Firefighter Position

Richland Fire & Emergency Services - Lateral Firefighter

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PROFILE DISCLAIMER

The information herein is provided by the respective agency and is only as accurate and as up-to-date as the agency representative(s) update this information. PST is not responsible for the veracity of this data as it is provided directly from the agency. It is ultimately the applicant's responsibility to verify any information about the agency with the agency.

Richland Fire & Emergency Services - Lateral Firefighter

Last updated on February 27, 2026
PST Partner Agency since August 21, 2023

Vacancies: 5

Important Information

In order to be eligible to participate in the City of Richland's application screening process, you need to complete the following items (in order):

  • Submit an online application with our agency here: City of Richland Careers

  • Applicants are encouraged to attach a current cover letter and resume to the City's application.

  • Applicants must complete a Personal History Statement (linked here) to attach to their application.

  • Please review the hiring standards brochure HERE which includes temporary or permanent disqualifiers

Important: It is the responsibility of the candidate to ensure their online City application is current and complete, which includes having a complete personal history statement attached to your City application. Applicants are encouraged to attach a current cover letter and resume to their application. If applications are received without these items complete, they will experience delays in the processing of their application and consideration for the oral board processes.

Community Information

Richland is located in sunny eastern Washington at the confluence of the Columbia and Yakima Rivers. The community offers an unparalleled combination of natural beauty and top-ranked city services that contributes to the high quality of life that its residents treasure. Skiers and hikers don't have to go far to pursue their favorite sports. The Blue Mountains and the Cascade Range are short drives away and offer spectacular venues. Richland is ideally suited to boating and water skiing. Strong breezes have added to the popularity of sail boarding, wind surfing, and conventional sailing.

The City receives wide recognition for the beauty of its integrated parks, river shore, commerce centers, and living spaces. Richland is a full-service municipality serving a resident population of more than 56,850. Originally incorporated as a small farming community, Richland now focuses on energy research, environmental remediation, and technology. With a significant concentration of scientists, engineers, technicians and researchers, Richland's population has relatively high income and education levels. Benton County ranks third in the state in median family income.

The municipal government employs over 570 people to deliver $135 million in annual services. Like its neighboring cities, Richland delivers a variety of public safety, street maintenance, basic utility, and recreational services. The City is also an electric distribution utility, operates its own public library, and administers a regional emergency management and 911-dispatch center.

Job Description

Please click here to view the current job description.

Area Information

County: Benton
Population: 56,850
# of Staff: 91

Hiring Status

Richland Fire & Emergency Services - Lateral Firefighter has 5 vacancies.

Recruitment for 2027 vacancies will begin in the spring of 2026.

The Richland Fire & Emergency Services department is seeking Lateral Firefighter* applicants. If you are currently a professional full-time Firefighter with three years of consecutively paid experience at a like department (reviewed case by case), have successfully passed your probationary period with your current Firefighter employer, you may be considered as a Lateral Firefighter*. The Department maintains an ongoing and merged certification list for the Lateral Firefighter EMT/Paramedic position.

We are currently accepting applications and will be holding oral board processes monthly beginning April through June 2026.

*Lateral applications will be reviewed by hiring staff for experience with agencies with a similar structure to Richland Fire and Emergency Services (full time agency with frequent calls). If it is determined that a candidate’s agency experience is not similar to Richland, the candidate may not meet the requirements for our internal lateral academy. Candidates in this situation will be requested to reapply and go through the entry level Firefighter process (to include PST written testing and CPAT physical test).

Salary Information

Please click here to review the current IAFF Collective Bargaining Agreement for salary information.

  • Entry Level start at Step A
  • Paramedic Firefighters start at Step C- Firefighter Paramedic (includes an additional 13.5% of top-step Firefighter for Paramedic certification) 
  • Lateral hires start at Step F

Benefit Information

Please click here to review the current IAFF Collective Bargaining Agreement for benefit information.

Richland Fire & Emergency Services - Lateral Firefighter Requirements

Category Requirement Required at time of...
    Test Hire
Written Examination No, not required
Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) No, not required (may be required later)
PST Personal History Statement Completed PHS required as an attachment to City application. PHS form available in the job posting.  
Minimum Age 18
Citizenship Legally Eligible to Work in the US
High School Grad/ GED Yes
Driver's License Required Yes
Veterans Preference Points Yes
EMT Certification

Washington State Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) or Advanced EMT (AEMT) certification upon hire.
Other Preference Points No, other preference points are not available.
Firefighter 1 Certification

IFSAC Firefighter I certification upon hire.
Firefighter 2 Certification

IFSAC Firefighter II certification upon hire.
Prior FF Experience Required
  • Three (3) consecutive years of paid experience as a full-time Firefighter in a like department.
  • Successfully completed probationary period with current Firefighter employer.
  • Graduation from a career-based fire academy.
Multiple Scores from Same Applicant We only consider the most recent score
Request/Access Scores

On an as-needed basis as vacancies occur and to establish an eligibility list.

Please visit the City of Richland Careers site to review the job posting and job description for the position. 

Richland Fire & Emergency Services - Lateral Firefighter Disqualifiers

The following are automatic and potential disqualifiers. Applicants should not apply to our agency if they indicate any of the automatic disqualifiers. Potential disqualifiers will be considered on a case by case basis.

Category Disqualifier
Driving
Automatic

You have been convicted of Driving under the Influence (DUI) within the past five years, or have two (2) or more DUI convictions. A diversion or similar action (First Degree Negligent Driving) is the same as a conviction.

Your traffic history precludes you from coverage from the City's insurance as a vehicle operator. 
Drug Usage
Potential

Evaluating prior drug use by an applicant for the RF&ES department revolves around the experimental versus the habitual user. Rather than immediately disqualifying an individual for prior drug use, the fire department tries to distinguish between the individual who has used marijuana or other drugs on several occasions (experimented), as opposed to a person who has regularly used drugs over an extended period of time (habitual).

Various factors may be taken into consideration when evaluating prior drug use by an applicant, and will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Factors to be considered when determining eligibility include the type of substance used, frequency of use, if the use was experimental, and how recent the usage was. Experimental use is considered usage to determine the effects of a drug.

Another factor that may be considered is whether the prior drug use was self-disclosed by the applicant or discovered during the background investigation.

If at any point, the applicant is determined to meet any of the following disqualifiers, the application process for that individual may be terminated at the discretion of the Chief or designee.

TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT DISQUALIFIERS:

1. Possession or use of marijuana within the last six (6) months.

2. Use of non-prescribed oral or injectable steroids within the last three (3) years.

3. Abuse of inhalants within the last five (5) years. Examples include, but are not limited to, paint, paint thinner, Freon, nitrous oxide, and gasoline.

4. Possession or use of illegal controlled substance within the last ten (10) years. Examples include, but are not limited to, crack/cocaine, Ketamine, GHB, Rohypnol, MDMA (ecstasy), Hallucinogens (PCP, Angel Dust, LSD, and Mushrooms), Opium, Morphine, Heroin, and Methamphetamine/Amphetamine.

5. Use of any illegal drugs after submitting an application with any fire agency within the last five (5) years.

6. Involvement in the illegal manufacture, sale, delivery, or furnishing of any controlled substance or drug to another with the expectation that a personal benefit would be received as a result of the actions – Permanent disqualification.

7. Use of illegal drugs while employed in a fire, EMS, or healthcare capacity – Permanent disqualification.

8. Habitual use of any illegal drug and/or marijuana – Permanent disqualification.
Criminal Activity
Automatic

You have been convicted of any felony charges - traffic or criminal.

You have been convicted of any crime that precludes you from possessing a valid Washington State EMT certification.

Contact Information

Richland Fire & Emergency Services - Lateral Firefighter

625 Swift Blvd
Richland, WA 99352 Benton County
509-942-7392

Website
Facebook

Contact a Recruiter
Agency Test Requirements
Written Examination: No, not required
CPAT: No, not required (may be required later)

PST Personal History Statement: Completed PHS required as an attachment to City application. PHS form available in the job posting.


Other Richland Fire & Emergency Services positions

Firefighter
Firefighter-Paramedic