General Community Snapshot

Population & Location

•Brookfield is a vibrant village of about ~19,000 residents located in western Cook County, IL, roughly 13 miles west of downtown Chicago.

•It covers a compact ~3 square miles and offers close-in suburban living with easy access to rail and road transportation.

History & Character

•Originally settled in the late 1800s and incorporated as Grossdale in 1893, the village was renamed Brookfield in 1905.

•Over time Brookfield grew into a family-oriented suburb with mature trees, well-kept neighborhoods, and a welcoming atmosphere.

Community Life & Attractions

Brookfield Zoo Chicago

•Brookfield Zoo is one of the most famous features of the community — a 216-acre zoological park with hundreds of animal species and a major regional draw.

Parks & Recreation

•Brookfield promotes an active outdoor lifestyle with parks, trails, and green spaces like Kiwanis Park, Ehlert Park, and the Salt Creek Trail — great for walking, biking, picnicking, and sports.

Events & Traditions

•The village hosts community events such as a farmers market (seasonal on Fridays), summer concerts, holiday festivities, and neighborhood celebrations that help bring residents together.

Schools & Families

Education

•Brookfield is served by well-regarded local school districts including Brookfield-LaGrange District 95 (elementary/middle) and Riverside-Brookfield High School District 208. Schools in the area are often highlighted for strong programs and community involvement.

Family Life

•The village’s suburban design — quiet streets, parks, community programs, and local events — tends to attract families and longtime residents.

Local Businesses & Downtown Life

•Brookfield’s downtown and main corridors (like Ogden Avenue) host a mix of locally owned restaurants, shops, and services, creating a cozy small-business environment.

•Seasonal features like farmers markets and community happenings help anchor local social life.

Transportation & Accessibility

•Metra’s BNSF Line serves Brookfield with multiple stops, providing convenient commuter rail access to downtown Chicago and the western suburbs.

•Local bus service (Pace) and proximity to major expressways (I-55, Tri-State Tollway) make regional travel straightforward.

Community Character & Trends

•Brookfield maintains a stable population with an established but changing demographic profile and a strong sense of identity as a small suburb with big city access.

•Ongoing development — including new housing and community improvements — shows investment in the village’s future.

Summary

Brookfield, Illinois, is a close-knit, community-focused suburb with:

✔ A family-friendly atmosphere and quality schools

✔ Signature attractions like Brookfield Zoo

✔ Parks, trails, and community events that bring people together

✔ Convenient transit to Chicago and nearby suburbs

✔ A lively but accessible local business scene

The Brookfield Fire Department is staffed by 18 firefighter/paramedics, 3 Lieutenants, 3 Battalion Chiefs, and 1 Chief, operating on three 24‑hour shifts with eight personnel per shift. Each shift includes six firefighters, one Lieutenant, and one Battalion Chief. Station 1 operates an ambulance and a tower ladder, while Station 2 operates an ambulance, an engine, and a boat. Together, the department responds to approximately 3,000 calls annually, including auto and mutual aid responses, and provides fire and emergency medical services to the Brookfield Zoo, one of the nation’s top ten largest zoos.

The Brookfield Firefighter/Paramedic protects life and property by performing fire fighting, emergency medical services, hazardous materials, special rescue operations, and fire prevention duties. Maintains fire equipment, apparatus, and facilities. Performs advanced emergency medical skills. Maintains Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulance and inventory of equipment and medications. The examples of duties are intended only as illustrations of carious types of work performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position. This job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and the employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.

Supervision

Works under the general supervision of a Fire Lieutenant or a Battalion Chief.

May assist to coordinate, instruct, or supervise the work of new recruits and/or other department personnel as assigned.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

1. Performs firefighting duties including driving fire apparatus, operating pumps and related equipment, laying hose, and performing fire combat, containment, and extinguishment tasks.

2. Performs emergency medical treatment including Advanced Life Support and providing other assistance as required.

3. Participates in fire drills, attends classes in firefighting, emergency medical care, hazardous materials, and other related subjects.

4. Receives and relays emergency calls and alarms. Operates radio and other communication equipment.

5. Participates in the inspection of buildings, hydrants, and other structures in fire prevention programs.

6. Maintains fire equipment, apparatus, and fire facilities. Performs minor repairs to departmental equipment.

7. Performs general maintenance work in the upkeep of fire facilities and equipment, cleans and washes walls and floors, cares for grounds around station, makes minor repairs, washes, hangs and dries hose. Washes, cleans, polishes, maintains, and tests apparatus and equipment.

8. Assists in developing plans for special assignments such as emergency preparedness, hazardous communications, training programs, firefighting, hazardous materials, and emergency medical services activity.

9. Presents programs to the community on safety, medical, and fire prevention topics.

10. Performs salvage operations such as throwing salvage covers, sweeping water, and removing debris.

11. Performs all other emergency and administrative tasks as delegated by a superior officer as needed.

Peripheral Duties

Assist in department supervisory and administrative activities as assigned.

Assists in supervising firefighters as required, assists in training new employees as assigned.

Tools and Equipment Utilized

All firefighters shall be knowledgeable and proficient while operating/using the emergency MICU ambulances, fire apparatus, fire pumps, hoses and other standard firefighting equipment, ladders, emergency medical equipment, radio, pager, personal computer and phone.

Physical Demands

The physical demands describe here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand, walk, use hands to finger, handle, or operate objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to sit; climb or balance, stop, kneel and crouch, talk or hear, and taste and smell. The employee is also frequently required to perform the above listed tasks while wearing an encapsulated protective clothing ensemble and breathing air from a mask and air supply tank. This ensemble varies in weight from approximately 25 to 75 pounds. This ensemble also elevates body core temperatures when performing physically demanding tasks.

The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 100 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision., distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential function of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly works in outside weather conditions. The employee occasionally works near moving mechanical parts and in high precarious places and is occasionally exposed to wel and/or humid conditions, fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals, risk of electrical shock and vibrations.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate, except during certain firefighting or EMS activities when noise levels may be loud.

The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of worked that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position.

This job description does not constitute an employee agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.

Brookfield Fire Department - Firefighter/Paramedic has 5 vacancies.

The deadline to test for the next hiring cycle is April 17, 2026.

Currently, there are 5 vacancies that will be filled immediately. Candidates chosen to move forward in the hiring process are required to complete a drug screening, psychological evaluation, and medical/physical examination prior to appointment.

Starting              75,367.24

After 1 Year       80,528.57

After 2 Years     89,087.29

After 3 Years     93,602.12

After 4 Years     100,576.69

After 5 Years     101,561.44

After 6 Years     111,087.87

The Village and Local 4828 currently in negotiations for 2026-2028.

13 Kelly Days

13 Paid Holidays

Vacation Time

1 year 5 Shifts

5 years 7 Shifts

10 years 10 Shifts

20 years 12 Shifts

21 years 13 Shifts

25 years 14 Shifts

Life Insurance

Health, dental and vision insurance

Illinois DownState Pension

VEBA plan

Deferred compensation plans

College tuition reimbursement

Specialty team opportunities