State Emergency Prevention and Response Chief

The Emergency Response Branch is responsible for responding to petroleum and hazardous materials incidents in the state. Incidents can range from transportation-related spills to major threats such as weapons of mass destruction.    

Click here for additional information about the Emergency Response Section.

Serve as State's expert on hazardous materials and emergency response operations; represents State on various committees and response teams; directs planning, development, coordination and evaluation of emergency response programs; determines and prepares program budgets and grants and administers homeland security sub-grants; ensures emergency response programs meet all state and federal requirements for responding to emergency incidents; ensures that related emergency response facilities and equipment are routinely maintained and updated; reviews proposed legislation for possible impacts to the program; provide information on emergency response programs and Department actions during emergencies/disasters; responds to emergency incidents as needed.

Applicants who do not possess the preferred qualification will still be eligible to compete for this position if job requirements are met.

1. Possession of a Pro Board Fire Officer II certification and a Pro Board Fire Instructor II certification or equivalent certifications.

Essential functions are fundamental, core functions common to all positions in the class series and are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all job duties for any one position in the class.  Since class specifications are descriptive and not restrictive, incumbents can complete job duties of similar kind not specifically listed here.

• Respond on a 24-hour emergency basis statewide to sudden actual or potential hazardous materials releases that are accidental or intentional in nature and may present an immediate threat to life safety, public health, and the environment; may include response beyond State boundaries.    
   
• Supervise and direct on-site personnel, other responding agencies, responsible party representatives, and contractors during emergency response, hazmat operations, and subsequent remedial activities to achieve strategic, tactical, and safety objectives.   
    
• Exercise necessary delegated authorities, including determining and deploying necessary resources, contract management and cost control, directing response personnel activities, and the issuance of enforcement documents such as field orders.   
   
• Apply expert scientific knowledge, and utilizes complex equipment to make independent, expeditious determinations about the necessary response efforts to mitigate a spill or release; provide technical review, as well as technical and regulatory oversight, and support enforcement actions as required.  
   
• Direct the responsible party to take necessary corrective actions and advise on cost recovery policies and procedures; assume control of the spill or release and all mitigation, abatement, and remediation if a responsible party cannot be determined and conduct cost recovery as necessary.     
   
• Utilize a variety of complex equipment such as toxic air monitoring equipment (such as photoionization detection and mass spectrometer), radiation detection instrumentation, and infrared spectroscopy for the identification of unknown substances; interpret the data obtained from this equipment to make critical real-time public safety decisions that affect human health and the environment.   
   
• Use personal protective equipment, communications equipment, and computers; as well as operating emergency vehicles.   
   
• Serve as the on-call State OSC on a rotating basis.  Answer after-hours phone calls, assess the severity of reported incidents, and independently determine the appropriate response effort and necessary personnel.  Respond at night, on weekends, and on holidays, in addition to responses that occur during the scheduled shift.   
   
• Serve as a point of contact and on-scene representative for incident-related and routine questions and concerns with the general public; state, federal and other agencies; high-level officials; fire companies, emergency personnel; contractors; and local, state, regional and federal response communities.   
   
• Serve as a State OSC and hazmat specialist as a member of a Joint Hazard Assessment Team (JHAT) on special assignments where safety and security are of utmost importance, including large public events, political events, and protection of public figures.   
   
• May be called upon to provide technical support and expert testimony in court proceedings or other judicial procedures.

JOB REQUIREMENTS for State Emergency Prevention and Response Chief
Applicants must have education, training and/or experience demonstrating competence in each of the following areas:

1. Possession of a Bachelor’s degree or higher in Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Physics, Engineering, Environmental Science or related field.
2. Recognized expertise and experience in one or more areas of hazardous materials response, including chemical, biological, or radiological hazards.
3. Six months’ experience in environmental/natural resources program administration which includes overseeing and directing the development, implementation and evaluation of environmental/natural resource programs and services; establishes program objectives; plan short and long range program goals; develop and implement program policies and procedures and ensures compliance and funding requirements. Provides advice to other agency organizational units through consultation.
4. Three years’ experience in analyzing and evaluating scientific data.
5. Six months’ experience in developing emergency response strategies in compliance with best practices such as the National Incident Management System (NIMS), Incident Command System (ICS), or National Response Framework (NRF).
6. Six months’ experience in budget management and control which includes managing a budget for the purpose of keeping expenditures within the limitations of available appropriations and available revenue and maintaining, monitoring, projecting and controlling a budget within set policies and procedures.
7. Six months’ experience in staff supervision which includes planning, assigning, reviewing, and evaluating the work of others.
8. Possession of a valid driver’s license (not suspended, revoked or cancelled, or disqualified from driving).

 

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States.  DNREC does not provide sponsorship for holders of H-1 B Visas.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. The State of Delaware Executive Branch participates in the Federal E-Verify system where the State will provide the federal government with each new hires Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. For more information refer to our job seeker resources.

DNREC Medical Exam: To meet health and safety requirements, applicants for this position must successfully pass a baseline medical examination to demonstrate fitness for duty. 

Criminal background check:  A satisfactory criminal background check is required as a condition of hire.  The recruiting agency may require the applicant to pay for the criminal background check as part of the conditional offer of hire.

To learn more about the comprehensive benefit package please visit our website at https://dhr.delaware.gov/benefits/

The application and supplemental questionnaire are evaluated based upon a rating of your education, training and experience as they relate to the job requirements of the position.  It is essential that you provide complete and accurate information on your application and the supplemental questionnaire to include dates of employment, job title and job duties.  For education and training, list name of educational provider, training course titles and summary of course content.   Narrative information supplied in response to the questions must be supported by the information supplied on the application including your employment, education and training history as it relates to the job requirements.

Once you have submitted your application on-line, all future correspondence related to your application will be sent via email.  Please keep your contact information current.  You may also view all correspondence sent to you by the State of Delaware in the “My Applications” tab at Delaware State Jobs.

Accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities in all phases of the application and employment process.  To request an auxiliary aid or service please call (302) 739-5458. TDD users should call the Delaware Relay Service Number 1-800-232-5460 for assistance.

The State of Delaware is an Equal Opportunity employer and values a diverse workforce. We strongly encourage and seek out a workforce representative of Delaware including race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.