Fire Department · Career
Bellevue Fire Department
Bellevue, NE · Sarpy County
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Department careers page ↗Bellevue Fire Department traces its current form to a 1970 merger of the Eastern Sarpy Fire Department with the Bellevue Fire Department, one of several consolidations typical of departments that grew alongside their communities. The department moved from an all-volunteer model to part-time staffing in 2010, then became fully career in 2014. Today it operates four fire stations plus a staffed training facility, protecting about 70,000 residents over 46 square miles that include the city itself, two major rivers, rural farmland, and the wooded Fontenelle Forest.
Daily staffing puts two quints and two engines on the road with four-person crews, backed by three (and up to four, staffing permitting) two-person advanced life support medical units, plus two battalion chiefs and a paramedic shift supervisor on duty around the clock. Every one of the department's 103 employees is trained to at least Firefighter I/II, EMT, HazMat Operations, and technical rescue (trench, rope, and confined space) standards. Specialized apparatus — brush rigs at all four stations, tankers at two, and boats, a hovercraft, and side-by-sides for the area's rivers and forest terrain — reflect the mix of urban, wildland, and water response the department covers. Firefighters work 24 hours on, 24 hours off, in a rotation of five working shifts followed by a six-day reset; the department logged 6,653 calls for service in 2025.
MissionThe Bellevue Fire department will proudly provide the highest quality of emergency services to the residents and visitors of the City. We shall strive for excellence in the performance of our duty through training, education and the willingness to continually improve ourselves. The department will be ever vigilant in promoting awareness of the hazards and in educating our citizens of all ages. This shall be accomplished through proper utilization of resources and administering in a fiscally responsible manner.
Bellevue Fire hires through a civil service process overseen by the city's Civil Service Commission rather than continuous rolling applications. When the department needs to fill Firefighter/EMT or Firefighter/Paramedic openings, the city posts an application window; candidates who meet the minimum requirements for that posting apply, then move through a pass/fail physical ability test (similar to the CPAT), a graded written general-knowledge exam, and a scored oral interview. Written and interview scores rank candidates on a certified civil service list that the Fire Chief works through, top-down, as hiring needs arise.
Hiring process
- Submit an application during an open Firefighter/EMT or Firefighter/Paramedic posting window
- Pass a pass/fail physical ability test (CPAT-style)
- Pass a graded general knowledge written exam
- Complete a scored oral interview
- Placement on a ranked civil service list certified by the Civil Service Commission
- Second interview conducted top-down from the list as the Fire Chief hires
- Conditional offer pending medical exam and background check, arranged and paid for by the department
- Uniform/equipment fitting and assignment of Recruit Academy start date
The department's Recruit Academy introduces new hires to fire suppression, emergency medical care, rescue operations, physical fitness, and department policies and procedures before they're assigned to a shift.
How do I become a firefighter with Bellevue Fire Department?
Bellevue hires through a civil service process that can take about a year. When the city announces it's accepting applications for Firefighter/EMT or Firefighter/Paramedic, applicants who meet the posting's minimum requirements apply, then complete a pass/fail physical ability test, a graded written exam, and a scored interview. Scores rank candidates on a civil service list, certified by the Civil Service Commission, that the Fire Chief hires from top-down.
What is the hiring process for Bellevue Fire Department?
After the application, testing, and interview stages, candidates who are selected receive a conditional offer subject to a medical exam and background check paid for by the department. Once cleared, new hires are fitted for uniforms and equipment and given a start date for the department's Recruit Academy, which covers fire suppression, EMS, rescue operations, fitness, and department policy.
Does Bellevue Fire Department hire both EMTs and paramedics?
Yes. Bellevue posts openings for both Firefighter/EMT and Firefighter/Paramedic positions, and all of the department's firefighters hold at minimum Firefighter I/II and EMT certification, with many also certified as paramedics.
How long does a Bellevue Fire Department civil service eligibility list last?
The civil service list is generally kept active for one year but can be extended to two. Candidates on an active list can be contacted for a second interview at any time based on the department's staffing needs; once a list is terminated, everyone on it is removed and the process starts over.