How to get hired at Philadelphia Fire Department
Philadelphia hires firefighters through a City civil service exam given by National Testing Network during periodic recruitment windows. Ranked candidates stay on a hiring list for two years. As cadet classes form, they are invited in rank order to interviews, background and medical checks, then a roughly nine-month Fire Academy covering firefighting and EMS.
Apply / get notifiedOfficial recruitment page
Minimum requirements
- At least 18 when employment is offered src
- High school diploma or GED src
- Valid Pennsylvania driver's license before appointment; outstanding Philadelphia traffic fees must be resolved src
- Philadelphia residency for one year before appointment src
- Physically able to perform firefighter duties src
Certifications
- EMT: unknown
- Firefighter I/II: not required (academy provided)
Source: official page
Tests
- NTN civil service exam (written): About 2 hours: human relations, mechanical reasoning, reading, math, two self-assessments; free; online or at NTN center src
- PFD interview (oral) src
Hiring process
- Apply online to Office of Human Resources
- Register and take NTN exam
- Ranked on 2-year hiring list
- Orientation and PFD interview
- Criminal background and indebtedness checks
- Medical exam
- Fire Academy (about 9 months)
- 6-month probation
Source: official page
Starting pay
$64,982/yr as Academy cadet, rising to max $90,253/yr src
Academy
About 9-month Philadelphia Fire Academy covering firefighting and EMS 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 Pennsylvania.