolina Hazardous Materials Operations Certification.
NIMS ICS 100, 200, 700, and 800.
North Carolina Firefighter Certification.
North Carolina Certified Fire Investigator.

Responsibilities

Conduct fire and life safety inspections in a range of occupancies to assess compliance with state building codes and local ordinances.
Investigate illegal burn complaints, document them, and order actions to comply with applicable state and local codes and ordinances.
Investigate fire safety hazard complaints, compile data, order corrective actions as applicable, issue citations for violations, and advise business and property owners on resolving violations.
Conduct fire service reviews of commercial sites and Technical Review Committee plans.
Provide technical assistance on fire code-related issues.
Review commercial building plans for the county and other municipalities for compliance with applicable building codes.
Conduct technical inspections of new construction and building modifications for conformance with fire codes.
Conduct or witness acceptance testing of life safety systems, including sprinkler, fire alarm, and fixed suppression systems, to determine initial compliance with codes and standards.
Investigate fires, gather scene data, analyze facts, and report findings.
Conduct and teach fire prevention and safety education classes for the public, businesses, schools, nursing homes, civic organizations, and other emergency responders, as requested.
Assist in managing the Emergency Operations Center and coordinate local emergency agencies with state and federal agencies during emergencies or disasters.
Represent the County on various committees.