Fire Department · Career
Las Cruces Fire Department
Las Cruces, NM · Doña Ana County
179 sworn firefighters across two battalions, plus 7 fire prevention personnel, 1 fire protection engineer, 5 sworn Mobile Integrated Health/Mobile Mental Crisis staff, 4 civilian social workers, and 7 support staff.
No active openings right now
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Department careers page ↗Las Cruces Fire Department (LCFD) covers roughly 76.6 square miles in and around Las Cruces, running fire suppression, EMS, hazardous materials response, technical rescue, and aircraft rescue firefighting (ARFF) at Las Cruces International Airport out of eight stations. A ninth station on the east mesa north of Highway 70 is under construction, targeted for completion in 2026. Emergency medical services make up the bulk of LCFD's workload: firefighters are trained at minimum to EMT-Basic, and more than 60 had earned Paramedic certification as of August 2024.
The department has been building out a Mobile Integrated Health / Mobile Mental Crisis program, pairing sworn MIH staff with civilian social workers to respond to behavioral-health and low-acuity medical calls alongside traditional apparatus. LCFD tracks its EMS quality closely, reporting an 84% improvement rate in pain-management outcomes and a 34% field-save rate for cardiac arrest patients in 2023.
MissionProvide prevention, response and recovery services to residents, businesses, and visitors so they can experience a safe community and receive compassionate care.
LCFD hires entry-level, non-certified Fire Cadets who are paid a full-time salary while completing the department's academy, which includes an EMT-Basic course as part of training. About 20 cadets go through each academy class before advancing to full-time firefighter positions at one of the department's stations.
Requirements
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Minimum age 18 at academy start
- Valid driver's license with an acceptable driving record
- Must meet and maintain department physical fitness standards
Hiring process
- Written examination (content reasoning, decision-making, mechanical reasoning, problem-solving, reading comprehension, spatial scanning)
- Physical Ability Test (pass/fail)
- Assessment Center / oral review board
- Medical examination and background investigation (including polygraph, conducted by Las Cruces Police Department)
Approximately 20 cadets per academy class; training covers fire suppression, EMS, hazardous materials response, and vehicle extrication, plus an EMT-Basic course. Graduates are assigned as full-time firefighters at one of the department's eight stations.
Do I need to be a certified firefighter or EMT to apply to LCFD?
No. LCFD hires for the non-certified Fire Cadet position and provides an EMT-Basic course as part of the department's own academy.
How many phases are in the LCFD hiring process?
Four: a written examination, a Physical Ability Test, an assessment center (oral review board), and a medical examination with background investigation. Failing any phase eliminates a candidate from the process.
How much do Fire Cadets get paid during the academy?
Full-time Fire Cadets are paid a salary equivalent to $45,136 annually while in the academy.
How many stations does Las Cruces Fire Department operate?
Eight stations currently, with a ninth under construction on the east mesa north of Highway 70, targeted for completion in 2026.
What specialized response teams does LCFD run?
A Technical Rescue Team, an Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Team serving Las Cruces International Airport, and a Hazardous Materials Response Team, alongside a Mobile Integrated Health/Mobile Mental Crisis program.