Fire Department · Career
Southfield Fire Department
Southfield, MI · Oakland County
busiest fire department in Oakland County
Southfield Fire Department seeks Fire Cadets with a $18-$22 hourly salary, requiring enrollment in a fire academy or EMT/Paramedic program and successful CPAT completion. Apply by July 23, 2026.
Southfield Fire Department hires EMTs as FF/EMT with annual salary $57,208–$87,654. Continuous application period; no felony convictions allowed.
Southfield Fire Department seeks certified firefighter-paramedics with a Michigan Paramedic License and Firefighter I & II Certification. Salary: $62,929–$96,419 annually. Apply continuously.
Southfield Fire Department seeks Paramedic to become a firefighter with an annual salary of $62,929–$90,961. Continuous application period; must have or be in school for a State of Michigan Paramedic License.
Established in 1942, the Southfield Fire Department has grown from two full-time employees and fourteen volunteers into a full-time career organization that describes itself as one of the most respected fire departments in Michigan.
The department protects Southfield and neighboring Lathrup Village, an inner-ring suburb of Detroit whose daytime population swells to roughly 175,000. Its five stations are positioned across the city, including headquarters on Lahser, and its high-rise office corridor shapes the kind of work crews train for.
With about 117 members and a 2025 record of 16,480 calls for service (around 45 a day), the department calls itself the busiest fire department in Oakland County. It has a long history of EMS innovation, having launched one of the state's first life-support units in 1972 and later a patient-transport program.
Missiondedicated to providing the highest quality life-safety and emergency services available
The City of Southfield hires firefighters through its municipal employment process. The fire department's public pages do not post current openings, requirements, or salary details, so prospective candidates should watch the City of Southfield's employment listings and contact the department through the city's main line for the current application status.
Because specifics such as pay ranges, testing steps, and lateral policy are not published on the department site, confirm requirements directly with the city before applying.
Is the Southfield Fire Department a career or volunteer department?
It is a full-time career department. It began in 1942 with two full-time employees and volunteers and has grown to roughly 117 members.
How many stations and members does the department have?
The department operates five fire stations across the city and has about 117 members.
What kind of calls will I run here?
The department reports being the busiest in Oakland County, with 16,480 calls for service in 2025 (about 45 per day), spanning EMS and patient transport, water rescue, hazardous materials, technical rescue, high-rise firefighting, and vehicle extrication.
What specialties does the department cover?
Crews handle emergency medical services and transport, water rescue, hazardous materials response, technical and confined-space rescue, high-rise firefighting, tower rescue, and mass-casualty response.
How do I apply?
The fire department site does not post openings or requirements directly; firefighter hiring runs through the City of Southfield. Check the city's employment listings and contact the department via the city's main line at (248) 796-5000 for current status.