Fire Department · Combination
Ketchikan Fire Department
Ketchikan, AK · Ketchikan Gateway County
combination department with ~15 career firefighters, 4 administrative staff, and 15-25 volunteers
Pay scale
| Firefighter/EMT | $30–$31/hr |
| Airport Technician Aircraft Rescue & Fire Fighter | $28–$31/hr |
| Local Volunteer Firefighter - S. Tongass | $20/yr |
| Local Volunteer Firefighter - N. Tongass | $20/yr |
Earn 28 to 30 dollars per hour providing airport ARFF and emergency medical response. Enjoy robust health benefits, PERS retirement, and 22 days of starting paid time off.
The North Tongass Volunteer Fire Department seeks volunteer members to respond to emergency calls, drive apparatus, and provide fire suppression and medical treatment. This is an unpaid volunteer position with no closing date listed.
Join the South Tongass Volunteer Fire Department as an unpaid volunteer responder. Applicants must be at least 18 years old and possess a valid driver license. This continuous recruitment has no set deadline.
Ketchikan Fire Department serves the City of Ketchikan on Revillagigedo Island in Alaska's Inside Passage. It operates as a combination department, blending a full-time staff with a corps of local volunteers to cover fire suppression, emergency medical response, ambulance transport, and prevention work.
The department is built around a full-time complement of about 4 administrative personnel and 15 career firefighters, backed by roughly 15 to 25 volunteers. Career crews run three platoons (A, B, and C) on a 48/96 shift rotation out of the department's headquarters on Front Street.
Beyond emergency response, KFD invests heavily in the community: it runs a Mobile Integrated Healthcare program, offers car seat inspections, station tours, burn permits, and CPR/BLS education referrals, reflecting a small-city department that fills a broad public-safety role for an isolated island community.
Missionto protect and serve our community through safety, service, and excellence
Ketchikan Fire Department hires career Firefighter/EMTs and also recruits for its volunteer program, and it is actively accepting applications for both. When positions are open, the job description and online application are posted through the city's jobs portal, linked from the department's Recruitment page.
Prospective candidates can direct volunteer-program questions to Tiffany Cook (tiffanyc@ktn-ak.us) and general employment questions to the main office at kfd@ktn-ak.us or (907) 225-9616. Because the department is combination-staffed, the volunteer program is a common entry point alongside the career firefighter track.
Schedule
48/96
Is Ketchikan Fire Department currently hiring?
Yes. The department is currently hiring Firefighter/EMTs and is also recruiting volunteers. Open positions, job descriptions, and the online application are posted on the department's Recruitment page (ketchikan.gov/kfd-join).
What kind of department is Ketchikan Fire Department?
It is a combination department, staffed by about 4 administrative personnel and 15 career firefighters, supplemented by approximately 15 to 25 volunteers.
What is the shift schedule for career firefighters?
Career personnel work a 48/96 shift schedule across three shifts, designated A, B, and C.
How do I apply for a firefighter position?
When positions are open, you can download the job description and apply online through the city's jobs portal, which is linked from the department's Recruitment page. For questions, email kfd@ktn-ak.us or call (907) 225-9616.
Can I join as a volunteer?
Yes. The department runs a volunteer program and is actively recruiting. Direct volunteer-program questions to Tiffany Cook at tiffanyc@ktn-ak.us.
Does the department teach CPR or BLS classes?
The fire department does not teach CPR/BLS courses directly, but it refers residents to local partner organizations that offer the training.