SE Thurston Fire Authority - Firefighter
Last updated on July 16, 2025
PST Partner Agency since March 03, 2022
Vacancies: 2 -6
Testing Deadline: August 12, 2025.
Important Information
SE Thurston Fire Authority (SETFA)
Entry-Level firefighter/EMT Recruitment
SE Thurston Fire Authority (SETFA) is establishing an Entry-Level Firefighter/EMT eligibility list to support anticipated staffing needs in early 2026. This process may be used to fill up to two entry-level firefighter positions, with actual hiring dependent on organizational needs and lateral recruitment outcomes.
Key Dates for Candidates (subject to change)
- Job Announcement Posted: July 15, 2025
- Written Exam Deadline (Public Safety Testing): August 12, 2025
- Applications Due: August 29, 2025
- Oral Board Invitations Sent: September 3, 2025
- Oral Board & Assessment Lab: September 15, 2025
- Chief’s Interview (Lateral candidates only): September 25–26, 2025
- Conditional Offers Extended: October 6, 2025
- Background, Psych, and Onboarding Begins: October 27, 2025
Minimum Qualifications
- High school diploma or equivalent
- At least 18 years of age
- Valid Washington State driver’s license (by hire date)
- Ability to pass a driving history check and pre-employment background screening
- Valid CPAT from PST or NTN completed within 12 months of the announcement date (on or after July 15, 2024) will be accepted.
Examination Steps
To be considered, candidates must complete the written exam through Public Safety Testing (PST) by August 12, 2025.
Qualified candidates will be invited to complete additional steps in the selection process, which may include:
- Application packet submission with required documentation
- Oral Board Interview
- Assessment Lab
- Chief’s Interview
- Personal History Statement (completed via PST)
- Background investigation
- Psychological evaluation
- Medical and drug screening
Important Notes
- Applicants must ensure their PST profile and contact information are current.
- Candidates invited to apply must carefully follow all Application Submission Instructions, including attaching all required documentation.
- Employment offers are contingent upon successful completion of all evaluation steps.
- Applicants claiming veterans’ preference under RCW 41.04.010 must submit DD214 or official discharge documentation confirming honorable discharge before the filing window closes.
All questions and communication must be directed to: hiring@setfa.org
Phone calls will not be accepted.
Community Information
Department Information
Job Description
Area Information
Hiring Status
Salary Information
Benefit Information
SE Thurston Fire Authority - Firefighter Requirements
Category | Requirement | Required at time of... | |
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Test | Hire | ||
Written Examination |
Yes, required |
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Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) |
Yes, required as described below Candidates must have a valid CPAT from PST or NTN taken within 12 months of the application deadline (September 12, 2024 – September 12, 2025). Once contacted, applicants must submit all required documentation as part of the application process. |
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PST Personal History Statement |
Due by September 12, 2025 |
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Minimum Age | 18 | ||
Citizenship |
US Citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident or have the ability to legally work in the U.S. by the time of application deadline. |
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High School Grad/ GED | Yes | ||
Driver's License Required |
Valid U.S. driver’s license (by hire date). Active duty military may use out-of-state licenses. |
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Felony Conviction(s) as an Adult | None. | ||
Felony Conviction(s) as a Juvenile | Will be carefully reviewed on a case by case basis | ||
Ability to Read, Speak & Write the English Language | Yes | ||
College Requirement | No | ||
Prior Experience Requirement |
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS: • IFSAC Firefighter I • IFSAC Firefighter II • HazMat Awareness & Operations • Valid EMT or NREMT Certification • Associate Degree • Bachelor’s Degree • Previous Fire Service Experience |
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EMT Certification |
EMT/NREMT NOT required Washington State EMT or NREMT certifications (NOTICE: Be prepared to submit your supporting credential number and or certification to verify your credentials.) |
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Firefighter 1 Certification |
DESIRED: IFSAC/ProBoard FF1 Certification |
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Firefighter 2 Certification |
DESIRED: IFSAC/ProBoard FFII Certification |
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Prior FF Experience Required |
DESIRED |
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Prior EMT Experience Required |
DESIRED EMT/NREMT |
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Current Hiring Status |
2–6 entry-level Firefighter/EMTs for 2026 |
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CPAT |
Candidates must have successfully completed a Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) within 12 months prior to the application deadline. CPATs from either Public Safety Testing (PST) or National Testing Network (NTN) will be accepted, provided the test was taken between August 29, 2024, and August 29, 2025. |
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Multiple Scores from Same Applicant | We consider the highest score received within the past one year | ||
Request/Access Scores | On an as-needed basis as vacancies occur |
SE Thurston Fire Authority - 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 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Driving |
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Drug Usage |
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Criminal Activity |
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Employment |
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Financial |
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Contact Information
SE Thurston Fire Authority - Firefighter
Agency Test Requirements
Written Examination: Yes, required
CPAT: Yes, required as described below
PST Personal History Statement:
Due by September 12, 2025
Other S.E. Thurston Regional Fire Authority positions
COVID-19 UPDATES
5/6/2020 Update:
TESTING IN WASHINGTON STATE CANCELED THROUGH MAY 31, 2020
All pre-employment tests in Washington State have been canceled until May 31, 2020 unless government restrictions are eased. With recent updates, facility closures, and government guidelines, this step is necessary and could be modified at any time. The health and safety of our customers, our staff, and their families is of the highest priority.
We will continue to evaluate developments and make changes to this policy as necessary. When we do resume testing, there will be plenty of events for everyone to test. We are in regular communication with our public safety agency partners, assessing alternatives to the traditional testing model and our testing policies. Any future updates will be posted on the PST website and our Facebook page.
4/1/2020 Update:
If you have tested with PST in the past 12 months, there may be additional positions you are now eligible to add. Several departments have temporarily changed their testing policies due to the suspension in testing that COVID-19 has caused. Please login to your PST account and navigate to the ‘New Positions’ page to see what departments you can add! We will regularly update that page in your account as departments send updates.
FUTURE TEST REGISTRATION
We know that there will be testing in the future - we just don’t know when! We want you to be prepared for when testing begins again so we have created test events on our calendar that you can register for that will place you in a queue to be first notified. These tests are not “real” test events, they are essentially a holding area. You will be able to “reschedule” out of that event to any other event date/location at no cost. Registering now will also give you time to work on your Personal History Statement (PHS) so that your data will be ready and up-to-date to send to your departments once testing resumes.
To sign up for this placeholder event, select the June 15, 2020 test date in your category (police, fire, 911 dispatch, corrections, etc.).
You may also click on the test event of interest below to sign up:
Law Enforcement & Corrections Written and Physical Ability Test
Please check back here frequently and ‘Like’ our Facebook page to stay updated.
PST staff are working remotely and are available by email at contact@publicsafetytesting.com. We anticipate a high email volume and will respond as quickly as possible.