Fire Department · Combination
Spokane County Fire District #4
Deer Park, WA · Spokane County
Reported 4,416 alarms year-to-date in 2025, averaging 12.1 calls per day.
No active openings right now
Watch this department to be notified when Spokane County Fire District #4 is hiring, or check their careers page.
Department careers page ↗SCFD4 covers a large, largely rural swath of north Spokane County, extending its response through mutual aid into Stevens and Pend Oreille counties and partnering with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of Land Management, and U.S. Forest Service on wildland incidents. The district runs ten stations spread across Deer Park, Chattaroy, Elk, Mead, and Colbert, staffed with a blend of career and volunteer firefighters.
The district is currently running about 4,400 alarms a year, averaging just over 12 calls a day, and leans heavily on its volunteer program to keep several stations staffed, particularly in Chattaroy, Elk, Colbert, and Mead. Governance runs through an elected three-member Board of Fire Commissioners, with day-to-day operations led by Fire Chief Mike Nokes.
MissionProvide dependable service in a responsive fashion, while showing care and compassion for those in need, through disaster preparedness, fire prevention, community education, and mitigation of fire, rescue, medical care, and hazardous material incidents.
SCFD4 is not currently hiring for career firefighter/EMT or support-group positions, but continuously recruits volunteer firefighters, especially for stations in Chattaroy, Elk, Colbert, and Mead that need staffing.
Requirements
- Must live within five road miles of a station (state requirement for volunteer district staffing)
- EMT certification is optional, not mandatory, for those serving as structural firefighters only
- Mandatory attendance at the initial training academy and all required ongoing structural firefighting training
- Minimum of one 12-hour shift per month at a staffed station
- Applications must be updated and resubmitted every 12 months for continued eligibility
Hiring process
- Complete the volunteer application (online form or fillable PDF)
- Email the application to info@scfd4.org or submit in person at the Deer Park admin office
- District begins contacting potential volunteers in mid-November
- Attend a December information meeting
- Complete the initial structural firefighting academy (~10 weeks, Wednesday nights and Saturdays, typically March-April)
Initial structural firefighting training academy runs about 10 weeks, meeting Wednesday nights and Saturdays, typically March through April.
How long is the volunteer training academy?
The initial structural firefighting training academy takes about 10 weeks and is typically held Wednesday nights and Saturdays.
Do I need to be an EMT to volunteer?
No. EMT certification through the District is optional; individuals living within five road miles of a station can work as structural firefighters only.
Why is there a five-mile residency requirement?
Volunteer fire districts across Washington State must maintain a minimum number of firefighters who live no more than five road miles from the fire station to maintain insurance rates and staffing standards.
What is the minimum ongoing commitment for volunteers?
Volunteers must attend all required structural firefighting training, offered multiple times monthly, and complete a minimum of one 12-hour shift at a staffed station per month.
How do I apply to volunteer?
Complete the application and email it to info@scfd4.org or submit it in person at the Deer Park admin office. The District begins contacting potential volunteers in mid-November for December information meetings.