Fire/EMS Chief

Position Title: Fire/EMS Chief
Department: Fire/EMS
Reports to: City Manager
Category: Exempt
Pay Grade: 31

Position Summary:
The Fire/EMS chief performs a variety of technical, administrative, and supervisory work in planning, organizing, directing and implementing fire prevention, suppression and emergency medical services to prevent or minimize the loss of life and property by fire and emergency medical conditions.

Tasks:

• Plans, coordinates, supervises, and evaluates fire and EMS operations.
• Establishes policies and procedures for fire and EMS departments to implement directives from the city manager.
• Plans and implements fire and EMS programs to better carry out the policies and goals of the City.
• In accordance with City policy, maintains departmental discipline, conduct and general behavior of assigned personnel and promotes a climate within the department to motivate personnel potential for a high and contributing level of performance.
• Reviews departmental performance and effectiveness including evaluations of assigned personnel.
  Plans departmental operations with respect to equipment, apparatus, and personnel; supervises the implementation of such plans.
• Ensures that the station, all apparatus, and equipment are clean, functioning properly and ready to respond.
• Supervises and coordinates the preparation and presentation of an annual budget for fire and EMS departments.
• Directs the implementation of the departments’ budgets.
• Plans for and reviews specifications for new or replaced equipment.
• Responds to alarms and performs the duties of command personnel to direct activities at the scene of emergencies, as required.
• Supervises the inspection of buildings and other properties for fire hazards and enforces fire prevention ordinances.
• Supervises the coordination of emergency medical service compliance and records management.
• Supervises the operation of departmental in-service training activities.
• Attends conferences and meetings to keep abreast of current trends in the field.
• Represents the city fire/EMS departments in a variety of local, county, state, and other meetings and community functions.
• Reviews reports, records, and activities of firefighting and emergency medical personnel.
• Maintains physical strength and agility.
• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with other employees, superiors, other agencies, and the public.
• Deals with the public in a manner that positively promotes the image of the City and handles complaints tactfully.
• “This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by this employee. He or she will be required to follow any other instructions and to perform any other duties requested by his or her supervisor.”

Experience and Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Fire Science, Public Administration, Emergency Management, Business Administration, or a related field or equivalent executive-level experience.
• Kansas B-EMT, or can be fully recognized by the State of Kansas within one year through reciprocity.
• Minimum seven (7) years of progressively responsible Fire/EMS experience, including five (5) years in supervisory capacity.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex organizations, budgets, personnel, and public safety operations.
• Valid Kansas drivers license; Class B Non-Commercial drivers license within 12 months of hire.
• Ability to meet medical, physical, and background standards required for Fire/EMS personnel.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Kansas A-EMT or Paramedic, or can be fully recognized by the State of Kansas within one year through reciprocity.
• Post undergraduate certification or study in leadership, emergency medical response or fire leadership
• Fire inspection, fire investigation, personnel management, and public relations experience.
• Experience in a combined Fire/EMS organization.

Certifications / Licenses:

• IFSAC FF I.
• IFSAC FF II.
• Haz-Mat Awareness.
• Haz-Mat Operation.
• IFSAC Driver/Operator.
• IFSAC Fire Officer I / Instructor I.
• Preferred: Incident Command System (ICS) 100, 200, 300, 400, 700 and 800.
• Preferred: IFSAC Fire Officer II / Instructor II

APPLICANT REQUIREMENTS QUESTIONS:

Each applicant must submit typed responses to all five (5) questions along with a cover letter and resume as part of the application process. Please limit responses to no more than 500 words per question. Clear, concise, and example-based responses are encouraged. Applicants are expected to submit original responses that reflect their own experience and professional judgment.

1. Winfield Fire-EMS has a long-standing fire service tradition and a growing EMS mission, with EMS comprising approximately 85% of our call volume. As Fire-EMS Chief, how would you ensure excellence in both fire suppression and EMS service delivery? Please describe your leadership philosophy for a combined department and how you would balance culture, training, and resource allocation between these two mission areas.
2. What training priorities would you establish in your first 2–3 years as Fire-EMS Chief? Please describe specific programs, certifications, leadership development initiatives, or cross-training opportunities you would implement to strengthen operational readiness and professional growth.
3. Describe your leadership philosophy and how your personal strengths contribute to building a strong, accountable, and cohesive team. Please provide a specific example of how you motivated personnel or improved team performance during a challenging period.
4. Effective communication is critical in a Fire-EMS environment. Describe your communication style and provide a specific example of a time you successfully navigated a disagreement with a colleague, subordinate, management, or community member. What was the outcome and what did you learn?
5. How should the Fire-EMS Department align with and support the broader goals of the City organization? Please describe how you would balance departmental advocacy with organizational collaboration and fiscal responsibility.