Salary : $128,315.20 - $155,916.80 Annually
Location : Petaluma, CA
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: 2025-00443
Department: Fire
Division: Fire Prevention
Opening Date: 08/11/2025
Closing Date: 8/31/2025 11:59 PM Pacific
Summary/Class Characteristics
Assistant Fire Marshal
The City of Petaluma is currently looking to fill an Assistant Fire Marshal vacancy within the Fire Prevention Bureau. This recruitment is open for three weeks and will close on August 31, 2025 at 11:59pm. All applications will be reviewed and the most highly qualified candidates will be invited to participate in an assessment and oral board interview. The assessment and interview portion is tentatively scheduled for September 15, 2025.
This position offers a generous benefits package and many special pays and incentives. These include but not limited to:

CalPERS Retirement Package - 3% at 55 for classic CalPERS members - 2.7% at 57 for PEPRA CalPERS members
CalPERS Health Program: City pays ~95% of Bay Area Kaiser rate premium for employee and eligible dependents
Dental/Vision/Life/LTD/EAP: paid 100% by City
Retiree Medical Trust
Holidays: 12 fixed and 1 floating
Longevity Pay: 2.5% at 5 years, 5% at 8 years, 7.5% at 11 years, and 10% at 15 years of service
Fire Investigations Standby Pay: 18% of regular hourly rate as assigned
Education Pay: up to $2400 per year
Bilingual Pay: up to $2400 per year
Sick Leave: accrual of eight (8) hours per month with unlimited accumulation
Compensatory Time Off Bank: earn hours at 1.5 times actual hours worked up to 240 hours
Vacation Time: 80 Hours, increasing with years of service
Cash in Lieu of Medical/Dental Benefits: receive 50% of Kaiser Bay Area premium and Dental premium as cash payment (with proof of other insurance for employee and eligible dependents)
Voluntary Participation in Flexible Spending Accounts for Medical Reimbursement, Dependent Care, and Commuter Benefits
Paid Parental Leave - up to 8 weeks (or equivalent hours) of paid time for qualifying family bonding
Wellness Benefit - $500 annual allowance (is subject to the annual budget approval process and may change in the future.)

Please refer to the and the Human Resources for additional details.
PETALUMA FIRE PREVENTION BUREAU
The Fire Prevention Bureau's primary mission is to provide public education to all age groups and to enforce local and State laws that promote safety and protect life, the environment and property, both personal and public. The Bureau provides detailed, pre-development plan reviews to insure compliance with the law, and it coordinates efforts with other City departments, such as Building and Planning, to ensure fire and life safety protection in all new, expanded and/or remodeled buildings. The Fire Prevention Bureau regulates the use of hazardous materials in Petaluma and is certified by CalEPA as a Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA). The Fire Prevention Bureau is a division of the Petaluma Fire Department.
THE POSITION
Perform a variety of duties to enforce compliance within the Fire Prevention and Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA) Division of the Fire Department including: conduct plan reviews; conduct fire and life safety inspections and (CUPA)/Hazardous Materials inspections to enforce compliance with laws, ordinances, and regulations pertaining to the prevention and control of fires and hazardous materials; conduct fire investigations to determine cause and origin of fires; develop and present public education programs to the community and schools and provide fire safety training to businesses.
CLASS CHARACTERISTICS
General direction is provided by the Fire Marshal. Responsibilities may include direct and indirect supervision of professional, technical and support services staff and acting in the absence of the Fire Marshal.
This class is distinguished from the Fire Inspector in that incumbents in this class are primarily responsible for plan reviews in addition to other duties and is distinguished from the Fire Marshal class in that the Fire Marshal has overall responsibility for the Fire Prevention Division.
This class is considered a Peace Officer under Penal Code Section 830.37(b) when acting in the capacity to enforce laws relating to fire prevention, fire investigation and CUPA/Hazardous Materials.
Duties
Conduct plan reviews of building, construction, alteration and demolition to ensure proper construction and code compliance.
Participate in pre-development planning, working with developers, the City Engineer and others, in the review of development projects.
Research, interpret and enforce provisions of fire prevention and fire safety laws, ordinances, codes and other regulations.
Conduct fire inspections, CUPA/Hazardous Materials inspections and non-hazardous occupancy inspections throughout the City to abate fire hazards.
Inspect and evaluate hazardous processes, storage, handling and other functions in businesses to ensure compliance with applicable fire codes and State laws.
Participate and respond to hazardous materials emergencies in the City of Petaluma and County-wide, as requested.
Participate as a member of the Emergency Management Team during Emergency Operations Center (EOC) activations as assigned, either as part of the command staff or as a general staff member.
Conduct inspections of construction projects to ensure proper installation of fire sprinkler systems, fire alarm systems, spray booths, fuel tanks and all types of building construction.
Investigate structural, vehicle and other fires to determine cause and origin; analyze and collect evidence; interview witnesses and take statements; prepare fire investigation reports other paperwork required.
Develop and conduct public information programs regarding fire prevention; make presentations to various groups.
Develop, prepare, and maintain a variety of records and reports, including written reports and correspondence.
Develop and conduct fire prevention training for fire suppression personnel.
Work closely with public and private groups and individuals to explain or coordinate programs and resolve inspection, investigation, and litigation issues; respond to complaints or inquires by phone or in person.
Build and maintain positive working relationships with co-workers, other City of Petaluma employees, and the public using principles of good customer service.
Perform related duties as assigned.
Qualifications
Knowledge of:
Principles, methods, and practices of modern fire prevention, public education, fire suppression, emergency medical, rescue, and hazardous materials activities.
Methods and techniques for performing fire investigations.
Applicable federal, state, and local codes and regulations including rules of evidence, search, seizure, and arrest.
Mechanical, chemical, and related characteristics for a wide variety of flammable and explosive materials and hazardous substances.
Principles of hazardous materials emergency response including the methods and techniques for the safe response and mitigation of hazardous materials releases.
Principles, practices and procedures of modern fire protection theory and techniques.
Office procedures, methods, and equipment including computers and applicable software applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, and databases.
Education and Experience
Any combination equivalent to the education and experience likely to provide the required knowledge and abilities would be qualifying. A typical way to gain such knowledge and abilities would be:
Education:
An Associate's degree from an accredited college with major course work in fire science, fire prevention, fire administration, public administration, business administration, engineering, environmental science, hazardous materials, or related field is required.
Completion of course requirements for the California Board of Fire Services certification as a Fire Inspector I and II, Plans Examiner, Fire Investigator and California Underground Storage Tank Inspector Certification is desirable.
Experience:
Three years of experience, including fire prevention, hazardous materials, and fire investigation to demonstrate possession of the knowledge, skills, and abilities listed above.
Certifications/Licenses:
Possession of a California State Arrest PC 832 Certificate.
Possession of a valid California Class C driver's license.
Must be willing to work off-shift hours on a call-out basis.
Physical Demands and Working Environment
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands and fingers, handle or feel, reach with hands and arms, talk or hear, and taste or smell. The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, sit and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be exposed to fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals and outside weather conditions. The employee is frequently exposed to moving mechanical parts. The employee is occasionally exposed to high, precarious places and risk of electrical shock. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
Incumbents assigned to this classification, when performing actual fire cause investigations or other fire prevention activities, will be required to work outdoors in a variety of weather conditions, such as very hot and/or very cold temperatures.
Incumbents must be able to move debris and dirt or other material using a shovel or rake, walk over rough, uneven or rocky surfaces, work at heights greater than 10 feet, climb ladders or steps to reach objects, wear a self-contained breathing apparatus, hear alarms and other auditory warning devices, observe or monitor objects, such as fire protection equipment and systems, buildings, underground storage tanks or data, such as underground tank test results.
Incumbents may be required to work in small, cramped areas, use common hand tools, bend or stoop repeatedly or continually over time, use stomach and lower back muscles to support the body, perform physical inventories, discriminate among colors or match colors of wiring systems and color-coded valves and piping, move objects (such as portable generators, tools, equipment and evidence) weighing up to 50 pounds over long distances, stand or walk for extended periods of time with the inability to rest at will, and use arms above shoulder level.
When not performing duties in the field, incumbents work in an indoor office setting and are required to enter data into a terminal, PC, or keyboard device, produce written documents using proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling, use graphic instructions, blueprints, and layouts as part of the plan review process when checking for code compliance and sit for extended periods of time with the ability to move at will.
The City of Petaluma offers a wide-ranging, comprehensive benefit package including CalPERS retirement, medical, dental, vision, life, LTD, etc. For more information regarding the benefits associated with this position, visit our website:
01
Please describe your level of experience with plan review for Fire Code and CUPA compliance.
02
Please describe your level of experience in emergency response.
03
Please describe your experience providing customer service and working with the public.
04
Please describe your level of experience supervising and any experience supporting Fire Inspectors.
05
Please describe your experience in program management.
06
What appeals to you about working for the Petaluma Fire Prevention Bureau?
07
If you are successful in completing the testing process, you will undergo a comprehensive background investigation, including fingerprinting and a polygraph examination. NOTE: Recent drug usage, theft or other illegal activity may disqualify you. Your record must be free from any felony conviction and/or any misdemeanor conviction involving moral turpitude and excessive traffic violations. After a conditional job offer is made, you must pass a medical examination, drug screen, and psychological suitability examination. Do you acknowledge this requirement?

Required Question

City of Petaluma, CA

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