City Guides / British Columbia
How to become a firefighter in Victoria & Esquimalt
Victoria and Esquimalt recruit jointly, building a shared eligibility pool from a single competition. Candidates must arrive pre-certified with NFPA 1001 Firefighter 1 and 2, advanced medical or first aid training (First Responder Level 3 or equivalent), and a BC Class 3 licence with air brake endorsement. A pass on the University of Victoria or University of Alberta Firefighter Fitness Test within one year of the posting date is required, and selection runs through written examinations in Greater Victoria, a joint assessment day, and a behavioural-descriptive panel interview.
NFPA 1001 Firefighter I and II plus HazMat Operations are required before applying. Budget for fire school before you can compete.
Requirements
Required at application
- NFPA 1001 Firefighter 1 and 2Prepare with roadmap step 5
- Advanced medical or first aid training (FR3 or equivalent)Prepare with roadmap step 3
- Canadian citizen or permanent residentPrepare with roadmap step 2
- Grade 12Prepare with roadmap step 2
- BC Class 3 with air brake endorsement or equivalentPrepare with roadmap step 4
- Clean driver's abstractPrepare with roadmap step 7
- University of Victoria or University of Alberta Firefighter Fitness Test
Successful completion within one year of the posting date. Either the University of Victoria or the University of Alberta test is accepted.
Prepare with roadmap step 13
Required before hire
- Two recent supervisor referencesPrepare with roadmap step 7
Preferred assets
- Fire, forest fire service, SAR, or EMS/BCAS experiencePrepare with roadmap step 2Preferred asset
The hiring process
- 1
Written examinations
Held in Greater Victoria.
- 2
Joint assessment day
- 3
Behavioural-descriptive panel interview
- 4
References
Two recent supervisor references.
- 5
Licensing verification
Worth knowing
- The joint competition builds a shared eligibility pool for both departments.
- Preferred assets include fire, forest fire service, SAR, and EMS/BCAS experience.
Official sources
Last verified 2026-07. Requirements change: the official posting always governs.
Semparo is not affiliated with or endorsed by Victoria Fire Department and Esquimalt Fire Rescue Services (joint recruitment) or any testing vendor. This guide is independent preparation content.
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