Firefighter - Full-time

This serves as the official announcement for the 2026 Firefighter/EMT Hiring process. The fire department will hire three Firefighter/EMTs to fill a newly created position. These full-time positions will directly report to a Fire Captain who oversees daily operations for either Engine 1 or Engine 2. All eligible current employees of the Davidson Fire Department that are interested in competing for this position are encouraged to apply. Candidates that meet the minimum requirements shall compete in the hiring process center which is scheduled for January 11^th and 12^th, 2027. The salary range for this position is identified as Grade 200 with an overall salary range of $52,356 to $78,534. The identified hiring salary range for this position is $55,025 to $57,776. This position is eligible for overtime and holiday pay. Other benefits include full pension and retirement packages, medical, vision, and dental insurance, comprehensive wellness plan, vacation and sick leave, uniform allowance, and other employee benefits.

 

MINIMUM EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• 18 years of age
• High school diploma, GED, or equivalent
• Honorable discharge, if any, from the military
• Valid NC driver’s license and Class B driver’s license 
• IFSAC / Pro Board Firefighter II, or NC Fire Fighter II
• North Carolina Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
• IFSAC / Pro Board Hazardous Materials Operations
• Must meet the medical requirements set forth in NFPA 1582 
• IFSAC / Pro Board Driver Operator – Pumps and Aerials (Preferred)*
• IFSAC / Pro Board Technical Rescuer (Preferred)*
• No disciplinary actions received within the last six months (Internal Candidates)
• * Must obtain with (1) year of employment

APPLICATION PERIOD

All interested candidates shall complete a hiring application through the town’s website. Candidates are also asked to submit a cover letter and resume with the job application. Applications will be accepted from November 9^th – December 7^th. An internal review of all applications will be conducted to ensure that minimum requirements are met. Candidates that meet the minimum requirements will be invited to participate in the remainder of the hiring process. 

Knowledge and Skills Testing 

Candidates that meet the minimum requirements will be invited to participate in the knowledge and skills testing scheduled for January 11^th and 12^th. The 2 components are as follows:

• Written Exam 50 Points
• Practical Skills Evaluation 50 Points 

Candidates will be graded on both the written exam and the practical skills evaluation based on information included in NFPA 1001. Candidates must score at least 35 points in each section to pass.

Internal Candidates will also receive credit for seniority which will be added to their final cumulative score. Seniority points will be factored from time served with the Town of Davidson. A candidate’s maximum point allowance for seniority is 10 points. 

FINAL INTERVIEW

Candidates that successfully pass all assessment components will be invited to participate in an interview with the Fire Chief and Deputy Chiefs, which will take place on January 14^th. The Fire Chief’s interview will serve as the final component of the hiring process. There will be no scoring matrix for this portion as it will not be graded.

CANDIDATE SELECTION

The Fire Chief reserves the right to hire any of the candidates for the position based on performance factors. These factors may include but are not limited to tests scores, fire service experience, service with the Davidson Fire Department, and past performance. After consulting with the Deputy Chief’s, the Fire Chief will make a recommendation for hiring based on the previous listed factors. The Fire Chief will make a recommendation to the Town Manager, who is responsible for all promotions/hirings of town employees under the Town of Davidson Personnel Policy. 

The eligibility pool will remain active for up to one (1) year from the date established.

If you have any questions about the process, please do not hesitate to contact Deputy Chief Joel Cherry at [email protected] or Human Resources Director Amber Levi at [email protected]

General Statement of Duties
Responsible for fire suppression and emergency medical services activities including operating fire apparatus in a backup position and participating in firefighting.
Distinguishing Features of the Class
The Firefighter has the primary responsibility of participating in fire suppression, prevention, emergency medical services and rescue activities in protecting life, property and the environment and does related work required. Work is performed under direct supervision of an assigned captain or fire officer. Acting as a backup driver in the absence of the Firefighter Engineer safely and effectively driving and operating fire apparatus and other emergency equipment. This includes driving emergency vehicles in emergency and non-emergency situations; pumping fire apparatus at fire scenes; and inspecting assigned fire apparatus / equipment to ensure readiness. The Firefighter must be able to perform the duties, which include operating in IDLH (immediately dangerous to life and health) atmospheres and providing emergency medical care to sick or injured persons as needed. The Firefighter is subject to all hazards associated with firefighting and rescue work in both inside and outside environments. These hazards include extreme temperatures, loud noise, vibration, moving parts, potential chemical exposure, fumes, dust, gases, poor ventilation, and confined spaces. The Firefighter must be able to wear SCBA and other respirators, and is subject to all applicable OSHA regulations, including respiratory protection and blood borne pathogen standards.

Responsibilities

• Responds to emergency calls and participates in firefighting operations 
• Responds to and assists in the mitigation of hazardous materials incidents and other hazardous conditions
• Provides emergency medical care as an EMT at emergency medical incidents
• Drives apparatus to the scene and properly places apparatus for operations, and operates the apparatus as needed to ensure efficient operations at emergency incidents; Ensures fire apparatus are in a state of readiness after each incident
• Inspects equipment for proper appearance and condition; performs light maintenance of fire apparatus and related equipment / facilities
• Performs community service functions
• May be required to fill in as an acting officer or Fire Engineer in the absence of a duty officer or Fire Engineer.
• Performs other duties as required

Eligibility Requirements

• 18 years of age
• High school diploma, GED, or equivalent
• Valid North Carolina Class B Driver's License (or equivalent if employee lives out-of-state)*
• IFSAC / Pro Board North Carolina Firefighter Certification
• North Carolina Emergency Medical Technician Certification
• Must meet the medical requirements set forth in NFPA 1582
• North Carolina Emergency Vehicle Driver Certification
• North Carolina Driver Operator (Pumps & Aerials) (Preferred)*
• North Carolina Technical Rescuer (Preferred)*

* Must obtain within (1) year of employment

Physical Requirements
Firefighters must have the agility and physical strength to do prolonged and hazardous work under adverse conditions. This includes but is not limited to the ability to lift, move and maintain position on items (e.g. charged hoses) up to 90 pounds; push objects up to 25 pounds; pull objects from 25 to 50 pounds, and lift or pull victims weighing more than 150 pounds.
Must be able to physically perform the basic life operational functions of climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crawling, reaching, standing, walking, pushing, pulling, lifting, fingering, grasping, hearing and perform repetitive motions. Must possess visual acuity to operate trucks and other equipment, to observe the color, the volume, and extent of fire involvement, and to prepare manual and computerized records.