Firefighter Recruit

Firefighter Recruit

Salary

$55,304.00 Annually

Location

Fire Department Headquarters, 300 Kings Fork Road, Suffolk, VA

Job Type

Full Time

Job Number

04707

Department

FIRE DEPT- 40 HOUR

Opening Date

10/30/2026

Closing Date

11/29/2026 11:59 PM Eastern

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

Description

Upon attending and graduating from the Citys Firefighter Recruit Training Academy, under general supervision, performs general emergency response work in firefighting, emergency rescue, and hazardous material response. Work involves performing fire suppression, emergency rescue, and/or hazardous material containment or cleanup work in response to alarms, operating associated equipment and apparatus; and training in the methods and techniques of emergency response operations and use of equipment and apparatus. The employee is also responsible for inspecting and maintaining equipment, performing fire inspections, and performing various maintenance and custodial duties at the assigned fire station. Reports to a Fire Lieutenant or Captain.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary job functions described herein. Since every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in the job description, but which may be reasonably considered to be incidental in the performance of their duties just as though they were written out in this job description.

Essential Job Functions

• Attend and graduate from the Citys Firefighter Recruit Training Academy.
• Responds to incidents requiring firefighting, emergency rescue, or hazardous material response. May make the initial determination of necessary personnel, equipment, and suppression or containment tactics until relieved by a superior officer.
• Advances hose lines into the fire area. Select the hose nozzle, depending on the type of fire. Lays and connects hoses. Holds the nozzle and directs a stream of water onto the fire. Raises and climbs ladders. Creates openings in buildings for ventilation or entrance using various hand and power tools. Enters premises for firefighting, rescue, and salvage operations. Uses chemical extinguishers, bars, hooks, lines, and other equipment.
• Performs necessary emergency rescue work following established protocols for Basic Life Support. Administers necessary emergency medical care requiring the use of suction units, immobilization equipment, oxygen delivery systems, etc.
• Identifies hazardous materials and the type of container or carrier at the spill scene. Uses various booms and barriers to contain spills and mitigate runoff. Performs fire suppression activities, as necessary. Assists in the direction of evacuation operations, as necessary.
• Performs salvage operations such as placing salvage covers, sweeping water, removing debris, and placing ventilation equipment.
• Inspects assigned emergency response apparatus and equipment daily to ensure efficient operating conditions and readiness. Cleans and maintains equipment, as necessary, after completion of emergency response operations. Performs minor repairs and assists in major repairs of apparatus and equipment, as appropriate.
• Attends and participates in training sessions on such topics as fire suppression techniques, equipment techniques, emergency medical care, hazardous material containment, street layout, building and hydrant location, etc.
• Prepares and maintains activity records, providing pertinent information to department personnel on the following shift. Reviews activity reports from previous shifts and confers with personnel, as necessary.
• Cleans and performs minor maintenance on department buildings; maintains fire station grounds.
• Inspects commercial establishments and multi-family residences to determine the existence of fire hazards, the efficiency of fire protection equipment, and general compliance with appropriate codes and fire prevention standards; conducts pre-fire surveys detailing the physical layout of structures for inclusion in the City emergency response database.
• May appear before civic, community, school, and other interested groups and make presentations on topics of fire safety and prevention.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Required Qualifications

Eligibility criteria

All Firefighter Recruit applicants must meet the following eligibility requirements to advance in the hiring process:

• Applicant must be a United States citizen.
• Applicant must be at least 18 years of age at the time of hire.
• Applicant must be a high school graduate and possess a GED or equivalency at the time of application.
• Applicant must have a valid drivers license with a driving record of negative four (-4) points or better (or equivalent for non-Virginia license).
• Applicant must have no felony convictions, or any convictions of serious Class I or 2 misdemeanors, domestic violence, or acts involving moral turpitude (dishonesty, deceit, or immorality). This excludes traffic violations.

Applicants must also be able to pass a comprehensive background screening including the following before being hired:

• Background investigation conducted according to the guidelines set forth by the City of Suffolk Department of Fire & Rescue.
• A Polygraph examination conducted by a qualified polygraph examiner
• Psychological examination interpreted by a City-contracted licensed psychologist or psychiatrist
• Comprehensive Medical examination by a City-provided licensed physician

LIST OF AUTOMATIC DISQUALIFIERS:

• If, during any part of the hiring process, an applicant meets an automatic disqualifier listed below, the applicant will be removed from the process.*

Criminal Record

• Must not have any convictions as listed in 12VAC5-31-910, which have been deemed by the Office of Emergency Medical Services as disqualifiers.
• Must not have been convicted of a felony.
• Must not have been convicted of domestic violence.
• Must not have been convicted of any offense involving moral turpitude, including but not limited to larceny, concealment, bad checks, embezzlement, fraud, and/or perjury.
• Must not have been convicted of any Class 1 or 2 misdemeanors in Virginia (or the equivalent of such under another states law) within the last five (5) years. This excludes traffic violations.
• Must not have been convicted of Reckless Driving within the last twelve (12) months.
• Must not have been convicted of Driving While Intoxicated within the last five (5) years.
• Must not have multiple convictions of Driving While Intoxicated
• Must not have been convicted of Refusing to Submit to a Blood or Breath test within the last five (5) years.

Drug Usage

• Any involvement in the sale or distribution of illegal drugs.
• Illegal possession of a Schedule I or II drug or any derivative thereof within the last five (5) years (excluding marijuana).
• Illegal use and/or possession of anabolic steroids within the last five (5) years.
• Illegal use of any drug classified as a hallucinogen within the last five (5) years.

Military Record

• Any "Dishonorable Discharge" from the military resulting from disciplinary action. Any "other than Honorable" discharge resulting from disciplinary action will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis as determined by the disposition code.

Driving Record

• Applicant must not have four (-4) or more negative points on a Virginia Operators License (or equivalent for out-of-state residents).
• Suspension or revocation of license, or a substantially similar law of another state, within the last twelve (12) months.

Other

• Cheating on any examination or testing associated with the position.
• Intentional omission on the application/background process for the position.
• The display of any unprofessional or offensive tattoo or brand (including but not limited to nudity or violence, sexually explicit or vulgar art, words, phrases; or profane language, initials, or acronyms that represent criminal or oppressive organizations) regardless of the location if such tattoo would be visible while in uniform.
• Founding of a child/elder abuse or neglect case.

Job requirements if selected for the academy

Upon completion of a recruit firefighter training academy, one must hold the following certifications issued by the Commonwealth of Virginia: Firefighter Level II, Advanced Emergency Medical Technician, HAZMAT Operations, Class III VDFP EVOC (Emergency Vehicle Operators Course), and Driver/Pump Operator.

Must be physically able to operate a variety of machinery and equipment including driving a fire truck, and operating such firefighting and emergency response equipment as pumps, ladders, aerial platforms, air compressors, self-contained breathing apparatus, two-way radios, etc.; and emergency medical equipment such as suction units, immobilization equipment, and oxygen delivery systems. Must be able to exert up to 150 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 50 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects. The job is rated as very heavy work.

Supplemental Information

Additional information on the process

The Firefighter Recruit testing process consists of the following:

• Written Exam
• Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) Orientation
• Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT)
• Structured Chiefs Panel Interview Process

Suffolk Fire & Rescue Written Exam & CPAT Orientation - Required for all applicants

WRITTEN EXAM REGISTRATION

• The first mandatory step in the Firefighter Recruit process is the Written Exam. Please register using the link above.
• The exam will be held on 3 dates; Thursday, Friday & Saturday December 10-12, 2026. (Please register for only 1 exam window)
• The test site will be the Downtown Suffolk Library: 325 W Washington St, Suffolk, VA 23434.
• The test covers the following five (5) content areas: Ability to Learn, Remember, and Apply Information; Interests; Logical and Mathematical Reasoning Ability; Reading Comprehension; and Situational Judgment. Before taking the test, you will have 20 minutes to study the Test Information Packet that will be provided. You will be required to answer questions about material contained in the Test Information Packet to assess how well you can learn and absorb the material.
• To ensure testing integrity and standardization, candidates who arrive late will not be admitted.*

STUDY INFO:

If interested, there is a study guide for the written exam available for use at the Human Resources office at City Hall. Please call the HR office before arriving to schedule an appointment. The location address and phone numbers is listed below. You may also purchase a personal copy if desired at http://www.publicsafetycompass.com/study. (FF-EL Study Guide)

• Human Resources, 442 W Washington Street, Suffolk, VA 23434, 757-514-4110

CPAT ORIENTATION SIGN-UP

• All applicants must follow the link above to sign up and attend one mandatory CPAT Orientation. This is not optional.
• If you possess a CPAT card obtained within the last 12 months, you must also sign up for our orientation, following the instructions on the signup. Once completed, you will be contacted to validate your CPAT card. Please attach a copy of your active CPAT card to your application.
• It will be extremely important to monitor the email account submitted at the time of application for information during this process. Given the large volume of applicants, email notification will be the primary means of communication throughout the various stages of this hiring process.*

Please note that some activities related to the recruit hiring process may take place during evening and weekend hours. In the event this occurs, you will be notified in advance and attendance will be required.

Please visit the following for additional information on Suffolk Fire & Rescue

Suffolk Fire & Rescue Recruitment Video

Suffolk Fire & Rescue Webpage

CPAT Preparation Guide

CPAT Orientation Video

The City of Suffolk is a proud participant of the Virginia Values Veterans (V3) Program and we welcome Veterans to apply.

Part-time Employees - Sick Leave (See below)

Full Time Employees are eligible for the following benefits;

Retirement

Vested after 5 years in the defined benefit plan. Vested in phases based on years in the Defined Contribution part of the Plan. Please contact the Virginia Retirement System or the Human Resources Department for more details.

Annual Leave Accruals

Sworn Police - 40 Hours/ Fire - 96 Hours (1-59 months), 120 Hours (60-119 months), 144 Hours (120- 179 months), 168 Hours (180-239 months), 192 Hours (240+ months) of employment.

Sworn Fire Suppression: 144 Hours (1-59 months), 180 Hours (60-119 months), 216 Hours (120-179 months), 276 Hours (180-239 months), 288 Hours (240+ months) of employment.

Sick Leave

Full Time employees earn 12 days per year, (accumulating 8 hours per month). Part Time employees earn 4 hours per month Sick leave accrues at the end of the month and may be accrued with no ceiling

Personal Leave

All regular full time employees are granted 24 hours of personal leave each calendar year. Personal leave must be preapproved and is not cumulative.

Health Insurance

Coverage available for you and your eligible dependents using pre-tax payroll deductions if elected.

Supplemental Insurances

Employees may purchase the following supplemental insurance policies: short term and long term disability, cancer, accident, supplemental hospitalization, and group universal life insurance. Only employees hired prior to 1/1/14 may purchase short-term disability and long term disability plans.

Employer Sponsored Short Term and Long Term Disability

Provides disability coverage for employees work and non-work related disabilities. Work related disabilities are covered starting on day one (1). Non work related disabilities are covered starting on day eight (8), after you have been employed for one year.

Flexible Spending Accounts

Employees may participate in the Health Reimbursement, Dependent Care Reimbursement and Premium Reimbursement Accounts. All deductions are made on a pre-tax basis and will reduce your taxable income.

Life Insurance

The city pays the entire premium for life insurance coverage in the amount of 2 times annual salary for natural death and 4 times annual salary for accidental death.

Optional Life Insurance

Employees have the option of electing additional life insurance coverage in the amount of 1, 2, 3 or 4 times their annual salary. Employees may only purchase optional life insurance on spouses and children if they are enrolled in optional life insurance for themselves.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

12 weeks of job protected leave for leaves approved in accordance with the Family Medical Leave Act. Employees receive continuation of health insurance, job protection and consideration for a comparable job when available, or an equivalent job, upon return to work.

Funeral Leave

24 hours of paid leave of absence in case of death in immediate family.

Holidays

The City of Suffolk follows the Virginia State holiday calendar as set by the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Jury Duty

Time off with pay with difference between jury pay and regular pay or use annual leave and keep check.

457 Deferred Compensation, ROTH IRA, Traditional IRA

Offered through ICMA Retirement Corporation as a way to shelter a portion of your salary from income taxes and save for retirement.

Employee Assistance Program

Offers employees and immediate family members (3) free, confidential counseling sessions related to a broad range of issues such as marital or family conflict, job or personal stress, alcohol or drug abuse, financial or legal worries, etc.

Workers Compensation

Should an employee have an on the job injury, he/she could be eligible for Workmens Compensation Benefits, except in cases of willful neglect.

Pay Days

Employees will be paid on the 15th and last working day of each month.

Credit Union

A Suffolk Credit Union is available to employees.

Legal Services

Employees may prepay for access to legal assistance.

Notary Public Services

Services available in the Human Resources Department.

01

Do you have a high school diploma, GED, or equivalency?

• Yes
• No

02

Are you currently at least 18 years old?

• Yes
• No

03

Which of the following reflects your highest level of education beyond high school?

• No credit hours
• Less than 60 credit hours
• 60+ credit hours toward a degree
• Associates Degree
• Bachelors Degree
• Masters Degree
• Doctorate Degree

04

Do you have a valid drivers license with -4 points or better (or equivalent for non-Virginia license)?

• Yes
• No

05

Has your drivers license been suspended or revoked (or substantially similar law of another state) within the last 12 months?

• Yes
• No

06

The primary form of communication with applicants during the recruit academy process will be via email. Do you have an active email account that you will be able to regularly check for messages?

• Yes
• No

07

Are you willing to sign as a Condition of Employment that you must not smoke nor utilize smoking materials nor tobacco or be willing to stop use of such on the first day of employment?

• Yes
• No

08

Please indicate which, if any, of the below certifications you are currently in possession of (check all that apply to you).

• None
• EMT - Intermediate
• EMT - Advanced
• Paramedic
• HAZMAT operations
• EVOC
• Driver/Pump Operator
• Firefighter I
• Firefighter II

09

Concerning having a valid CPAT card, which status currently applies to you?

• I have a valid card through the state of Virginia
• I have a valid card from another state
• I plan on earning a card through the offering being made by Suffolk Fire & Rescue
• I plan on earning it in another state

10

If you have earned your valid CPAT card through another state, or are planning on earning it through another state, if you could please indicate which state in the field below. (Enter N/A if this does not apply to you).

11

Have you already signed up for the required next steps, CPAT Orientation & Written Exam? If not, please do so after you submit your application by returning to this posting, and registering via the 2 links embedded in this job posting.

• Yes
• No

Required Question

Employer City of Suffolk

Address 442 W. Washington Street, Suite 1044

Suffolk, Virginia, 23434

Phone 7575144110

Website http://www.suffolkva.us