How to become a firefighter in Bathurst

Verified GuideModel A: We train youDepartment-specific

Accepts applications year-round

The volunteer firefighter page states "We are recruiting community-minded volunteers to join our team as Volunteer Firefighters" and gives a standing route in: "Apply by email to jobs@bathurst.ca with your resume and a short note about your availability." No deadline and no posting requirement is published, so there is no window to miss. No experience is required and Firefighter I training is paid for.

Checked August 10, 2026 against the department's own page. Intake dates change without notice, so confirm there before you plan around this.

Working language

Bilingual English and French is listed, and the department is explicit about its weight: not required for the volunteer firefighter position, but the ability to serve residents in both official languages is always an asset. Bathurst sits in one of New Brunswick's most francophone regions.

Published by the department.

Where are you starting from?

What you need

The credentials and documents Bathurst requires before you can apply.

How hiring works here

Every stage Bathurst publishes, and how to do each one well.

Build your plan

Two minutes: see which requirements you already meet, and what to start first.

At a glance

Entry model: Model A: We train you
Fire certification before applying: None listed before applying
Medical requirement: None listed
Driver requirement: Valid Class 5 driver's licence and acceptable driving record
Written test: None published
Physical test: Department-specific
Last verified: July 2026 · sources monitored daily for changes

A summary of this record. The full detail is below, and the official posting governs.

Bathurst publishes a standing volunteer firefighter recruitment stream with its minimum requirements listed. Applicants must be 18 or older, have Grade 12 or equivalent, hold a valid Class 5 driver's licence with an acceptable driving record, undergo a criminal record check, and be able to attend evening and weekend training and respond to calls from work or home. No experience is required: the Firefighter I course is mandatory for all volunteer firefighters and its tuition is paid by the department, with volunteers paid per call after Firefighter I certification. First aid and CPR, NFPA 1001 Firefighter I and II, HazMat Awareness and Operations, a mechanical, trades, medical, or public safety background, and bilingualism are all listed as assets, not requirements.

Entry-level hiring with no fire certifications required. The department trains recruits in-house. Medical certifications and driver licensing are the differentiators.

How their intake usually runs

Standing recruitment; apply by email at any time

Requirements

Required at application

18 years of age or older
There is no fixed upper age limit; fitness for duty is the key.
Grade 12 (or equivalent)
Prepare with roadmap step 2
Valid Class 5 driver's licence and acceptable driving record
The posting states a valid Class 5 driver's licence (or equivalent) and an acceptable driving record; a driver's abstract is collected during selection with instructions provided by the department.
Prepare with roadmap step 4
Availability for training and calls
Ability to attend evening and weekend training and respond to calls from work or home, day or night.

Required before hire

Criminal record check
Completed during the selection process alongside the driver's abstract; the department provides instructions.
Prepare with roadmap step 10
Practical fitness test and basic medical screening
Applicants complete a practical fitness test (for example stair climbs with equipment, hose carry and drag, ladder raise, and tool carry) and a brief medical screening to confirm they can safely perform essential tasks. The department provides guidance on what to expect.
Prepare with roadmap step 13

Preferred assets

First aid and CPR certificationPreferred asset
Listed as an asset, not a requirement.
Prepare with roadmap step 3
NFPA 1001 Firefighter I and IIPreferred asset
Listed as an asset, not a requirement.
Prepare with roadmap step 5
HazMat Awareness and OperationsPreferred asset
Listed as an asset, not a requirement.
Prepare with roadmap step 5
Bilingual (English and French)Preferred asset
Not required for the volunteer firefighter position, but the ability to serve residents in both official languages is always an asset.

The hiring process

Email jobs@bathurst.ca with your resume and a short note about your availability. Use the subject line Volunteer Firefighter followed by your name so your application is routed correctly.
Be specific about when you can respond: days, evenings, weekends, and especially any daytime availability, since volunteer halls are usually thinnest during working hours. If you have first aid or CPR, NFPA 1001 Firefighter I or II, HazMat training, or a mechanical, trades, medical, or public safety background, mention it, but none of these are required to apply.
Check the minimums before you send: 18 years or older, Grade 12 or equivalent, a valid Class 5 driver's licence (or equivalent) with an acceptable driving record, and willingness to undergo a criminal record check. No experience is needed, and the department pays for your Firefighter I training.
There is no application fee and no deadline; recruitment is standing, so apply whenever you are ready. The page also invites you to note any accommodation needs in your email, so do that up front if it applies to you.
Department source for this stage
Read roadmap step 7 Review your Gap List Certification tracker
The department describes this stage as a chance to meet the team and ask questions, so treat it as a two-way conversation rather than a formal panel. Come ready to explain why you want to serve Bathurst and how volunteering fits around your work and family life.
Be exact and honest about your availability, because the department asked for it in your application and will weigh it here. A candidate who can reliably make evening and weekend training, and ideally some daytime calls, is more useful to a volunteer hall than one who oversells and under-delivers.
Line up two or three references who can speak to your reliability and how you handle responsibility, such as employers, coaches, or instructors, and let them know to expect a call. Use your own questions to learn the training schedule and call expectations so you can commit with open eyes.
Department source for this stage
Read roadmap step 10 Draft your PHS Build your experience logbook
The department states it will provide instructions for both the criminal record check and the driver's abstract, so wait for those instructions rather than ordering documents on your own. The page does not say who pays any processing costs, so confirm with the department.
The posting requires a valid Class 5 driver's licence (or equivalent) and an acceptable driving record. If there is anything on your abstract or your record, raise it yourself early; an honest explanation lands far better than a surprise during screening.
Keep your licence valid and your driving clean between applying and screening. A new infraction at this stage is an avoidable problem.
Department source for this stage
Read roadmap step 10 Draft your PHS Build your experience logbook
The department describes a practical fitness test with tasks such as stair climbs with equipment, hose carry and drag, ladder raise, and tool carry, plus a brief medical screening to confirm you can safely perform essential tasks. No pass times or scoring standards are published, so confirm the exact format with the department.
Train for those movements rather than for a gym number: stair work carrying weight, loaded carries for the tool carry, sled or tire drags for hose work, and grip strength. Steady conditioning over several weeks beats a last-minute push.
This is a screening for safe performance of volunteer duties, not an elite fitness competition, so do not let the test scare you off. The application page invites you to note accommodation needs, so raise anything relevant with the department before test day.
Department source for this stage
Read roadmap step 13 Start a fitness program
Core onboarding covers safety, personal protective equipment, apparatus familiarization, radio use, and emergency scene operations. All required personal protective equipment is provided by the department.
The Firefighter I course is a requirement for all volunteer firefighters, and the Bathurst Fire Department pays the tuition. You are paid per call once you hold your Firefighter I certification, so treat the course like a job commitment and protect your training nights.
Ongoing training includes live-fire drills, vehicle extrication, ladder work, search and rescue, and pump operations. In a volunteer hall your attendance is the first reputation you build, so show up consistently from week one.
Department source for this stage
Read roadmap step 14 Academy preparation guide Start a fitness program

Worth knowing

The Firefighter I course is a requirement for all volunteer firefighters and its tuition fees are paid by the Bathurst Fire Department.
Volunteers are paid per call after Firefighter I certification, and all required personal protective equipment is provided.
Ongoing training includes live-fire drills, vehicle extrication, ladder work, search and rescue, and pump operations.

Official sources

Last verified July 2026. Requirements change: the official posting always governs.

City of Bathurst, Become a volunteer firefighter

Semparo is not affiliated with or endorsed by Bathurst Fire Department or any testing vendor. This guide is independent preparation content.

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