Human Resource Services
Alameda Skyline

Fire Department Division Chief (Promotional)

Recruitment #14-8130-01

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Introduction

THE ALAMEDA COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT (ACFD) provides all-risk emergency services to the unincorporated areas of Alameda County (excluding Fairview), the cities of San Leandro, Dublin, Newark, Union City and Emeryville, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. With 4 Battalions, 30 Fire Stations, 26 Engine Companies, 7 Ladder Truck Companies and 1 Heavy Rescue serving a population of 394,000, the ACFD serves densely populated urban areas, waterways, industrialized centers, extensive urban interface, agricultural and wildland regions. Over 450 personnel and 100 Reserve Firefighters provide a wide variety of services to an ever expanding, dynamic and diverse community of roughly 508 square miles. These services include:  

  • Advanced Life Support Rescue
  • Fire Suppression
  • Hazardous Materials Response
  • Urban Search & Rescue
  • Water Rescue
  • Community Outreach & Education
  • Disaster Preparedness
  • Fire Prevention and Code Compliance
  • Regional Dispatch

ACFD is also responsible for the administration and operation of the Alameda County Regional Emergency Communications Center (ACRECC). The dispatch center provides dispatch and communication center services for the ACFD, the Alameda County Emergency Medical Services Agency, Camp Parks RFTA, and the cities of Alameda, Fremont, Livermore and Pleasanton.

ALAMEDA COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT'S MISSION:  To provide the highest level of service to our communities by valuing our members, promoting positive leadership, and dedicating ourselves to excellence.  For more information about the Alameda County Fire Department, please visit their website at www.acgov.org\fire. 

 

 

 

 

 

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THIS IS A NEW PROMOTIONAL ASSEMBLED EXAMINATION.  The eligible list resulting from this examination will cancel any existing list and may last approximately one year but can be extended. Qualified applicants must be current Alameda County Fire Department employees in the class of Fire Battalion Chief or Fire Captain. 

 

Applications must be in the possession of the Human Resource Services Department by 5:00 p.m. on the Last Day for Filing, Friday, October 31, 2014.

 ON-LINE APPLICATIONS ONLY

to apply visit - www.jobaps.com\alameda

DESCRIPTION

Under administrative direction, directs, manages, supervises, and coordinates the activities and operations of an assigned Division ( program and/or shift within the Operations Branch) within the Alameda County Fire Department (ACFD) including but not limited to Training, Fire Prevention, Emergency Medical Services, Special Operations, Support Services or related programs and services; coordinates assigned activities with other divisions, departments, and outside agencies; provides highly responsible and complex administrative support to the ACFD Executive Management team; may be assigned as a chief officer to serve as the primary point of contact for contract agencies to ensure contract compliance and maintain community relations; responds to emergency incidents as required by departmental policy and assumes command when appropriate; and performs other duties as assigned..


DISTINGUISHING FEATURES

This class has major responsibility for managing an assigned Division within the Fire Department. Incumbents are responsible for a wide range of administrative duties and serve as the senior management staff and command officer on duty outside of normal business hours. This class is distinguished from the Fire Battalion Chief in that the Battalion Chief supervises a group of companies on an assigned shift, while the Division Chief has overall program/project and/or shift responsibility, may supervise Battalion Chiefs, and manages multiple complex programs.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

- Education:

Graduation from an accredited college with an Associate’s of Arts Degree or the completion of 60 semester units or 90 quarter units.

And

- Experience:

A minimum of one year experience as a Battalion Chief (Staff Battalion Chief qualifies) or five years of experience as a Captain in the Alameda County Fire Department with CSFM chief officer certification.

- Special Requirements:

Incumbent is subject to emergency re-call when off duty and serves as Duty Chief as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

The most suitably qualified candidates will possess the following competencies:

- Knowledge of:

• Modern principles, practices, methods, techniques and equipment used in a state-of-the-art, metropolitan fire department in fire suppression, fire prevention, and administration.
• Training practices and techniques.
• Laws, ordinances, and regulations which govern a fire department and California fire district.
• Principles, practices, procedures and equipment used in fighting fires and saving lives and property.
• Operation and maintenance of fire and rescue apparatus and equipment coupled with the ability to supervise its effective application and use.
• Principles of hydraulics and chemistry as applied to fire fighting.
• Arson investigation.
• Modern principles of supervision and leadership.
• Modern administrative, project management and budgetary principles and techniques.


- Ability to:

• Demonstrate teamwork.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships.
• Perform analysis and problem solving.
• Demonstrate flexibility.
• Direct and train subordinates.
• Maintain discipline and high morale.
• Prepare clear and concise reports.
• Communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Meet and deal tactfully and effectively with the public, subordinates, peers, and supervisors.
• Recognize and appraise fire hazards.
• Manage time in an effective manner.

EXAMINATION COMPONENTS

- REVISED 10/17/2014 -

 

The examination will consist of the following steps:

 

1.  A review of candidates' application to verify possession of minimum requirements.  Those candidates who meet the announced minimum qualifications will move forward to the next steps in the examination process, an assessment test which will include;  

2.  A tactical problem weighted at 25% of the candidate's final score; and

3. An oral interview, which may contain situational exercises, weighted at 75% of the candidate's final score.

NOTE:

Competitors must achieve at least 70% in each of the test components individually listed above in order to obtain an overall qualifying score in the entire examination process. 

Competitors who score 70% or above in the entire process will have their names placed on the eligible list in order of final ranking.

 

 

WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE ANNOUNCED EXAMINATION STEPS

 

Alameda County utilizes a Civil Service Selection System founded on merit.  Such a system is competitive and based on broad recruitment efforts and equal opportunity for qualified applicants to test in an examination process designed to determine the qualifications, fitness and ability of competitors to perform duties of the vacant position.  Many of our recruitments are targeted and specific to the needs of a current vacant position, in which case, the eligible list may be exclusively used for that current vacant position.  Other recruitments many be more broadly used for both current and future vacancies, or for other alternate jobs with comparable scopes of work.

 

To learn more about our recruitment and selection process, please visit the “What You Need to Know” section of our website, www.acgov.org/hrs.

Selection Plan

Applicants will be informed via e-mail with reasonable notice in advance of any examination process which will require their attendance. The following dates are tentative and subject to change based on the needs of the Agency:

 

 

TENTATIVE SELECTION PLAN:

Deadline for Filing:

Friday, October 31, 2014 

5:00 p.m.

Review of Minimum Qualifications:

November 3, 2014

 

Civil Service Assessment Center:

November 20 and 21, 2014

(REVISED 10/17/14) 

ACFD Chief's Interview:

November 26, 2014

(REVISED 10/28/14) 

 

 

 *WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE ANNOUNCED RECRUITMENT & SELECTION PLAN*

Alameda County and the Human Resource Services Department will make reasonable efforts in the examination and/or selection process to accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities and/or medical conditions in accordance/compliance with the State Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), Federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Alameda County’s Reasonable Accommodation Policy and applicable statues.  To request an accommodation due to a disability/medical condition during this or other phases of the examination/selection process, please contact the assigned Human Resources Representative listed on the job announcement before the last date of filing.  Alameda County requires applicants to provide supporting documentation to substantiate a request for reasonable accommodation. In order to qualify for a reasonable accommodation, applicants must have a disability/medical condition pursuant to the ADA, FEHA and applicable statues.

 

For more information regarding our Reasonable Accommodation procedures, please visit our website, www.acgov.org/hrs

BENEFITS

*** For benefit information, please contact the Alameda County Fire Department Administrative Offices at (925) 833-3473.

Conclusion

All notices related to County recruitments for which you have applied will be sent/delivered via email. Please add @acgov.org and alamedacountyHR@acgov.org as accepted addresses to any email blocking or spam filtering program you may use. If you do not do this, your email blocking or spam filtering program may block receipt of the notices regarding your application for recruitments. You are also strongly advised to regularly log into your County of Alameda online application account to check for notices that may have been sent to you. All email notices that will be sent to you will also be kept in your personal online application account. You will be able to view all of your notices in your online application account by clicking on the "My applications" button on the Current Job Openings page.

Please take the steps recommended above to insure you do not miss any notices about a recruitment for which you have applied. The County of Alameda is not responsible for notices that are not read, received or accessed by any applicant for a County recruitment.

NOTE: All notices are generated through an automated email notification system. Replies to the email box alamedacountyHR@acgov.org are routed to an unmonitored mailbox. All notices are generated through an automated email notification system. Replies to the email box are routed to an unmonitored mailbox. If you have questions please go to our website at www.acgov.org/hrs. You may also contact the Human Resources Analyst listed on the job announcement for the recruitment for which you have applied.

Monique Hill,  Human Resources Analyst II
Human Resource Services, County of Alameda
510-208-4841

Alameda County is an Equal Opportunity Employer