City Guides / British Columbia

How to become a firefighter in Surrey

Verified GuideModel A: We train youDepartment-specificDepartment-specific

Not accepting applications

The recruitment page states: "The City of Surrey is accepting applications for the position of firefighter from July 27, 2026 until 11:59pm PST August 17, 2026." That deadline has passed, but the page still displays the window with no closed notice, so it reads as open when it is not. The process itself continues: the same page schedules psychometric assessment for Thursday September 3, 2026 at the Simon Fraser University Surrey Campus.

Checked August 18, 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 Surrey requires before you can apply.

How hiring works here

Every stage Surrey 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: BC EMA First Responder licence or higher (EMR, PCP, ACP)
Driver requirement: Class 3 or Class 1 licence with air brake endorsement
Written test: Department-specific
Physical test: Department-specific
Last verified: July 2026 · sources monitored daily for changes

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

Surrey hires entry-level and does not require NFPA 1001 certification: uncertified candidates instead complete the Surrey Fire Service Basic Firefighting Knowledge Course during the hiring process. The medical bar is a current BC EMA First Responder licence or higher (EMR, PCP, or ACP); OFA licensing is not accepted. You also need Grade 12, two years of accumulated post-high-school work experience, and a Class 3 or Class 1 licence with air brake endorsement at application. Selection runs through Surrey's own nine-station physical abilities test, a skills assessment, psychometric screening, and a panel interview, and typically happens once per year.

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

Requirements

Required at application

Legally entitled to work in Canada
Canadian citizen or permanent resident (landed immigrant).
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Grade 12 completion or equivalent
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Two years or more of accumulated work experience after high school
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Class 3 or Class 1 licence with air brake endorsement
Or equivalent for vehicles with more than two axles. Automatic transmission is accepted. A safe driving record is required, and all licences must be fully completed before you apply.
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BC EMA First Responder licence or higher (EMR, PCP, ACP)
Must be a current licence issued by the BC EMA Licensing Board. OFA licensing is not accepted. Out-of-province applicants must obtain a BC licence through the Emergency Medical Assistants Licensing Board.
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Fluency in English, written and verbal
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Required before hire

Driver's abstract
Requested at Stage 2 and reviewed against the City of Surrey's safe driving criteria.
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Surrey Fire Service Basic Firefighting Knowledge Course or equivalent
An online course made available to candidates during the selection process. NFPA 1001 Level 1 or Level 2 with IFSAC or ProBoard certification is accepted as equivalent.
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Vision standard
Minimum 20/100 vision combined uncorrected and 20/30 vision combined corrected, with colour and peripheral vision suitable to the position. Verified at the medical evaluation stage.

Preferred assets

30 post-secondary credits or one year of a trade apprenticeshipPreferred asset
Listed in the application manual as a preferred qualification.
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The hiring process

Apply through the City of Surrey careers page while the posting is live. For the current cycle, applications are accepted from July 27 until 11:59pm PST on August 17, 2026, and the department says postings only stay open for a couple of weeks, so do not wait for the 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 7 Review your Gap List Certification tracker
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 4 Air brakes question bank
This stage has two in-person parts. For the current cycle, physical testing runs August 25 to 31, 2026, and the skills assessments follow 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 13 Start a fitness program
For the current cycle, the assessment is scheduled for 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 12 Polygraph guide Review your PHS answers
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 9 Drill the question banks
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 11 Run a mock panel interview Interview playbook
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 10 Draft your PHS Build your experience logbook
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 3 Track your certifications Medical terms study sheet

Worth knowing

NFPA 1001 certification is not required; the Surrey Fire Basic Knowledge Course covers the theory for uncertified candidates.
OFA licensing is not accepted; only BC EMA Licensing Board licences qualify.
Surrey typically runs one career firefighter hiring process per year and the full process can take up to 6 months; the City was not accepting applications as of the July 2026 review.
Candidates who interview unsuccessfully are often required to sit out a year before reapplying.
Attending a Surrey Firefighter Physical/Skills Workshop is a preferred qualification that the department states will become a future requirement with proof of attendance.

Official sources

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

Semparo is not affiliated with or endorsed by Surrey Fire Service or any testing vendor. This guide is independent preparation content.

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