How to become a firefighter in Windsor

Verified GuideModel A: We train youCPSCPAT

Accepting applications

Closes September 21, 2026.

The recruitment timetable states: "Online application Monday, July 6, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. to Monday, September 21, 2026, at 4:30 p.m." The page marks its own dates "Subject to Change", and testing through Firefighter Services of Ontario must be completed on or before Sunday, September 20, 2026, so book testing well before the application deadline rather than at it.

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 Windsor requires before you can apply.

How hiring works here

Every stage Windsor 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: Standard First Aid and Basic Life Support (BLS) certificate or equivalent; Medical assessment to NFPA 1582 standards (required at conditional job offer)
Driver requirement: Valid Class D (or higher) Ontario licence with Z endorsement
Written test: CPS
Physical test: CPAT
Last verified: July 2026 · sources monitored daily for changes

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

Windsor is one of the few large Ontario departments that does not require NFPA 1001 to apply: NFPA certification and courses are listed as an asset, not a requirement, and recruits complete a basic training program during a twelve-month probation. At application you need to be 18 or older and legally entitled to work in Canada, hold an Ontario Secondary School Graduation Diploma or Ministry equivalency, a valid Class D (or higher) Ontario licence with Z endorsement, and a valid Standard First Aid and Basic Life Support certificate or equivalent. Screening runs through Firefighter Services of Ontario and includes a written aptitude examination, the CPAT physical ability test, a tread water test, an acrophobia assessment, and medical and clinical evaluations, followed by two interview rounds and clearance checks.

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

2026/2027 recruitment: July 6 to September 21, 2026

Requirements

Required at application

18 years of age or older at the time of application
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Legally entitled to work in Canada
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Ontario Secondary School Graduation Diploma or Ministry of Education equivalency
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Valid Class D (or higher) Ontario licence with Z endorsement
A driver's abstract is required at hire.
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Standard First Aid and Basic Life Support (BLS) certificate or equivalent
Must be valid and current, from an approved provider.
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Required before hire

Firefighter Services of Ontario written aptitude examination
FSO screening also includes a tread water test, an acrophobia assessment, and clinical, medical, and emotional stability evaluations.
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Physical ability test (CPAT) through Firefighter Services of Ontario
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Required at conditional job offer

Medical assessment to NFPA 1582 standards
Completed at the corporation's expense.
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Satisfactory vulnerable sector check police clearance
Obtained at the applicant's expense.
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Employer references and driver's abstract
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Preferred assets

NFPA certification and coursesPreferred asset
Listed as an asset only. Post-secondary education in firefighting, medical emergency training, or technical trades may also help an application.
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The hiring process

The 2026/2027 window opened Monday, July 6, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. The city's recruitment page currently lists the close as Monday, September 28, 2026 at 4:30 p.m., but it marks its own dates as subject to change, so confirm the deadline on the city site before you plan around it.
Check the minimums before you apply, because Windsor requires them at the time of application: 18 or older, legally entitled to work in Canada, an Ontario Secondary School Graduation Diploma or Ministry of Education equivalency, a valid Class D or higher Ontario licence with Z endorsement, and a valid and current Standard First Aid and Basic Life Support (BLS) certificate. An expired first aid card or a missing Z endorsement can end your cycle before it starts.
You do not need NFPA 1001 to apply. NFPA certification and courses, and post-secondary education in firefighting or medical emergency training, are assets only, because Windsor trains successful recruits through its own Basic Training Program.
Apply early rather than at the deadline, then register for Firefighter Services of Ontario testing right away. Testing spots are first come, first served, and registration for each session closes 14 days before it runs, so an early application gives you more testing dates to choose from.
Department source for this stage
Read roadmap step 7 Review your Gap List Certification tracker
Windsor screens through Firefighter Services of Ontario, and you arrange the testing yourself. The FSO screening includes a written aptitude examination, the CPAT physical ability test, a tread water test, an acrophobia assessment, and clinical, medical, and emotional stability evaluations.
For the current cycle, all testing must be complete on or before Sunday, September 27, 2026, and registration for each session closes 14 days before it runs. Book early rather than against the deadline, so a full session or a component you need to redo does not knock you out of the cycle.
Train for the CPAT well before your test date, because it is a timed circuit completed under a weighted vest. Build stair work under load, grip strength, and dragging and carrying movements into your training weeks ahead of time.
If you are not a confident swimmer, get pool time in before you book the tread water test. FSO sets its own test formats and fees, so confirm the details and current pricing directly with FSO when you register.
Department source for this stage
Read roadmap step 8 Drill the question banks Sit a timed mock
Candidates who pass the testing phase submit a detailed resume with a $55 administrative fee per application. The city's current timetable lists the submission window as Tuesday, October 6 to Friday, October 9, 2026, with the fee paid by e-transfer.
That is a four-day window, so have your resume finished and your e-transfer ready before October. Missing the window means missing the cycle.
Make the resume easy to score. Put the required qualifications where a reviewer finds them in seconds: your licence class and Z endorsement, your first aid and BLS certificate with expiry date, and your diploma or equivalency.
Then show the assets Windsor names: NFPA certification and courses, and post-secondary education in firefighting or medical emergency training. Back up claims with dates, providers, and certificate numbers where you have them.
Department source for this stage
Read roadmap step 7 Review your Gap List Certification tracker
There is nothing to submit at this stage. On the current timetable, application review is listed for October 5, shortlisting runs October 13 to 19, and interview contact follows October 20 to 22, 2026.
The FAQ is direct that Human Resources selects interview candidates based on the potential number of new recruits to be hired. Passing every test does not guarantee an interview, which is why the assets on your resume matter.
Keep your phone number and email current with the city, answer calls from numbers you do not recognize during the contact window, and check your spam folder daily. A missed contact at this stage is hard to recover from.
Department source for this stage
Read roadmap step 7 Review your Gap List Certification tracker
First-round interviews on the current timetable run October 26 to November 6, 2026, with candidates contacted October 20 to 22. The city states that no alternate dates will be scheduled, so protect those weeks now, including work shifts and travel plans.
Prepare for behavioural questions by writing out real examples of teamwork, conflict, pressure, and physical work, each with the situation, what you did, and the result. Practise saying them out loud until they are tight and honest.
Learn Windsor Fire and Rescue Services before you sit down: what the service does, why you want this department rather than firefighting in general, and how your background fits. Interviewers notice candidates who researched the department they applied to.
Dress professionally, arrive early, and bring copies of your certificates in case they are asked for. Confirm any document requests in the interview invitation and follow them exactly.
Department source for this stage
Read roadmap step 11 Run a mock panel interview Interview playbook
Between interview rounds, Windsor may administer an Occupational Personality Questionnaire and a personality and general mental ability assessment. The current timetable lists assessments for November 9 to 20 and second-round interviews November 30 to December 18, 2026, again with no alternate dates scheduled.
Answer personality assessments honestly and consistently rather than trying to guess a preferred profile. These tools check for consistency across questions, and coached answers tend to read as exactly that.
For the mental ability portion, timed practice with reasoning, reading, and numerical questions helps more than cramming content. Rest properly the night before, because these are tests of speed and focus.
Treat the second interview as a deeper pass on the first, not a repeat. Expect follow-up on anything you said in round one, and be ready to speak plainly about weaknesses and what you are doing about them.
Department source for this stage
Read roadmap step 11 Run a mock panel interview Interview playbook
Employment offers on the current timetable go out January 4 to 8, 2027, with candidate processing running January 11 to February 26, 2027. An offer is conditional until every clearance comes back satisfactory.
At your own expense you will need a vulnerable sector police clearance, which the FAQ says may take up to three weeks, and a driver's abstract. Start the police check as soon as the city tells you to, and keep your driving record clean through the whole process because the abstract is verified at hire.
You will also provide employer references, and the city specifies that family members are not to be used. Line up supervisors or colleagues who know your work, and ask their permission before you list them.
The pre-employment medical is completed at the corporation's expense to NFPA 1582 standards. The FAQ lists a general examination, chest and lumbar X-rays, a TB skin test, vision, hearing, and pulmonary function tests, and vaccinations, so gather your immunization records ahead of time.
Department source for this stage
Read roadmap step 14 Academy preparation guide Start a fitness program
Training for the current cycle starts Monday, March 8, 2027. A mandatory corporate eLearn orientation comes before your documentation appointment, and department-specific orientation is usually completed within your first week.
The Basic Training Program begins on day one of a 12-month probationary period, with performance appraisals at the fifth and eleventh month. The FAQ warns that failing the written and practical examinations eliminates a candidate from current and future employment, so treat probation as a continuation of the hiring process, not the finish line.
Probationary pay at 2026 rates is $3,012.27 bi-weekly for the first six months and $3,243.99 bi-weekly for the second six months, on a 42-hour basis. Firefighters who complete probation are confirmed as 3rd Class Firefighters at $3,707.41 bi-weekly.
Show up fit and current. Keep your first aid and BLS certification, licence, and Z endorsement valid through training, and hold the fitness level that carried you through the CPAT, because recruit training is physically demanding from the start.
Department source for this stage
Read roadmap step 14 Academy preparation guide Start a fitness program

Worth knowing

NFPA certification is an asset, not a requirement; Windsor trains recruits through its Basic Training Program.
Testing is administered by Firefighter Services of Ontario at the candidate's arrangement, with a $55 administrative fee after the testing phase.
Probation is 12 months.

Official sources

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

Semparo is not affiliated with or endorsed by Windsor Fire and Rescue Services or any testing vendor. This guide is independent preparation content.

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