Fire Department · Career
Coeur D'Alene Fire Department
Coeur D Alene, ID · Kootenai County
48 line firefighters/officers, 1 fire chief, 3 deputy chiefs, 2 fire inspectors, and 3 administrative staff — all career positions, no volunteer program. Minimum on-shift staffing is 21 personnel.
No active openings right now
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Department careers page ↗Coeur d'Alene Fire Department is an all-career, full-service department serving the city of Coeur d'Alene and, through the Kootenai County Emergency Medical Services System, paramedic and ambulance transport coverage across the southern part of the county. The department runs four fire stations and a dedicated Marine Facility housing a fireboat, with Station #1 also serving as home to the department's ladder company and on-duty Battalion Chief.
Every member is cross-trained in emergency medicine, so fire engines as well as ambulances respond to medical calls; staffing is built to at least the EMT-D level with most personnel carrying EMT-Intermediate certification and paramedics assigned to multiple stations. The department is one of three State of Idaho Technical Response Teams (alongside Boise and Pocatello/Twin Falls) and partners with Idaho Disaster Dogs, a K-9 search-and-rescue team drawn from its own ranks that has deployed on national disaster responses.
The department no longer runs a volunteer program and hires exclusively through a civil-service testing process, typically recruiting for firefighter positions on a roughly two-year cycle. New hires without a fire/EMS background can still apply, since all incoming firefighters go through a CDAFD-hosted fire academy.
The department hires firefighters through a civil-service process administered with Public Safety Testing, typically opening a firefighter recruitment about every two years. Prior fire or EMS experience is not required — all new hires attend a CDAFD-hosted fire academy — but candidates must hold (or be actively pursuing) EMT certification and must obtain their State of Idaho EMT license within 30 days of hire.
Requirements
- Valid driver's license
- EMT certification, or actively in the process of obtaining EMT certification, to apply
- State of Idaho EMT Certification License required within 30 days of hire
- No residency requirement — open to all applicants
- Must pass the department's own physical agility test (CPAT is not accepted)
Hiring process
- Submit application when a Firefighter recruitment is posted (roughly every two years) via the city's job portal
- Written civil service exam administered by Public Safety Testing
- Physical agility test at the department training center — six NFPA-gear events (ladder climb, stair climb with hose bundle, hose roll pull, forcible entry simulation, 150-ft hose drag, 100-ft mannequin rescue) completed within 6 minutes
- Oral board interview covering skills, qualifications, and background
- Placement on an eligibility list under the 'Rule of Three,' with the top three candidates interviewed per open position; the list remains valid for two years
Benefits
As city employees, firefighters receive a comprehensive benefits package including PERSI retirement, medical/dental/vision coverage, life insurance, disability protection, flexible spending accounts, paid holidays, sick leave, and vacation accrual based on years of service.
All new firefighters, including those without prior fire or EMS experience, go through a CDAFD-hosted fire academy.
What services does CDAFD provide?
Firefighting, emergency medical services (all personnel are cross-trained as EMTs), hazardous materials response, technical rescue, and public education.
Why do fire engines respond to ambulance calls?
Because most full-time firefighters are cross-trained as EMTs (basic, intermediate, and paramedic), fire engines can also provide emergency medical services, enabling faster response times across the city's roughly 14.9 square mile service area.
What shift do firefighters work?
Personnel work 24-hour shifts on modified Detroit schedules, averaging 10 shifts per month or 56 hours per week.
Is EMT certification required to apply?
Applicants must have, or be actively pursuing, EMT certification, and must obtain a State of Idaho EMT Certification License within 30 days of hire.
How do I schedule a station tour?
Call 208-769-2340 or contact the department through the website's contact form.