City Guides / British Columbia

How to become a firefighter in Richmond

Pattern-mapped

Model A: We train you

Department-specific

York

The requirements below were researched against the official sources linked at the bottom of this page and are pending final verification. Always confirm against the current official posting.

Richmond hires without requiring fire certification: NFPA 1001 Firefighter I and II is a preferred qualification, not a basic one. The basic bar is Grade 12, a BC Class 3 licence with air brakes, a 5-year safe driving record, and a minimum of First Responder Level 3. Candidates pay $400 for the BL Associates written test, then face a swim test (100 m plus 5 minutes treading water) and the York-style fitness test administered by Ascent, both at no cost, before panel and Fire Chief interviews and an NFPA 1582 medical at candidate expense.

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

Application window

2026 intake: February 11 to March 1

Requirements

Required at application

Ability to pass a Police Information Check
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Legally entitled to work in Canada
Supporting documentation required, such as a Canadian birth certificate, Canadian passport, or landed immigrant papers. A work visa is not acceptable.
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Grade 12 or equivalent
Supporting documentation must be uploaded with the application.
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BC Class 3 licence (automatic or manual) with airbrakes, or equivalent
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5-year driving record demonstrating responsible and safe driving
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First Responder Level 3 minimum
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Required before hire

Fitness test
Administered by Ascent Lifestyle Management at no cost to applicants: a 20-metre shuttle run to a minimum of Stage 7, plus ten job simulation performance tests including hose carry and stair climb, ladder lift, rope pull, weighted drag, and forced entry.
Swim test
100-metre swim using a continuous forward stroke (front crawl or freestyle) followed immediately by 5 minutes of treading water. No cost to applicants.
NFPA 1582 medical examination
Comprehensive occupational medical by Ultima Medical Services covering visual acuity, depth perception, lung function, hearing, and colour vision. The fee is the applicant's cost.

Preferred assets

NFPA 1001 Firefighter I and II (preferred)
Preferred asset
An approved firefighting training program is a preferred qualification, not required.
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One year of work experience (preferred)
Preferred asset
A minimum of one year (1,820 hours at a 35-hour work week) is preferred.
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The hiring process

1
Online application
Through the City of Richmond's online application system at chooserichmond.ca during the application period.
2
Written testing($400)
BL Associates Personal-Competency Assessment for the Job of Firefighter, online over two set dates in April. Takes 3 to 4 hours. Scores from a BLA test for another department within 12 months may transfer.
3
Physical testing
Swim test and fitness test held in Richmond over a two-day period in late April or early May, at no cost to applicants.
4
Panel interview
Structured, predominantly behavioural questions.
5
Candidate department familiarization
A fire hall day to meet the team and experience the job.
6
Fire Chief interview and background checks
Reference checks, education verification, the NFPA 1582 medical at the applicant's cost, a Police Information Check, and an updated driver's record.
7
Job offers
The 2026 start date was anticipated for August.

Worth knowing

NFPA 1001 certification is preferred but not required, making Richmond one of the few Metro Vancouver departments that trains recruits.
All supporting documentation for basic and preferred qualifications must be uploaded at the time of application or it will not be considered.
Applicants facing financial hardship from testing costs can email fire@richmond.ca to explain extenuating circumstances.

Official sources

Last verified 2026-07. Requirements change: the official posting always governs.

Semparo is not affiliated with or endorsed by Richmond Fire-Rescue or any testing vendor. This guide is independent preparation content.

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