Fire Department Training Specialist

State of North Carolina • Johnston County, NC

2d • Onsite

About The Position

The Fire Department Training Specialist is a member of the North Carolina Forest Service Fire Staff and reports directly to the Fire Chief. The position helps fire departments build wildland firefighting capability through training and acquisition of equipment, including through the Volunteer Fire Assistance Grant and federal excess property programs.

The position manages the Wildfire Volunteer Fire Grants, a federal program supporting the organization, equipping, and training of small local fire departments in rural communities with populations under 10,000. Grant responsibilities include monitoring account balances and expenditures, ensuring grants comply with federal standards, and collecting and reconciling documentation for expenditures.

The specialist also supports the Federal Excess Personal Property Program and Firefighter Property Program administered through the USDA Forest Service by searching for, screening, and planning the distribution of equipment to departments that have demonstrated need and made a formal request. The position oversees and coordinates the Class A Foam purchasing program.

As part of Fire Staff, the specialist serves in rotation as Fire Staff Duty Officer during peak dispatching periods. The position assists with wildfire response statewide as needed and is expected to qualify for service on an NCFS Complex Incident Management Team and/or Type 3 Incident Management Team. Responses may occur in North Carolina and other southern states when Compact assistance is needed. The specialist may also serve on the State Emergency Response Team and perform duties at the State Emergency Operations Center during all-hazard disaster response.

The duty station is the Griffiths Forestry Center in Clayton, North Carolina. Overnight or extended travel can be expected, and long or extended hours are common during emergency response periods.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree from an appropriately accredited institution and two years of experience in the occupational area assigned, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience in wildfire and all-hazard emergency response.
• Experience working with volunteer fire departments.
• Knowledge of incident response dispatch procedures.
• Experience using Microsoft Office.
• Good organizational skills and ability to meet tight deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Help fire departments build wildland firefighting capability through training and equipment acquisition.
• Manage Wildfire Volunteer Fire Grants, including monitoring account balances and expenditures, ensuring compliance with federal standards, and collecting and reconciling expenditure documentation.
• Support the Federal Excess Personal Property Program and Firefighter Property Program by searching for, screening, and planning equipment distribution to qualifying fire departments.
• Oversee and coordinate the Class A Foam purchasing program.
• Serve in rotation as Fire Staff Duty Officer during peak dispatching periods.
• Assist with wildfire response across the state as needed and become qualified to serve on an NCFS Complex Incident Management Team and/or Type 3 Incident Management Team.
• Respond in North Carolina and other southern states when Compact assistance is needed.
• May serve on the State Emergency Response Team and perform duties at the State Emergency Operations Center during all-hazard disaster response.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level