Chelmsford Fire Department

Chelmsford Fire Department operates out of five stations across the town -- Center (headquarters), North, West, East, and South -- running a fleet that includes engines, a ladder truck, a rescue, a brush truck, hazmat trailer, and rescue boats. The department's roots trace back over a century, with its first motorized fire truck put into service in West Chelmsford in 1921; it has since documented its operations and equipment through decade-by-decade archives.

Beyond fire suppression, the department handles hazardous materials response, emergency medical services, fire prevention and public education, smoke/CO detector inspections, open burning permits, and joint E-9-1-1 dispatch operations with the Chelmsford Police Department. A dedicated Training Division, led by a Training Division Captain with an EMS Assistant, runs recruit drill school, company-level training, EMS continuing education, and officer development, and maintains the department's ISO and OEMS compliance records.

Firefighter hiring in Chelmsford runs through the Massachusetts Civil Service system rather than direct department applications: candidates sit for a written and physical exam and are placed on a ranked eligibility list, with hiring preference given by statute to categories including veterans and Chapter 534 applicants.

Firefighter candidates must apply through the Massachusetts Civil Service system rather than directly to the department. Candidates must be between 19 and 31 years old as of the application deadline (the maximum age may be extended for veterans), take a written exam (Written Ability Test, Work Styles Questionnaire, and Life Experience Survey) and a Physical Ability Test, and are then ranked on a civil service eligible list. Twelve months of continuous municipal residency immediately preceding the exam date is required to qualify for residency preference in the hiring order.