Fire Inspector

Fire Inspector

Responsible for providing fire and life safety community risk reduction through inspecting, educating, informing, and investigating. Conducts inspections ensuring federal, state, and local fire and life safety codes are being complied with. Provides fire and life safety education presentations throughout the community. Assists and conducts fire investigations for origin and cause, working with the Fire Marshal and law enforcement investigators. Works collaboratively with the Fire Marshal.

Essential duties and responsibilities include:

1. Responds to emergency incidents as assigned and functions as a firefighter meeting, maintaining, and fulfilling all minimum qualifications of an Apple Valley Firefighter per the current position description.
2. Maintains and applies knowledge of applicable federal, state, and local fire and life safety codes.
3. Assists and advises the business community, schools, apartment buildings, and general public on matters relating to federal, state, and local fire and life safety codes.
4. Inspects existing buildings, and new as required, for fire and life safety code compliance.
5. Identifies code violations and takes necessary steps to educate and inform owners and operators to bring facilities into compliance.
6. Issues orders of correction for code violations and uses a progressive enforcement process, to include the court system, to achieve compliance when necessary. Conducts follow-up inspections to ensure corrections have been completed.
7. Assists in conducting and completing annual inspections of all Assembly, Educational, Hazardous, Institutional, and Residential (Group R-1, R-2, and R-4) occupancies.
8. Develops and follows a schedule, with supervisor's approval, to inspect Business, Factory/Industrial, Mercantile, Storage, and Miscellaneous occupancies.
9. Creates and updates facility pre-incident plans as required following inspections.
10. Assists as necessary with plan reviews and specifications of buildings for fire and life safety code compliance.
11. Answers questions of the community and others in matters relating to fire and life safety code interpretation.
12. Assists in developing, coordinating, and delivering fire and life safety educational presentations throughout the community.
13. Assists in educating department members regarding community risk reduction techniques and facility pre-incident planning.
14. Investigates fires and/or explosions as directed by fire officers working as part of a team, or independently, to determine origin and cause.
15. Writes reports and maintains records with thoroughness and attention to detail. Accurately and timely completes inspection and fire investigation documentation.
16. Attends regular and assigned training as determined by Fire Chief and/or Deputy Fire Chief.
17. Performs other duties consistent with the responsibilities of the position as assigned by the City.

Minimum requirements include:

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Five years of experience as a firefighter; career, paid-on-call, or volunteer.
• Possess current Firefighter 2 certification from the Minnesota Fire Service Certification Board (MFSCB) or International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) entity.
• Possess current NFPA 470 (1072, or 472) Hazardous Materials Operations certification from the MFSCB or IFSAC entity.
• Possess Emergency Medical Responder or higher-level license from the Minnesota Office of Emergency Medical Services.
• Possess current First Responder Inspector (Fire Inspector 1) or higher-level certification from MFSCB or IFSAC entity.
• Possess or ability to obtain Fire Inspector (Fire Inspector 2) certification from the MFSCB within 12 months of date of hire.
• Possess or ability to obtain Fire Investigator certification from MFSCB or IFSAC entity within 24 months of date of hire.
• Possess or ability to obtain and maintain a Firefighter license from the Minnesota Board of Firefighter Training and Education.
• Completed FEMA Independent Study courses IS-100, IS-200, and IS-700.
• Must possess a valid Minnesota driver's license without restricted driving privileges and an excellent driving record.
• Must successfully pass City administered initial and periodic tests, which may include: background investigation, medical evaluation, physical abilities testing, stress test, drug screen, pulmonary function test, and psychological evaluation.

Preferred qualifications include:

• Associate degree or higher in Fire Science or related field.
• Public Fire Educator 1 and/or 2 certification from the MFSCB or IFSAC entity.
• Experience in delivering fire and life safety community risk reduction services.

Working conditions and physical requirements include:

• Work as a firefighter in a multitude of conditions while meeting all the physical demands per the Apple Valley Firefighter position description.
• Work may be performed in a variety of outside weather conditions, to include extremes. Occasionally exposed to wet or humid conditions, fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals, extreme cold, extreme heat, and vibration. The individual may be exposed to blood or other potentially infectious materials during the course of duties.
• Frequently required to sit; talk; hear; stand; walk; use hands and fingers to feel, handle, or operate objects, tools or controls; and reach with hands and arms.
• Occasionally required to climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, taste, and smell.
• Frequently lifts or moves more than 30 pounds and occasionally lifts or moves up to 75 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Knowledge, skills and abilities include:

• Knowledge of principles, practices, and methods of community risk reduction through fire prevention, inspection, and education.
• Knowledge of principles, practices, and methods of delivering fire suppression, rescue, emergency medical services, and hazardous materials operations.
• Knowledge of pertinent Federal, State, and local laws, codes, regulations, and ordinances.
• Knowledge of building construction methods, both legacy and modern.
• Knowledge of fire protection systems to include but not limited to alarms and fire sprinkler systems.
• Knowledge of systematic fire inspection and investigative processes.
• Knowledge of National Fire Protection Association Codes and Standards.
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely using the English language, both verbally and in writing using proper grammar and spelling.
• Ability to read and interpret Federal, State, and local laws, codes, regulations, ordinances, manuals, specification sheets, and fire protection publications.
• Ability to perform routine mathematical calculations; multiply, divide, use fractions, and read graphs.
• Ability to interpret instructions and use logic to solve concrete problems.
• Ability to work independently, with little or no supervision.
• Ability to be assertive yet not demeaning.
• Ability to read and interpret architectural plans for fire code and life safety compliance.
• Ability to operate computer equipment and be proficient at completing inspection and fire investigation documentation.
• Ability to wear and use respirators; to include self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and N95.
• Ability to maintain quality working relationships with the business community and public sector, city staff and other fire departments.