What Is Involved in Firefighter Recruitment?

Firefighter recruitment is the process that fire departments utilize in order to find the best candidates for the position. There are often many requirements such as age, physical ability and education that play a role in the firefighter recruitment process. Testing of mental aptitude, criminal background checks and a probationary period after being hired by a fire department are also components of recruitment.

Many areas require a minimum age in order to participate in the firefighter recruitment process. Often times the candidate must be 18 and in some cases 21 years old. There is another common trend of maximum age to be eligible as a recruit. In these cases, specific departments might put a limit of 35 years old, for example, as the maximum age of applicants.

Being a firefighter requires the individual to be physically fit. A physical endurance and strength test can be a mandatory procedure in order to eliminate candidates which might not be able to perform the duties of a firefighter. To accompany the physical test, the candidate might also be required to pass a medical exam, to ensure overall good health, and a drug test.

The firefighter recruitment process could also require a candidate to have education in specific areas. Some departments can require a degree in firefighting while others might request a candidate have training in the medical field. Commonly, fire departments could desire a recruit who has training as a basic Emergency Medical /technician (EMT-B) or a Paramedic Emergency Medical Technician (EMT-P). Occasionally some departments might waive any educational requirements and train the new recruits after being hired during the fire academy.

Other qualifying tests might include a psychological exam, criminal background check and a polygraph test. The psychological exam in firefighter recruitment is a process to determine the overall mental wellbeing of the candidate. Criminal background checks are conducted to look at the past behaviors and choices to ensure that the candidate is capable of obeying rules and laws. A polygraph test is typically initiated to test the truthfulness and trustworthiness of a recruit.

Requirements and procedures of the firefighter recruitment process can vary from area to area and department to department. Overall, most will have a basic outline of expectations and testing procedures as well as a probationary period of six months to one year after being hired. A candidate should review all the requirements listed for each department of interest in order to ensure compatibility with those specific fire departments.