Fire Code Enforcement Officer 1

No prior inspection or firefighter experience is necessary.  On-the-job training will be provided.

The Madison Fire Department is looking to hire a Fire Code Enforcement Officer to perform responsible entry-level inspection and code enforcement work within the Fire Prevention Division. Work involves the inspection of new and/or existing structures in order to achieve compliance with applicable State statutes and City ordinances. This work also involves issuance and follow through on violation notices and citations, and related plan review work. Employees are required to be on-call for after hours duties. This position also performs paraprofessional fire safety, public relations and community education work, as well as community outreach services.  Work is initially performed under supervision of the Fire Marshal or Fire Protection Engineer, but employees are expected to work with increasing independence as they gain familiarity with applicable codes, standards, inspection practices and procedures.

Employees will progress through higher levels of the series as outline in the classification specification.

Stated salary is scheduled for a 2% increase in July 2024.  

Employees may be eligible for loan forgiveness through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.  

The City of Madison is an equal opportunity employer functioning under an affirmative action plan. We value diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Black, Indigenous, people of color, women, trans, nonbinary, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply!
 

Examples of Duties and Responsibilities

Under supervision, perform onsite inspections of properties for fire code violations as required by State statutes and City ordinances. Manage an assigned inspection district/workload. Conduct periodic, special inspections and investigations, document inspection results, write technical reports on findings, issue violation notices, conduct reinspections, recommend the issuance of citations, process complaints and referrals and follow-through on the compliance process.

Perform inspections of bars, beer gardens, house parties, Mifflin Street Block Party, fireworks display, and other events or occupancies, as directed by the Fire Marshal.

Review, permit/license applications.  Read, interpret and apply codes to construction documents.  Identify deficiencies and prepare letters documenting the findings of reviews.  Meet with other City Staff to resolve fire code compliance issues.

Represent the department in a wide variety of community events by providing information to community groups, schools and others regarding departmental activities, events, recommended safety precautions, etc. Identify and present fire safety curriculum to target audiences. Represent the department and participate in Neighborhood Resources Teams.

Work as one of the team members of the Occupant Services Unit. Prepare incident based press releases for approval by a Chief Officer. Disseminate press releases. Serve as a departmental representative with the owners and occupants of buildings where fire have occurred.

Train other department staff and city employees in fire prevention and inspection practices.

Perform related work as required.

Minimum Qualifications

• Two (2) years of responsible experience interpreting technical documents, codes or standards, such as fire codes, building codes, architectural plans or blueprints, including at least one (1) year of direct public contact in a customer relations position.
• Post high school training or formal education of a technical nature, such as architecture, engineering, safety, construction management, or similar field.

OR

• Certification as a Fire Inspector 1.

OR 

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.

If an applicant does not possess the specific requirements outlined above, HR will review the application materials to determine if the applicant possesses the following equivalent experience:

Familiarity with the following:

• Fire code enforcement practices, methods and procedures.
• National, state and city fire code statutes and ordinances.
• Standard recordkeeping procedures.
• Inspection methods applicable to the identification and resolution of code violations.
• Enforcement procedures.
• Computer software applicable to the duties of the position.
• Customer relations.

The City of Madison strives to provide exceptional customer service to all its residents and visitors. Therefore successful candidates will have demonstrated ability to effectively work with multicultural communities.  

For a complete list of the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities, please see the Fire Code Enforcement Officer 1 class specification.

Special Requirements

Possession of a valid driver's license. Employees in this classification are required to provide their own vehicle to conduct inspections. Mileage and parking will be reimbursed as provided in the General Municipal Employee Handbook (Download PDF reader).

Must be willing and able to work on-call for after hours duties. 
 

Physical Requirements:

This position requires work outdoors in all types of weather. The employee will be expected to physically visit businesses throughout the City and must be able to physically inspect the site.  Inspections may involve any or all of the following: climbing, stooping, accessing tight areas where movement might be restricted.