Become a Firefighter

• Application Period: Opens Jan 12 | Apply online
• Recruitment Information Meeting: Tuesday, Jan 13, 9 am & 6:30 pm 
  (attendance strongly recommended)
• Recruitment Expo: Saturday, March 7, 10 am–noon
• Recruitment Information Meeting: Tuesday, Feb 10 9 am & 6:30 pm 
  (attendance strongly recommended)
• Application Deadline: Sunday, March 15, 11:59 pm
• Interviews: TBD

Under supervision of a Fire Officer, firefighters ensure effective and equitable delivery of public safety services, fulfilling the mission of the Golden Valley Fire Department.

Primary Duties

• Respond to calls for service, including but not limited to fires, rescues, and medical emergencies
• Assist with apparatus and equipment testing and maintenance.
• Operate firefighting vehicles and equipment as needed
• Act as community stewards, participating in fire prevention/educational activities and providing safety programs for commercial/industrial employees
• Gain valuable skills and confidence in firefighting techniques while participating in live burn demonstrations, drills, and trainings on a regular basis

To be a paid, on-call firefighter, you must:

• be at least 18 years old
• have a high school diploma or GED
• have a valid Minnesota Class D driver’s license and clean driving record)
• have strong written and verbal communication skills
• be able to complete the requirements of the job with or without reasonable accommodations
• complete and pass prescribed pre-employment exams
• live or work within 12 minutes of a fire station
• have dependable transportation

Initial training, primarily through the West Suburban Fire Academy, lasts approximately two years and consists of:

• Emergency Medical Technician - EMT
• Firefighter I & II Fire Service Certification
• Hazardous Materials - Operational Level
• Fire Apparatus Operator

Salary

• 1st Year: Firefighter in Training = $13.71/hour
• 2nd Year: Apprentice Firefighter = $17.05/hour
• 3rd Year: Firefighter = $20.06/hour

Benefits

• Members of the Golden Valley Fire Department must also be members of the Golden Valley Fire Relief Association, which manages the pension fund for paid-on-call firefighters.
• When firefighters leave the fire department, the pension is payable as a lump sum at the minimum age of 50.
• Firefighters are partially vested after 5 years of service.
• Firefighters who retire after 10 years of service receive a 100 percent service pension.
• Firefighters who choose to leave the fire department after 5 years of service will receive 40 percent of their pension. Firefighters who stay longer than 5 years but leave before 10 years receive a pension that is pro-rated per year, up to 10 years of service (example: 6 years=52 percent, 7 years=64 percent, 8 years=76 percent, and 9 years=88 percent).
• Firefighters are also eligible for disability benefits.

Becoming a paid, on-call firefighter can be personally rewarding in many ways, including:

• increased self-confidence
• experience
• responsibility
• social connections and events
• fun and friends
• ability to be a positive community role model