Burlington Fire Department

Burlington Fire Department traces its roots to an informal 1887 bucket brigade, back when fires were reported by gunshot or shouted alarm and a city pump operator kept water pressure flowing by hand. The department later ran horse-drawn apparatus — its early fire horses included Rubin, Prince, Dolph, and John — and its hose-wagon crews were state champions for six straight years in the 1910s, a piece of history still marked by the old fire bell on the lawn of headquarters. That volunteer-era outfit has since grown into a full career department serving the City of Burlington.

Today BFD operates six fire stations across the city's roughly 33 square miles and fields 118 uniformed personnel, organized into Emergency Response, Community Risk Reduction, and Support Services divisions. The department holds an ISO Class 1 rating, one of the highest available, and is working toward national accreditation through the Center for Public Safety Excellence as part of its 2025-2030 strategic plan. Community Risk Reduction staff run fire inspections, investigations, school and station-tour education programs, and required fire-alarm registration for new residents, on top of the department's core fire suppression and EMS response.

BFD hires firefighters on a rolling basis rather than in occasional waves, and grows some of its own talent through a Support Services apprenticeship/cadet program alongside direct-entry hiring.

The City of Burlington's Human Resources Department accepts firefighter applications on a year-round basis rather than opening set hiring windows, so candidates are encouraged to keep an application on file and refresh it every six months. Candidates move through an interview phase, a medical physical with a private physician, and a physical agility test modeled on the Firefighter Combat Challenge before a probationary offer.