Human Resource Services
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Fire Battalion Chief (Promotional)

Recruitment #24-8150-01

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Introduction

YOU MUST BE AN ALAMEDA COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE TO APPLY

 

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 and have completed, by the last day for filing, the equivalent of six months of continuous service following a regular appointment in the Alameda County classified service. A regular appointment does not include provisional, TAP (Temporary Assignment Pool), or STEP-UP appointments.


Supplemental Questionnaire: A properly completed Supplemental Questionnaire must be submitted with each application. Failure to submit the Supplemental Questionnaire will result in disqualification.


Applicants are required to attach the following documents to their application: 

  • Current and valid California Driver's License
  • Applicable certifications and/or class completions listed in the Minimum Qualifications.
Documents must be uploaded under the RESUME tab. The RESUME tab will only accept ONE attachment. If you have multiple documents, please save all documents in one file and attach it once under the RESUME tab. 

    Applications, Supplemental Questionnaires, and required documentation must be in the possession of the Human Resource Services Department by 5:00 p.m. on the last day for filing.


    Applications and Supplemental Questionnaires will only be accepted on-line.

    DESCRIPTION


    ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT

    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 28 fire stations and 34 companies serving a population of 394,000, the ACFD serves densely populated urban areas, waterways, industrialized centers, extensive urban interface, agricultural and wildland regions. Over 400 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
    • Fire Suppression
    • Hazardous Materials Response
    • Urban Search & Rescue
    • Water Rescue
    • Community Outreach & Education
    • Disaster Preparedness
    • Fire Prevention and Code Compliance
    • Regional Dispatch

    The Alameda County Fire Department (ACFD) was formed on July 1, 1993, as a dependent special district with the Alameda County Board of Supervisors as its governing body. This consolidation brought together into a single jurisdiction the Castro Valley Fire Department, Eden Consolidated Fire Protection District and County Fire Patrol. Subsequently, the following communities have contracted with the ACFD:

    • July 1, 1995 City of San Leandro
    • July 1, 1997 City of Dublin
    • August 1, 2002 Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
    • October 1, 2007 Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
    • May 1, 2010 City of Newark
    • July 1, 2010 City of Union City
    • July 1, 2012 City of Emeryville

    On January 20, 2008, the ACFD became responsible for the administration and operation of the Alameda County Regional Emergency Communications Center (ACRECC). The dispatch center provides dispatch and regional communication center services for the ACFD, the Alameda County Emergency Medical Services Agency, Camp Parks Combat Support Training Center, and the cities of Alameda, Fremont, Livermore and Pleasanton. ACRECC is also the Dispatch/System Status Management Center for Falck ambulance service.

    For more information about the agency, please visit:  Alameda County Fire Department.


    THE POSITION

    Under general direction, assigned as a shift commander over all fire stations in the battalion/district, responsible for fire suppression and the supervision of district station operations while on duty; and, performs other related duties as required.

    For more detailed information about the job classification, please visit: Fire Battalion Chief (#8150).

    MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

    Experience:

    The equivalent of two years of full-time paid experience as a Fire Captain in the Alameda County Fire Department.

    Must be in possession of a valid California driver’s license, either Commercial or Class C, with the Firefighter Endorsement.

    AND
    Education:

    Completion, by date of application close, of the following prerequisite training courses:

    • Command 2A
    • Command 2B
    • Command 2C
    • Command 2D
    • Command 2E
    • Management 2A
    • Management 2B
    • Management 2C
    • Management 2D
    • Management 2E
    • ICS400
    OR

    • Chief Fire Officer 3A: Human Resources Management
    • Chief Fire Officer 3B: Budget and Fiscal Responsibilities
    • Chief Fire Officer 3C: General Administration Functions
    • Chief Fire Officer 3D: Emergency Service Delivery Responsibilities
    • ICS300
    OR

    • CSFM Chief Officer Certification
    Special Requirements:

    Is subject to emergency recall while off duty.

    NOTE: The Civil Service Commission may modify the above Minimum Qualifications in the announcement of an examination.

    KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

    The most suitably qualified candidates will possess the following competencies:
    Knowledge of:

    • Modern fire prevention practices and techniques
    • Principles and practices of supervision
    • Training practices and techniques
    • Laws, ordinances, and regulations which govern the fire department
    • Principles, practices, procedures and equipment used in fighting fires and in saving lives and property
    • The operation and maintenance of fire and rescue apparatus and equipment
    • Principles of hydraulics, chemistry, and physics as related to fire service
    • Arson investigation
    • Modern administrative, project management and budgetary principles and techniques
    • Hazardous and flammable materials
    • Effective methods of crowd control, building evacuation techniques and traffic rules
    • State and Federal mutual aid systems
    Ability to:

    • Effectively convey Department philosophy, messages, and rationale to employees
    • Direct and train subordinates
    • Prepare clear and concise reports
    • Communicate effectively both orally and in writing
    • Recognize and appraise fire hazards
    • Manage time in an effective manner
    • Establish and maintain effective working relationships with other employees and the public
    • Plan, organize, and implement effectively
    • Perform analysis and problem solving
    • Exercise sound judgment and make decisions
    • Demonstrate management control
    • Demonstrate flexibility
    • Adapt to stress
    • Work effectively with a diverse population
    • Demonstrate interpersonal sensitivity

    EXAMINATION COMPONENTS

    THE EXAMINATION WILL CONSIST OF THE FOLLOWING STEPS:

    1. A review of candidates' applications and supplemental questionnaires to verify possession of minimum requirements. Those candidates who possess the minimum requirements for the class will move on to the next step in the examination process.
    2. An assessment center which will be weighted as 100% of the candidate's final examination score and may consist of:
    i. A tactical exercise, weighted at 25% of the candidate's final score
    ii.  An administrative exercise, weighted at 25% of the candidate's final score
    iii. An administrative/presentation exercise, weighted at 25% of the candidate's final score, and
    iv. An oral board interview, weighted at 25% of the candidate's final score.

    *A written situational exercise will be included in the assessment testing and will be part of the components stated percentage.

     CANDIDATES MUST ATTAIN A QUALIFYING RATING ON EACH PORTION OF THIS EXAMINATION.

    NOTE: Competitors must achieve at least 70% in each of the assessment 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.

    Candidates are encouraged to utilize the resources listed below to prepare for the examination. 

    Fire Battalion Chief Examination Resources:

    • Firescope FOG Manual (2017) Edition
    • Alameda County Fire Department OAGs and SOGs


    WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE ANNOUNCED EXAMINATION COMPONENTS.

    We reserve the right to make changes to the announced examination components. 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 may 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.

    RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION PLAN

    The County will inform applicants, via email and with reasonable notice in advance, of any examination process that will require their attendance.  The following dates are tentative and subject to change based on operational needs.

     RECRUITMENT PLAN
    Deadline for Filing  5:00 p.m., Tuesday, February 27, 2024
    Review of Applications for Minimum Qualifications  By March 1, 2024
    Assessment Center Examination: Week of April 8, 2024
    Notification of Results:  Week of April 22, 2024
    SELECTION PLAN 
    Departmental Interviews  TBD

    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 Fire Administration at allbenefits@acgov.org.

    Conclusion

    All notices related to County recruitments for which you have applied will be sent/delivered via email. Please add @acgov.org, @jobaps.com, NoReply@jobaps.com, and NoReplyAlamedaCountyHR@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 ensure 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 boxes Noreply@acgov.org and NoReplyAlamedaCountyHR@acgov.org are routed to unmonitored mailboxes. 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.


    Maria Tabora | Human Resources Analyst
    Human Resource Services, County of Alameda
    (510) 272-6463 | Maria.Tabora@acgov.org

    DISASTER SERVICE WORKER

    All Alameda County employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law.  Employment with the County requires the affirmation of a loyalty oath to this effect.  Employees are required to report to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.


    EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

    Alameda County has a diverse workforce, that is representative of the communities we serve and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.  All aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance and business need. Alameda County does not discriminate in employment on the basis of, race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factors protected under federal, state and local law. Alameda County celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive, and welcoming workplace environment.