What are the responsibilities and job description for the Fire Captain position at Orange County Fire Authority?
DESCRIPTION
This promotional opportunity is open to current, qualified, Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA), non-probationary firefighter unit members only. All other applications will not be considered.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Please click on the following link to view the complete classification specification for Fire Captain.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
EXPERIENCE:
At time of application, applicants must have completed probation as a Firefighter and possess at least five (5) years’ experience as a full-time career Firefighter or Fire Apparatus Engineer with the OCFA or a fire agency that the OCFA assumed fire protection responsibility for, or a combination of the two. Qualifying experience as a Firefighter begins at time of hire as either a Firefighter Trainee or Firefighter.
In addition to the years of experience requirement above, an applicant seeking promotion to Fire Captain must meet basic proficiency skills by any one of the following:
- The applicant is a current Fire Apparatus Engineer with the OCFA
- The applicant is on a current Fire Apparatus Engineer promotional list
- The applicant has completed the formalized OCFA Fire Apparatus Engineer Development Series (Class 1-4)
- The applicant has completed the California Fire Service Training & Education System (CFSTES) Driver Operator 1A and 1B; In lieu of CFSTES Driver Operator 1A and 1B, the applicant may complete the new series of Fire Apparatus Drive/Operator classes which includes the following: Fire Apparatus Driver/Operator Pump, Fire Apparatus Driver/Operator Aerial, Fire Apparatus, Driver/Operator Tillered, Fire Apparatus Driver/Operator Wildland and Fire Apparatus, Driver/Operator Water Tender
LICENSES:
Possession of a valid Class C Driver License at time of appointment
CERTIFICATIONS (position requirements at time of application):
Completion of all of the California State Fire Marshal Company Officer courses listed below is required. Proof of documentation is required; certificates must be attached to the electronic application at time of application or delivered to Human Resources no later than November 28, 2023, at 12:00 pm. Failure to submit proof of documentation by the deadline will result in disqualification from the Fire Captain recruitment process.
- Company Officer 2A – Human Resources Management
- Company Officer 2B – General Administrative Functions
- Company Officer 2C – Fire Inspections and Investigations
- Company Officer 2D – All Risk Command Operations
- Instructor 1 – Instructional Methodology
Applicants who completed all eight (8) California State Fire Marshal Fire Officer courses (listed below) prior to 01/01/2017 will not need to complete the 5 new California State Fire Marshal Company Officer courses (listed above). Proof of documentation is required; certificates must be attached to the electronic application at time of application or delivered to Human Resources no later than November 28, 2023, at 12:00 pm. Failure to submit proof of documentation by the deadline will result in disqualification from the Fire Captain recruitment and selection process.
- Fire Command 1A or Command 1A
- Fire Command 1B
- Fire Instructor 1A or Training Instructor 1B
- Fire Instructor 1B or Training Instructor 1A
- Fire Investigation 1A
- Fire Management 1
- Fire Prevention 1A or Fire Prevention 1
- Fire Prevention 1B or Fire Prevention 1
To ensure applicants are qualified to open an Engine Boss (ENGB) task book, completion of all of the courses listed below is required. Proof of documentation is required; certificates must be attached to the electronic application or delivered to Human Resources no later than November 28, 2023, at 12:00 pm. Failure to submit proof of documentation by the deadline will result in disqualification from the Fire Captain recruitment and selection process.
- I-300 – Intermediate ICS
- IS-800 B, C, or D – National Response Framework, an Introduction
- S-215 or Fire Command IC or Company Officer 2E – Wildland Incident Operations
- S-231 – Engine Boss (Single Resource) – or ENGB qualified
- S-290 – Intermediate Wildland Fire Behavior (online course is NOT valid for this process)
- RT-130 - Annual Wildland Fire Safety Refresher
PERFORMANCE (position requirements at time of application):
Standard or higher rating on last two (2) annual performance reviews
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
HOW TO APPLY FOR THIS POSITION:
To apply, go to www.ocfa.org. Interested personnel are to submit the following:
- Online application
- Resumé outlining qualifications
- Required certification
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:
- Tuesday, November 28, 2023, at 12:00 pm - Last Day to Submit Online Application, Resumé, and Required Certification(s)
- Thursday, December 14, 2023 - Written Examination
- January 8 - 12, 2024 - Oral Interview
- February 9 - March 21, 2024 - Fire Captain Academy 36
Written Examination:
The written examination is scheduled for Thursday, December 14, 2023. The written examination will focus on current OCFA operational practices and modern management concepts and practices. The written examination consists of information contained in the following materials:
OCFA Truck Manual, Volumes I, II, and III- OCFA Engine Company Operations Manual
- OCFA First Due Guide
- OCFA General Orders
- OCFA Standard Operating Procedures
- Progressive Discipline Guide (Outlines the Firefighters Procedural Bill of Rights Act
- Incident Response Pocket Guide
- OCPFA Memorandum of Understanding
- Firefighter Handbook, Wildland Firefighting, 3rd edition (OCFA Cat #B9)
Note: The following link has been created to provide applicants with the study material Fire Captain Study Material. The Firefighter Handbook, Wildland Firefighting, 3rd edition is available in the station library.
Oral Interview:
Oral Interviews are scheduled for January 8 - 12, 2024.
Fire Captain Academy 36:
The mandatory FCA36 is scheduled Monday-Friday, February 9 - March 21, 2024. FCA36 will be comprised of six (6) blocks:
- Block 1: Structural Strategy and Tactics
- Block 2: Wildland and All-Risk Strategy and Tactics
- Block 3: Human Resources
- Block 4: Review
- Block 5: Academy Assessment Center
- Block 6: Administration & Leadership
WEIGHTS FOR SELECTION COMPONENTS:
Written Exam - 10%
The minimum passing score for this selection component is 80%. All candidates who achieve 80% or greater on the written exam will be invited to the oral interview. Candidates' final overall selection component score will include 10% of their written exam score.
Oral Interview - 15%
The minimum passing score for this selection component is 80%. Candidates' final overall selection component score will include 15% of their oral interview score.
Fire Captain Academy Eligibility List:
Candidates who achieve 80% or greater on the written exam and the oral interview will be placed onto the Fire Captain Academy eligibility list in ranked order based on the combined written examination and oral interview score. The Fire Captain Academy eligibility list will remain in effect for a period of one (1) year from the date of establishment or until all the names on the list are exhausted. The Fire Captain Academy eligibility list may be extended by mutual agreement of the parties.
Candidates on the Fire Captain Academy Eligibility list not placed in FCA36 may be invited to the future Fire Captain Academies if available during the life of the Fire Captain Academy eligibility list.
Fire Captain Academy – 75%
- Block 1: Structural Strategy and Tactics
- Block 2: Wildland and All-Risk Strategy and Tactics
- Block 3: Human Resources
- Block 4: Review
-
Block 5: Academy Assessment Center
- Tactical Simulator (Dynamic) – 25%
- Tactical Simulator (Static) – 25%
- Employee Relations Exercise – 25%
- Block 6: Administration & Leadership
Candidates must achieve a minimum passing score of 80% on each component of Block 5. Candidates who fail the Fire Captain Academy Assessment Center will be returned to the field and NOT invited to Block 6.
Fire Captain Promotional Eligibility List:
The Fire Captain promotional eligibility list will be established in rank order based on the combined written examination, oral interview, and Fire Captain Academy Assessment Center scores.
Promotions will occur in rank order. The Fire Captain promotional eligibility list will remain in effect for a period of 1 year from the date of establishment or until all the names on the list are exhausted. The Fire Captain promotional eligibility list may be extended by mutual agreement of the parties.
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA) ACCOMMODATION:
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, anyone who needs an ADA accommodation for the purposes of employment testing should contact Ivonne Spagon, Human Resources Analyst II at (714) 573-6810 or ivonnespagon@ocfa.org at least 72 hours prior to any portion of the examination process.
CHANGE IN SCHEDULING/PROCESS:
If there is a change in the selection process, Human Resources will notify all affected candidates.
QUESTIONS:
All questions regarding this recruitment should be addressed to Ivonne Spagon, Human Resources Analyst II at (714) 573-6810 or via email at ivonnespagon@ocfa.org.
NOTE:
The provisions of this publication do not constitute an express or implied contract. Any provision in this publication may be modified or revoked without notice.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER:
The Orange County Fire Authority is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.
FIRE APPARATUS ENGINEERS, FIRE CAPTAINS, FIREFIGHTERS, FIRE PILOTS, AND HEAVY FIRE EQUIPMENT OPERATORS
- Please note: This summary reflects the benefits for shift employees assigned to a 56-hour average duty week. For benefits information related to staff assignments (40-hour workweek), please refer to the OCPFA Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). (Download PDF reader)
Orange County Professional Firefighters Association (OCPFA) Local 3631: This classification is represented by the OCPFA Local 3631. Please visit http://www.ocfirefighters.org for more information.
Base Salary Adjustments: None scheduled through August 31, 2022.
Merit Salary Increases: Employees are eligible for an initial merit salary increase (1 to 4 steps) on the first day of the pay period following completion of fifty-two (52) weeks of service, and thereafter annually based on their work performance and until they reach the top of their 12-step salary range.
Health Benefits: Pursuant to a Health Plan Agreement (Download PDF reader) (see link below), the Authority contributes to the OCPFA medical benefit trust fund for health insurance and other related benefits. Brown Insurance Services (BIS) is the administrator for these benefits. In 2022, BIS offers the following options for medical insurance: Kaiser, Anthem HMO, Anthem PPO and Anthem HMO. Vision insurance is provided through MES, and dental insurance is provided through DeltaCare HMO and Delta Dental DPO. Health Plan Agreement:
https://ocfa.org/Uploads/Transparency/OCFA 3631 Health Plan Agreement.pdf (Download PDF reader)
(Please note: The Health Plan Agreement expired on 12/31/2021; however, the Agreement was extended via Side Letter Agreement through 12/31/2022. The 2021 contribution to the medical benefit trust fund will continue through 12/31/2022 ($2,199.49/month).
Retirement: All regular OCFA employees are members of the Orange County Employees Retirement System (OCERS) - a defined benefit retirement program. Employees are enrolled in one of the following retirement formulas based on date of hire.
Legacy Safety Members: Employees hired on or after January 1, 2013 who establish reciprocity with OCERS are enrolled in the 3% at age 55 retirement formula (Plan R). The compensation limit for Legacy members for 2022 is $305,000.
New Safety Members: Employees hired on or after January 1, 2013 without reciprocity are enrolled in the 2.7% at age 57 retirement formula (Plan V). The compensation limit for PEPRA members for 2022 is $161,969 (non-Social Security Participants).
For more information about OCERS retirement, please visit: http://www.ocers.org.
For more information about reciprocity, please visit: https://www.ocers.org/post/reciprocity-questions
For more information about the OCERS employer and employee contribution rates, please refer to the OCPFA MOU (Download PDF reader) (Pages 84-86) and OCERS Rate Charts for 2021/2022
Deferred Compensation: Employees may voluntarily participate in the Authority’s deferred compensation plan. This plan is provided by Nationwide Retirement Services and allows for pre- and post-tax deferrals. This plan is 100% employee funded.
Retiree Medical Savings Plan: Employees are enrolled in a mandatory defined contribution retiree medical savings plan to which they contribute 4.0% of base salary.
OCPFA Supplemental Retiree Medical Plan: Employees contribute 1.0% of their base salary towards the Orange County Professional Firefighters Association Supplemental Retiree Medical Plan Trust Fund.
Social Security: Orange County Fire Authority employees are not covered under the provisions of Federal Social Security (OASDI); therefore, they are not required to contribute 6.2% of salary towards Social Security.
Medicare: Employees contribute 1.45% to Medicare. Employees whose wages exceed $200,000 in a calendar year shall contribute an additional 0.9%.
Educational Incentive Pay: Employees with college-level semester units or a bachelor’s degree are eligible for educational incentive pay as follows:
- 60 college-level semester units = 2.5% of base salary per month; or
- 90 college-level semester units = 5% of base salary per month; or
- Baccalaureate Degree = 7.5% of base salary per month
The maximum educational incentive pay an employee shall receive is 7.5% of base salary. To receive educational incentive pay, the employee must submit a written request to receive the educational incentive pay and submit satisfactory proof of qualification (for example, grade cards, transcripts, and/or other verification from an accredited, college-level educational institution). OCFA does not require sealed transcripts.
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Pay: Employees (other than Firefighter Trainees) who maintain an active State of California EMT certification will receive, in addition to their regular salary, seven (9%) percent of each employee’s base salary per month, prorated on an hourly basis for regular hours paid.
Other Specialty Pays: Employees who move into special assignments at OCFA, or who possess specialized skills, may be eligible for other specialty pays. Please refer to the OCPFA MOU and Side Letter Agreements for further details.
Tuition Reimbursement: Tuition reimbursement is $2,000 per fiscal year to cover certain expenses associated with academic pursuits.
Holidays: Employees in the Firefighters Unit observe 13 holidays within the calendar year:
- New Year's Day
- Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday
- Lincoln's Birthday
- President's Day
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Columbus Day
- Veteran's Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Day after Thanksgiving
- Christmas Eve
- Christmas Day
Vacation: Vacation accrual is based on hours of completed continuous service (regular hours) exclusive of overtime. For shift employees:
- After 1 year but less than 3 years: Approx 112 hours per year;
- After 3 years but less than 10 years: Approx 168 hours per year;
- After 10 years: Approx 224 hours per year.
- Date of employment but less than 3 years: Approx 101 hours per year;
- After 3 years: Approx 144 hours per year.
Flexible Spending Account (FSA): The OCFA offers regular, limited-term, and probationary employees both a Medical and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), which allows you to contribute pre-tax dollars into an account that can be used throughout the year on qualified medical or dependent care expenses. Participants pay fewer taxes and take home more money. For 2022, the maximum employee contribution is $2,750 for eligible medical expenses. The maximum employee contribution is $5,000 for eligible dependent care expenses.
Behavioral Health and Wellness: OCFA offers a variety of behavioral health and wellness services to our employees and their dependents, including access to the OCFA Peer Support Team Members, OCFA Chaplains, and the Counseling Team International (TCTI). TCTIC provides behavioral health and wellness services to public safety agency employees and their eligible family members with confidential professional assistance. Support services include, but are not limited to, the following types of situations: marital and family problems, stress/burnout, anger management, separation/divorce, child/adolescent issues, depression, and critical incident/trauma. TCTI also offers life care resource assistance for child care, adoption, elderly and senior care, and financial information.
WEFIT Program: The WEFIT Program is mandatory/non-punitive. The OCFA shall provide all five (5) of the following aspects of the WEFIT Program:
- Medical
- Fitness
- Medical/Fitness/Injury Rehabilitation
- Behavioral Health
- Data Collection and Reporting
Benevolent Association: Employees have the option to join OCFA’s Benevolent Association which was created to “Take Care of Their Own.” Included in your $8.00 per pay period cost is $10,000 Member Death Benefit, $4,000 Dependent Death Benefit, $30,000 Annual Scholarships for Members and Dependents, Hardship Grants/Loans, Annual Picnic for Members, Holiday Ball, and Retiree Tribute. In addition, Discount Offers- Recreation/Amusement Parks, fitness 19 and 24-Hour Fitness gym membership, discount movie tickets, Angels Baseball game with tailgate party, etc. Membership also allows access to very good supplemental insurances of many types, including, Long Term Disability, Long Term Care, various AFLAC (ICU, Cancer, Accident Injury, CSFA membership, Living Trusts and more. The Family Auxiliary and KIDS Fund (provides monetary assistance only to kids of members), both operate under the Benevolent Association.
This benefit summary is intended to provide an easy way for current and prospective employees to access fringe benefit information, including voluntary options. This summary is intended to be accurate, but it is not an official plan document, and has no legal or binding effect as an expressed or implied contract, or otherwise, and does not alter or amend any provision of the Memoranda of Understanding, Personnel and Salary Resolution, retirement contract, insurance policy contract, or any other official document of the Orange County Fire Authority, including Standard Operating Procedures and General Orders. All insurance benefits described in the summary are subject to the terms and limitations of the Orange County Fire Authority's insurance contracts with individual insurance providers.
Should you have any questions pertaining to information in this summary, please contact the Human Resources Department at (714) 573-6800.
