Position Profile

Position Profile
Fire Chief
WATAUGA FIRE DEPARTMENT MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the Watauga Fire Department is to safeguard the lives
and property and to enhance the quality of life of any person that
resides in, works in, or visits the City of Watauga through a
commitment to service with Pride, Respect, Teamwork and Safety.
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The City of Watauga is a desirable community in North Texas because of its low
crime rate, highly-rated school districts, excellent location and affordable housing. It
is located minutes away from major interstate highways, DFW International
Airport and Alliance Airport. The City has about 24,000 residents and a dynamic
business and residential community. It partners economic growth with an outstanding
civic atmosphere. In 2008, CNNMoney.com named Watauga as having the second
best affordable housing in the nation. Education is a major contributor to the quality
of life in Watauga. The City is served by the award winning Keller Independent
School District (KISD) and Birdville Independent School District (BISD).
The City of Watauga operates under a Home Rule Charter providing for the
Council-Manager form of government. The City is governed by a City Council
composed of the Mayor and seven (7) Council Members, all elected at large for two year terms. Watauga is a
full-service city that provides a wide range of municipal services including City
Administration, City Secretary, Human Resources, Information Technology, Utility Billing, Community
Development, Finance, Municipal Court, Police, Fire, Animal Control, Library, Public Works , Parks and
Community Services.
Greg Vick serves as City Manager and brings over 37 years of progressive City
Management experience along with a transparent and participatory form of
management. The management team is comprised of the City’s nine (9)
department heads who enjoy a cooperative working relationship.
The Watauga Fire Department is a full service organization with an ISO rating of 3 offering the highest quality
of service in both Fire Protection and Emergency Medical Services (EMS). The Watauga Fire Department’s
2016-17 annual budget is $2,200,000. The Fire Chief reports to and consults with the City Manager in determining plans and policies of Fire Protection, Fire Prevention and EMS operations, but directs, plans, and manages all functions and operations of the Fire Department.
The Watauga Fire Department consists of one (1) Engine Company and one (1)
M.I.C.U. Ambulance both which are operate on a 24 hour basis. The Office of
the Fire Marshal also reports to the Fire Chief. WFD employs a staff of 21
which consists of the Chief, 2 Battalion Chiefs, 3 Lieutenants and 15 Firefighters,
the majority of which are Paramedics. Positions below the rank of Fire Chief are
state Civil Service covered under Chapter 143 of the Local
Government Code.
The Operations Division is comprised of
three shifts that work a 24 hour on, 48 hour off (A, B, and C platoon
schedule). Every day one (1) Engine with minimum of three (3) personnel
and one (1) MICU Ambulance with two (2) personnel are staffed
24/365. We respond to approximately 2,000 calls a year from one
Central Fire Station.
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Special Operations such as Hazardous Materials Response Team, Bomb Team,
Technical Rescue, Mass Casualty Response and Swift Water Rescue are shared by
the Northeast Fire Department Association (NEFDA), of which the City of Watauga,
is a proud member. NFDA is comprised of fourteen northeast Tarrant County
cities. Watauga Fire Department maintains mutual aid contracts with the NEFDA
organizations and all of Tarrant County. In addition, a shared services contract
for dispatch services exists with the cities of North Richland Hills, Haltom City and
Richland Hills .
WFD believes in having a strong community presence. Special tours of the Fire Station and Fire Equipment/
Apparatus are scheduled year round. There are current plans of creating a CPR Training and Citizens
Emergency Response Team (CERT). Watauga Fire Department Personnel also visit citizens’ home and install smoke detectors.
The Watauga Central Fire Station is the first career station for the City
of Watauga and was constructed in May 2011 to complete the
transition from a Department of Public Safety concept to a full-time,
stand alone fire department.
Dedicated on September 11, 2011, ten years after the tragedy of the
terrorist attacks in New York and Washington D.C., the Watauga 911
Memorial is a piece of steel acquired from the World Trade Center.
On July 22, 2011, the City of Watauga welcomed this piece of history
to its Central Fire Station which was later set up as a memorial in front
of the Fire Station to remind us of all the lives lost on that fateful day.
The City of Watauga is looking for a Fire Chief with a proven track record and strong credentials in both Fire
Protection and Emergency Medical Services. The ideal candidate should have strong communication and
presentation skills. The ideal candidate will have a strong command presence and maintain leadership and
confidence in the department. Residency within City limits is not required.
An ideal candidate must be able to establish and maintain a positive working
environment which results in quality and team work. The incumbent will need to hold
employees accountable, yet also be approachable and a consensus builder who creates a
positive work environment. An ideal Chief will recruit and retain qualified personnel at all
departmental levels.
They will also maintain professional standards of the
department with the implementation of training programs for new and existing
employees.
The candidate will need to assure fiscal responsibility and the creative use of limited
resources. Watauga’s new chief will prepare and update short and long range strategic
plans to ensure the Department’s contribution to the City’s overall plans and strategies. In addition, the new
Chief must establish and maintain cooperative relationships with neighboring and regional Fire Departments.
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Chief William Crawford, announced his retirement in June 2016 after serving as Watauga’s Fire Chief since
2007 and after 32 years of service to the City of Watauga. Chief Crawford was a tri-trained Police
Officer, Firefighter and Paramedic under the Department of Public Safety structure and lead the Watauga
Fire Department in its infancy.
On-going projects include:
 Continue to identify and implement top quality training of Fire Department
personnel
 Identify employee career development needs and develop plan to address
those needs
 Ensure department’s commitment to Community Service is maintained
 Continue to expand social media capabilities
CANDIDATE REQUIREMENTS
A successful candidate should have a Bachelor's degree in Fire Science or a related field and a minimum of
ten (10) years of progressively responsible work in the Fire and Emergency Management Service, five (5)
years of supervisory experience, in firefighting administration; OR an equivalent combination of education,
training and experience. The candidate must possess certification by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection
(TCFP) at the Master level. A Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Paramedic license is preferred.
Experience with state Civil Service is preferred. The candidate must possess a valid Texas driver’s license.
COMPENSATION
Compensation is competitive and will depend on the qualifications of the successful applicant. Full-time
employee benefits include 13 Paid Holidays, 15 Vacation Days and 15 Sick Days annually; Longevity Pay;
Texas Municipal Retirement System - City matches 7%, 2:1, 5 years vesting; Medical, Dental, Vision, Life
Insurance , AD&D Insurance, and Long Term Disability, which are provided at the City's expense. City car
provided for official business. Cellular telephone allowance. Pay Range $96,293 - $120,366
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HOW TO APPLY
Qualified applicants should submit letter of interest, a detailed resume of qualifications, a response to the
three (3) supplemental questions (below) and a list of references (two (2) personal and four (4) professional)
by 5pm on November 1, 2016.
Applications will be accepted through the City’s website
www.wataugatx.org/jobs where all of the required documents can be uploaded. The City of Watauga is an
Equal Opportunity Employer and values diversity at all levels of its
workforce. Finalist will be subject to a comprehensive background check, physical evaluation and drug
screen. References will not be contacted until applicant is notified. This position is open until filled.
For additional information on this outstanding opportunity, please contact:
Marcia Reyna, Human Resources & Civil Service Director
City of Watauga
7105 Whitley Road
Watauga, TX 76148
Direct Line 817.514.5819 I Fax 817.514.5859 I
[email protected]
Supplemental Questions:
Limit your responses to no more than a single page per question and
submit your answers as part of your application.
1) Explain why you are interested in this position and why it is a good
time in your career to become Fire Chief for the City of Watauga.
2) What keeps you motivated, enthusiastic and challenged as a
professional and why?
3) Tell us about a project that you managed that you consider to be
your proudest achievement in your professional career.
THE CITY OF WATAUGA IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
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