JOB TITLE: FIRE AND SAFETY COORDINATOR

JOB CODE: 74230

DEFINITION: This is responsible supervisory work in administering a fire prevention and safety program for the Capitol Complex and outlying buildings.

The employee in this job is responsible for coordinating a fire prevention and safety program for commonwealth-owned and maintained buildings throughout the Capitol Complex and outlying areas, including the Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Reading, and Scranton State Office Buildings. The employee supervises a fire and safety staff that inspects buildings for fire and safety hazards; maintains fire-fighting equipment; and carries out fire and safety training and drills. Work involves maintaining emergency evacuation plans; coordinating plans with fire and safety staff; conducting formal fire and safety training; overseeing the inspection of buildings and fire fighting equipment; preparing fire and safety reports; and ensuring corrective action in accordance with federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations. The employee is provided with general instructions and works independently within broad administrative guidelines, in accordance with technical fire and safety standards. Work is reviewed by an administrative supervisor for overall effectiveness and satisfactory completion of goals and objectives.

EXAMPLES OF WORK: (NOTE: The examples of work are representative of the work, but every position classified to this job may not perform all examples of work listed. Conversely, this is not an all-inclusive list of work examples.):

• Oversees the fire prevention, emergency evacuation, and safety functions for commonwealth-owned and maintained buildings throughout the Capitol Complex and outlying areas, including remote state office buildings.

• Prepares, disseminates, and implements fire and safety policies and regulations.

• Supervises fire and safety staff involved with carrying out a variety of fire and safety activities.

• Ensures compliance with requirements of the Labor and Industry Fire and Panic Law and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) codes and standards.

• Develops and revises fire response and emergency evacuation plans in conjunction with the designated agency representative; solicits emergency response volunteers.

• Coordinates emergency plans with local fire departments; establishes building evacuation plans and fire department routes; provides building access; and ensures availability of specialized firefighting equipment.

• Schedules, directs, and critiques emergency evacuation drills.

• Develops and conducts fire and safety training, including live fire extinguisher and emergency evacuation training to agency fire and safety staff, building managers, security and maintenance staff, and tenants.

• Prepares contracts for testing, inspection, and maintenance of fire alarm and suppression/detection equipment, including the inspection of portable fire extinguishers, fire hydrants, fire department standpipe and sprinkler system connections, sprinkler valve inspection, the flushing of fire hydrants, and other related equipment.

• Collects, analyzes, and maintains a wide variety of fire and safety plans, manuals, codes, and rules and regulations.

• Evaluates new fire and safety techniques and equipment; recommends modifications.

• Notifies the Capitol Police command center and provides assistance to the Capitol Police, fire department staff, and other emergency personnel in the event of a fire or emergency situation.

• Participates in investigations of fire damage, causes of fires, and other emergency situations; prepares or reviews fire and safety inspection reports.

• Investigates emergency fire alarm activations, provides information as to cause of activation to assess danger and avoid building evacuations, resets fire alarm panels, and performs minor maintenance to fire alarm panels.

• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with agency staff, agency fire and safety representatives, local fire departments, and local and state police jurisdictions.

• Performs the full range of supervisory duties.

• The employee in this job may participate in the performance of subordinates’ work consistent with operational or organizational requirements.

• Performs related work as required.

ENTRY LEVEL KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of the Labor and Industry Fire and Panic Law and the NFPA fire and safety laws, codes, and standards.

• Knowledge of fire prevention and safety methods, techniques, and equipment to address building and employee safety hazards and concerns.

• Knowledge of the operation and maintenance of firefighting equipment and control apparatus.

• Ability to communicate effectively orally.

• Ability to communicate effectively in writing.

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.

FULL PERFORMANCE KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: (NOTE: These are expected of an employee performing the work of this job at the full performance level. These may not be evaluated by the State Civil Service Commission or used for Civil Service examination purposes and are not position-specific performance standards.)

• Ability to coordinate inter-agency fire and safety activities.

• Ability to plan and direct the work of others.

• Ability to evaluate fire prevention and safety programs and identify problems, devise solutions, and develop and implement corrective action recommendations.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING: (NOTE: Based on the Entry Level Knowledges, Skills, and Abilities):

• Four years of experience in an organized fire and safety program, including program management responsibility for fire and accident prevention for an industrial firm, public utility, or governmental agency, and completion of two years of college;

or

• Two years of fire prevention or firefighting work, and a bachelor's degree;

or

• An equivalent combination of experience and training.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENT:

• This job requires possession of an active Pennsylvania non-commercial Class C driver’s license or equivalent.