Fire Department · Career
Arlington Fire Department
Arlington, TX · Tarrant County
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Department careers page ↗The Arlington Fire Department protects the City of Arlington, a roughly 99-square-mile community in the heart of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. The department describes itself as a people-oriented service organization focused on helping those in need, with "responding with compassion" among its stated core values.
The department is structured around several divisions: Fire Rescue Operations (its largest division and the front-line emergency response arm), Fire Rescue Support, Fire Rescue Administration, and Fire Prevention. It handles a heavy call load, dispatching tens of thousands of calls for service each year.
In recent years the department has invested in service improvements, including transitioning from three-person to four-person unit staffing and opening a new downtown Fire Station No. 1. It also operates as the city's emergency management function, with the fire chief serving as Director of Emergency Management.
Entry-level firefighter hiring in Arlington runs through a civil service process governed by Texas Local Government Code Chapter 143 and the department's Civil Service Commission Local Rules. Candidates must first submit an online application through the City of Arlington's Career Opportunities page to register for a written entrance examination.
Applicants who pass the entrance exam are placed on an eligibility list, ranked by exam score plus any applicable military points for eligible veterans. The eligibility list remains in effect for one year, and the department hires firefighter trainees from that list.
Requirements
- At least 18 years of age as of the date of the entrance exam, and not yet 46 years of age as of the date of appointment
- High school diploma or GED
- U.S. citizen by birth or naturalization
- Able to read, write, and speak English
- Able to pass a Criminal Justice Information Systems (CJIS) and/or other criminal background check(s)
Hiring process
- Submit an online application through the City of Arlington Career Opportunities page to register for the entrance exam
- Receive email confirmation with the exam date, time, and location
- Pass the written civil service entrance examination
- Be placed on the eligibility list, ranked by exam score plus applicable veteran military points (list valid for one year)
- Be selected as a firefighter trainee from the eligibility list
How do I apply to become an Arlington firefighter?
Submit an online application through the City of Arlington's Career Opportunities page to register for the civil service entrance examination. Passing the exam places you on a ranked eligibility list from which trainees are hired.
What are the basic requirements to apply?
You must be at least 18 at the time of the exam (and not yet 46 at appointment), have a high school diploma or GED, be a U.S. citizen by birth or naturalization, be able to read, write, and speak English, and pass a criminal background check.
How does the entrance exam and eligibility list work?
Eligible applicants receive an email confirming the exam date, time, and place. Those who pass are placed on an eligibility list ranked by exam score plus applicable military points for eligible veterans. The list stays in effect for one year.
Is there an age limit to become a firefighter?
Yes. Under the civil service rules, applicants must have reached 18 by the exam date and must not have reached 46 years of age as of the date of appointment.
What governs Arlington firefighter hiring?
Entry-level hiring is established by Texas Local Government Code Chapter 143 and the City of Arlington Fire Department Civil Service Commission Local Rules.