Fire & Life Safety Inspector

Description

This is a 40-hour work week position, which has the primary responsibility of administrative and field work in the inspection of buildings and hazards to meet State and Local Fire and Safety Laws, Codes, and Ordinances.  Reports directly to the Fire Chief.

Essential Job Functions

• Inspects or causes to be inspected existing occupancies to ensure compliance with Fire and Safety Codes, observes any violations of the fire and safety codes, or with respect to storage and use of hazardous materials.
• Informs owners of inspection findings and issues notices for corrections when necessary, confers with owner or contractors regarding changes needed to bring the permitted project or existing occupancies deficiencies into compliance.
• Schedules and ensures annual inspections are completed, prepares detailed discrepancy re-ports, maintains records of inspections and building conditions, follow-up inspections and actions taken in regards to complaints.
• Receives inspection request from citizens and Local/State agencies, assures these inspections are completed in a timely manner.
• Reviews plans for new construction and existing buildings for compliance of State and Local laws or ordinances.
• Schedules and oversees annual inspection of existing occupancies.
• Assist State and Local agencies when needed with investigation of suspicious fires.
• Assists an emergency situation as needed, within scope of licensure as deemed necessary per the Officer in Charge.
• Responsible for the maintaining and reporting of Hazards Analysis and/or 302 Facilities to the Department of Community Affairs. Ensures all records are accurate and up to date as required.
• Responsible for the maintaining and reporting of Small Quantity Generators of Hazards to the Department of Environmental Protection. Ensures all records are accurate and up to date as required.
• Shall be responsible for departmental records, activity reports and coordination of shift inspections that apply and billing as necessary.
• Supervises fire safety inspections and activities assigned to other personnel.
• Assists Building Officials on specified case-by-case issues, with the ability to prepare and present violations to Code Enforcement and present cases to the special master when necessary.

(These essential job functions are not to be construed as a complete statement of all duties performed.  Employees will be required to perform other job-related duties as required.)

Minimum Qualifications: Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of fire safety laws, ordinances, rules and regulations relative to fire prevention.
• Knowledge of modern firefighting, fire prevention techniques and of typical sources of fire hazards in building and equipment.
• Ability to read and interpret construction plans, specifications, blueprints, and recognize existing and potential deviations of the Fire Safety Codes.
• Ability to recognize existing and potential Fire and Casualty Hazards in a wide variety of structures and installations.
• Ability to express ideas through clear and concise written reports.
• Ability to enforce Fire and Life Safety Codes firmly, tactfully and impartially.
• Ability to discuss problems concerning inspections and/or corrections of hazards without losing composure.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.

Education and Experience

High school diploma or equivalent

-3-years Fire Inspection experience and plan review (Preferred).

(A comparable amount of training, education or experience may be substituted for the minimum qualifications required.)

LICENSES, CERTIFICATIONS, OR REGISTRATIONS:

-Must possess State Fire Inspector Certification

-Must possess Valid Florida Driver’s License THIS IS A DISASTER ESSENTIAL POSITION.

DeSoto County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of the County to administer its employment practices without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ethnicity, age, gender, pregnancy, marital status, veteran status or disability. The County complies with all applicable federal, state and local laws mandating equal employment opportunity practices and prohibiting impermissible discrimination. The County will not tolerate any discrimination based upon an individual’s race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ethnicity, age, gender, pregnancy, marital status, veteran status or disability. Preference shall be given to certain veterans and spouses of veterans as provided by Chapter 295, Laws of Florida