How to Become a Firefighter: An Interview with the Seattle Fire Department

Because we require all Seattle Firefighters to attend our in-house recruit school, we don't require any type of prior fire education. For people looking for Firefighting experience, there are many college programs that specialize in Firefighting. There are also volunteer Departments that provide training and on the job experience. The Seattle Fire Department supports a Cadet program which provides some training to people interested in Firefighting.

What is the first step one needs to take in order to become a firefighter?

Apply for a position as a Firefighter. In Seattle, applicants must first pass a written exam to be considered for employment.

What kind of qualifications do you need to have if any?

Seattle's Minimum Qualifications are as follows:

* High School Diploma or General Education Certificate (GED)
* Valid Driver's License and positive record (Driving records will be checked in all 50 States)
* Candidates must be able to communicate effectively in English, both verbally and in writing
* Be at least 18 years of age
* Candidates must pass a comprehensive written exam, two oral board interview exams, a physical ability and strength test, a complete medical exam, a psychological exam
* Washington State EMT Certification is required to be considered for final hire (Not required to apply)

If you don't need any then what kind of qualifications would help your application?

n/a

How often do you hire?

Seattle usually holds an open application period once per year.

What is the hiring process like?

Testing usually spans 5-6 months (Written Exam, 2 Oral Boards).
Candidates who rank in the top 25% of the test scores are then invited to the pre-employment process which takes an additional 6-12 months (Background Investigation, Employment Interviews, Physical Ability Test, Medical Exam, Psychological Exam).

What kind of physical condition do you need to be in?

Candidates must be in good enough physical condition to pass the Candidate Physical Ability Test (http://www.seattle.gov/fire/employment/ffjob_physicalAgility.htm).

What kind of training do you go through after you are hired?

Seattle's Recruit School is a 13 1/2 week program consisting of approximately 614 hours of training. Recruits earn a Firefighter I, Technical Rescue, Hazardous Materials, and Driver/Pump Operator certifications. Details are available at:
http://www.seattle.gov/fire/employment/ffjob_recruitprogram.htm

What can a rookie expect their first year of work?

Recruits who successfully complete Recruit School become Probationary Firefighters and are assigned to an Operations Division company. They remain on Probation until successful completion of one (1) full year of employment from date of hire. Written performance evaluations are conducted each month.

What is the average pay for a first year firefighter?

Seattle Firefighter's currently start at $4774/month. At 6 months, there is a bump in pay to $5060/month.

What kind of benefits do they get?

Medical & Dental Coverage for employee and qualified family members Life Insurance Plan Disability Insurance Plan Retirement Program with co-contribution between the employee and the City Deferred Compensation Plan Credit Union Membership Sick Leave Accrual Vacation Days/Holidays, per collective bargaining agreement provisions

Sick Child Care Services
Employee Assistance Services for Employee and Family Members Tuition Reimbursement program for qualifying students and courses

What is the average day of a firefighter like?

Firefighters perform work activities in a number of areas, including, but not limited to:

Fire Prevention
Building Inspections
Firefighting
Hazardous Materials Mitigation
Disaster Response (catastrophic events such as earthquakes, floods or other disasters).

Details of job duties are available on our web site:
http://www.seattle.gov/fire/employment/ffjob_Overview.htm

How do the shifts work?

The Seattle Operations schedule is: 24 on, 48 off, 24 on, 96 off, etc.
An additional shift is worked roughly once per month.

What is the average pace for promotion?

Firefighters may be promoted after serving 5 years in the Department.
The actual promotion rate varies greatly.

Do firefighters get paid more for special skills like search and rescue or rescue diver?

Yes, specialty team positions receive 5% premium pay.

If so, how does that work? Do you pay for the training or does the individual?

All SFD specialty team positions are filled via an internal promotional process. Firefighters may apply for specialty team positions after serving 3.5 years in the Department. The Seattle Fire Department pays for training.