This resource has been prepared to give prospective applicants a general overview of Firefighter job requirements in the fire services. It also provides information concerning which efforts may be helpful to those seeking a Firefighter career.
Although some of the information contained here has been drawn from the Anaheim Fire Department, it is also generic and applies to pursuing a career in the services in any jurisdiction.
Hiring Process
The hiring process for entry-level Firefighter is extremely competitive and requires much effort. It is not uncommon for a department to have upwards of 5000 applicants for as little as 3 or 4 job openings. In 1994, the City of Anaheim distributed approximately 4000 applications for Firefighter Trainee; of the 400 successful candidates from the overall test process, approximately 17 candidates were hired over a 2-year period.