Life Safety & Incident Command Advisor

Job Description:

I. Position Summary:

The Life Safety & Incident Command Advisor serves as a senior subject-matter resource supporting Hebrew SeniorLife’s organization-wide approach to life safety, emergency preparedness, incident command, and operational resilience.

Working in partnership with Security, Facilities, clinical and operational leadership, the Advisor provides practical guidance informed by extensive public-safety and emergency-response experience. The position helps HSL evaluate existing plans, identify vulnerabilities, strengthen emergency procedures, and ensure that organizational preparedness translates effectively from written plans to real-world operations.

A central focus of the role is supporting the continued development and functional readiness of HSL’s Executive Incident Command framework. The Advisor will participate in planning, exercises, drills, tabletop discussions, and after-action reviews; advise leadership during complex preparedness and life-safety initiatives; and help ensure that roles, communications, decision-making structures, and response procedures are clear and executable before an emergency occurs.

The position is intentionally structured on a per diem basis, allowing HSL to deploy the Advisor across existing communities, major projects, and new developments where specialized experience can provide the greatest value. By developing an ongoing understanding of HSL’s people, facilities, operations, and culture, the Advisor provides continuity and institutional knowledge beyond that typically available through project-specific consulting engagements.

 II. Position Responsibilities:

• Serve as a senior advisor to HSL leadership on life safety, emergency preparedness, incident command, fire safety, and related operational-readiness matters.
• Evaluate and help strengthen fire and life-safety preparedness, including staff and resident procedures, evacuation and shelter-in-place strategies, fire-alarm response, drills, documentation, and emergency communications.
• Support the continued development, implementation, and evaluation of HSL’s Executive Incident Command framework, including activation criteria, command structure, leadership roles, communications, operational coordination, and continuity considerations.
• Review and assess emergency operations plans, fire and evacuation procedures, response protocols, and facility-specific preparedness practices; identify vulnerabilities and recommend practical improvements to strengthen operational readiness.
• Assist with the design and facilitation of tabletop exercises, drills, functional exercises, and other preparedness activities involving leadership, staff, residents, and external public-safety partners as appropriate.
• Functionally test emergency plans and procedures to determine whether established processes, communications, staffing assumptions, and decision-making structures will perform effectively during actual events.
• When requested, provide advisory support to HSL leadership during significant incidents or emergency activations, offering subject-matter expertise related to incident command, responder coordination, life safety, operational priorities, and transition to recovery.
• Facilitate and participate in post-incident and post-exercise after-action reviews; identify lessons learned, emerging trends, and practical improvement actions, and support responsible departments in strengthening preparedness based on those findings.
• Support engagement and operational coordination with local fire departments, emergency medical services, law enforcement, emergency-management agencies, and other public-safety partners, including facility familiarization, joint preparedness activities, emergency access, responder staging, command-post considerations, evacuation, and other practical response needs.
• Serve as a public-safety resource during new construction, major renovations, campus changes, and new HSL developments, advising on emergency access, responder approach, fire-department interface, evacuation considerations, incident-command locations, and other operational life-safety considerations.
• Provide education, coaching, and mentorship to HSL leaders and staff on incident command, emergency decision-making, life-safety preparedness, and effective coordination with public-safety agencies.
• Maintain awareness of evolving practices in fire safety, emergency management, healthcare preparedness, incident command, and public safety, and advise HSL regarding relevant opportunities to strengthen organizational readiness.
• Work collaboratively across HSL communities, recognizing differences in resident populations, clinical environments, building configurations, staffing models, and operational needs.
• Perform other related life-safety, emergency-preparedness, and incident-command assignments as requested.
• undefinedThe Advisor serves in a consultative and advisory capacity and does not replace the authority or responsibilities of local public-safety officials, regulatory authorities, clinical leadership, Facilities, Security, or other departments responsible for specific aspects of emergency response and life safety.undefinedIII. QualificationsSignificant senior-level leadership experience in the fire service, emergency management, public safety, incident command, or a closely related field.Extensive working knowledge of the Incident Command System (ICS), National Incident Management System (NIMS), emergency operations planning, fire and life-safety practices, and interagency coordination.Experience developing, evaluating, exercising, or implementing emergency-response and life-safety plans.Strong understanding of fire-service operations and the practical considerations affecting emergency response within complex facilities or campuses.Experience working collaboratively with executive leadership, municipal officials, fire departments, law enforcement, emergency medical services, facilities professionals, and other multidisciplinary partners.Healthcare, senior living, long-term care, institutional, or similarly complex campus experience preferred.Demonstrated ability to translate extensive public-safety experience into practical, proportionate recommendations appropriate for healthcare and senior-living environments.Strong communication, facilitation, teaching, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage effectively with audiences ranging from frontline employees to senior executives and external public-safety officials.Relevant fire-service, emergency-management, incident-command, fire-prevention, or life-safety certifications preferred.Valid motor vehicle operator’s license required.

   

  IV. Physical Requirements

  Ability to travel between Hebrew SeniorLife communities and project locations as operationally required.Ability to participate in facility assessments, drills, exercises, emergency-preparedness activities, and site walkthroughs throughout HSL properties. 

Remote Type:

On-site

Salary Range:

$36.86 - $55.29