Firefighter/Emt Recruit

Position Information

Are you looking for a career that's both exciting and impactful? Consider joining the Arlington County Fire Department (ACFD) as a Firefighter/EMT! We offer a unique combination of professional challenges and benefits that will make a lasting difference in the lives of others.

Diverse Service Opportunities:

• Respond to emergencies across a wide range of environments, from high-rise buildings and bustling highways to single-family homes and major airports.

• Join a specialized unit: Become part of our elite Hazardous Materials, Technical Rescue, Swift Water Rescue, or Bomb Squad teams.

• Make a broader impact: Serve in fire prevention, emergency communications, logistics, health and safety, human resources, and training.

• Collaborate with regional partners: Work alongside other fire and rescue departments, state, and federal agencies to ensure the safety of our entire community.

Industry-Leading Support:

• Schedule flexibility: Work a predictable schedule equivalent to 8 or 9 days per month with a 50-hour workweek.

• Comprehensive benefits: Enjoy full health benefits, a generous retirement plan, and competitive pay. We even offer pay premiums for specialty certifications.

• Investment in your growth: We provide paid recruit school to get you started and support your advancement to ALS (Advanced Life Support) certification.

If you're a motivated individual who thrives in challenging situations and wants to make a real difference, then the ACFD is the place for you! We're not just your average fire department. We're a progressive force with a rich history of innovation. In fact, we were the first in the nation to have a professional female firefighter in 1974, and we formed the country's first Metropolitan Medical Strike Team to respond to the toughest emergencies.

Our 9 fire stations serve Arlington, Virginia, a vibrant community of 235,000 residents located right across the river from the nation's capital. It's an exciting place to be part of the action and make a real difference. Want to learn more? Click here.

Selection Criteria

Minimum qualifications:

• Education: Completion of the requirements for graduation from a standard senior high school or vocational school, a GED certificate, or the equivalent.

• Eligible applicants must be within 6 months of acquiring a high school diploma or a GED.

• Age: 17 years and 6 months of age, must be 18 years old by date of hire.

• Testing: Must obtain passing grade on written and practical Firefighter examinations, and all pre-employment physical and mental evaluations.

Desirable Qualifications:

Preference may be given to applicants who have any of the following certifications:

• Virginia EMT-I (Intermediate) Certification:

• EMT-P (Paramedic) Certification; or

• National Registry EMT-P (Paramedic) Certification.

Special Requirements

The ACFD Firefighter/EMT hiring process is comprehensive and includes the following:

• FireTEAM Exam*;

• Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT);

• Character/Background Investigation;

• Fingerprinting;

• Panel Interview with Fire Department;

• Polygraph Examination; and

• Medical/Physical/Psychological Examinations.

Interested applicants should review the hiring process information on the ACFD website to learn more!

• The ACFD utilizes the National Testing Network's FireTeam exam as part of the hiring process.

After your completed application is received, you will receive further instructions via email about the next steps and how to register to take the FireTEAM exam.

If you have taken the National Testing Network's FireTEAM exam during the past year (within 365 days), you do not need to retake the exam. We can use your existing score.

Want to use your previous score? Just let us know by responding to the email confirmation.

Additional Information

The salary listed is effective July 1, 2024.

Important: make sure we can communicate with you throughout the hiring process by providing us with an active email address, mobile number, and mailing address.

If you possess a current valid Virginia (VA) EMT-Intermediate or VA Paramedic certification you will be eligible to receive the relative premium pay upon hire:

• VA EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) Intermediate - $0.88 per hour (non-shift rate)
• VA Paramedic - $1.75 per hour (non-shift rate

Have questions about becoming an Arlington County firefighter/EMT? Reach out to firerecruitment@arlingtonva.us!

Applicants who have questions or need assistance with the application may telephone (703) 228-3500 or visit the Human Resources Department. Our staff will be happy to work with you to enter your application into the system. Public access computers are available at all County Libraries, and in the Human Resources Department.

The examination process for this position may include: (1) training and experience evaluation; (2) written and oral examination; (3) personal interview; (4) performance test/work sample; and/or (5) physical examination.

Applicants with disabilities may request reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process. Please call the ADA Coordinator at 703-228-3559 (voice) or email pers@arlingtonva.us.

Eligibility for Arlington County Government employee benefits depends on your position type (permanent or temporary) and your status (full-time or part-time).

More detailed information on benefits and conditions of employment is available on the Arlington County Human Resources Department website: www.arlingtonva.us/pers.

Permanent, Full-Time Appointments

All jobs are permanent, full-time appointments unless otherwise stated in the announcement. The following benefits are available:

Paid Leave: Vacation leave is earned at the rate of five hours biweekly. Leave accrual increases gradually until eight hours of leave are earned biweekly for twelve or more years of service. Sick leave is earned at the rate of four hours biweekly. Paid parental and family leave benefits are also offered. Leave is pro-rated for part-time employees.

Holidays: There are eleven paid fixed holidays each year, as well as two floating holidays. Initial allotment of floating holidays may vary based on when you are hired.

Health and Dental Insurance: Four group health insurance plans are offered - a health maintenance organization, two plans with in-network only coverage, and a high-deductible plan with in and out-of-network coveerage, along with a Health Savings Account (HSA). Group dental insurance is also offered, with two options for coverage. The County pays a significant portion of the premium for these plans for employees and their dependents. The County also contributes to the HSA.

Life Insurance: Basic life insurance is provided at no cost to employees. The benefit is one times annual salary. Additional life insurance may be purchased for yourself, spouse, and/or children.

Retirement: The County retirement program is made up of three parts: a defined benefit (pension) plan, a defined contribution plan (401(a)), and a deferred compensation plan (457). The defined benefit plan provides a monthly retirement benefit based on your final average salary and years of service with the County. You contribute a portion of your salary on a pre-tax basis to this plan. General employees contribute 4% of pay; uniformed public safety employees contribute 7.5% of pay. The County also contributes to this plan. Employees become vested in the plan at five years of service.

For general employees, the County also contributes 4.2% of pay to a defined contribution plan (401(a)). The 457 deferred compensation plan allows you to save for retirement on either a pre-tax (457b) or post-tax (457 Roth) basis up to the IRS annual limit. New employees are automatically enrolled with a pre-tax contribution equal to 2% of your pay. A variety of investment options are available for the 401(a) and 457 plans.

Other Benefits: The County also offers health care, dependent care, and parking flexible spending accounts; adoption assistance, tuition reimbursement; transit and walk/bike to work subsidies; a college savings plan; wellness programs; training opportunities; and a variety of other benefits.

Permanent, Part-Time Appointments:

Part-time employees who work ten or more hours per week receive paid leave and benefits in proportion to the number of hours worked per week.

Limited Term Appointments:

Benefits are the same as permanent appointments except that the employees do not achieve permanent status.

Temporary Regular Appointments:

Temporary regular employees who work 30 hours or more per week are eligible for health, dental, and basic life insurance as described above. They are also eligible for vacation, sick leave, and paid holidays.

Temporary Seasonal and Occasional Appointments:

Temporary employees who work on a seasonal basis or variable hours receive sick leave, but do not normally receive other paid leave or benefits. Exceptions are noted in individual announcements.

01

Are you at least 17 and a half years old or older?

• Yes

• No

02

Do you have a high school diploma or a GED?

• Yes

• No

• No, but I will receive my high school diploma or GED within the next 6 months.

03

Do you have any of these Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certifications? (Check all that apply)

• EMT-Basic (EMT-I) (We'll ask for the state of registration in the next question.)
• EMT-Paramedic (EMT-P) (We will ask for the state of registration in the next question.)
• National Registry Paramedic (EMT-P)
• None of the above

04

Did you select any EMT certifications in Question 3? If yes, please write the issuing authority or state of registration in the text box below. If no, write "N/A."

05

This job requires a background check and polygraph examination. Is this okay with you?

• Yes

• No

06

This job requires a fingerprint background check to look for any criminal convictions. Have you ever been convicted of a crime in any court?

• Yes

• No

07

Have you ever been convicted of drunk driving or driving while under the influence (DUI/DWI) in any court?

• Yes

• No

08

If you answered "YES" to either question 6 and/or 7; to being charged with a criminal offense, drunk driving, driving while under the influence, briefly tell us the court, the date, the location, the offense, and the sentence (if any). Note: convictions do not automatically disqualify you, the details will be considered. If you answered "NO" to questions 6 and 7, write N/A or not applicable.

09

Do you understand that the information you provide in this application will be verified; and providing false and/or misleading information may disqualify you from further consideration?

• Yes

• No

10

If you were referred to apply by a current Arlington County employee, please write their name in the box below. If not applicable, please write N/A.

11

The next step in the Arlington County firefighter hiring process is the National Testing Network's FireTEAM exam. After you submit your application, you will receive an email with instructions about how to register to take the exam. If you took the FireTEAM exam within the past year, you can use your existing score.

• I have not taken the FireTeam exam before.
• I have previously taken the FireTEAM exam and want to use my previous score.
• I have previously taken the FireTeam exam, and I do not want to use my previous score, I want to retake the exam.

Required Question

Agency Arlington County

Address 2100 Clarendon Blvd, Suite 511

Arlington, Virginia, 22201

Phone 703-228-3500

Website https://careers.arlingtonva.us/