Assistant Fire Chief

Summary

Serves as one of three Assistant Fire Chief's in the Fire Protection Section of the Safety and Occupational Health Service working a 48-hour shift, 72-hour work week. Primarily, fire protection responsibility includes a 450-bed Medical Center, part of VA Maryland Health Care System, consisting of three medical centers and several outreach centers. Responsible for fire prevention, fire protection and fire suppression activities for the partially wooded 400-acre Perry Point Medical Center campus.

Duties

• Major Duties and Responsibilities but not limited to: Responsible for the daily operations of the Fire Protection Section during an assigned shift. Duties include assigning firefighters to riding positions on fire apparatus, scheduling, and directing inspection and training activities and ensuring the conduct of daily station and equipment inspection and maintenance and assisting the Fire Chief in the administration of safety and fire protection programs and policies. Reports directly to the Fire Chief and in his/her absence to the Safety & Occupational Health Manager. Responsible for adhering to the established Standard Operating Guidelines of the Fire Protection Section as established by the Fire Chief. Responds to fire alarms or other emergencies and calls for assistance from both the Medical Center and the surrounding communities. Responsible for issuing orders and directing firefighters and Medical Center employees, including Nursing staff and Police, in a plan of attack to extinguish fires promptly and effectively, save lives and property and limit or prevent environmental harm. Implements the Incident Management System and serves as Operations Officer and assists with formulating and carrying out tactics and strategies necessary to bring the emergency incident to a successful conclusion. Responds with sufficient manpower, apparatus, and equipment to assist the local community with water rescues and hazardous materials incidents in which the incumbent may be called upon to render technical advice and assistance in resolving the emergency. Responsible for ensuring that appropriate personal protective equipment is worn on all responses by the entire crew and personnel operating at the scene of the emergency. Exercises full supervisory responsibility for one Lead Firefighter and four Firefighters (structural/basic life support) to include approval/disapproval of leave, evaluating employee performance, assisting in the resolution of employee grievances, and taking or recommending disciplinary or other personnel actions where appropriate. Organizes and assigns work to subordinates based on staffing needs and special qualifications, departmental capabilities, and resources to assure that all duties related to the fire prevention, fire protection and suppression programs are accomplished on a timely basis and are technically acceptable and functional. Incumbent will always maintain a minimum of six (6) trained firefighters on duty, 24 hours per day, regardless of absences for sick leave or annual leave or staffing shortages for engine responses and two (2) always trained firefighter/EMT's for ambulance responses. Provides direction to the crew during station/equipment maintenance activities and while performing fire safety and fire protection systems inspections to identify and eliminate actual or potential fire hazards. Administers and participates in the fire protection systems inspection, testing and maintenance program for an assigned shift. This includes assigning subordinates to duties related to inspecting, testing, and maintaining wet and dry pipe sprinkler systems, fire alarm device and circuit testing and verification, and fire hydrant flushing and flow testing. Using a computerized tracking system, assures that all fire extinguishers are inspected monthly and serviced annually in accordance with NFPA and manufacturer's recommendations. Assigns personnel and ensures that the daily inspection, testing and maintenance of two Medical Center owned fire apparatus, one rescue vehicle, one rescue boat, motor, and trailer, two ambulances and all associated equipment are completed and documented. Develops a shift schedule, assigns staff, and participates in the conducting of fire exit drills to ensure that all patient care buildings receive one drill per shift, per quarter and that all other areas receive at least one fire drill annually. Develops lesson plans, schedules and conducts firefighter proficiency training classes a…

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/12/2026. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-8 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7, and for a GS-9, you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-8. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY REQUIREMENT: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position. Certification Requirements: Certification as Fire Officer II in accordance with NFPA 1021. Certification as Fire Inspector II in accordance with NFPA 1031 Certificate as Hazardous Materials Incident Commander in accordance with NFPA 472, Chapter 8. Copies of certifications (IFSAC or Pro Board) MUST be submitted by the closing date of the announcement; failure to submit any required certifications will result in the non-referral of the applicant. Maximum Age Requirement: This position requires a maximum entry age for an initial appointment; applicants cannot have reached their 37th birthday by the date of appointment. Applicants who have passed the designated entry age limit, but who have previously served as a federal employee in the covered position, may be eligible to re-enter the fire service provided that they: (1) meet all applicable qualifications for the position and (2) will be able to complete a total of 20 years of covered and creditable Federal fire service by the time the firefighter reaches the age of 57. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS-8 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. GS-9 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-8 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Individual Occupational Requirements Specialized Experience (for positions at GS-4 and above): Experience that demonstrated the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform successfully the duties of the position. Such duties may include (1) controlling or extinguishing fires as a member of an organized military, industrial, volunteer, or governmental fire department or brigade; (2) rescue operations; (3) detection, reduction, or elimination of potential fire hazards; (4) operation of fire communications equipment; (5) controlling hazardous materials incidents and/or (6) developing, implementing, or providing training in fire protection and prevention. Driver's License Requirement; A Valid State motor vehicle operator's license is required. Applicant may be required to provide their license at the time of interview. NOTE: We cannot accept photographs, therefore; please do not submit a copy of your driver's license with your application package. If an interview is requested, you may be required to provide a copy o…

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level. A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.