Fire Department · Career
Portland Fire Department
Portland, ME · Cumberland County
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Department careers page ↗Fire protection in Portland began on March 29, 1768, with the appointment of five "Fire Wards," and the department grew through a string of volunteer engine companies before being formally established by the Maine Legislature in 1831. More than 250 years later, the Portland Fire Department (PFD) is the largest professional fire and emergency medical services agency in the state, combining a strong sense of tradition with a modern, multi-mission mandate.
Today roughly 220 sworn members work around the clock to protect the city's nearly 70,000 residents and visitors, delivering structural firefighting, EMS transport, and fire prevention and education. PFD also runs several specialized units uncommon for a department its size: it fully staffs the Air Rescue Station serving the Portland International Jetport, operates the region's only Heavy Rescue Company for technical rescue, and maintains one of the few Marine Firefighting Divisions in Maine.
That range of specialty assignments is central to how PFD pitches itself to recruits, alongside a lateral-transfer program that credits outside experience toward Local 740 contract pay steps and a nine-week academy for firefighters entering without prior certification.
MissionOur mission is to deliver emergency services to the City of Portland and protect its citizens and visitors through preparedness, prevention and education.
PFD hires firefighter/EMTs on an as-needed basis when an eligibility list is required, typically around once a year; a recent posting had the application window opening July 1 and closing October 31. The department actively courts lateral applicants, crediting at least three years of outside full-time experience toward pay steps in the Local 740 contract (up to the 12-year step) and offering a streamlined onboarding process. Prospective applicants can email pfdhiring@portlandmaine.gov to be notified when a hiring window opens.
Requirements
- At least 21 years old, or 20 with two years of post-high-school education
- High school diploma or equivalency plus three years of post-high-school work experience, education, or a combination of the two
- Valid Maine EMT-Basic license or higher before the start date (EMT-Basics must obtain EMT-Advanced certification within one year of hire)
- Valid Maine driver's license
- Pass a background check, job suitability assessment, and post-offer medical exam
- Pass the PFD Physical Ability Test (PAT) or hold a valid IAFF/IAFC CPAT card no more than one year old
- U.S. citizenship or proof of eligibility to work in the U.S.
- Firefighter I & II certification is desired but not required for entry-level hires
Hiring process
- Submit an online application during an open application window
- Eligible candidates schedule and pass the Physical Ability Test (PAT), or submit a valid IAFF/IAFC CPAT card
- Interview with a panel of PFD administration and a Civil Service Commission representative, scheduled first-come, first-served
- Placement on a ranked eligibility list
- Complete a medical exam, job suitability assessment, and extensive background check
- Attend the multi-week Fire Academy (Drill School for lateral hires); serve a one-year probationary period as a firefighter
Benefits
Military veterans can apply GI Bill benefits through PFD's approved On-the-Job-Training program (up to two years). Pay follows the IAFF Local 740 contract step schedule, and lateral hires with qualifying experience are credited up to the 12-year step rather than starting at the bottom.
Non-certified new hires complete a nine-week training academy; lateral hires instead attend a shorter Drill School. All new firefighters are probationary for one year after their hire date.
What are the minimum qualifications to become a Portland firefighter?
Candidates must be at least 21 (or 20 with two years of post-high-school education), hold a high school diploma plus three years of relevant work or education, carry a valid Maine EMT-Basic license or higher, hold a valid Maine driver's license, and pass a background check, job suitability assessment, and medical exam.
Does the Portland Fire Department accept lateral transfers?
Yes. PFD strongly encourages applicants with at least three years of full-time firefighting experience to apply, offering a streamlined onboarding process and pay credited at the step level in the Local 740 contract, up to the 12-year step.
What is the Physical Ability Test (PAT)?
The PAT is a required, pass/fail component of the hiring process consisting of simulated firefighting tasks that must be completed in 10 minutes and 20 seconds or less. The department accepts a valid IAFF CPAT certification in lieu of its own test if it is no more than one year old, and offers multiple testing dates each hiring cycle.
How do I apply to the Portland Fire Department?
Applications are only accepted online during an open application window (a recent cycle ran July 1 through October 31). Interested candidates can email pfdhiring@portlandmaine.gov to be notified as soon as a new application period opens.