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Employment

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The Fayetteville Fire Department conducts open recruitment in January of each year. Applications are only accepted during the open recruitment period, which last approximately two weeks. CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT INTEREST by subscribing to the Firefighter position.

When you enter your personal information, it is kept on file until the next open recruitment period. If you move or change contact information, don’t forget to update your interest information by simply entering a new interest card. Once the applications are open for submission, an email will be sent notifying you that you may go online and complete the full application process.

While applications are only accepted in January, our recruitment officer is available year round to guide you in preparation and answer any questions you may have. In the fall/winter of each year, candidate orientation sessions are offered to interested candidates. Candidate orientation will give you the opportunity to learn about the organization, the application and testing process, and ask any questions that have not been answered. You will also have the opportunity to try out each section of the Physical Ability Test prior to the testing period.

If selected for hire, recruits must complete the Fire Training Academy. Throughout the academy, newly hired recruits receive firefighter certification training, North Carolina EMT-Basic certification training and are evaluated to ensure they are able to perform the tasks required for the job. Contact our recruiter for more information about academy life and training.

Career Opportunities:

The Fayetteville Fire Department offers employees a chance to specialize in several different areas of interest. After graduating from the recruit academy, all new employees are assigned to an engine, squad or truck company in the Suppression Division. Through specialty training and experience, you will move through our Career Development Plan in one (or more) of many areas of your interest. Assignments are available with the Special Operations Division including the Hazardous Materials and Technical Rescue teams. An assignment in the Prevention Division allows employees to use skills in inspections, investigations and community risk reduction programs. The Training Division assignment allows department officers to pass on their knowledge and skills through the recruit academy and in-service training, just to name a few.

Application Requirements:

Must be at least 18 years of age at the time of application
Must be a U.S. Citizen or a Lawfully Authorized Alien Worker
Must present original birth certificate (or notarized copy)
Must be a High School graduate or equivalent and present original (or notarized copy) of diploma, transcripts, or GED certificate meeting minimum state standards to include scores
Veterans must provide proof of military service with honorable discharge (or honorable conditions), usually in the form of a DD214; if you are currently in the military, you must have an official letter from the military indicating your ETS date
Possess a valid driver’s license and, if out of state, be able to obtain a North Carolina driver's license appropriate for vehicle operating within 30 days of employment.

**Must have no loss of license within the past year and an acceptable driving record in accordance with the City of Fayetteville Driving Standard.

Must have no felony and limited misdemeanor convictions
Must be in good physical condition as required by the essential job functions and willing to submit to a pre-employment drug screening and physical examination upon conditional offer of employment.
Must be able to meet standards for NC EMT certification within one year of employment.

The process to become a City of Fayetteville Firefighter will include several phases. Candidates must pass each phase of the process to move to the next and all phases of the hiring process must be successfully completed in order to be considered for the position.

Step 1: Application Submission - During open recruitment, each candidate should submit their online application following the instructions provided. Applications MUST include educational and a complete 10 year work history. If you do not have a 10 year work history, schooling or other activities must be listed. Contact the Recruitment Officer for any questions or for assistance in ensuring your application is complete. Incomplete applications will not be processed and the candidate will not move forward in the testing process.

Step 2: Written Exam – All complete applications that meet the minimum requirements for the position will receive (via E-Mail) an invitation to take part in the written exam. Each candidate is responsible for self-scheduling their exam and subsequent steps of the hiring process. The written examination is designed to assess the cognitive skills necessary to be an effective firefighter. The examination is provided and scored by a third party vendor approved by the City of Fayetteville. The exam may cover any or all of the following: reasoning, memory, problem solving, decision making, mathematical comprehension and computation, reading comprehension, and mechanical reasoning. All candidates receiving a passing score will receive an invitation to participate in the next phase of the hiring process.

**To purchase a study guide from our written test vendor, click here.

Step 3: Physical Ability Test (PAT) - Successfully complete the physical ability test that consists of a series of exercises created to simulate tasks that are routinely performed by firefighters on the job. If a candidate does not satisfactorily complete an exercise in the maximum allotted time, he/she will not be allowed to continue in the selection process. Practice sessions are offered in advance of the actual test. If the physical ability test is successfully completed, a five minute rest period is given before climbing a 77' aerial ladder with a completion time of five minutes.

Please review this downloadable guide and video below:

Physical Ability Candidate Orientation Guide

Step 4: Panel Interview -Candidates who pass all previous sections of the process will be invited to take part in a panel interview. The panel will consist of questions designed to gauge several factors of your personality and compatibility with the Fire Service, and your ability to communicate those traits. Your answers will be judged on several factors to include but not limited to: oral communication, work ethic, work style, moral and ethical decision making, prioritizing and values.

Step 5: Eligibility List – All candidates who pass all sections of the hiring process will be considered “eligible for hire”. Candidates are ranked based on all performance during the hiring process and placed on the “Eligibility List”. The eligibility list is valid until December 31^st of the calendar year of testing. All candidates who are placed on the eligibility list may be considered for hire at the needs of the department for the remainder of the year. Those not selected for hire within that calendar year will need to retest if they wish to be considered for employment with the Fayetteville Fire Department at a later date. The City of Fayetteville Human Resources Development Department will notify each candidate via E-Mail if they have been placed on the eligibility list or not. The City of Fayetteville does not disclose your placement on the list nor your final scores due to the complex nature of determining who is selected for employment.

Selection for entry in to the Fayetteville Fire Training Academy: If selected for employment, all candidates will undergo background criminal and driving record screening, drug screening, reference and employment history checks and medical screening by the city’s approved occupational physician.

All recruits must attend the Fayetteville Fire Training Academy as a recruit firefighter, or simply, a “Recruit”. During the academy, Recruits work a Monday through Friday schedule with varying hours based on training needs before being released to the shift work schedule following certification in both Fire and EMT training. The Fire Training Academy is both physically and mentally challenging. Recruits should be prepared for long hours, home study and daily physical fitness training. For more information on academy life, contact the recruitment officer.

Salary

Starting Salary of $45,000 (as of July 2024)

Benefits

The following benefits are provided in addition to the regular paid salary: