Fire Department · Career
Fort Worth Fire Department
Fort Worth, TX · Tarrant County
Serves the 11th-largest city in the U.S.
No active openings right now
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Department careers page ↗The Fort Worth Fire Department serves the City of Fort Worth, one of the largest and fastest-growing cities in the United States and home to more than a million residents. The department delivers a full range of services including fire suppression, emergency medical response, fire prevention and education, investigations, and emergency preparedness.
Operations are spread across roughly 46 stations grouped into eight battalions, backed by a deep fleet that includes engines, trucks, platforms, quints, rescues, wildland engines, airport crash units, and rescue boats. Beyond structural firefighting, the department maintains specialized capabilities in hazardous materials, water rescue and dive operations, wildland response, and aircraft rescue and firefighting.
Founded in the early 1870s, Fort Worth Fire is a large, established organization with a workforce numbering in the thousand-plus range and an annual call volume well above 130,000 responses. It is a busy, high-volume urban department with a broad mission across a rapidly expanding service area.
MissionTo serve and protect our community through education, prevention, preparedness and response
Fort Worth hires firefighters through the City of Fort Worth's civil-service recruitment process, which opens in application cycles rather than on a fully continuous basis. Candidates apply through the City's Fire Recruitment site and, once accepted, move through a multi-step selection process before entering the fire academy.
The process typically includes a written examination, an aerobic capacity run and a physical assessment test, a background investigation, a polygraph examination, an interview board, and a medical/physical examination. Recruits are paid during training, with pay increasing after certification and for advanced credentials.
Requirements
- High school diploma or GED
- Physical fitness sufficient to pass a physical assessment test and aerobic capacity run
- Successful background investigation and polygraph examination
- Pass a medical/physical examination
Hiring process
- Submit application through the City of Fort Worth Fire Recruitment site
- Pass the written examination
- Complete the aerobic capacity run and physical assessment test
- Background investigation
- Polygraph examination
- Interview board
- Medical/physical examination
- Fire academy training
Benefits
Recruits are paid during training, with pay increasing after certification. Additional pay is available for advanced certifications and education. The position is a civil-service role with City of Fort Worth employee benefits.
New hires complete the department's fire academy after passing the selection process; recruits are paid during training.
What are the basic requirements to become a Fort Worth firefighter?
Candidates need at minimum a high school diploma or GED and the physical fitness to pass a physical assessment test and aerobic capacity run, followed by a background check, polygraph, interview board, and medical examination.
What does the hiring process look like?
After applying through the City's Fire Recruitment site, candidates pass a written exam, an aerobic capacity run and physical assessment test, a background investigation, a polygraph, an interview board, and a medical examination before entering the fire academy.
How much do Fort Worth firefighters earn?
Recruit/trainee pay is roughly $69,707-$74,679 per year, and Firefighter/Paramedic pay ranges from about $76,920 to $96,677 per year with FLSA and certification pay. Extra pay is available for advanced certifications and education.
Are recruits paid during the academy?
Yes. Recruits are paid during training, and pay increases after certification and for advanced credentials.
Is the department always hiring?
Fort Worth recruits firefighters in application cycles rather than continuously. Prospective candidates should check the City of Fort Worth Fire Recruitment page for the current open application window.
How do I apply?
Applications are submitted through the City of Fort Worth's Fire Recruitment site at fortworthtexas.gov/departments/hr/careers/firerecruitment.