How to become a firefighter in Surrey

Required at application

Required before hire

Preferred assets

1. 1Online applicationSubmitted through surrey.ca/careers during the posted application period. Must be completed in one sitting.

   Apply through the City of Surrey careers page while a posting is live. The City is not accepting applications now: the 2026 window ran from July 27 to August 17, 2026, and the department says postings only stay open for a couple of weeks, so watch for the next one and do not wait for its deadline.

   Every minimum qualification must be complete before you apply: Grade 12, two years of accumulated work experience after high school, a Class 3 or Class 1 licence with air brake endorsement and a safe driving record, and a current BC EMA First Responder licence or higher (EMR, PCP, or ACP). OFA licensing is not accepted, and out-of-province applicants must first get a BC licence through the Emergency Medical Assistants Licensing Board.

   Surrey firefighters must live within Metro Vancouver or the Fraser Valley Regional District, no further east than Hope and no further north than Squamish. Confirm you meet this residency boundary before you apply.

   Hundreds of applications are reviewed after closing and only the best qualified move on, so list your preferred qualifications too: post-secondary education, emergency service, hospitality, military or search and rescue experience, team sports, coaching, computer literacy, and languages other than English. Gather licence numbers, dates, and documents before you start, and keep proof of everything, because the department verifies qualifications at the interview stage.

   Department source for this stage

   Read roadmap step 7Review your Gap ListCertification tracker
2. 2Driver's abstract reviewShortlisted candidates submit an abstract for review against City policy.

   Shortlisted candidates are asked for a driver's abstract, which is reviewed against the City of Surrey's safe driving criteria. Request a current copy of your own record from ICBC ahead of time so you know exactly what the reviewer will see.

   Read it for tickets, prohibitions, and at-fault claims you may have forgotten. Surrey does not publish the exact pass criteria, so if anything on your abstract worries you, confirm with the department before investing in the rest of the process.

   Keep your record clean between application and hire. A new infraction during the process can undo everything your application already earned.

   Read roadmap step 4Air brakes question bank
3. 3Physical abilities testing and skills assessmentNine timed stations including confined space, aerial climb, sled drag, ladder extension, tower climb, hose roll raise, hydrant kit carry, hose advance, and Storz roll carry. Requires a physician-completed medical evaluation beforehand. The skills assessment with fire hall drills and a short interview follows immediately.

   This stage has two in-person parts. In the 2026 cycle, physical testing ran August 25 to 31 and the skills assessments followed on September 12 to 14, possibly 15; you must attend on the date you are given.

   Bring two completed forms or you will not test: the Physical Fitness Testing Medical Clearance Form, which a physician must complete, and the ParQ Plus Form. Book the doctor's appointment early because clearance can take time.

   The physical test is Surrey's own timed nine-station circuit, including a confined space crawl, aerial climb, sled drag, ladder extension, tower climb, hose evolutions, and a hydrant kit carry. Download the Physical Abilities Testing Guide and Training Guide from the recruitment page and train those exact movements, with extra work on grip, legs, and cardio under fatigue.

   After the physical test you complete a one-hour skills assessment scored by Surrey firefighters on your ability to work in a team, listen to instruction, and follow direction. Strong candidates attend a Surrey physical test practice or skills workshop first, where peer fitness trainers let you try the actual stations and give improvement tips.

   Department source for this stage

   Read roadmap step 13Start a fitness program
4. 4Psychometric screeningApproximately four hours of testing covering learning ability, aptitudes, personality traits, and career interests. Coordinated through BL Associates; the non-refundable fee is the candidate's responsibility. Results from the past year may transfer for a reduced fee.

   In the 2026 cycle, the assessment was held on the evening of Thursday, September 3, 2026 at the Simon Fraser University Surrey campus. Plan for 3 to 4 hours of in-person questionnaires that test problem solving abilities as well as character.

   Testing is coordinated through BL Associates and the cost is your responsibility. The recruitment page does not publish the amount, so confirm the current fee with BL Associates when you book.

   If you wrote the test in the past 12 months and reached the minimum threshold, your score may transfer instead of retesting. A minimum pass elsewhere does not guarantee a pass for Surrey, because each municipality filters on different criteria, so contact BL Associates before assuming your score carries.

   You cannot cram for personality measures, so answer honestly and consistently rather than guessing what the department wants. Arrive rested, treat it like an exam, and review BL Associates' candidate resources linked from the recruitment page so the question formats are familiar.

   Department source for this stage

   Read roadmap step 12Polygraph guideReview your PHS answers
5. 5Surrey Fire Basic Knowledge CourseCompleted by candidates who do not hold NFPA 1001 Firefighter I and II.

   Surrey does not require NFPA 1001 to apply. If you are uncertified, you complete the Surrey Fire Services Basic Firefighting Knowledge Course, an online course you are given the opportunity to sign up for during the selection process.

   If you already hold NFPA 1001 Level 1 or Level 2 with IFSAC or ProBoard certification, that is accepted as the equivalent. Have those certificates ready as proof so the department can confirm the equivalency.

   Treat the course like an academy prerequisite, not a formality. Set steady study time, take notes, and carry the theory into your interview answers, because it covers the knowledge Surrey expects of a new firefighter.

   Department source for this stage

   Read roadmap step 9Drill the question banks
6. 6Panel interviewBehavioural interview with fire department management, Human Resources, and the IAFF Local 1271 executive. The interview stage takes 4 to 6 weeks.

   For the current cycle, one-hour interviews run from September 21 to October 16, 2026, in person. The panel represents the Fire Chiefs, the union executive, and Human Resources.

   The panel assesses strength of character and moral fortitude through behavioural questions. Prepare specific stories from work, volunteering, and sport that show teamwork, integrity, and judgment under pressure, and answer with those real examples rather than generalities.

   Bring proof of your qualifications, because the department requires it at the interview stage. Organize licences, certificates, and transcripts in one folder so nothing is missing on the day.

   Surrey typically runs one hiring process per year, so an unsuccessful interview usually means waiting for the next cycle. Do a full mock panel interview with people who will challenge you, and review the City of Surrey applicant resources page beforehand.

   Department source for this stage

   Read roadmap step 11Run a mock panel interviewInterview playbook
7. 7Reference and police information checksProfessional references plus a Police Information Check with vulnerable sector check.

   In the final stage, Human Resources checks your references. They must be professional, not personal, and must include your current and previous manager or supervisor.

   Warn your references before you list them and tell them a call from Surrey is coming. They will be asked about your employment record, work habits, and interpersonal skills, so choose people who have actually supervised your work.

   You will also complete a Police Information Check that includes a vulnerable sector check; the department forwards the paperwork to you. Complete it promptly, and if anything might appear on it, raise it with the department yourself rather than hoping it goes unnoticed.

   Department source for this stage

   Read roadmap step 10Draft your PHSBuild your experience logbook
8. 8Conditional offer, medical evaluation, and First Responder Suitability Assessment(approx. $800 (medical))The pre-employment medical costs around $800 at the candidate's expense; medicals completed for other fire departments are not accepted. The FRSA includes written tests and an interview with a clinical psychologist at no cost.

   Clearing references and the police check leads to a Conditional Offer of Employment. The offer depends on passing a medical evaluation and the First Responder Suitability Assessment, and both must be done in person.

   The medical is provided by a third party selected by the City and costs approximately $800, at your expense. Medicals completed for other fire departments are not accepted, so budget for Surrey's own evaluation.

   The medical screens for conditions that could affect your ability to work as a firefighter, including Surrey's vision standard of at least 20/100 combined uncorrected and 20/30 combined corrected, with suitable colour and peripheral vision. If you have any doubt about your eyes, have an eye care practitioner confirm you meet the standard before this stage.

   The FRSA is a series of written tests followed by an interview with a clinical psychologist, at no cost to you; answer honestly and consistently. Once all conditions are satisfied, HR removes the condition from your offer and books uniform, turn-out gear, SCBA, and N95 fittings; the current cycle's recruit training is scheduled for November 3 to December 11, 2026, subject to change.

   Department source for this stage

   Read roadmap step 3Track your certificationsMedical terms study sheet