Fire department hiring guides

Written by a career firefighter · Updated 2026-11-04

How the biggest departments hire: requirements, which written and physical tests they use, the steps, starting pay and where to apply. 10 are taking applications as of our last check.

Alabama

• Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service Department Hiring now

Arizona

• Phoenix Fire Department Not currently hiring
• Tucson Fire Department Not currently hiring

Arkansas

• Little Rock Fire Department Status unknown

California

• CA Department of Forestry and Fire Protection- HQ Not currently hiring
• City of San Diego Fire-Rescue Department Status unknown
• Los Angeles County Fire Department Status unknown
• Los Angeles Fire Department Not currently hiring
• Oakland Fire Department Not currently hiring
• Orange County Fire Authority Status unknown
• Riverside County Fire Department Not currently hiring
• Sacramento Fire Department Status unknown
• Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District Not currently hiring
• San Bernardino County Fire Protection District Status unknown
• San Francisco Fire Department Hiring now
• San Jose Fire Department Not currently hiring

Colorado

• Colorado Springs Fire Department Not currently hiring
• Denver Fire Department Not currently hiring
• South Metro Fire Rescue Authority Not currently hiring

District of Columbia

• Washington, DC Fire & EMS Department Not currently hiring

Florida

• Brevard County Fire Rescue Not currently hiring
• Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Status unknown
• Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Continuous hiring
• Marion County Fire Rescue Status unknown
• Miami Fire-Rescue Not currently hiring
• Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department Not currently hiring
• Orange County Fire Rescue Department Status unknown
• Orlando Fire Department Status unknown
• Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Status unknown
• Polk County Fire Rescue Status unknown
• Seminole County Fire Department Not currently hiring
• Tampa Fire Rescue Status unknown

Georgia

• DeKalb County Department of Fire & Rescue Services Status unknown
• Gwinnett County Department of Fire & Emergency Services Not currently hiring

Hawaii

• Honolulu Fire Department Not currently hiring

Illinois

• Chicago Fire Department Not currently hiring

Kansas

• Wichita Fire Department Continuous hiring

Kentucky

• Lexington Fire Department Not currently hiring
• Louisville Division of Fire Not currently hiring

Louisiana

• Baton Rouge Fire Department Status unknown
• New Orleans Fire Department Status unknown
• Shreveport Fire Department Not currently hiring

Maryland

• Anne Arundel County Fire Department Not currently hiring
• Howard County Fire and Rescue Not currently hiring
• Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service Not currently hiring

Massachusetts

• Boston Fire Department Not currently hiring

Michigan

• City of Detroit Fire Department Status unknown

Minnesota

• City of Saint Paul Fire Department Not currently hiring
• Minneapolis Fire Department Status unknown

Missouri

• Kansas City Fire Department Not currently hiring
• Saint Louis Fire Department Status unknown

Nevada

• Clark County Fire Department Not currently hiring
• Las Vegas Fire & Rescue Not currently hiring

New Jersey

• Jersey City Fire Department Not currently hiring
• Newark Fire Division Status unknown

New Mexico

• Albuquerque Fire Department Not currently hiring

New York

• Fire Department City of New York (FDNY) Not currently hiring
• Yonkers Fire Department Hiring now

North Carolina

• Charlotte Fire Department Status unknown
• Raleigh Fire Department Not currently hiring

Ohio

• Cincinnati Fire Department Status unknown
• Cleveland Division of Fire Status unknown
• Columbus Division of Fire Hiring now
• Toledo Fire Department Hiring now

Oklahoma

• Oklahoma City Fire Department Status unknown
• Tulsa Fire Department Continuous hiring

Oregon

• Portland Fire & Rescue Not currently hiring

Pennsylvania

• Philadelphia Fire Department Not currently hiring
• Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire Not currently hiring

Rhode Island

• Providence Fire Department Status unknown

South Carolina

• Columbia Fire Department Not currently hiring

Tennessee

• Memphis Division of Fire Services Not currently hiring
• Nashville Fire Department Not currently hiring

Texas

• Austin Fire Department Not currently hiring
• Dallas Fire Department Status unknown
• El Paso Fire Department Status unknown
• Fort Worth Fire Department Not currently hiring
• Houston Fire Department Status unknown
• San Antonio Fire Department Not currently hiring

Virginia

• Chesterfield Fire & Emergency Medical Services Hiring now
• Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department Status unknown
• Henrico County Division of Fire Not currently hiring
• Norfolk Fire-Rescue Status unknown
• Virginia Beach Fire Department Not currently hiring

Washington

• Seattle Fire Department Hiring now

Wisconsin

• Milwaukee Fire Department Not currently hiring