Fire Department · Combination
Hawaii Fire Department
Hilo, HI · Hawaii County
Serves the entire Island of Hawaiʻi (Big Island)
The Hawaiʻi Fire Department is the county fire service for the Island of Hawaiʻi (the Big Island), operating under the County of Hawaiʻi with its headquarters and Central Fire Station in Hilo. It is responsible for fire protection and suppression, pre-hospital emergency medical services, land and sea search and rescue, hazardous materials response, ocean safety, and fire prevention and public education.
The department fields a large mixed force of career firefighters supported by volunteer companies, staffing paid stations alongside volunteer stations spread across the island's rural districts, coastlines, and volcanic terrain.
Every firefighter is a certified Emergency Medical Technician, reflecting how central EMS response is to the department's daily work across a geographically vast and often remote county.
Firefighters are hired through the County of Hawaiʻi civil service system as Fire Fighter Recruits. Candidates apply through the county's official jobs website, then move through a written examination, a timed physical agility test (including a 100-yard swim and surface dive, weight drag, hose carry, and a timed run), aptitude testing, a panel interview, a conditional offer, background investigation, and a pre-employment medical exam and drug screen.
Selected recruits complete a 16-week Fire Fighter I academy followed by a 6-week Emergency Medical Technician program, conducted in Hilo and island-wide, and serve a one-year probationary period. All firefighters must be certified as EMTs.
Requirements
- High school diploma or GED/HiSET
- Satisfactory completion of an English 100 and Health 125 course (grade C or better), OR a current EMT/MICT license with the applicable certificate or degree
- Valid State of Hawaiʻi Class 3 driver's license by the application deadline
- Far visual acuity of at least 20/30 binocular, corrected
- Ability to swim, climb ladders, work at heights, and perform sustained physical exertion
- All firefighters must be trained and certified as Emergency Medical Technicians
Hiring process
- Apply through the County of Hawaiʻi official jobs website
- Written examination (offered in Hilo and Kailua-Kona)
- Physical agility test: 100-yard swim with surface dive, weight drag, hose carry, and timed run
- Complete a Personal History Questionnaire
- Compass aptitude test
- Panel interview and assessment
- Conditional job offer
- Background investigation
- Pre-employment medical exam and drug screening
- 16-week Fire Fighter I academy plus 6-week EMT program in Hilo; one-year probation
Benefits
Permanent full-time civil service position with the County of Hawaiʻi. Recruits are paid during training, which includes both a Fire Fighter I academy and an EMT certification program.
16-week Fire Fighter I program followed by a 6-week EMT program (classroom and field), conducted in Hilo and island-wide, with a one-year initial probationary period.
What are the basic requirements to become a firefighter?
You need a high school diploma or GED/HiSET, completion of an English 100 and Health 125 course (grade C or better) or a current EMT/MICT license, and a valid State of Hawaiʻi Class 3 driver's license by the application deadline. You must also be able to swim and meet the physical standards.
Do I need to be an EMT to get hired?
All firefighters are required to be trained and certified as Emergency Medical Technicians. If you are not already certified, recruits complete a 6-week EMT program as part of the academy, and you must obtain a State EMT license.
What does the hiring process involve?
After applying through the county jobs website, candidates take a written exam, pass a timed physical agility test (including a 100-yard swim with surface dive, weight drag, hose carry, and a timed run), complete an aptitude test and panel interview, then receive a conditional offer followed by a background check and a pre-employment medical exam and drug screen.
What is the training academy like?
New recruits complete a 16-week Fire Fighter I program followed by a 6-week EMT program, with classroom and field training based in Hilo (and possibly island-wide), and serve a one-year probationary period.
How do I apply and where can I find openings?
Firefighter recruit openings are posted through the County of Hawaiʻi's official jobs website. You can also contact the county Department of Human Resources at 808-961-8361.