Vancouver Fire Department
Vancouver Fire Department
Last updated on February 11, 2020
Available Positions
Salary Information
The Starting Salary for Firefighter is $95,088/year under the 2023-25 bargaining agreement between the City of Vancouver and IAFF Local 452.
Benefit Information
Vancouver Fire Department - Firefighter Requirements
| Category | Requirement | Required at time of... | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Test | Hire | ||
| Written Examination |
Yes, required A minimum passing score of 70% is required and the highest score reported will be considered. |
||
| Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) |
Yes, required as described below PST or any verifiable CPAT completed at a licensed testing facility. CPAT must be completed within 1 year prior to date of application closure. CPAT certificate of completion must be emailed to Megan Mairs (Megan.Mairs@cityofvancouver.us) prior to the application closing date. |
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| PST Personal History Statement | Yes, required within 90 days of passing required exam(s) | ||
| Minimum Age | 21 | ||
| Citizenship | US Citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident | ||
| High School Grad/ GED | High School Diploma or the equivalent. | ||
| Driver's License Required | Valid Driver's License from any state. | ||
| Felony Conviction(s) as an Adult | No adult felony convictions at any time. | ||
| Felony Conviction(s) as a Juvenile | Will be carefully reviewed on a case by case basis. Some juvenile convictions may be considered a disqualifier. | ||
| Ability to Read, Speak & Write the English Language | Yes | ||
| EMT Certification | Yes | ||
| Firefighter 1 Certification | Not Required | ||
| Prior FF Experience Required | Not Required | ||
| Current Hiring Status |
The City of Vancouver is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all individuals. Therefore, the City will not discriminate in any employment practice on the basis of age, sex, race, creed, political or religious affiliation or opinion, color, national origin, marital status, military status, pregnancy, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected status under applicable law. |
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| Other |
Applicants who continue on in the process will participate in a panel interview and behavioral traits assessment. Applicants will be referred to backgrounds based on the Civil Service rule of ten. Applicants must be able to successfully complete a thorough background investigation; Chief's interview, psychological, and medical exam. Vacancies are filled by Civil Service "rule of 10" with the top ten scores being given to the appointing authority for further consideration and selection as a vacancy occurs. Vacancies may be filled from the Firefighter and Firefighter-Paramedic eligibility lists as determined by the City. |
||
| Multiple Scores from Same Applicant |
A minimum passing score of 70% is required and the highest score reported will be considered. |
||
Vancouver Fire Department - 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 |
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| Drug Usage |
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| Criminal Activity |
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| Employment |
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Salary Information
Firefighter/Paramedic Starting Salary (as of 1/1/25): $113,112
Benefit Information
Vancouver Fire Department - Firefighter Paramedic Requirements
| Category | Requirement | Required at time of... | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Test | Hire | ||
| Written Examination |
Yes, required A minimum passing score of 70% is required and the highest score reported will be considered. |
||
| Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) |
Yes, required as described below PST or any verifiable CPAT completed at a licensed testing facility. CPAT must be completed within one year prior to date of application closure. CPAT certificate of completion must be emailed to Megan Mairs (Megan.Mairs@cityofvancouver.us) prior to the application closing date. |
||
| PST Personal History Statement | |||
| Minimum Age | 21 | ||
| Citizenship | US Citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident | ||
| High School Grad/ GED | High School Diploma or the equivalent. | ||
| Driver's License Required |
Valid Driver's License from any state. |
||
| Felony Conviction(s) as an Adult | No adult felony convictions at any time. | ||
| Felony Conviction(s) as a Juvenile |
Will be carefully reviewed on a case by case basis. Some juvenile convictions may be considered a disqualifier. |
||
| Ability to Read, Speak & Write the English Language | Yes | ||
| Firefighter 1 Certification | Not Required | ||
| Paramedic Certification | Certification as a Paramedic (Washington State or eligible for reciprocity in WA). Applicants who graduated from paramedic training after June 30, 1996 are required to have graduated from a paramedic training program that is accredited by the committee on accreditation of educational programs for the emergency medical services professions (CoAEMSP). | ||
| Prior FF Experience Required | Not Required. | ||
| Current Hiring Status |
The City of Vancouver is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all individuals. Therefore, the City will not discriminate in any employment practice on the basis of age, sex, race, creed, political or religious affiliation or opinion, color, national origin, marital status, military status, pregnancy, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected status under applicable law. |
||
| Other |
Applicants who meet the minimum requirements will have their scores forwarded to City of Vancouver for further consideration. The city reserves the right to limit the number invited to continue on in the process. Applicants who continue on in the process will participate in a panel interview and behavioral traits assessment. Applicants will be referred to backgrounds based on the Civil Service rule of ten. Applicants must be able to successfully complete a thorough background investigation; Chief's interview, psychological, and medical exam. Vacancies are filled by Civil Service "rule of 10" with the top ten scores being given to the appointing authority for further consideration and selection as a vacancy occurs. Vacancies may be filled from the Firefighter and Firefighter-Paramedic eligibility lists as determined by the City. |
||
| Multiple Scores from Same Applicant |
A minimum passing score of 70% is required and the highest score reported will be considered. |
||
Vancouver Fire Department - Firefighter Paramedic 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 |
|
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| Drug Usage |
|
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| Criminal Activity |
|
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| Employment |
|
Salary Information
FF/EMT: $95,088 - $129,792 annual base salary
FF/Paramedic: $113,112 - $147,828 annual base salary
Vancouver Fire Department - 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) |
||
| Minimum Age | 21 | ||
| Citizenship | US Citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident. | ||
| High School Grad/ GED | Yes | ||
| Driver's License Required | From any state. | ||
| Felony Conviction(s) as an Adult | Felony conviction under state or Federal as an adult is a disqualifier. | ||
| Felony Conviction(s) as a Juvenile | Some juvenile convictions may be considered a disqualifier. | ||
| Ability to Read, Speak & Write the English Language | Yes | ||
| EMT Certification | EMT certification, must be able to gain reciprocity in Washington | ||
| Firefighter 2 Certification | Yes | ||
| Prior FF Experience Required | Yes – 3 consecutive years experience as a full-time, paid firefighter with an agency whose primary responsibilities include fire protection and emergency services and have primary responsibilities including fire suppression, hazardous materials mitigation, and emergency medical services. | ||
| Prior EMT Experience Required | Yes | ||
Vancouver Fire Department - 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 |
|
||||||
| Drug Usage |
|
||||||
| Criminal Activity |
|
||||||
| Employment |
|
Vancouver Fire Department - Lateral Firefighter - Invite Only Requirements
| Category | Requirement | Required at time of... | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Test | Hire | ||
| Written Examination |
Yes, required |
||
| PST Personal History Statement | Yes, required within 90 days of passing required exam(s) | ||
Salary Information
FF/EMT: $95,088 - $129,792 annual base salary
FF/Paramedic: $113,112 - $147,828 annual base salary
Vancouver Fire Department - Lateral Firefighter/Paramedic 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) |
||
| Minimum Age | 21 | ||
| Citizenship | US Citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident. | ||
| High School Grad/ GED | Yes | ||
| Driver's License Required | From any state. | ||
| Felony Conviction(s) as an Adult | Felony conviction under state or Federal as an adult is a disqualifier. | ||
| Felony Conviction(s) as a Juvenile | Some juvenile convictions may be considered a disqualifier. | ||
| Ability to Read, Speak & Write the English Language | Yes | ||
| Prior Experience Requirement | Yes | ||
| Firefighter 2 Certification | Yes | ||
| Paramedic Certification | Paramedic certification, must be able to gain reciprocity in Washington | ||
| Prior FF Experience Required | Yes – 3 consecutive years experience as a full-time, paid firefighter with an agency whose primary responsibilities include fire protection and emergency services and have primary responsibilities including fire suppression, hazardous materials mitigation, and emergency medical services. | ||
| Prior EMT Experience Required | Yes | ||
Vancouver Fire Department - Lateral Firefighter/Paramedic 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 |
|
||||||
| Drug Usage |
|
||||||
| Criminal Activity |
|
||||||
| Employment |
|
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.
