Fire Department · Career
Wichita Falls Fire Department
Wichita Falls, TX · Wichita County
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Department careers page ↗Wichita Falls Fire Department traces its roots to 1891 as a volunteer outfit before becoming a professional career department in 1913. Over the following decades it built a reputation for being progressive and innovative, fielding the first motorized fire apparatus in the area and, before 1949, the first 100-foot aerial ladder west of the Mississippi River. In 1949, Wichita Falls voters were among the first in Texas to adopt State Civil Service law for the fire department, a framework that still governs hiring today.
The department has continued to expand its capabilities, standing up the region's only certified hazardous materials response team within a 100-mile radius in 1985 and launching a medical First Responder program in 1991. Today it runs eight strategically located fire stations with roughly 164 operational personnel working a three-platoon system, and in 2020 it earned an ISO Class 1 rating — a distinction held by less than 400 fire jurisdictions nationwide, reflecting a near-perfect evaluation score of 95.18 out of 106.50 possible points.
Beyond structural firefighting and EMS response, the department runs fire investigations, code inspections, public education programs, and trains new recruits at its own Public Safety Training Center and drill field.
Wichita Falls hires entry-level firefighters through the City's Civil Service testing process rather than rolling applications. Candidates apply online, then move through a written Civil Service exam, physical agility test, and ergometric exam before being placed on a hiring eligibility list for the Fire Recruit Academy.
Requirements
- Meet minimum eligibility standards outlined in the city's "Cause for Rejection of Applicants for Firefighter" document
- Pass the written Civil Service exam
- Pass the physical agility test administered immediately after the written exam
- Pass the ergometric exam
- Complete a Personal History Statement
Hiring process
- Submit application through the online civil service portal (munisweb.wichitafallstx.gov)
- Complete a Personal History Statement and review the Cause for Rejection document
- Study provided Civil Service exam materials
- Sit for the written Civil Service exam
- Pass the physical agility test immediately following the written exam
- Complete the ergometric exam
- Attend the 24-week Fire Recruit Academy once selected from the eligibility list
The Fire Recruit Academy runs about 24 weeks. It opens with 7 weeks of EMT curriculum culminating in the National Registry exam, followed by structural firefighting training to Texas Commission on Fire Protection standards and the State of Texas Firefighter Examination. Employment with the City of Wichita Falls begins on day one of the academy, recruits work standard 8am-5pm weekday hours during training and may not attend other schools or hold outside jobs, and graduates serve roughly 18 months on probationary status with continued training and evaluation.
How do I become a firefighter with Wichita Falls Fire Department?
Applicants go through the City of Wichita Falls Civil Service hiring process: submit an application through the online civil service portal, pass a written Civil Service exam, a physical agility test, and an ergometric exam, then attend the 24-week Fire Recruit Academy once selected from the resulting eligibility list.
What are the requirements to apply?
Applicants must meet the eligibility standards described in the city's "Cause for Rejection of Applicants for Firefighter" document, complete a Personal History Statement, and pass the written Civil Service exam, physical agility test, and ergometric exam.
How long is the Fire Recruit Academy?
The Recruit Academy runs about 24 weeks, starting with 7 weeks of EMT curriculum and the National Registry exam, then structural firefighting training and the State of Texas Firefighter Examination. Recruits are paid City employees from day one and are not allowed to attend other schools or hold outside jobs during training.
Does Wichita Falls Fire Department accept lateral transfers from other departments?
The department's posted hiring process is for entry-level firefighters through Civil Service testing; no lateral-transfer hiring track is described on its recruitment page.
How many stations and personnel does Wichita Falls Fire Department have?
The department operates out of eight strategically located fire stations with about 164 operational personnel working a three-platoon system, and holds an ISO Class 1 rating.