Firefighter

The Seattle Fire Department is a nationally recognized leader in fire and emergency services. As the largest fire department in the state of Washington, its 1000-plus workforce responds to more than 100,000 incidents per year. Seattle Firefighters save lives and protect property through emergency medical service, fire and rescue response, and fire prevention. All Seattle Firefighters are either EMT or Paramedic certified, and approximately 80% of the emergency calls the department receives are medical in nature.

Job Responsibilities:
Medical emergency response: provide emergency medical services to the public; administer first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation to injured persons; assist in patient stabilization prior to transportation.
Fire scene response: provide suppression action after assessing public safety relevance; search buildings to locate and rescue victims; use firefighting equipment to extinguish fires in buildings, grass, terrain, automobiles, or other situations; take action to contain hazardous chemicals.
Operating vehicles and equipment: drive vehicles or mechanized equipment; operate radios; service, repair, and test mechanical equipment; perform apparatus maintenance.
Training and drilling: participate in drills, demonstrations, and classroom and practical training; practice manipulative skills.
Performing and maintaining physical fitness: perform physical activities; maintain physical abilities through exercise; maintain above average physical fitness levels in accordance with departmental guidelines.

The starting annual salary for a Seattle Firefighter Recruit is $43.22 per hour with step, longevity and cost of living pay increases per union contract.
$8,504/month - Starting Recruit Firefighter Pay
$9,010/month - 6 months
$9,517/month - 18 months
$10,023/month - 30 months
$10,529/month - 42 months

In addition to promotional opportunities, there are several specialty and technical team assignments available to Firefighters, including Hazardous Materials, Decontamination, Technical Rescue, Marine Emergency Response, Energy Response, and becoming a FF/Paramedic. These assignments include between 5% and 20% premium pay.

The City of Seattle and the Seattle Healthcare Trust offer a comprehensive benefits package including vacation, holiday, and sick leave as well as medical, dental, vision, life, and long-term disability insurance for employees and their dependents.

Vacancies: It is anticipated that approximately 60-100 positions will be filled annually, depending on attrition and budget.

Requirements: Minimum age 18, high school diploma or G.E.D., valid driver's license, EMT or higher certification at time of hire (or will be provided by department), U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent resident or DACA recipient, strong communication skills, ability to learn firefighting procedures and building construction, proper driving procedures of fire apparatus, manual dexterity and hand-eye coordination, physical strength and agility, good judgment, ability to interact with diverse backgrounds

Salary: $43.22 - $53.52 Hourly

Application Deadline: 2026-11-17