Radnor Township, PA - Fire/EMS Chief

Radnor Township, Wayne PA (31,875) is located in Delaware County and is a suburban community with a rich history 25 minutes (15-miles) Northwest of Philadelphia. Radnor Township is proud of its heritage that still reflects many of the values of its settlers of over 300 years earlier. Radnor Township is one of the oldest municipalities in Pennsylvania with a number of famous higher education institutions like the acclaimed Big East basketball giant, Villanova. It is a place of ethnic, cultural, and economic diversity, with neighborhoods full of residents that love to call Radnor their home, with a:

Public school system that has been rated as one of the finest in the nation
Vast network of lush parks, playgrounds, and athletic fields
Long-standing tradition of demanding and receiving high-quality local government services

Radnor Township is focused on building foundations for the 21st century; is a home-ruled community and part of the famed Main Line of the Philadelphia Region and is considered to be one of the best places to live in that area.

The Township is seeking qualified, strategically focused candidates for the position of Fire/EMS Chief as the first career fire chief for the department as a Radnor Township employee. Currently the Township is provided with exceptional service from the Radnor Fire Company, the Bryn Mawr Fire Company, and the Broomall Fire Company. As with any area of growth as a destination for families in the greater Philadelphia area, call volumes and demand for services require the continued development of the excellent services already provided.

Radnor Township is made up of seven (7) members of the Board of Commissioners with a Township Manager as the chief administrative officer. The Township has Finance, Community Development, Recreation and Programming, Public Works, Engineering and Law Enforcement in its profile of departmental services. More than 130 full-time, part-time, and seasonal employees comprise the departments and each are responsible for carrying out the Township's mission of delivering an array of services to Township residents.

Current staffing of the Radnor Volunteer Fire Company full-time personnel includes ten (10) members employed by the Volunteer Fire Company. The career personnel are represented by IAFF Local 4883, founded in 2011.
The leadership currently of the Radnor Fire Company (the current volunteer agency) includes a Chief and two Deputy Chiefs. Currently the 1st Assistant, 2nd Assistant and Director of EMS Operations positions are open in this transition phase to the first full-time chief as a Township leadership position.
The Radnor Fire Company (covers 2/3 of the Township) fleet consists of (1) Engine, (1) Squad, (1) Heavy Rescue, (1) Quint (100’), a 4X Mini-Pumper, (3) Ambulances (ALS/BLS), (1) Medic Unit SUV, staff and other support apparatus. The department operates from its main station in downtown Wayne, PA.
The Bryn Mawr Fire Company covers part of the Township (approximately 1/3) and operates from a single station with (1) Ladder, (1) Engine and (1) Squad, (3) fulltime Engineers, (5) officers (volunteer) and (30) personnel. The Broomall Volunteer Fire Company also covers a small portion of the Township responding from a single station with (1) Truck, (1) Engine, (1) Rescue, (1) Squad and staff/support vehicles with 51 active volunteer members.
Radnor Fire Company responded to over 750 fire related and service calls and 2,510 EMS calls in 2023 (new data for 2024 was not available).
The department is funded through: Radnor Township (15.14%), EMS Billing (26.7%), Municipalities (34.65%), Investments (13.47%), public donations (9.88%) and Tredyffrin Township (Fixed $ amount).
9-1-1 telecommunications and dispatch services are provided by the Delaware County Emergency Services.

The Fire/EMS Chief position will be a very visible member of the senior leadership team of the township and requires well-developed leadership abilities and management skill sets that are based upon consensus building and problem-solving. The Township is seeking progressive candidates committed to excellence in delivery of fire/EMS, Specialized Response and Emergency Management services with specific experience in a combination environment.

They are seeking an experienced, innovative, collaborative fire/EMS leader with demonstrated managerial, interpersonal and customer service skills. Successful candidates will be able to demonstrate a balance of commitment to the organization with genuine confidence and approachable personality to residents, business, and governmental leaders.
It is particularly important that the next Fire/EMS Chief be an integral and engaged leader of the Township with a strong background in modern fire, EMS, Community Risk Reduction, emergency management and all hazards’ practices.
The new Fire/EMS Chief must understand the need to use data for problem solving assessing community risk and vulnerabilities.
The Fire/EMS Chief should have a positive track record of strong bargaining relations with proven experience in fostering collaboration with Bargaining Unit members.
Qualified candidates must demonstrate the ability to mentor and foster leadership roles within the staff, succession planning, and a global vision of the Township’s needs and vision are critical. Creativity and the ability to guide and balance change is a must.
Qualified candidates must have the capability to be an active participant in operations and training to safely function as a command officer on incident scenes including oversight of interior operations within IDLH conditions.
Qualified candidates must demonstrate the ability to develop strong relationships with surrounding Fire/EMS agencies, fostering a regional approach to emergency responses. Specific background with volunteer agencies a must.
The next Fire/EMS Chief will also have a demonstrated record of fairness, transparency, and consistency in the administration of Township policies and procedures and the willingness to address issues in a positive and timely manner. The Fire/EMS Chief must possess well-developed writing and public speaking skills and the utmost integrity.

Successful candidates:

Shall possess a bachelor’s degree in public safety administration or related field from an accredited college or university. A master’s degree is preferred.
At least seven 7-10 years of demonstrated leadership in supervisory positions with career development as a chief officer. Experience in a combination fire department setting a plus.
Candidate’s successful completion of the Executive Fire Officer Program offered by the National Fire Academy, and or Chief Fire Officer Designation is desired.

The annual starting salary range for this position is $ 150,000 +/- depending upon qualifications. The Township also offers an attractive benefits package. Candidates should apply by April 29, 2025 @ 1700 hours CDT with resume, cover letter and contact information for five work-related, or professional references (electronic applications only). Questions may be addressed to the attention of T.E. Sashko, MGT Senior Consultant, (847) 380-3240 x 123. The Township is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Click Here for the Brochure!!

Application Deadline: April 29, 2025