Fire Department · Career
City Of Norwalk Fire Department
Norwalk, CT · Western Connecticut County
“Fire up your future”
Sixth largest city in Connecticut
No active openings right now
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Department careers page ↗The Norwalk Fire Department is a career department serving the City of Norwalk, a community of roughly 90,000 people on the shore of Long Island Sound in Fairfield County, about 30 miles from New York City. It is the sixth largest city in Connecticut, with about 35 miles of shoreline, a busy harbor, and the Interstate 95 corridor running through it.
The department fields roughly 132 line firefighters and officers deployed across four shifts and five stations, backed by about 13 staff personnel in the Fire Marshal's Office, Training, Apparatus Maintenance, and administration. Frontline apparatus includes five engines, two trucks, a heavy rescue, and a command car, plus two fireboats that give the department marine fire and rescue capability.
Beyond fire suppression, Norwalk crews handle EMS/rescue calls, hazardous materials, rapid intervention, confined space, trench, collapse, and vehicle extrication. The department recently reported responding to nearly 7,000 incidents in a year.
MissionThe mission of the Norwalk Fire Department is to maintain its high standard of excellence by attaining and fostering a diverse work force.
Becoming a Norwalk firefighter is a highly competitive process; the Training Division typically receives more than a thousand applications for each recruit academy. The City generally recruits for firefighter positions about every three years, and applications are only accepted when a position is actively being recruited. The hiring process itself is run by the City's Personnel Department, not the Fire Department, through the City of Norwalk's NeoGov (GovernmentJobs) portal.
No prior fire experience is required. Candidates take a written aptitude test, then advance to an oral interview, the Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT), and background checks before an offer. Accepted recruits become paid, permanent full-time City employees at the start of the roughly 14-week recruit academy at the Connecticut Fire Academy in Windsor Locks.
Requirements
- High school diploma or equivalency certificate (GED)
- At least 18 years of age at the time of the entry test (no upper age limit)
- Valid Connecticut Motor Vehicle Operator's License
- Excellent physical and mental health
- Valid CPAT (Candidate Physical Ability Test) card, no older than one year, at the time of conditional job offer
- No prior firefighting experience required; no residency requirement
Hiring process
- Complete the online employment application through the City of Norwalk NeoGov portal to register for the test
- Optionally attend orientation sessions
- Sit for the candidate written aptitude test
- Oral interview (for candidates who pass the written test)
- Complete the Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT)
- Background and reference checks
- Offer of employment
Benefits
Comprehensive medical benefits, pension plan, and life insurance; paid vacation, holidays, and sick leave; job-related college tuition reimbursement; opportunity for advancement after five years as a firefighter. Recruits are paid the firefighter starting salary and receive the full benefits package from the start of the academy.
New recruits complete a roughly 14-week recruit academy at the Connecticut Fire Academy in Windsor Locks, CT, must maintain an 80% average, and earn Firefighter I/II certifications; recruits are paid during the academy.
Do I need prior firefighting experience or certification to apply?
No. The department looks for highly motivated applicants in excellent physical condition with adequate reading comprehension; the recruit academy provides all required training, including Firefighter I and II certification.
What are the minimum requirements?
A high school diploma or GED, at least 18 years of age (no upper age limit), a valid Connecticut driver's license, excellent physical and mental health, and a valid CPAT card (no older than one year) at the time of a conditional offer. There is no residency requirement.
How do I apply, and how often does Norwalk hire?
Applications are accepted only when a position is being recruited, through the City of Norwalk's NeoGov/GovernmentJobs portal, and are managed by the City Personnel Department. The City generally recruits for firefighters about every three years.
Does Norwalk accept lateral transfers?
Not at this time.
Do you get paid during the academy?
Yes. Accepted recruits become permanent full-time City of Norwalk employees at the start of the roughly 14-week academy and are paid the firefighter starting salary plus benefits.
What does the hiring process involve?
A written aptitude test, an oral interview for those who pass, the Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT), and background and reference checks before an offer of employment.