Fire Department · Career
Brockton Fire Department
Brockton, MA · Plymouth County
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Department careers page ↗The Brockton Fire Department is the career fire and EMS service for Brockton, Massachusetts, operating out of six stations spread across the city's Central, Campello, Montello, East Side, West Side, and Cary Hill neighborhoods. The department handled 26,136 incidents in 2021, reflecting a busy, high-call-volume urban environment.
Brockton carries an ISO Class 1 Public Protection Classification, earned January 1, 2017 as only the fifth department in the Commonwealth to reach that mark, and reportedly the highest per-capita rate of Class 1 service in Massachusetts. The department serves a diverse, multicultural population under the oversight of the Mayor and City Council.
Beyond suppression, the department runs Fire Prevention, Training, Safety, Public Education, Signal, Fire Alarm, and Fire Investigation divisions. It also maintains a Fire Museum preserving a long local firefighting history that traces back to 1827.
Hiring for Brockton firefighters runs through the Commonwealth of Massachusetts civil-service process. Candidates must pass a state-administered written examination and the Entry-Level Physical Abilities Test (ELPAT) to be placed on an eligible list, then clear a medical exam, background/character investigation, and interview before appointment.
Applicants must be at least 19 years old as of the application deadline, hold a valid Massachusetts driver's license prior to appointment, and be non-smokers (a statutory requirement under M.G.L. Ch. 41, Sec. 101A). Prospective firefighters should watch the mass.gov civil-service exam schedule and register for the Municipal Firefighter Examination.
Requirements
- At least 19 years old as of the application deadline
- Valid Massachusetts motor vehicle operator's license required prior to appointment
- Non-smoker at time of and after appointment (M.G.L. Ch. 41, Sec. 101A)
- Pass the state written examination and Entry-Level Physical Abilities Test (ELPAT)
- Pass a medical examination before the physical abilities test
- Pass a comprehensive background and character investigation
Hiring process
- Take and pass the state-administered written examination and Entry-Level Physical Abilities Test (ELPAT) to be placed on the eligible list
- Pass a medical examination
- Complete the Physical Abilities Test (ladder raises, hose advance, forcible entry, victim drag and search, aerobic capacity)
- Complete any required psychological evaluation
- Pass a background and character investigation
- Complete an oral job interview prior to appointment
What are the basic requirements to become a Brockton firefighter?
You must be at least 19 years old as of the application deadline, hold a valid Massachusetts driver's license before appointment, and be a non-smoker as required by Massachusetts law. You also must pass the state written exam and physical abilities test.
How do I apply to Brockton Fire Department?
Hiring is through the Commonwealth of Massachusetts civil-service system. You register for and take the state-administered Municipal Firefighter Examination (written exam plus the ELPAT physical test) via mass.gov to be placed on the eligible list.
What does the hiring process involve?
After passing the written exam and Entry-Level Physical Abilities Test, candidates go through a medical examination, the physical abilities test, a possible psychological evaluation, a background and character investigation, and an oral interview before appointment.
What is tested in the physical abilities test?
The Entry-Level Physical Abilities Test assesses aerobic capacity and job tasks including dragging a person, raising ladders, forcible entry, advancing hose lines, and searching for victims.
Do I need to be a non-smoker?
Yes. Under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 41, Section 101A, you cannot smoke at the time of appointment or afterward as a Brockton firefighter.