Deputy Fire Chief

“Where the Rainforest Meets the Sea” Deputy Fire Chief : A small town with a big heart - filled with smiling faces.

Sooke embraces our natural assets including local parks, trails, waterways and oceanfronts; we honour the history of the lands of the T’Sou-ke and Sc’ianew (Cheanuh) First Nations within the Coast Salish Territory.

“Where the rainforest meets the sea." Characterized by warm, dry summers and mild winters, Sooke’s pleasant climate is a year-round paradise for those who enjoy outdoor activities, such as hiking, biking, kayaking, or sailing.

The District of Sooke has a permanent employment opportunity for a Deputy Fire Chief. Reporting to the Director of Community Safety/Fire Chief, the Deputy Fire Chief is responsible for leading a team of professional staff and Paid On-Call Fire Fighters in meeting operational, statutory, and regulatory requirements, while ensuring that Sooke Fire Rescue services respond to changing community needs, thus enhancing the quality of life and safety of its residents. The Deputy Fire Chief is a part of the management team for the District and is expected to act and communicate in a professional manner at all times.

The Deputy Fire Chief assumes full authority and responsibility in the Director’s absence. The Deputy Fire Chief will integrate seamlessly into a composite department environment, and be responsible for the oversight of the development, implementation, and coordination of training for all members of Sooke Fire Rescue. The Deputy Fire Chief also assumes oversight of Sooke Fire Rescue’s responsibilities regarding inspection frequencies, fire prevention, and public education initiatives and programs. The Deputy Fire Chief assists with the Sooke Emergency Program as the Deputy Emergency Program Coordinator for the District.

Working with the Director, the Deputy Fire Chief will develop and implement policies, plans, procedures, and standards relating to fire prevention, Fire Code enforcement, staff training and development. As a member of the management team, the Deputy Fire Chief works collaboratively with other municipal directors to prepare budgets, develop plans to achieve strategic organizational goals, and provide Sooke Fire Rescue updates and reports to Council.

The Deputy Fire Chief is exposed to environments that are dangerous, busy, noisy and will need excellent organizational, time, and stress management skills to complete the required tasks.

The Deputy Fire Chief will also be expected to participate in the Duty Chief rotation, attend all emergencies to which the department responds when the Director is absent, and attend Council and other department-related meetings as necessary. To be considered for this role, applicants should have the following qualifications:

• A completion of Grade 12 or recognized equivalent.
• Certification through a recognized institution as a Fire Officer Level II with demonstrated experience at this level.
• A minimum of fifteen (15) years’ experience as a career Fire Fighter or verifiable active Paid On-Call Fire Fighter, including seven (7) years as a senior officer (i.e. Assistant Chief, Deputy Chief, or Fire Chief).
• Must be able to obtain and maintain competencies to NFPA 1001 Level II including any changes to the Provincial Playbook as it relates to a full-service department/Fire Fighter that may be issued from time to time.
• Competent to NFPA 1002.
• A completion of NFPA 1031 Fire Inspector Level II.
• A completion of NFPA 1033 Fire Investigations.
• A completion of NFPA 1035 Public Educator Level I.
• A completion of NFPA 1041 Fire Services Instructor II with enhanced presentation skill sets.
• A completion of ICS 300.
• A valid Class 3 BC Driver’s License with air brakes endorsements. An annual Driver Abstract will be required.
• A satisfactory completion of a Criminal Record Check.

Additional consideration may be given to applicants with the following qualifications:

• Enrollment in the Executive Chief Fire Officer Aspire Program or the completion of the Executive Chief Fire Officer Program.
• A combination of education and experience.
• Experience with MS Office Online, SharePoint, Tempest, and Target Solutions.
• The District of Sooke thanks all applicants for their interest and advises that only those to be interviewed will be contacted._

Education : Other trades certificate or diploma Experience : 5 years or more