Fire Chief

Overview

The City of Battle Creek is looking for a Fire Chief to work on planning, organizing, and administrating the operations of the fire department. Work involves setting policies and goals under the direction of the City Manager. Supervision exercised over all personnel within the department.

• Plans, directs, and manages a twenty-four-hour Fire Department operation by coordinating functions and activities with subordinate officers. Supervises administrative activities of the department including assignments of personnel and equipment, requisitioning material, supplies, and equipment, and preparing departmental budget, correspondence, records and reports.
• Directs programs for training firefighting personnel in the proper methods of firefighting, Hazmat, the use of equipment, and on fire prevention to include inspection, investigation, and enforcement of Federal, State, and local laws.
• Maintains and establishes effective controls for enforcing laws and ordinances. Ensures departmental compliance with Federal, State, and local laws and regulations. Develops long term plans to improve and maintain effective operations and recommends policies. Directs investigations into the causes of fires; coordinates with Emergency Service Director.
• Directs the maintenance, repair, improvement, and replacement of equipment, radio equipment, station houses, and other property of the Fire Department.
• Attends City Commission and other meetings as necessary to clarify/explain programs/activities. Participates on specialty boards at the State and local level as a City representative.
• Selects, assigns, supervises, trains, promotes, evaluates, and issues discipline to assigned personnel as necessary and in accordance with PA 78, Administrative Code, collective bargaining agreement, and Affirmative Action Plan.
• Handles citizen inquiries, comments, and complaints regarding departmental activities; conducts activities in the development of good public relations and promotes good will, including the making of public addresses, appearances, and other activities. Reviews and responds to employee grievances and takes action as appropriate.

• Bachelor's degree with coursework in fire administration, public administration, or related field.
• 10 years experience in fire or emergency services management.
• Possess Fire Officer I, II, III Certification or equivalent executive level training upon hire.

• Valid driver's license in the State of Michigan.
• EMS License is desirable.

This work requires the occasional exertion of up to 10 pounds of force; work regularly requires sitting, bending, reaching, hand dexterity (grasping, holding, keyboarding, repetitive movements), reading, writing, eye-hand coordination, seeing (near and/or far, color, depth, field of vision), hearing, using the telephone, contact with government officials and the general public, working overtime, and working inside and alone.