How to get hired at Norfolk Fire-Rescue

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

Norfolk Fire-Rescue hires uncertified Firefighter Recruits through City of Norfolk postings on governmentjobs.com. The process runs through a written exam, a physical agility test and a ranking interview, then a background investigation, polygraph, final assessment, medical exam, OEMS fingerprinting and a drug screen. Recruits complete state-certified Basic Recruit Training at the Norfolk Fire Training Academy, and the training includes EMT certification.

Apply / get notifiedOfficial recruitment page

Minimum requirements

• At least 18 years old src
• High school diploma or GED src
• Valid driver's license src
• U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or otherwise authorized to work in the U.S. src
• Must agree to refrain from tobacco use on and off duty src

Certifications

• EMT: earned in the academy
• Firefighter I/II: not required (academy provided)

Source: official page

Tests

• Written exam (written): Reading comprehension, per the posting copy src
• Physical Agility Test (physical): Resources at norfolk.gov/628/Physical-Ability-Test-Resources src
• Ranking interview (oral) src
• Polygraph examination (other) src

Hiring process

1. Online application
2. Written exam
3. Physical agility test
4. Ranking interview
5. Background investigation
6. Polygraph
7. Final assessment
8. Medical exam
9. OEMS fingerprinting
10. Drug screen
11. Academy

Source: official page

Starting pay

Firefighter Recruit $57,142-$58,856/yr; Firefighter EMT-Advanced $60,000-$83,054 src

Checked 2026-11-05 against the department's official pages (linked). Hiring windows open and close quickly; always confirm on the official site before you apply. See every academy, EMT program and test site in Virginia.