Supervisor of Firefighting and Prevention Workers

Also called: Assistant Unit Forester, Battalion Chief, Battalion Fire Chief, Crew Boss, Damage Prevention Coordinator

Varies

estimated salary

First-Line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers directly supervise and coordinate activities of workers engaged in firefighting and fire prevention and control.

  • Assign firefighters to jobs at strategic locations to facilitate rescue of persons and maximize application of extinguishing agents.
  • Provide emergency medical services as required, and perform light to heavy rescue functions at emergencies.
  • Assess nature and extent of fire, condition of building, danger to adjacent buildings, and water supply status to determine crew or company requirements.
  • Communicate fire details to superiors, subordinates, or interagency dispatch centers, using two-way radios.
  • Serve as a working leader of an engine, hand, helicopter, or prescribed fire crew of three or more firefighters.
  • Instruct and drill fire department personnel in assigned duties, including firefighting, medical care, hazardous materials response, fire prevention, and related subjects.
  • Maintain fire suppression equipment in good condition, checking equipment periodically to ensure that it is ready for use.
  • Evaluate the performance of assigned firefighting personnel.
  • Direct the training of firefighters, assigning of instructors to training classes, and providing of supervisors with reports on training progress and status.
  • Perform maintenance and minor repairs on firefighting equipment, including vehicles, and write and submit proposals to modify, replace, and repair equipment.
  • Schedule employee work assignments and set work priorities.
  • Monitor fire suppression expenditures to ensure that they are necessary and reasonable.
  • Participate in creating fire safety guidelines and evacuation schemes for nonresidential buildings.
  • Maintain required maps and records.
  • Drive crew carriers to transport firefighters to fire sites.
  • Inspect stations, uniforms, equipment, or recreation areas to ensure compliance with safety standards, taking corrective action as necessary.
  • Evaluate fire station procedures to ensure efficiency and enforcement of departmental regulations.
  • Direct firefighters in station maintenance duties, and participate in these duties.
  • Recommend personnel actions related to disciplinary procedures, performance, leaves of absence, and grievances.
  • Perform administrative duties, such as compiling and maintaining records, completing forms, preparing reports, or composing correspondence.
  • Direct investigation of cases of suspected arson, hazards, and false alarms and submit reports outlining findings.
  • Recommend equipment modifications or new equipment purchases.
  • Supervise and participate in the inspection of properties to ensure that they are in compliance with applicable fire codes, ordinances, laws, regulations, and standards.
  • Inspect and test new and existing fire protection systems, fire detection systems, and fire safety equipment to ensure that they are operating properly.
  • Study and interpret fire safety codes to establish procedures for issuing permits to handle hazardous or flammable substances.
  • Analyze burn conditions and results, and prepare postburn reports.
  • Evaluate size, location, and condition of fires.
  • Maintain knowledge of fire laws and fire prevention techniques and tactics.
  • Plan, direct, and supervise prescribed burn projects.
  • Recruit or hire firefighting personnel.
Work Context
  • Telephone
  • Responsible for Others' Health and Safety
  • Face-to-Face Discussions
  • Work With Work Group or Team
  • Contact With Others
  • Outdoors, Exposed to Weather
  • Freedom to Make Decisions
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Work Activities
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment — Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
  • Performing General Physical Activities — Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
  • Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public — Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates — Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
  • Assisting and Caring for Others — Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
  • Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings — Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
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Detailed Work Activities
  • Request emergency personnel.
  • Direct fire fighting or prevention activities.
  • Rescue people from hazardous situations.
  • Administer first aid.
  • Assess characteristics of fires.
  • Relay information about incidents or emergencies to personnel using phones or two-way radios.
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Knowledge

Public Safety and Security
  • Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Customer and Personal Service
  • Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Administration and Management
  • Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
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Skills

Critical Thinking
  • Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Monitoring
  • Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Speaking
  • Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Complex Problem Solving
  • Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
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Abilities

Problem Sensitivity
  • The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Oral Comprehension
  • The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression
  • The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Deductive Reasoning
  • The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
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Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Achievement/Effort
  • Persistence
  • Initiative
  • Leadership
  • Cooperation
  • Concern for Others
  • Social Orientation
  • Self Control
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Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Office suite software
  • Microsoft Office Hot Technology
  • Corel WordPerfect Office Suite
Map creation software
  • Geographic information system GIS software Hot Technology
  • Mapping software
  • ESRI ArcView
Data base user interface and query software
  • Microsoft Access Hot Technology
  • Affiliated Computer Services ACS FIREHOUSE
  • BIO-key FireRMS
  • Fire incident reporting systems
  • Wildland Fire Assessment System WFAS
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