Deputy Chief of Operations

The Tooele County Fire Department operates with two deputy chief positions. While similar in nature, each position is unique with respect to a primary and secondary role, with specific responsibilities to ensure the organizational mission, objectives, and management goals are achieved.

Each deputy chief reports directly to the emergency services director /fire chief. Each deputy chief may support the other with their respective portfolios - administratively and operationally.

Purpose

The primary role of this deputy chief position is to represent Tooele County on all operational activities related to training, preparedness, and emergency response.

This position may also direct or assist administratively and operationally in fire mitigation, emergency medical services, special operations, and may provide supervision and coordination of other fire department related activities within the incorporated and unincorporated areas of the County. This role may act as an administrative liaison between various County jurisdictions.

Specific duties are featured herein, but serve only as a general guide, which may be modified by the Tooele County Fire Chief as deemed necessary, based on the needs of the community and knowledge, skills, and abilities of the employee fulfilling the role.

Supervision Received

The Deputy Chief of Operations reports to the Tooele County Emergency Services Director/ Fire Chief.

Supervision Exercised

Provides direct supervision of the seasonal wildland teams and to the volunteer Tooele County Fire chiefs assigned to a Tooele County Fire Station. Acts as a liaison, working alongside the volunteer fire chiefs in agencies who Tooele County contracts with to provide fire protection services in unincorporated areas of the County.

Primary Responsibilities

The deputy chief serving as the Operations Chief is a liaison officer between the Tooele County officials and automatic/mutual aid agencies, advocates for fire service mitigation, wildland and structure fire protection, special operations, and the provision of emergency medical services. Serves as a liaison to specified communities as assigned by the Emergency Services Director/Fire Chief.

Specific portfolio assignments regarding special operations (water and ice rescue, hazardous materials, heavy rescue, mass casualty, aircraft rescue and firefighting, etc.), and other duties are determined and assigned by the Director/Fire Chief.

Specific Duties

In conjunction with the Deputy Chief/Fire Marshal, reviews fire prevention activities associated with new development as well as the automatic and mutual aid responses; ensure continuation and development of relationships with partnering agencies.

Represents the County for all fire department-related matters on unincorporated land (except for the North Tooele Fire District and Department of Defense properties), including vehicle accidents, medical calls, hazmat situations, wildfires, structure fires, vehicle fires, fire alarms, etc.

Maintains positive working relationships with non-county agencies that provide fire department-related services, including but not limited to; review and maintain all mutual aid and automatic aid agreements, ensure timely and adequate responses, ensure minimum levels of training are met, ensure safe and effective equipment is used, ensure necessary reporting and tracking is completed, etc.

Creates, maintains, distributes, and trains county and non-county agencies on set Standard Operating Guidelines for responses to the areas mentioned above.

Ensures proper maintenance, safety, and usage of fire apparatus. Set standards for vehicle safety and reliability for County and outside agency responses to fire calls.

Ensures County and partnering agencies have adequate communication equipment, to include mobile and portable radios, and that the County communication plan works for all agencies at all responses. As such, may also serve as the liaison to the Tooele County emergency dispatch center as directed by the Fire Chief.

In conjunction with the Fire Marshal, ensures pre-plan maps, mapping/navigations/data collection applications, and County mobilization guides are available to all partnering agencies.

In conjunction with the Fire Marshal, is trained and proficient to administer the Tooele County Fire ariel and submersible drone program.

Ensures logistical capacity and support are available from the County and meets the needs of all agencies for all incidents.

Works collaboratively with the county fire warden to manage fire suppression and financial match agreement with the state, ensuring the County meets requirements in wildfire mitigation, preparedness, and prevention annually. Meets with citizens, HOAs, and other parties living within the wildland-urban interface performing education and outreach regarding home-hardening, defensible space, and other wildfire mitigation and preparedness strategies; ensures completion of appropriate red card training and maintaining certifications. Ensures compliance with fire related agreements/MOUs with outside agencies.

As the operations fire chief, and in partnership with the state of Utah, enforces fire-related state and county codes regarding wildland urban interface, building code, etc. Works collaboratively with the fire warden to create, implements, and maintains County CWPP (County Wildfire Preparedness Plan). Reviews, enforces, and recommends ordinance updates. Conducts investigations of wildland incidents and requisite suppression activities. Works with the Deputy Administration Chief and Station Chiefs to ensure that NERIS reports for all incidents are completed in the relevant databases.

Monitor all active grants to ensure compliance with applicable requirements, including reporting deadlines, performance measures, financial tracking, and audit standards.

Performs other duties as required or assigned by the Emergency Services Director/Fire Chief.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge of:

• County rules, regulations, and procedures.
• County budgeting and purchasing procedures.
• Knowledge of County training standards and emergency medical procedures.
• Federal, state, and local laws and regulations related to fire protection, firefighting, and employee safety.
• Principles and practices of adult vocational training and education.
• Use of computers and computerized programs.
• Incident command and control strategies and tactics.
• Effective Leadership principles.
• Management principles and practices necessary to plan, analyze, develop, direct, and evaluate administrative policies, organizational structures, and various Tooele County programs and practices.
• Principles and modern methods of fire suppression/prevention, emergency medical service, hazardous material abatement and technical rescue.
• Safety principles and practices associated with County programs and practices.
• Recognized principles of effective Incident Management.
• Principles of employee supervision and personnel management including labor relations, training, disciplining of personnel, and information systems.

Skill in:

• Coordinating multiple priorities and programs.
• Preparing and modifying strategic plans.
• Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with others, especially in sensitive relationships with representatives of other agencies or governmental units, employee associations, and citizen groups.

Ability to:

• Maintain managerial control under extremely stressful conditions.
• Make life or death decisions during emergency situations.
• Work safely without presenting a direct threat to self or others.
• Work in a teamwork environment.
• Counsel personnel and conduct performance appraisals.
• Formulate goals and objectives.
• Plan, implement, evaluate, and direct multiple and varying projects, programs, and activities
• Consistently interpret and administer policies, procedures, and applicable regulations and professional standards.
• Adhere to established timelines.
• Motivate individuals to meet departmental objectives.
• Work cooperatively with the recognized employee organization.
• Coordinate and initiate actions, implement decisions and recommendations.
• Deal tactfully and persuasively with others in controversial situations.
• Communicate effectively through oral presentations, written reports, and in-person discussions.
• Drive a Tooele County vehicle to respond to emergency incidents.

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience - Associates Degree (A.S.) from an accredited collage is preferred. Graduation from High School or GED equivalent; valid Utah Driver's license. Three years of fire management experience, including experience with structure and wildland fire suppression and prevention.

Required Licensure or Certification - Certified Fire I & II with the state of Utah. Fire Officer I & II certification preferred. Certified in basic wildland firefighting as required by the National Wildfire Coordinating Group.

May be required to complete training from the following: Tooele County Emergency Management, Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands, Utah State Comprehensive Emergency Management Division and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, United States Forest Service, United States, Bureau of Land Management. Licensed EMT or paramedic within the state of Utah.

Performance Aptitudes

Data Utilization: Requires the ability to coordinate, manage, and/or correlate data. Includes exercising judgment in determining time, place, or sequence of operations, referencing data analyses to determine the necessity for revision of organizational components, and in the formulation of operational strategy.

Human Interaction: Requires the ability to function in a director capacity for a major organizational unit requiring significant internal and external interaction.

Equipment, Machinery, Tools, and Materials Utilization: Requires the ability to operate, maneuver, and/or control the actions of equipment, machinery, tools and/or materials requiring complex and/or rapid adjustments.

Verbal Aptitude: Requires the ability to utilize consulting and advisory data and information, as well as reference, descriptive and/or design data and information as applicable.

Mathematical Aptitude: Requires the ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division; ability to calculate decimals and percentages; may include the ability to perform mathematical operations with fractions; may include the ability to compute discount, interest, and ratios; may include the ability to calculate surface areas, volumes, weights, and measures.

Functional Reasoning: Requires the ability to apply principles of logical or synthesis functions; deal with several concrete and abstract variables, and analyze major problems that require complex planning for interrelated activities that can span one or several work units.

Situational Reasoning: Requires the ability to exercise judgment, decisiveness and creativity in situations involving broader aspects of organizational programs and operations, moderately unstable situations, or the direction, control, and planning of an entire program or set of programs.

ADA Compliance

Physical Ability: Tasks require the regular and sustained, but not constant, performance of physically demanding work, typically involving some combination of climbing and balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, and crawling, and that generally involves lifting, carrying, pushing, and/or pulling of moderately heavy objects and materials (25-50 pounds); may occasionally involve heavier objects and materials (100 pounds or more). Requires the ability to perform these functions while wearing personal protective equipment and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). Must meet and maintain physical requirements specified by the National Wildfire Coordinating Group for wildland firefighting at the line position.

Sensory Requirements: Some tasks require the ability to perceive and discriminate colors or shades of colors, sounds, odor, depth, texture, and visual cues or signals. Some tasks require the ability to communicate orally.

Environmental Factors: Performance of essential functions may require exposure to adverse environmental conditions, such as dirt, dust, pollen, odors, wetness, humidity, rain, fumes, smoke, temperature and noise extremes, hazardous materials, fire, unsafe structures, heights, confined spaces, machinery, vibrations, electric currents, traffic hazards, bright/dim lights, toxic agents, animal/wildlife attacks, animal/human bites, explosives, water hazards, disease, pathogenic substances, or rude/irate individuals.

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, an employee is regularly required to talk and hear; use hands or fingers to handle and feel; and frequent use of the telephone and computer while communicating with internal and external customers; requires manual dexterity and visual acuity to operate personal computer or other standard office equipment, job site inspections and investigations. Employee may sit for several hours each day but will also need mobility and ability to stand and walk continuously for long periods of time. Employee may seldom lift, push, or pull up to 50-100 pounds during an investigation. Work may occasionally require the employee to climb, balance, bend, stoop, kneel, crouch, and/or crawl. This position may require the employee to work under stressful conditions due to deadlines and time constraints.

This position may require the employee to perform strenuous work on occasions for extended periods of time, while performing some or all the following:

• Wear a respirator (SCBA)
• Wear and/or carry over 50lbs of protective clothing/equipment
• Work in overheated, extreme cold, or wet environments
• Work under adverse or stressful conditions

Work Environment

The work area will encompass a wide variety of settings including: administrative duties in an office setting; occasionally works outside, in poor weather conditions, in hazardous traffic areas, in and around structures that may be hazardous and/or unstable, and under unfavorable or unsanitary conditions, which may include biohazards, air and blood-borne pathogens. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate but may reach extremes where hearing protection is required.

Special Requirements

As noted previously, personnel may be required to complete training courses as recommended and made available through the following:

• Tooele County Emergency Management
• Tooele County Sheriff's Office
• Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands
• Utah State Comprehensive Emergency Management Division and the Federal Emergency Management Agency
• United States Forest Service
• United States, Bureau of Land Management

**Tooele County is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, or any other protected class.**