FIRE CHIEF POSITION

FIRE CHIEF POSITION

The Town of Kensington seeks a Fire Chief to lead Kensington Fire Rescue, its all-hazards municipal, paid-on-call, fire department. The Chief performs highly responsible administrative and operations leadership in planning, organizing, coordinating, and directing all activities of Kensington Fire Rescue consistent with NH RSAs and NFPA guidelines. The hours of the Fire Chief are currently under reconsideration, and candidates interested in a half-time position as well as candidates interested in a full-time position are both welcome to apply.

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT

Kensington Fire Rescue is a small paid-on-call municipal fire department with fifteen highly active members, notable for its professionalism, highly-trained membership, customer service, and a supportive, safety-conscious organizational culture. KFR provides all-hazards response on an on-call basis to the rural Town of Kensington (pop. 2100; 12 sq. mi.) and its mutual aid district, including its own ambulance transport service. At present the department maintains two combination engine/tankers, a reserve engine, a forestry truck, a UTV with enclosed trailer, and an ambulance, in a small fire station located in the center of town. The Chief is supported by a team of highly-trained officers, seasoned senior firefighters, and eager new members, in addition to a Board of Selectmen, Town Administrator, and other colleagues in municipal government.

QUALIFICATIONS

The successful candidate will possess:

Education and Experience

• Associate's Degree in Fire Science, Public Administration, or a directly related field required; Bachelor’s Degree or evidence of continuing education preferred; 

• Firefighter I, II, III (or equivalent), EMT-B, Fire Officer I, Fire Instructor, CDL, Driver-Operator required; EMT-A and Fire Officer II preferred

• Ten or more years of experience in fire/rescue service or equivalent combination of education and experience required; demonstrated successful experience as fire officer in a career department for at least five years preferred;

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, and diplomatic ability;

• A progressive, people-focused attitude towards leadership;

• Passion for training, coaching, and developing members and leaders in the department;

• Ability and willingness to delegate appropriate tasks, including leadership/command roles when appropriate, to capable members and officers;

• A vision for the future of the fire department, its physical infrastructure, and the changing challenges facing the rural NH fire service;

• Ability to perform strenuous or peak physical activities during emergencies, training, or station maintenance activities for prolonged periods under conditions of extreme heights, intense heat, cold, or smoke;

• Thorough knowledge of modern firefighting practices, command and ICS principles, EMS, building construction, code enforcement, operations and maintenance of firefighting, rescue, and EMS equipment and apparatus;

• Thorough working knowledge of New Hampshire fire prevention laws, regulations, and procedures, as well as NHFA guidelines;

• Working knowledge of MS Office suite, including Word, Excel, and Powerpoint (or equivalent); experience with social media preferred;

• Working knowledge of two-way radio systems; radio programming interest and ability preferred

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Administrates and directs the activities of emergency medical response and transport, rescue, fire suppression, fire prevention, and fire administration;

• Leads a team of officers including a deputy chief, captain, and lieutenant;

• Directs and oversees the recruitment, selection, training, development, and evaluation of department personnel;

• Directs and oversees the fire prevention program which includes public education and inspections to determine compliance with building and fire codes and reviews building and development plans for compliance with established codes;

• Leads an efficient fire suppression operation with the ability to rapidly confine and extinguish fires;

• Prepares, proposes, and implements an annual budget;

• Maintains, implements, and updates departmental policies and practices (SOGs);

• Responds to calls, performing all duties of a firefighter and EMT;

• Works with officers to ensure operational command at complex emergencies such as major structure fires, HAZMAT, extrication, and other emergencies;

• Establishes and directs training programs providing basic fire training and training in new methods of firefighting, fire prevention, and rescue techniques;

• Directs or determinees the specifications/requirements, purchases, and maintenance of equipment, and the maintenance of facilities;

• Provides technical advice and guidance to the Town Administrator, attends biweekly Board of Selectmen meetings, makes presentations, and writes reports;

• Participates in and provides leadership to area and regional agencies to coordinate mutual aid arrangements, disaster planning and establish shared services;

• Establishes and maintains effective partnerships with community groups (e.g. school, churches, library, PD, parks & rec committee, state agencies, media);

• Identifies and obtains grant funding; administers grant programs that have been obtained through successful grant applications.

• Oversees ambulance billing operations, payroll, NHESR/NFRS reporting, and other administrative functions.

• Acts as State Forest and Fire Warden, and the right candidate may act as the Town’s Emergency Management Director upon appointment by the Board of Selectmen;

• Performs other related duties as requested. 

EQUIPMENT USED

Computer, telephone, copy and FAX machine, SCBA, radios, pagers, personal protective equipment, research material, air compressor, emergency generator, washing machine, clothes dryer, physical fitness equipment, saws, hydraulic rescue tools, jacks, ladders, hoses, axes, ropes, boats, water rescue suits, fire apparatus, ladder trucks, rescue trucks, ambulances, forest firefighting equipment, air monitoring equipment, shovels, fire extinguishers, portable pumps. Other equipment as needed to complete duties.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Ability to perform firefighting and rescue duties; ability to participate in emergency operations under all weather conditions on uneven ground, moving or standing water, in a partially destroyed structure; raise and climb ladders, lift patients when assisting ambulance crews, lift and carry victims, pull hose lines; cut holes in buildings, vehicles or ice, ability to wear full personal protective equipment, level C and B hazmat suits, ability to maintain balance on slippery surfaces, ability to float in water wearing water rescue suit, ability to float and swim in water wearing personal floatation device, ability to crawl into confined spaces, ability to operate in complete darkness, ability to lift and carry heavy equipment, ability to work for long periods of time. This includes the ability to:

• LIFT up to and over 50 lbs: frequently required.

• CARRY up to and over 50 lbs: frequently required.

• REACH below, at, above shoulder height: frequently required.

• PUSH/PULL: frequently required.

• Full range of bodily motion (twisting, bending, crawling, squatting, kneeling, crouching, climbing, balancing): frequently required. 

External and internal applicants, as well as position incumbents who become disabled as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, must be able to perform the essential job functions (as listed) either unaided or with the assistance of a reasonable accommodation to be determined by management on a case-by-case basis.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment includes the fire station as well as vehicles and emergency scenes that involve high risk with exposure to potentially dangerous situations or unusual environmental stress, which require a range of safety and other precautions (e.g. working at great heights under extreme outdoor weather conditions, subject to situations where conditions cannot be controlled. 

COMPENSATION

Salary TBD based on experience and certifications. 

DISCLAIMER

The duties prescribed within this document are normal for a Fire Chief position. They are intended as an illustration of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to, or extension, of the position. Other duties may be required and assigned by the supervisor.

The Town of Kensington is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information. 

DEADLINE

Applications to be accepted on a rolling basis with a closing date of May 31, 2024.

Submit applications and resumes to:  

kensington@kensingtontown.com