Fire Captain

Job description

This serves as the official announcement for the 2026 Captain Hiring process. The fire department will hire one Captain to fill a vacant position. This full-time position will directly oversee daily operations for either Engine 1 or Engine 2. All eligible current employees of the Davidson Fire Department that are interested in competing for this position are encouraged to apply. Candidates that meet the minimum requirements shall compete in the assessment center which is scheduled for December 14, 2026. The salary range for this position is identified as Grade 206 with a minimum starting salary of $72,267. This position is eligible for overtime and holiday pay. Other benefits include full pension and retirement packages, medical, vision, and dental insurance, comprehensive wellness plan, vacation and sick leave, uniform allowance, and other employee benefits.

MINIMUM EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• High school diploma, GED, or equivalent
• Associate’s degree (Preferred)
• Honorable discharge, if any, from the military
• Valid NC driver’s license and Class B driver’s license
• IFSAC / Pro Board Firefighter II, or NC Fire Fighter II
• Fire Officer I
• Fire Officer II (Preferred. Must be obtained within one year of hire)
• IFSAC / Pro Board Driver Operator – Pumps and Aerials
• IFSAC / Pro Board Hazardous Materials Operations
• IFSAC / Pro Board Technical Rescuer (Preferred)
• North Carolina Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
• Must meet the medical requirements set forth in NFPA 1582
• No disciplinary actions received within the last six months (Internal Candidates)
• Minimum of three years at the mid-level supervisor level position (External Candidates

APPLICATION PERIOD

All interested candidates shall complete a hiring application through the town’s website. Candidates are also asked to submit a cover letter and resume with the job application. Applications will be accepted from October 23rd – November 13th. An internal review of all applications will be conducted to ensure that minimum requirements are met. Candidates that meet the minimum requirements will receive information about the assessment center process. There will be a one-day orientation session scheduled for Monday, November 30th for selected candidates. Attendance is highly recommended.

ASSESSMENT CENTER

Candidates that meet the minimum requirements will be invited to participate in the assessment center scheduled for December 14th. The (3) components are as follows:

• Written Exam 25 Points
• Operations Exercise 50 Points (Minimum score of 30 to pass)
• Structured Interview 25 Points

Candidates will be graded on tactical knowledge, command and control, understanding of department SOG’s and TAC Orders, presentation skills, and interview skills. There will be a minimum cutoff score for the operations exercise. Candidates who do not meet the minimum cutoff score for the operations exercise will not advance to the Fire Chief’s interview. Internal Candidates will also receive credit for seniority which will be added to their final cumulative score. Seniority points will be factored from time served with the Town of Davidson. A candidate’s maximum point allowance for seniority is 10 points. All information that pertains to the assessment center will be released to the candidates following the orientation session on November 30th.

FINAL INTERVIEW

Candidates that successfully pass the assessment center will be invited to participate in an interview with the Fire Chief and Deputy Chiefs which will take place following the assessment center. The Fire Chief’s interview will serve as the final component to the promotional process. There will be no scoring matrix for this portion as it will not be graded.

CANDIDATE SELECTION

The Fire Chief reserves the right to promote any of the candidates to the position based on performance factors. These factors may include but are not limited to assessment center scores, fire service experience, service with the Davidson Fire Department, and past performance. After consulting with the Deputy Chief’s, the Fire Chief will make a recommendation for promotion/hiring based on the previous listed factors. The Fire Chief will make a recommendation to the Town Manager, who is responsible for all promotions/hirings of town employees with the Town of Davidson Personnel Policy. The eligibility pool will remain active for up to one (1) year from the date established. If you have any questions about the process, please do not hesitate to contact Deputy Chief Joel Cherry at jcherry@townofdavidson.org or Human Resources Director Amber Levi at alevi@townofdavidson.org

SUMMARY:

A Fire Captain, also referred to as a Company Officer, is responsible for the supervision, well-being, and operational effectiveness of his or her assigned company. The Fire Captain reports directly to the Battalion Chief.

Distinguishing Features of the Class:

This position is responsible for the supervision of one fire station. The Captain manages the 24-hour operation of fire suppression and emergency operations, including service in the Incident Commander role as needed. In addition to emergency incident operations, the Captain serves as the supervisor for full-time engineers and firefighters assigned to his / her shift and participates in special projects as required. The Captain must be able to make decisions under stressful emergency conditions, which may involve personal hazards and hazards to those working under his / her supervision.Examples of Duties / Knowledge & Skills

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Respond to all reported structure fires in the Davidson / North Star Fire District, as well as those where mutual or automatic aid is requested from the Davidson Fire Department.
• Respond to other incidents as needed, including commercial fire alarms, hazardous materials incidents, automobile accidents with entrapment or pin-in, and technical rescue incidents.
• Provides emergency medical care as needed as an EMT at emergency medical incidents
• Serve in the Incident Command capacity at emergency incidents as needed and until relieved by higher ranking chief officer.
• At incidents where command is transferred to a higher-ranking officer, the Captain may be required to perform group / division supervisor functions
• Supervising and directing 2-3 subordinates during the normal course of a shift
• Oversee the day-to-day operations of one Davidson Fire Station, and ensure that operations are performed in a safe manner
• Perform administrative functions, including performance evaluations, OSHA compliance, training, etc.
• Assist with special projects, including health and safety, accreditation, ISO, etc.
• Conduct and participate in community / public relations programs as needed or assigned
• Assuring that daily tasks are completed in an expedient manner, including station and equipment check-offs, maintenance, station clean-ups, payroll reporting, and incident reporting
• Report to assigned Battalion Chief and notifying the Command Staff of any incident or issues that have the potential to negatively affect service to the public. These include but are not limited to traffic accidents involving fire department vehicles, employee injuries or illnesses while on duty, staffing shortfalls, and significant emergency incidents for which no chief officer responded.

Minimum Qualifications & Requirements

RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION GUIDELINES

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Candidates for the Captain position should have a strong fire service background, and should be thoroughly familiar with accepted firefighting principles, practices, and procedures. Candidates should have the ability to exercise sound judgement in both routine and emergency situations. The Captain is a first-line supervisory position, which requires experience and knowledge of basic management principles. The Captain must be able to work with others, including superior ranking officers, line firefighters, town officials, citizens, and media representatives.

Physical Requirements:

• Must be able to physically perform the basic life operational functions of standing, walking, grasping, talking, and hearing.
• Must be able to perform sedentary work exerting up to 10 pounds of force frequently or constantly to move objects.
• Must possess the visual acuity to prepare and analyze data, examine and work with maps, charts, and detailed materials, operate a computer, inspect sites, and to read extensively.
• Must have the agility and physical strength to do prolonged and hazardous work under adverse conditions. This includes, but is not limited to, the ability to lift, move and maintain position on items (e.g. charged hoses) up to 90 pounds; push objects up to 25 pounds; pull objects from 25 to 50 pounds, and lift or pull victims weighing more than 150 pounds.

REQUIRED Minimum Education and Experience:

• High school diploma, GED, or equivalent
• Honorable discharge, if any, from the military
• Valid NC driver’s license and Class B driver’s license
• IFSAC / Pro Board Firefighter II, or NC Fire Fighter II
• IFSAC / Pro Board Driver Operator – Pumps and Aerials
• IFSAC / Pro Board Hazardous Materials Operations
• North Carolina Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
• Must meet the medical requirements set forth in NFPA 1582
• No disciplinary actions received within the last six months (Internal Candidates)
• Minimum of three years at the mid-level supervisor level position (External Candidates)

PREFERRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• IFSAC / Pro Board Technical Rescuer
• An associate’s degree or higher in a field of study related to fire science, leadership, business
• North Carolina Fire Officer I, II certification, or an out-of-state equivalent which meets the respective NFPA Fire Officer job performance requirements, must be obtained within one year of hire.

Special Requirements:

• Possession of a valid North Carolina driver’s license.

Benefits