How to become a firefighter in Kelowna

Required at application

1. 1NTN written testAdministered through the National Testing Network.

   Kelowna accepts applications only through the National Testing Network posting for the Kelowna Fire Department, never through the City of Kelowna job board. In the 2025 intake you scheduled your exam first, added the Kelowna Fire Department job, paid an exam fee of 65 US dollars, then created an NTN account and checked out. The department states that fees are non-refundable and must be paid before you can take part in a step.

   Your application is not considered complete until the required documents are uploaded to the NTN portal: a driver's abstract showing at least five years of history, copies of your NFPA 1001 and NFPA 472 certificates (NFPA 1072 is accepted as equivalent), a valid first aid certificate, and a resume following the department's formatting instructions. Files missing documents receive no further consideration, so upload everything before you test.

   The department's process document lists five test components: a situational judgment test, mechanical reasoning, a reading test, a math test, and a public safety self assessment. You book the testing directly through NTN and can choose from a wide selection of virtually proctored dates and times.

   In past cycles the application, written test, and video interview all had to be finished by one cut-off date, which was August 31 in the 2025 intake. Book early so a technical problem or a full schedule does not cost you the competition. The department also asks applicants not to phone the Fire Department or Human Resources with process questions, since everything is posted on the recruitment page.

   Department source for this stage

   Read roadmap step 8Drill the question banksSit a timed mock
2. 2NTN pre-recorded video interview

   After the written test you complete a pre-recorded video interview directly through the National Testing Network. The department's process document says you will be guided through answering six questions that are recorded.

   Kelowna reviews your recording alongside your written test score and resume when deciding who moves forward, and in past cycles it shared the same completion deadline as the written test. Treat it as a real interview, not a formality.

   Record in a quiet, well-lit space, dress as you would for an in-person interview, and practise answering common firefighter questions out loud against a timer. There is no interviewer to redirect a rambling answer, so lead with your point and keep each response tight.

   Department source for this stage

   Read roadmap step 11Run a mock panel interviewInterview playbook
3. 3Physical, swim, and medical testingNFPA 1582 medical with Category A restrictions.

   Candidates shortlisted from the NTN components are notified by email and assigned a confirmation number. From this point the City posts only confirmation numbers on its website, never names, so keep your number handy for the rest of the process.

   Before you can participate you must complete three forms the department provides: a consent for exercise testing and release, a PAR-Q form, and a PARmed-X form. The physical assessment is run by an independent third party in Kelowna and takes about one hour, and every timed event is rated pass or fail against firefighter norms. Failing any one event eliminates you from the competition.

   The published swim test is a three minute treading-water surface support, a 25 metre swim, a 25 metre tow wearing a life jacket, and recovery of a 20 pound weight from a pool bottom seven feet deep, all in regular swim wear. Failure on any portion of the swim test results in elimination. Out-of-town applicants are scheduled so one trip covers both the physical and swim assessments.

   Vision and hearing tests based on the NFPA 1582 standard are done on site by an independent third party, so allow extra time on assessment day. In past cycles the thorough medical assessment came after the eligibility list was posted, with the City paying the medical cost and candidates covering their own travel. Train the swim events specifically, because a strong gym athlete can still fail the tread and the tow.

   Department source for this stage

   Read roadmap step 13Start a fitness program
4. 4Criminal record search

   Kelowna does not run this check for you. You obtain a current completed Criminal Record Search yourself from your local police or the RCMP and bring the original to your final interview, and you are responsible for any costs of getting it.

   Order it as soon as you learn you are moving forward, because processing times vary by detachment. Confirm current turnaround with your local police so the document is ready before your interview date.

   Be complete and truthful about anything on your record. Kelowna publishes a zero-tolerance rule: applicants who are deceitful, untruthful, or who intentionally withhold information from recruitment personnel will have no future firefighter applications considered.

   Department source for this stage

   Read roadmap step 10Draft your PHSBuild your experience logbook
5. 5Final in-person interview

   Human Resources contacts successful candidates to book a final interview held in Kelowna, and the list of participants is posted on the City website by confirmation number only. When your interview is booked, the department emails you the exact list of items to bring.

   In the published FAQ that list was: your driver's licence for identification, an optional current copy of your resume, the original of your Criminal Record Search, and a reference list with names and current contact information for at least three employment references.

   Out-of-town candidates travel at their own cost, and the FAQ warns that notice can be short, so keep your schedule flexible during the interview window. Candidates who were interviewed but unsuccessful are notified by phone once the competition is complete.

   Prepare specific stories about teamwork, conflict, and working under pressure from your own history, and answer every background question honestly given the zero-tolerance rule on withheld information. Successful candidates go onto an eligibility list, posted by confirmation number, and hires are made from it as positions open.

   Department source for this stage

   Read roadmap step 11Run a mock panel interviewInterview playbook
6. 6References

   Kelowna collects references at the final interview: a list with names and current contact information for a minimum of three employment references. The published FAQ says these people must be able to offer a professional perspective on you and your work ethic.

   Choose supervisors, officers, or instructors who have directly overseen your work rather than friends or relatives, and ask each one for permission before listing them. Let them know a call from the City of Kelowna may come so they respond promptly.

   The published documents do not say when or how the department contacts referees, so confirm any timing questions with Human Resources at your interview. Keep your referees' contact information current until you are hired, since candidates are placed in positions from the eligibility list over a period of time.

   Department source for this stage

   Read roadmap step 10Draft your PHSBuild your experience logbook