Consider a career in the fire service with Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R). Firefighting is only the beginning. You will serve the community in many other ways, such as provide Emergency Medical Services, Hazardous Materials Response, Specialty Rescue, Public Education/Information, Fire Investigation, and Code Enforcement. Professional firefighters work as a team to protect life and property during all types of emergencies. You must be in excellent physical condition to meet the demands of the job. Firefighters work quickly, while handling heavy equipment for long periods of time and wearing special protective gear in hot and hazardous environments. If you can meet the challenge of strenuous work, and like the idea of helping people, consider applying for the position of firefighter.

Application Process Beginning Soon!

Candidates will again have the opportunity to test with PF&R for the positions of Firefighter Trainee and Firefighter EMT-B/Paramedic in 2011. Candidates with little or no fire service experience are encouraged to apply for the Firefighter Trainee Program. Applicants with fire service experience and who hold a minimum of an Emergency Medical Technician-Basic (EMT-B) certification are encouraged to apply for the Firefighter EMT/Paramedic exam.

Downloadable Study Material Available April 18^th

Beginning on April 18, 2011, interested candidates are encouraged to access PF&R's website at http://www.portlandonline.com/fire/jobs to download study material. The study material is one of the four components of the multiple-choice test, the first phase of the examination process. The other three components of the multiple-choice test include a mechanical aptitude test, math test, and reading ability test.

Open Enrollment Begins on June 20^th

Interested candidates can fill out an application for either the Firefighter Trainee position OR the Firefighter EMT-B/Paramedic position beginning on June 20, 2011. If you apply for both the Trainee and EMT-B/Paramedic job positions will be disqualified from both hiring opportunities. Apply either for the Firefighter Trainee position OR the Firefighter EMT-B/Paramedic positions.

When 4,500 applications have been submitted, enrollment will close and no further applications will be accepted. Candidates can link to the applications beginning June 20^th on PF&R’s website here or the Bureau of Human Resources Current Job Openings website here. PF&R encourages all candidates to read the official job announcements carefully and follow instructions exactly.

Multiple-Choice Test will be held August 1^st

Candidates whose applications are accepted will be invited to take the multiple-choice test on August 1, 2011 at the Oregon Convention Center. Again, study materials for one component of the test will be available April 18^th; the additional three components of the test are general knowledge and no study material is provided.

Next Steps

Candidates who score highest on all components of the multiple-choice test will be invited to subsequent phases of the examination process including the Physical Agility Test (PAT) and the Oral Interview. Please note that the examination process for the positions of Firefighter Trainee and Firefighter EMT-B/Paramedic consists of multiple phases; the number and order of phases are subject to change without prior notice.

Questions or Need More Information?

Contact PF&R's Recruiting Officer Terry Foster at terry.foster@portlandoregon.gov or (503) 823-3811. You can also check back on the Fire Blog for additional recruiting information and upcoming career fair dates and times.

   Portland Fire & Rescue 

   We Respond: Always Ready, Always There

   February 15, 2011

Follow Portland Fire & Rescue on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube