Fire Department · Combination
Southwest Allen County Fire Protection District
Yoder, IN · Allen County
Fleet includes 20 front-line fire apparatus and 5 ambulances; protects a service area that includes several of Allen County's largest employers.
No active openings right now
Watch this department to be notified when Southwest Allen County Fire Protection District is hiring, or check their careers page.
Department careers page ↗Southwest Allen County Fire Protection District was established in 1986 by the Allen County Commissioners, originally covering the unincorporated areas of Lafayette, Pleasant, and Wayne Townships. The district expanded again in January 2024 to add Marion Township, growing its footprint to more than 110 square miles of southern Allen County plus a portion of neighboring Wells County near Zanesville.
From five stations, the district runs 20 front-line fire apparatus and five ambulances providing advanced life support paramedic transport, responding to roughly 2,000 emergency incidents a year with a mix of full-time, part-time, and volunteer personnel. The area it protects includes several of Allen County's largest employers, among them General Motors, Franklin Electric, Vera Bradley, General Mills, Amazon, Android Industries, Lippert Components, and a Walmart milk production facility.
The district also operates one of the region's more modern training facilities, built in 2002, which supports live-fire training plus specialized confined-space and high-angle rope rescue work used annually by firefighters, EMS providers, law enforcement, and military units from across the area. In 2026 the district's board signed an interlocal agreement to join a newly forming Allen County Fire District, a consolidation the department has flagged as an active, ongoing process.
Southwest Allen County Fire Protection District is currently accepting applications for volunteer firefighters and EMTs; its career and part-time paid firefighter/paramedic and firefighter/EMT positions are listed on the site but marked as not currently open. The district encourages interested candidates to apply anyway and to email hiring@southwestfire.com for the latest status on paid openings.
Requirements
- Firefighter I & II certification
- EMT certification or higher
- Eligible for the Indiana '77 Pension Fund
- Lateral transfers: currently enrolled in the Indiana '77 Pension or separated from a prior department within 6 months
Hiring process
- Download and complete the official application (PDF) or pick one up at any station
- Drop off or submit the completed application at Station 1, 3, 4, or 5
- Email hiring@southwestfire.com with questions or to confirm current openings
Benefits
Career staff: Indiana '77 Pension with a pension base of $84,263 (district pays 50% of the employee's contribution), employee and family medical insurance, paid vacation and personal days, a $1,000/year clothing allowance, paid training and education, and no-cost paramedic school. Part-time staff: 12- and 24-hour shifts, holiday pay, and onsite fitness and training facilities.
The district covers the cost for firefighters to attend paramedic school.
How do I become a firefighter with Southwest Allen County Fire Protection District?
Download the application PDF from the district's Join SWFD page (or pick one up at a station), submit it at Station 1, 3, 4, or 5, and email hiring@southwestfire.com with any questions about the hiring process.
What are the requirements to work for Southwest Allen County Fire Protection District?
Candidates need Firefighter I & II certification, EMT certification or higher, and must be eligible for the Indiana '77 Pension Fund.
Does Southwest Allen County Fire Protection District accept lateral transfers?
Yes. Lateral candidates must be currently enrolled in the Indiana '77 Pension or have separated from their prior department within 6 months.
Is Southwest Allen County Fire Protection District currently hiring?
The district is currently accepting applications for volunteer firefighters and EMTs. Career and part-time paid firefighter/paramedic and firefighter/EMT positions are posted for informational purposes but shown as not currently open on the district's site — email hiring@southwestfire.com to confirm the latest status.
What does Southwest Allen County Fire Protection District pay firefighters?
For 2026, career starting pay is $63,654/year for Firefighter/EMT and $74,263/year for Firefighter/Paramedic. Part-time pay is $28.64/hour for Firefighter/Paramedic, $22.28/hour for Firefighter/AEMT, and $21.22/hour for Firefighter/EMT.