How to become a firefighter in Salmon Arm

Required at application

Required before hire

Preferred assets

1. 1ApplicationSubmit the four-part application package to the Fire Department Administration Office.

   Check the minimum standards before you start: you must be at least 18 and in good physical condition, hold and maintain a valid BC driver's licence with an acceptable driving record, be employed full-time, and reside in Salmon Arm. Grade 12 or equivalent is preferred but not required, and no fire certification is needed because the department trains its recruits.

   The package has four parts: the employment application for paid-on-call volunteer firefighter, a two-page consent for disclosure of criminal record information that you take to the local RCMP detachment yourself, a physical fitness medical release, and a driver's licence abstract from Service BC. The department will not treat your application as complete unless all four parts are returned filled out in full, so get the RCMP consent and the abstract moving early.

   Return the completed package to the Fire Department Administration Office at 141 Ross Street NE. Enquiries about recruitment go to the Fire Chief at 250.803.4060.

   Two published points can end an application before it starts: city policy precludes spouses or significant others from working within the same municipal department, and the driving record on your abstract must be acceptable. If you live outside Salmon Arm or work part-time, confirm your eligibility with the department before applying.

   Department source for this stage

   Read roadmap step 7Review your Gap ListCertification tracker
2. 2Screening and personal interviewsReference checks and an RCMP criminal record search, followed by a short interview for successful candidates.

   At this stage the department checks the references you listed on your application forms and confirms a criminal record search with the RCMP. Both checks are kept strictly confidential for the Fire Department's use.

   Candidates who clear screening are invited to a short interview, and the department says you will have the chance to ask your own questions there. Come ready to explain how you will balance calls and training with your full-time job, and bring two or three real questions about hall life and expectations.

   Choose references who can speak to your reliability and how you handle instruction, and tell them a call may come. That is general interview craft, not a published Salmon Arm rule.

   If you succeed at the interview stage, the department has you complete a few more forms: semi-annual direct deposit authorization, semi-annual income tax deduction, and the Hepatitis B vaccine program.

   Department source for this stage

   Read roadmap step 11Run a mock panel interviewInterview playbook
3. 3Job-related fitness testingConducted at a fire hall determined by the fire chief; candidates can familiarize themselves with all exercises before being tested.

   Testing is held at a fire hall chosen by the fire chief, and every event is performed wearing a helmet, gloves, and SCBA without the face piece. The department states that candidates get an opportunity to familiarize themselves with all the exercises before being tested, so treat that walkthrough as part of your preparation.

   Three stations carry a one-minute limit: a stair climb carrying an apartment pack in one hand and a hose bundle on your shoulder, up and down one flight three times with a foot landing on every stair; a 175 lb sled drag moving backwards 50 feet around a pylon and back; and a hand-over-hand raise and lower of a 40 lb hose roll to the top of the hose tower, where the rope cannot wrap around your hands or slide through them.

   The remaining stations are an aerial climb up a 50-foot ladder set at 75 degrees into the basket, with the platform then extended to 104 feet; a 30-second hydrant bag carry walking across the rungs of a 14-foot ladder and back without falling off; a simple maze walked in a blacked-out SCBA mask; and a 15-second carry of a 90 lb roll of supply hose, lifted from tailboard height and carried 50 feet around a pylon and back.

   Train grip strength, legs, and carrying under load in the weeks before, and get honest about heights and confined spaces since the aerial climb and blacked-out maze test composure more than strength. That preparation advice is general; the station descriptions and time limits above are the department's own.

   Department source for this stage

   Read roadmap step 13Start a fitness program
4. 4Recruit training and probationApproximately 120 hours of recruit training with practical and written evaluations, followed by a 3-month probation period.

   Once you clear the earlier stages you are enrolled in the recruit training program as soon as is practical. It runs approximately 120 hours with practical and written evaluations throughout and at the end, and the city's fire training page says recruit classes are held annually based on demand, with the hours spread over about one year.

   Training covers safety and regulatory requirements and essential firefighting skills, including live fire drills, with hands-on work at the Shuswap Regional Fire Training Centre. The city states recruits graduate with third party Full Service accreditation, less hazmat operations, vehicle extrication, and medical first responder.

   After you complete recruit training, a 3-month probation period follows. At any point in the process, actions that contravene department policy and standing orders can result in dismissal at the fire chief's discretion, so attendance, safe practice, and professionalism are part of the evaluation from day one.

   Plan the ongoing commitment with your employer and family now: the department's regular training runs Tuesday evenings, with rescue practices monthly on Wednesday evenings and special practices on weekends. Members who last are the ones who protect those nights in their schedule before the year starts.

   Department source for this stage

   Read roadmap step 14Academy preparation guideStart a fitness program