HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-24-2023 Civil Service CommissionAgenda
Civil Service Commission
Friday, February 24, 2023
3:45 p.m.
Helling Conference Room
City Hall
410 E Washington St
Iowa City, IA
1. Fire Department promotional testing
If you will need disability -related accommodations in
order to participate in this program/event, please
contact Karen Jennings, Human Resources at 319-
356-5025 or karen-ienningsCallowa-city.org. Early
requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient
time to meet your access needs.
r
-r_-®i, CITY OF IOWA CITY
1,141IT-1 MEMORANDUM
Date: February 22, 2023
To: Civil Service Commission
From: Karen Jennings, Human Resources Administrator
Re: Fire Promotional Testing
The certified promotional lists for promotional positions in the fire department expired March 18,
2022, making it necessary to conduct promotional testing for the positions of Deputy Fire Chief,
Battalion Chief, Fire Captain and Fire Lieutenant. The Iowa Code allows up to ten names to be
certified for promotional positions.
After consulting with Chief Lyon, we recommend a testing process that uses assessments
relevant to each position to establish the rank order promotional lists required by Chapter 400.
The minimum requirements and proposed testing process (including the recommended
weighting) for each rank is summarized in the following table.
Required: 3 years as Firefighter with ICFD Panel interview (35%)
May include City division heads, ICPD staff
at rank of Lieutenant or higher, ICFD
Battalion Chiefs, and/or HR staff
Required: HS diploma or equivalent and Assessment Center (65%)
certificate in fire science with a minimum of
18 semester hours of fire science technical
courses and Instructor I and Iowa or National
EMT certification.
Thirty hours of coursework toward
Associate's degree in fire science or related
field may substitute for certificate
Preferred: Experience in public education,
hazardous materials, technical rescue, and
Fire Prevention Bureau
Required: 1 year as Lieutenant with ICFD, Panel interview (35%)
Instructor I, Iowa or National EMT certification May include City division heads, ICPD staff
at rank of Lieutenant or higher, ICFD
Battalion Chiefs, and/or HR staff
Required: Associate's degree or 60 hours Assessment Center (65%)
coursework toward BA in Fire Science or
related field
Preferred: Bachelor's degree, Instructor II,
experience in public education, hazardous
materials, technical rescue, and Fire
Prevention Bureau and Fire origin and cause
training from State Fire Marshall or National
Fire Academv
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Keauireo: 5 years as a company officer, 5
years' expertence in fire and safety
operations, Instructor I, and Iowa or National
EMT certification
Required: Bachelor's degree
Preferred: Master's degree, Officer I,
Instructor II and Inspector I certifications, NFA
Executive Fire Officer and 5 years related
experience and/or training
Required: ti years in Fire and Rescue
Management at rank of Captain or above and
Iowa or National EMT certification
Required: Bachelor's degree
Preferred: Master's degree, Officer I,
Instructor II, Inspector I certification, NFA
Executive Fire Officer and Chief Fire Officer
interview
May include City Department Directors,
Division Heads, Fire Chief, and/or Deputy
Fire Chief
Assessment Center (40%)
May include City Department Directors,
Division Heads, Fire Chief, and/or Deputy
Fire Chief
Assessment Center (40%)
As you can see, we are recommending that a combination of panel interviews and assessment
centers be used in the testing process for all promotional ranks. Failure to achieve a passing
score in both the panel interview assessment and the assessment center will result in a
candidate not being placed on the recommended promotional list.
A consultant with experience in administering promotional testing processes will be hired to
design and administer the assessment centers. In an assessment center, exercises are
designed to simulate duties or tasks that may be assigned to a particular rank and to assess the
candidates' knowledge and ability to perform in situations that would be typical for a person in
that rank. The exercises will be developed in conjunction with input from ICFD command staff
and Human Resources. Fire Command staff from external departments will be recruited to
serve as assessors.
Cayler Consulting is recommended to design and administer assessment centers for the ranks
of Lieutenant, Captain, Battalion Chief and Deputy Chief. Jeff Cayler has had a lengthy career in
law enforcement, retiring after serving as Police Chief in Carroll, Iowa for over 30 years. He has
been administering assessment centers for over 20 years and has administered assessment
centers for past City of Iowa City police and fire promotional testing processes.
Staff recommends that City Human Resources staff be authorized to coordinate and administer
the panel interviews recommended for all ranks. Additionally, Human Resources staff will be
involved at all stages of the process to ensure that legal requirements associated with the hiring
process are met.
Testing is tentatively planned to take place this spring. I look forward to answering any
questions at your upcoming meeting.
Please feel free to call me or Chief Lyon if you have any questions.
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CC: Chief Lyon