Fire Department · Career
Wayne County Airport Authority Fire Department
Detroit, MI · Wayne County
No active openings right now
Watch this department to be notified when Wayne County Airport Authority Fire Department is hiring, or check their careers page.
Department careers page ↗The Wayne County Airport Authority (WCAA) Fire Department is the on-site public-safety agency responsible for aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF), structural firefighting, and emergency medical care across Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport and Willow Run Airport. Every member of the department is a licensed paramedic, reflecting the dual fire-suppression and advanced life support mission required to protect a major commercial hub airport and a general aviation/cargo airport simultaneously.
The department operates from four stations spread across the two airfields, including a dedicated Willow Run station in Ypsilanti, and runs its own ARFF training facility that also instructs personnel from other Michigan and Ohio departments. In 2011 the department became the first Airport Authority fire department in the country to earn accreditation from the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI), was reaccredited in 2016, and has since earned a third accreditation. In 2019 the department received the American Association of Airport Executives Great Lakes Chapter's ARFF Achievement Award.
Beyond emergency response, the department's duties include fire prevention and inspection, hazardous materials mitigation, urban search and rescue, and public fire and life-safety education for the airport community.
Wayne County Airport Authority Fire Department positions are posted alongside all other WCAA openings on the Authority's central careers portal rather than a separate fire-department application page.
Requirements
- All department members are licensed paramedics
The department operates its own ARFF training facility; in 2018 it trained 116 ARFF personnel from departments across Michigan and Ohio.
What services does the Wayne County Airport Authority Fire Department provide?
Aircraft rescue firefighting, structural firefighting, advanced life support and EMS care transport, fire suppression, fire prevention and inspection, hazardous materials mitigation, urban search and rescue, and public fire safety education.
Is the department accredited?
Yes. In 2011 it became the first Airport Authority fire department in the nation to earn accreditation from the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI), was reaccredited in 2016, and holds a third accreditation covering 2022-2027.
Where are the department's fire stations located?
The department operates four stations: Station 1 and Station 2 near the DTW terminals, Station 3 on West Service Drive, and Station 4 at Willow Run Airport in Ypsilanti, Michigan.
Are department members trained as paramedics?
Yes. All members of the department are licensed paramedics, specifically trained to respond when aircraft rescue and firefighting is needed.