Fire Department · Career
Winston Salem Fire Department
Winston Salem, NC · Forsyth County
“One of Excellence”
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Department careers page ↗The Winston-Salem Fire Department protects North Carolina's fifth-largest city with a service history stretching back to 1785, predating most fire departments in the United States. The separate towns of Winston and Salem ran their own fire services for 128 years before merging in 1913 to form the department that exists today.
The department carries a distinguished record of firsts, including some of the earliest colonial water systems and the first paid African-American firefighters in the South. It is one of only about 125 U.S. cities whose fire department is both internationally accredited and rated ISO Class 1, the highest public protection grade the Insurance Services Office awards.
Entry-level recruits are trained entirely in-house through a paid academy of roughly six months, earning full salary and benefits while obtaining their North Carolina firefighter and EMT certifications.
Winston-Salem hires entry-level Firefighter Recruits with no prior fire or EMS experience required, and provides all necessary training in-house. Candidates apply online through the city's GovernmentJobs portal and can submit an interest card to be notified when a hiring period opens.
The selection process moves through a written exam, a physical ability test, and a formal interview. New recruits complete roughly six months of paid academy training to earn their North Carolina Fire & Rescue Commission firefighter certification and NC Office of EMS EMT certification; already-certified applicants may qualify for an abbreviated orientation of about six weeks.
Requirements
- At least 18 years of age at the start of the recruit academy
- High school diploma or GED equivalent
- State-issued Class "C" driver license (must obtain Class "B" upon hire)
- Successfully complete all required pre-hire qualifications
- Maintain principal residence within a 60-mile radius of city hall and within the state (or establish it within 180 days of hire)
- No prior fire service or EMS experience required
Hiring process
- Written exam (general knowledge assessment)
- Physical ability test (notified by email after passing the written exam)
- Formal interview (scheduled by email after passing the physical ability test)
Benefits
Comprehensive benefits including health, dental, vision, and life insurance; the NC Retirement Plan and 401(a) contributions; annual, sick, bereavement, military, and parental leave; tuition reimbursement; and an employee assistance program. Recruits receive full salary and benefits during the paid academy.
Roughly six-month paid academy covering fire suppression, fire prevention, community risk reduction, and emergency medical care; recruits earn NC firefighter and EMT certification. Already-certified hires may complete an abbreviated orientation of about six weeks.
Do I need firefighter or EMS experience to apply?
No. No prior fire service or emergency medical experience is required, and no preference is given to applicants who already hold certifications. All required firefighter and EMT training is provided in-house by the department. Candidates already certified at hire may be eligible for an abbreviated training process.
What are the minimum requirements?
You must be at least 18 at the start of the recruit academy, have a high school diploma or GED, hold a state-issued Class "C" driver license (and obtain a Class "B" upon hire), and complete all required pre-hire qualifications.
What does a firefighter earn?
Certified firefighter starting salary is $46,978 with no degree, $49,327 with an associate degree, and $51,974 with a bachelor's degree. Recruits receive full salary and benefits during the paid academy.
What is the hiring process?
There are three stages: a written general-knowledge exam, a physical ability test, and a formal interview. You are notified by email of the next step after passing each stage.
How long is the academy?
New recruits complete approximately six months of paid training to earn North Carolina firefighter certification (NC Fire & Rescue Commission) and EMT certification (NC Office of EMS). Applicants already certified may complete a shorter, roughly six-week orientation instead.
Is there a residency requirement?
Yes. Public safety employees must maintain their principal residence within a 60-mile radius of city hall and within North Carolina, or establish it within those limits within 180 days of hire.
How do I apply?
Apply online through the City of Winston-Salem's GovernmentJobs careers portal. You can also submit an interest card to be notified when a hiring period opens.