How to hire a deputy fire chief

How to hire a deputy fire chief, step by step

Here's a step-by-step deputy fire chief hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a deputy fire chief job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new deputy fire chief
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the deputy fire chief you need to hire. Certain deputy fire chief roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a deputy fire chief to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a deputy fire chief that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of deputy fire chief salaries for various roles:

   Type of Deputy Fire Chief	Description	Hourly rate
   Deputy Fire Chief		$34-72
   Company Commander	In the military, a company commander serves as the commanding officer to a unit of soldiers. They are primarily in charge of overseeing every soldiers' performance and the overall company's daily progress, taking responsibility for every activity and outcome... Show more	$37-73
   Deputy Director	Deputy directors supervise a team of workers and oversee the daily functions of their organizations. They coordinate with the company's executive director in preparing long-term strategies to achieve organizational goals... Show more	$27-83

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Emergency Response
   • Fire Protection
   • Life Safety
   • Fire Suppression
   • Personnel Management
   • Hazardous Materials
   • Medical Services
   • NFPA
   • Emergency Services
   • Emergency Incidents
   • Fire/EMS
   • Emergency Operations
   • Fire Service
   • Emergency Situations

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Achieve advance levels of Fire/EMS management certification.
   • Provide performance oversight of inspections/preventive maintenance of fire apparatus and firefighting equipment.
   • Maintain department personnel and equipment records in accordance with privacy act and NFPA requirements.
   • Conduct plans reviews of building construction projects ensuring compliance with NFPA, local and regional reference code compliance documents.
   • Serve as incident commander of firefighting activities.
   • Develop and implement rapid training and replacement program to fill critical personnel shortages in support of combat logistics operations in Afghanistan.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your deputy fire chief job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A deputy fire chief salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, deputy fire chiefs' average salary in hawaii is 54% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level deputy fire chiefs earn 52% less than senior-level deputy fire chiefs.
   • Certifications. A deputy fire chief with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a deputy fire chief's salary.

   Average deputy fire chief salary

   $104,289yearly

   $50.14 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level deputy fire chief salary

   $72,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 13, 2025

4. Writing a deputy fire chief job description

   A deputy fire chief job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a deputy fire chief job description:

   Deputy fire chief job description example

   COVID\-19 continues to significantly impact our employees, families and communities\. With employee health and safety as our top priority, and as a federal contractor, Lockheed Martin is taking action to address the increased risk and uncertainty COVID\-19 variants pose in the workplace and ensuring we meet our commitments to national security\.
   
   To uphold safety for all employees, we will continue to request vaccination status for all Lockheed Martin employees including new hires\. All current and newly hired employees are required to follow onsite safety measures based upon the COVID\-19 Community Level at the specific work location\.
   
   **Description:** Manages organizations responsible for safeguarding life and property against fire, explosion, and related hazards\. Responsible for coordinating subordinate employee recruitment, selection and training, performance assessment, work assignments, salary, and recognition/disciplinary actions\. Directs studies of industrial and other property before and after construction, considering factors such as fire resistance of construction, use or contents of buildings, water supplies and water delivery, and egress facilities\. Oversees the design or recommendation of materials or equipment, such as structural components protection, fire\-detection equipment, alarm systems, fire extinguishing devices and systems\. Manages development fire protection programs and organizes and trains personnel to carry out such programs\.
   **Basic Qualifications:**
   
   Manages organizations responsible for safeguarding life and property against fire, explosion, and related hazards\. Responsible for coordinating subordinate employee recruitment, selection and training, performance assessment, work assignments, salary, and recognition/disciplinary actions\. Directs studies of industrial and other property before and after construction, considering factors such as fire resistance of construction, use or contents of buildings, water supplies and water delivery, and egress facilities\. Oversees the design or recommendation of materials or equipment, such as structural components protection, fire\-detection equipment, alarm systems, fire extinguishing devices and systems\. Manages development fire protection programs and organizes and trains personnel to carry out such programs\.
   
   **BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:**
   
   job\.Qualifications
   
   **Lockheed Martin is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer\. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran status, or disability status\.**
   
   Join us at Lockheed Martin, where your mission is ours\. Our customers tackle the hardest missions\. Those that demand extraordinary amounts of courage, resilience and precision\. They're dangerous\. Critical\. Sometimes they even provide an opportunity to change the world and save lives\. Those are the missions we care about\.
   
   As a leading technology innovation company, Lockheed Martin's vast team works with partners around the world to bring proven performance to our customers' toughest challenges\. Lockheed Martin has employees based in many states throughout the U\.S\., and Internationally, with business locations in many nations and territories\.
   
   **EXPERIENCE LEVEL:**
   
   Experienced Professional

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find deputy fire chiefs for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your deputy fire chief job on Zippia to find and recruit deputy fire chief candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with deputy fire chief candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new deputy fire chief

   Once you've decided on a perfect deputy fire chief candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new deputy fire chief. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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