City of Portsmouth, Virginia - Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services

Are you interested in becoming a member of our Department?

Portsmouth Fire, Rescue & Emergency Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer

and welcomes women and minorities.

Find out more about Fire Recruit Basic Training :

The Fire Recruit Basic Training Slides in HTML Format

or
The Fire Basic Training Flash Version

The Portsmouth Department of Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services accepts applications for firefighter positions at various times throughout the year. For more information visit the City of Portsmouth Department of Human Resource Management web page to check for job postings.

Some of the benefits you can expect to enjoy as a member of our department and as a employee of the City of Portsmouth:

Uniforms Furnished
11.5 Paid Holidays Military Leave
12 Days Annual Leave in first year
Sick Leave (12 days per year)
Tuition Reimbursement
$500 yearly for Associates Degree
$1000 yearly for Bachelor's Degree

Group Life Insurance
Fire Department Credit Union
Deferred Compensation Plan
Employee Assistance Program
Pre-Tax Insurance Plan
Flexible Spending Plan
25 Year Retirement

The position of firefighter or firefighter/paramedic in the city of Portsmouth is a Civil Service appointment.

In order to qualify as an applicant the following criteria must be met:

Complete a Civil Service Application
You must be at least 19 years old to apply
Possess a valid Driver's License
Have a High School Diploma or GED
Your vision is correctable to 20/30 or uncorrected to 20/70
You are not color blind
You are a U.S. Citizen
Honorable discharge if you are a Veteran
You have not been convicted of a felony or domestic assault

Additionally, in order to qualify as an applicant for the position of firefighter/paramedic the following criteria must also be met:

Certified by the Commonwealth of Virginia or nationally registered as a Paramedic.
Must be a Tidewater EMS Council sanctioned Paramedic or have the ability to obtain sanctioning within 90 days of hire.
Must have or possess the ability to obtain certification in ACLS, PALS, BTLS , CPR and EVOC
Must have a minimum of 1 year of experience in the provision of emergency medical care in a 911 system as a certified Paramedic.

For more information on Tidewater EMS Counsel Sanctioning and state reciprocity for nationally certified Paramedics:

http://tidewater.vaems.org/education/sanctioning/Reg_Sanctioning_Info.htm
http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/OEMS/

If you meet the above requirements you will also be required to complete the following:

Receive a passing score on a Civil Service written examination
Meet the minimum requirements on a Physical Standards Test
Oral Interview
Polygraph Examination
Background Investigation
Physical Examination

Once you are offered an appointment as a firefighter you will be required to complete a twelve-week basic firefighting course.

During this physically demanding course you will learn the basic skills necessary to become a firefighter.

After you have successfully met the firefighter training requirements you will attend a four-week emergency medical technician (EMT)

school. Once you have successfully completed all of your training you begin working as a firefighter.

Find out more about Fire Recruit Basic Training :

The Fire Recruit Basic Training Slides in HTML Format

or
The Fire Basic Training Flash Version