Fire Department · Career
Dallas Fire Department
Dallas, TX · Dallas County
Second-largest fire department in Texas
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Department careers page ↗Dallas Fire-Rescue (DFR) traces its roots to 1872 and today ranks as the second-largest fire department in Texas. Roughly 2,200 uniformed and civilian personnel operate out of 59 fire stations organized into battalions across the city, running on a rotating-shift schedule.
The department protects a population of about 1.6 million people within the Dallas city limits. Its fleet reflects the scope of a major-metro service: dozens of engines and trucks, a large fleet of ambulances for advanced and basic life support transport, HazMat units, rescue companies, wildland and airport apparatus, and boats including a fireboat.
DFR is a full-service, all-hazards department. Beyond structural firefighting and EMS, it fields hazardous-materials mitigation, technical rescue, swiftwater and marine rescue, and aircraft rescue and firefighting, and it anchors Texas Task Force 2 for urban search and rescue.
Dallas Fire-Rescue hires primarily through a civil-service Fire & Rescue Officer Trainee process. Candidates must be 18 to 35 at the time of the exam, hold a valid Texas driver's license with a safe record, and meet one of three education pathways (45+ college semester hours, 36+ months of honorable military service, or a qualifying recent TSIA score). The selection sequence moves from an online written exam through a physical ability test, background investigation, and medical evaluation. New hires train at the Fire-Rescue Academy, where they earn EMT certification and complete basic fire suppression training in an assignment not to exceed 18 months.
DFR also accepts lateral hires. Experienced applicants need a current TCFP (or IFSAC-sealed) Basic Structural Firefighter certificate and a valid Texas or National Registry Paramedic license, and must pass the department's physical abilities test.
Requirements
- Age 18 to 35 (must not have reached 36) on the date of the civil service exam
- Valid Texas driver's license with a safe driving record
- One of: 45+ college semester hours (2.0+ GPA), 36+ months active military service with honorable/uncharacterized discharge, or a passing recent TSIA score
- No felony convictions and limited misdemeanor history within defined timeframes
- No outstanding warrants, pending citations, or active criminal investigation
- Physical/medical health to perform firefighter duties; must pass the physical ability test
- Lateral hires: current TCFP or IFSAC Basic Structural Firefighter certificate and a valid Texas or National Registry Paramedic license
Hiring process
- Submit online application with qualifying documents (transcripts, DD214, or TSIA scores) attached
- Online civil service written exam (math, reading comprehension, map interpretation, measurement, mechanical reasoning)
- Physical ability test approved by the civil service board
- Background investigation and medical evaluation
- Supplemental questionnaire covering education, work history, and criminal history
- Fire-Rescue Academy training (EMT certification and basic fire suppression), up to 18 months
Benefits
Additional pay incentives beyond base salary include a monthly bachelor's-degree stipend, EMS pay, and TCFP certification pay that scales with certification level. New Fire Rescue Officers start around $75,397 per year, with senior officers earning up to roughly $98,377 with tenure.
New hires train at the Dallas Fire-Rescue Academy, earning EMT certification and basic fire suppression training; trainee assignment does not exceed 18 months.
What are the age and education requirements to become a Dallas firefighter?
Trainee applicants must be at least 18 and not yet 36 at the time of the civil service exam. You also need one of: 45+ college semester hours with a 2.0+ GPA, at least 36 months of active honorable military service, or a passing TSIA score within the previous 12 months.
How does Dallas Fire-Rescue's hiring process work?
After you apply with qualifying documents attached, the process runs through an online civil service written exam, a physical ability test, a background investigation and medical evaluation, and a supplemental questionnaire, followed by the Fire-Rescue Academy.
How much do Dallas firefighters earn?
New Fire Rescue Officers start around $75,397 per year, and senior officers can earn up to roughly $98,377 with years of service. Additional pay is available for a bachelor's degree, EMS certification, and TCFP certifications.
Does Dallas Fire-Rescue accept lateral hires?
Yes. Lateral applicants need a current TCFP or IFSAC-sealed Basic Structural Firefighter certificate and a valid Texas or National Registry Paramedic license, and must pass the department's physical abilities test.
What training do new hires complete?
New hires attend the Dallas Fire-Rescue Academy, where they earn Emergency Medical Technician certification and complete basic fire suppression training. The trainee assignment does not exceed 18 months.
What is the work schedule?
Dallas firefighters work a rotating shift schedule, averaging about 60.5 hours per week.