Fire Department · Career
Pine Bluff Fire & Emergency Services
Pine Bluff, AR · Jefferson County
About 100 full-time firefighters plus 2 administrative staff, operating from 7 staffed stations and 1 unstaffed post at Grider Field Municipal Airport; annual operating budget of approximately $6.2 million.
No active openings right now
Watch this department to be notified when Pine Bluff Fire & Emergency Services is hiring, or check their careers page.
Department careers page ↗Pine Bluff Fire & Emergency Services traces its roots to the Merrill Vol. Hook and Ladder Fire Company, and the department was formally established on November 21, 1892. Today it fields roughly 100 full-time firefighters and 2 administrative staff out of seven staffed stations plus an unstaffed apparatus post at Grider Field Municipal Airport, running 11 front-line units backed by reserve and support apparatus.
The department covers 45.6 square miles of Pine Bluff and the surrounding Jefferson County area, serving about 37,690 residents in the city and roughly 77,435 countywide, including the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and Southeast Arkansas College. It answered over 4,400 emergency calls in 2020 and holds an ISO Class 2 rating, reflecting a well-resourced suppression and EMS response system on an annual operating budget of about $6.2 million.
Beyond fire suppression, crews handle hazmat response, technical rescue, and emergency medical calls around the clock, making Pine Bluff Fire & Emergency Services one of the busier combination departments in southeast Arkansas.
MissionTo provide responsive, high-quality service that protects the health and safety of the community through prevention, education, suppression, and special operations.
Pine Bluff Fire & Emergency Services hires Probationary Firefighters through a civil service testing process. Applications are submitted in person to the department's administration office at 200 E. 8th Ave., and candidates move through written, oral, and physical agility exams before a conditional job offer.
Requirements
- U.S. citizen
- High school diploma or GED
- Age 18-34 (exception for candidates with 2+ years of paid firefighting experience)
- No felony convictions
- Valid Arkansas driver's license, not suspended or revoked
- Able to read and write English
Hiring process
- Submit a completed application in person to the Administration office at 200 E. 8th Ave.
- Pass a written civil service examination
- Pass an oral civil service examination
- Pass a physical agility examination
- Receive a conditional job offer
- Pass a medical examination
- Pass a drug screening
How do I become a firefighter with Pine Bluff Fire & Emergency Services?
Applicants pick up or print the application, submit it in person at 200 E. 8th Ave. in Pine Bluff, and then complete written and oral civil service exams and a physical agility test before a conditional job offer, medical exam, and drug screening.
What are the minimum requirements to apply?
Candidates must be U.S. citizens, ages 18-34 (with an exception for those who already have 2+ years of paid firefighting experience), hold a high school diploma or GED, have no felony convictions, hold a valid, unsuspended Arkansas driver's license, and be able to read and write English.
Is Pine Bluff Fire & Emergency Services currently hiring?
Yes. As of the department's most recent posting, applications for Probationary Firefighter positions are being accepted.
How many stations does Pine Bluff Fire & Emergency Services operate?
The department operates 7 staffed fire stations throughout Pine Bluff plus an unstaffed apparatus post at Grider Field Municipal Airport.