Director of Emergency Services – Botetourt County

Director of Emergency Services

Botetourt County is currently accepting applications for a Director of Emergency Services to lead a progressive combination department with 12 volunteer agencies and a
fulltime staff of 28. The successful candidate will be responsible for all aspects of Fire, EMS and emergency management. Must be a team oriented and consensus-building
leader, with a strong history of progressive management experience in fire services, EMS or emergency management. 4-year degree or commensurate education. Excellent written and verbal communication, budgeting, strategic planning, analytical and organizational skills required. Salary negotiable DOQ. Competitive benefit package.
For questions contact Mary Blackburn, Human Resources, 5 West Main Street, Suite 200, Fincastle, VA 24090; 540-473-8349. A completed application form is required to be considered for the position. Application, cover letter with salary requirement and resume can be mailed to the above address or e-mailed to mblackburn@botetourt.org. Position open until filled. Preference will be given to applications received by 5:00 p.m. February 15, 2012. EOE

More information:

Position Classification Q

GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES:

Responsible for all operational and administrative aspects of Fire, EMS and Emergency Preparedness / Management. Performs complex administrative work in development and application of policy designed to facilitate efficient and effective protection of lives and property. Oversees and coordinates operations of both career and volunteer services in the best interest of the citizens. Functions under the general supervision of the Assistant County Administrator. Serves as Emergency Services Coordinator and incident commander as required. Employee may be subject to the usual hazards of emergency response work.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS:

Requires extensive knowledge of fire and rescue services and experience working with combination volunteer/career systems and the public. Experience in developing and administering complex budgets is required. Experience coordinating with local, state and federal organizations, including but not limited to the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, Virginia Department of Fire Programs, Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services. Familiarity with State, federal, and private grant application processes, CAD (Computer Aided Dispatch), public safety communications systems and principles, and standard MS Office suite of programs is desirable.

EXAMPLES OF WORK (Illustrative Only):

• Serves as the overall director of Fire and EMS services for the County in order to provide these services Countywide.
• Serves as Emergency Services Coordinator in major emergencies. Delegates authority as required within the NIMS and ICS frameworks.
• Works with the Board of Supervisors, administration and any officially designated boards, teams, commissions or committees to develop goals and objectives for the provision of a comprehensive system of emergency services.
• Develops, directs and implements policies and procedures for the administration of Countywide emergency services in support of such goals and objectives and, subject to review by the Emergency Services Board or Board of Supervisors, implements such policies and procedures.
• Develops, justifies and implements operational and capital budget outlay for all public safety / emergency services activities.
• Develops and maintains positive working relationships and liaisons with all volunteer fire and rescue agencies.
• Ensures development and implementation of a comprehensive plan for recruiting and retaining volunteer personnel.
• Oversees daily operations of career emergency services.
• Ensures development and maintenance of a Countywide training program designed to meet goals and objectives established by the Emergency Services Board or Board of Supervisors.
• Ensures development, maintenance, and reporting of detailed response data for both career and volunteer agencies.
• Develops, maintains, and exercises the County’s Emergency Operations Plan.
• Develops and maintains the County’s Hazardous Materials response plan.
• Develops, maintains in a constant state of readiness, and operates the County’s Emergency Operations center.
• Coordinates with all departments, agencies, and groups required to prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies of any size and nature.
• Coordinates with the Botetourt County Emergency Communications Center / Sheriff’s Department and others as required to ensure comprehensive local and mutual aid communications required to achieve goals and objectives.
• Coordinates as required with the Botetourt County Communications Center / Sheriff’s Department to maintain and activate the County’s Emergency Citizen Alert System.
• Coordinates with all applicable agencies, groups, teams and other organizations to ensure local, regional and state coordination of matters related to public safety.
• Ensures compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
• Ensures maintenance of records and timely submission of reports required by local, state and federal authorities.
• Seeks grant opportunities in support of established goals and objectives; prepares and administers such grants in compliance with requirements.
• Administers all emergency services related fee for service programs.
• Develops, maintains and implements a system for education of the general public promoting emergency preparedness.
• Makes public presentations as required.
• Responds to emergencies as required.
• Performs other duties as may be assigned.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

Comprehensive knowledge of all aspects of emergency services operations. Exceptional management, coordination and collaboration skills and the ability to communicate complex concepts in both written and oral format, including public presentations. Ability to develop and maintain accurate records and articulate findings clearly in reports. Ability to interact with and positively motivate both volunteer and career personnel in a variety of situations. Strong analytical abilities. Must have extensive experience and knowledge of Fire, EMS and Emergency Management, including volunteer systems. A strong working knowledge of MS Office suite of computer applications. Excellent time management, delegation and project management skills. Strong knowledge of State and Federal Fire and EMS regulations.

ACCEPTABLE EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

Four year degree or equivalent in Fire Science, Emergency Management, Public Administration, Business Administration or related advanced education in the Fire/EMS or emergency management fields. Extensive demonstrated upwardly mobile experience in fire protection, emergency management, or emergency medical services. Field response and incident command experience is required. Demonstrated ability to manage complex tasks and multiple projects simultaneously, and to work well with the public, coworkers, and superiors. Must be NIMS compliant to Emergency Manager / Command level within 12 months of employment.