SOUTHWICK – The Southwick Fire Department is currently in the process of receiving applications for the newly created position of a career force Deputy Fire Chief/paramedic.
According to Chief Russ Anderson, they’ve had a Deputy Fire Chief on the call force in the past, but never on the career force. The difference is that on the career force, the Deputy is involved in the day to day operations and management of the department. The Deputy on the call force is a volunteer position.
Southwick Fire Chief Russ Anderson. (WNG File Photo)
In the application, the qualifications include having a Massachusetts Paramedic Certification, a firefighter I/II certification, a minimum of seven years of structural firefighting, and at least five years of experience in a fire service supervisory role.
Anderson said that the review process for the applications will be starting in May. During that process, candidates will go through interviews. After that, the candidates will go through an assessment, which is scenario-based. This includes fire, medical, and inter-personal skills scenarios.
Several weeks into the application process, Anderson noted that they already have approximately 12 applicants. Selecting the best individual person possible is important for the department’s future.
“We definitely want the best possible candidate and that’s the critical part of the re-structuring as we move to ALS (Advance Life Support),” said Anderson.
The Deputy Fire Chief will also be a paramedic and one of their main responsibilities will be to handle the EMS (Emergency Management Services) operations within the department.
The hiring for the Deputy Fire Chief position is expected to occur at the end of May or early in June.
