Hempfield supervisors to hire township fire inspector

Hempfield is hiring a fire inspector.

During Monday’s meeting, township supervisors unanimously voted to advertise for the position. The successful applicant will be responsible for inspecting commercial properties to ensure there are no fire related issues, according to township manager Jason Winters.

The person hired will be a township employee and will report to Hempfield Fire Chief Tony Kovacic. A salary has not been determined.

Creation of the position comes as township leaders are working to improve their ISO rating, a review by New Jersey-based Insurance Services Office Inc. The rating is based on several factors, including emergency response times and staffing, and it influences homeowner insurance rates.

Of the fire inspector position, Winters said, “It was created because, as part of our ISO rating, fire inspections of commercial properties are necessary.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, fire inspectors are responsible for examining buildings to detect fire hazards and to ensure that federal, state and local fire codes are met. In 2019, average pay for the position was around $60,000.

Township leaders also want to hirea deputy director of finance and a code enforcement officer/building inspector. Supervisors approved the job descriptions for those positions in December.

Winters said salaries for those positions have yet to be determined. Officials are in the interview process for both of those jobs.