City Guides / British Columbia

How to become a firefighter in Richmond

Verified GuideModel A: We train youDepartment-specificYork

Not accepting applications

The become a firefighter page states: "Career Firefighter Recruitment 2026 Hiring Process. Current phase: Job offers. Successful candidates are being contacted directly with offers of employment." Their published timeline puts applications in February and March, so the next opening is a year out on that pattern.

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

Where are you starting from?

What you need

The credentials and documents Richmond requires before you can apply.

How hiring works here

Every stage Richmond 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: First Responder Level 3 minimum
Driver requirement: BC Class 3 licence (automatic or manual) with airbrakes, or equivalent
Written test: Department-specific
Physical test: York
Last verified: July 2026 · sources monitored daily for changes

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

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.

How their intake usually runs

2026 intake: February 11 to March 1

Requirements

Required at application

Ability to pass a Police Information Check
Prepare with roadmap step 2
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.
Prepare with roadmap step 2
Grade 12 or equivalent
Supporting documentation must be uploaded with the application.
Prepare with roadmap step 2
BC Class 3 licence (automatic or manual) with airbrakes, or equivalent
Prepare with roadmap step 4
5-year driving record demonstrating responsible and safe driving
Prepare with roadmap step 7
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

Apply only through the City of Richmond's online application system at chooserichmond.ca during the application period. Email, fax, and hard copy applications are not accepted, and the online deadline is 11:59 p.m., so start early rather than racing the clock.
Have everything ready before you begin: a resume outlining your work and volunteer experience, at least three employment references who can verify your history and suitability, and supporting documents for each basic qualification. That means proof you can legally work in Canada (Canadian birth certificate, Canadian passport, or landed immigrant papers, a work visa is not acceptable), Grade 12 or equivalent, your BC Class 3 licence with air brakes (front and back), your 5-year driving record, and your First Responder Level 3 certificate.
Upload documentation for preferred qualifications too, such as NFPA 1001 Firefighter I and II, post-secondary education, fire-service courses, or a Lifesaving Society Bronze Star or higher. Supporting documents for all basic and preferred qualifications must be provided at the time of application or they will not be considered, and total uploads must stay under 10 MB.
Incomplete applications are screened out, and knowingly providing inaccurate or misleading information disqualifies you with no refund of testing costs. Use an email address you check regularly, including the junk folder, and do not contact Human Resources for status updates. Problems during the application period go to fire@richmond.ca during business hours.
Department source for this stage
Read roadmap step 7 Review your Gap List Certification tracker
Richmond uses the BL Associates Personal-Competency Assessment for the Job of Firefighter, written online. In 2026 it ran on two set dates, April 10 and 11, with no opportunity to write on any other date, so protect those dates as soon as you are invited.
The fee is $400, non-refundable, at the applicant's cost, payable by Visa, MasterCard, or AMEX at the time of registration. If testing costs create financial hardship, Richmond invites you to email fire@richmond.ca to explain your circumstances.
The test takes roughly 3 to 4 hours and mixes timed problem-solving sections with untimed character and interest questionnaires. BL Associates advises practising verbal, mathematical, reasoning, and mechanical questions for the timed sections, answering the character questions as you really are, and getting good sleep the two nights before.
If you sat a BLA test for another fire department within the last 12 months, your scores may be eligible for transfer. Richmond provides transfer details to candidates selected to move forward, so raise it early if it applies to you.
Department source for this stage
Read roadmap step 8 Drill the question banks Sit a timed mock
Shortlisted applicants complete a swim test and a fitness test in Richmond over a two-day period in late April or early May, one test per day, at no cost. Failing either test eliminates you from the process, and exact dates and times are communicated later, so keep that window flexible.
The swim test is a 100-metre swim using a continuous forward stroke, front crawl or freestyle, followed immediately by 5 minutes of treading water. It takes less than half an hour and you wear swimming attire. Practise the whole sequence as one continuous effort, since the treading water starts right after the swim.
The fitness test is administered by Ascent Lifestyle Management Inc. and takes about 3 to 4 hours. It includes a 20-metre shuttle run to a minimum of Stage 7, scored up to Stage 10, plus ten job simulations: a confined-area crawl, an aerial ladder climb, a timed 85 lb hose carry and stair climb, a 56 lb ladder lift, a timed 50 lb rope pull, a timed 135 lb hose advance over 50 feet, a timed 200 lb weighted drag over 50 feet, forced entry, a ladder raise, and an auto-extrication tool carry and hold.
Richmond tells applicants to strive for their highest possible score on each test, so passing the minimums is not the goal. Build your aerobic base for the shuttle run and train grip, legs, and core for the carries, drags, and pulls.
Department source for this stage
Read roadmap step 13 Start a fitness program
The panel interview is structured and predominantly behavioural, which means questions about what you have actually done rather than what you might do in theory.
Prepare specific stories from work, volunteering, and training that show teamwork, conflict resolution, working safely under pressure, and serving the public. A simple structure of situation, action, and result keeps each answer clear and complete.
Richmond publishes its values as People, Excellence, Leadership, Team, and Innovation, and its mission centres on protecting and educating the community. Candidates who connect real examples to those values honestly stand out more than candidates who recite them.
Department source for this stage
Read roadmap step 11 Run a mock panel interview Interview playbook
Shortlisted applicants are invited to a Fire Hall Familiarization, a chance to meet the team and experience a day in the life of a Richmond firefighter. Details on the date, location, and how to register are provided to successful applicants later in the process.
Treat the day as part of your assessment even though it is framed as familiarization. Arrive on time, dress appropriately, ask thoughtful questions about the work, and engage with everyone you meet, because the people showing you around may be your future crewmates.
Use the day to test your own fit as well. Richmond trains its own recruits and puts weight on community connection, so pay attention to how the crews work and confirm this is the department you want.
Department source for this stage
Read roadmap step 6 Build your experience logbook
Shortlisted applicants are interviewed by the Fire Chief or a designate. Richmond also completes reference checks and education verification at this stage, so tell your three employment references they may be contacted and make sure they can speak to your work history.
You will be asked to arrange a comprehensive NFPA 1582 Occupational Medical Examination with Ultima Medical Services Inc. at Suite 390, 3600 Lysander Lane in Richmond, phone 604-270-1370. It takes about 90 minutes, covers visual acuity, depth perception, lung function, hearing, and colour vision, and the fee is paid by the applicant directly to the clinic.
A Medical Certificate is issued on successful completion, confirming you meet the NFPA 1582 Chapter 6 standards for candidate firefighters. The full standard can be viewed at nfpa.org if you want to review it before booking.
You will also be given instructions to arrange a Police Information Check, and an updated driver's record is required. Keep your driving record clean through the whole process, since Richmond screens on a 5-year record of responsible and safe driving.
Department source for this stage
Read roadmap step 10 Draft your PHS Build your experience logbook
Applicants who succeed through every stage receive offers of employment. For the 2026 intake the start date was anticipated for August, when the recruit class begins.
Richmond trains its own recruits, since NFPA 1001 Firefighter I and II is preferred rather than required, so an offer can arrive before you hold fire certification. Keep your First Responder Level 3 and your Class 3 licence with air brakes valid through to your start date.
Communication is primarily by email, so keep checking the address you applied with, including junk mail, and respond promptly. If you are not selected this cycle, confirm with the department when the next recruitment opens and use the time to add preferred qualifications such as NFPA 1001, related experience, or a second language.
Department source for this stage
Read roadmap step 14 Academy preparation guide Start a fitness program

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 July 2026. 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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