Fire Department · Combination
Hagerstown Fire Department
Hagerstown, MD · Washington County
5 engine companies and 2 ladder companies, each staffed with a minimum of 2 career firefighters, plus volunteer supplementation; three career battalions of at least 15 personnel each.
No active openings right now
Watch this department to be notified when Hagerstown Fire Department is hiring, or check their careers page.
Department careers page ↗Hagerstown Fire Department traces its lineage to the United Fire Company, founded in 1791, and operated as an all-volunteer service until transitioning to a combination career-volunteer model around 1895 -- a structure it still uses today. Career crews and volunteer members work side by side out of six stations spread across the city, running five engine companies and two ladder companies, each staffed with a minimum of two career firefighters supplemented by volunteers.
The department covers roughly 12.17 square miles and about 40,000 residents, an area complicated by an irregular municipal boundary shaped by past annexations. To bridge those jurisdictional gaps, HFD maintains automatic aid agreements with four surrounding county fire companies. Three career shifts (battalions) of at least 15 personnel each, led by a Battalion Chief and Captain, keep engines and trucks staffed around the clock, backed by a 2014 five-year strategic plan that targeted staffing, funding, and career-volunteer coordination as priorities.
MissionTo improve the quality of life through fire prevention, fire safety education, fire suppression, rescue, and other special services to all the people who live, visit, work, or invest here.
Hagerstown Fire Department hires career Firefighters and Fire Apparatus Operators off a competitive hiring list that is refreshed every two years, and separately recruits volunteer firefighters with or without prior experience to serve alongside career crews.
Hiring process
- Written examination
- Physical agility test
- Oral interview
New volunteer members receive free training through the Maryland Fire & Rescue Institute after joining a local fire company.
Is Hagerstown Fire Department currently hiring firefighters?
The department is not currently accepting applications for career Firefighter or Fire Apparatus Operator positions. Hiring lists are established through a written exam, physical agility test, and oral interview, and are updated every two years, so check the Join Us page for when the process next opens.
How do I become a volunteer firefighter with Hagerstown Fire Department?
Hagerstown recruits volunteers with or without prior experience to supplement career staffing across its stations. Volunteers join a local fire company and receive free training through the Maryland Fire & Rescue Institute.
How many stations and companies does Hagerstown Fire Department operate?
The department runs six fire stations across the city, staffing five engine companies and two ladder companies with a minimum of two career firefighters per company, supplemented by volunteers.
What area does Hagerstown Fire Department cover?
HFD's first-due area covers about 12.17 square miles and roughly 40,000 residents, with automatic aid agreements with four surrounding county fire companies to cover the city's irregular, annexation-shaped boundary.