Fire Department · Career
City Of Somerville Fire Deparment
Somerville, MA · Middlesex County
No active openings right now
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Department careers page ↗The Somerville Fire Department serves a densely built, largely residential city just northwest of Boston, organizing its work across seven functional units: Fire Suppression, Training, Fire Prevention, the Flammable Liquid Compliance Unit, Public Education, Fire Investigation, and Emergency Management. Beyond structural firefighting, crews handle hazardous materials mitigation, water rescue, confined space rescue, and trench rescue, and the department's Fire Investigation Unit works to determine fire causes and pursue arson prosecutions.
A dedicated Fire Prevention Bureau, based at 1 Franey Rd., handles inspections, permitting, plan review, and storage-tank monitoring for the city, now processed largely online through CitizenServe. The department is also supported by the Somerville Auxiliary Fire Department, a volunteer unit that assists at fires, floods, and other incidents with lighting operations, residential pump-outs, and first-aid support, operating independently of the paid uniformed force under Fire Chief Charles Breen's direction.
Somerville hires firefighters through the Massachusetts civil service system rather than rolling applications. Candidates take a state civil service exam consisting of a written Fire Service Aptitude Battery (FSAB) and a Physical Ability Test (PAT), and are then placed on a hiring list; Somerville residents who have lived in the city for at least a year before the exam date receive residency preference.
Requirements
- Minimum age 19 by the exam date (no maximum age limit)
- Valid Massachusetts driver's license
- Non-smoker
- Non-U.S. citizens must be authorized to work in the United States
- Somerville residents who have resided in the city for at least one year before the exam date receive hiring preference
Hiring process
- Register and sit for the Massachusetts civil service exam ($75 fee; fee waivers available for SNAP, TANF, UI, WIC, SSI and similar assistance program participants)
- Written test: Fire Service Aptitude Battery (FSAB) - Ability Test, Work Styles Questionnaire, and Life Experience Survey
- Physical Ability Test (PAT): seven timed events including stair climbing, ladder operations, hose manipulation, forcible entry, search and navigation, rescue drags, and ceiling hook exercises
- Placement on the civil service hiring list; candidates are hired as positions open
How do I become a firefighter with the Somerville Fire Department?
Somerville hires firefighters through the Massachusetts civil service system. Candidates must register for and pass the state civil service exam, which includes a written Fire Service Aptitude Battery (FSAB) and a Physical Ability Test (PAT), and are then placed on a hiring list.
What are the requirements to apply to the Somerville Fire Department?
Applicants must be at least 19 years old as of the exam date, hold a valid Massachusetts driver's license, be a non-smoker, and, if not a U.S. citizen, be authorized to work in the United States. There is no maximum age limit.
Do Somerville residents get preference in firefighter hiring?
Yes. Somerville residents who have lived in the city for at least one year before the exam date receive residency preference in the civil service hiring process.
Is the Somerville Fire Department currently accepting applications?
The most recent civil service exam cycle (2023) has closed, and the next exam cycle had not been announced as of this writing. Prospective applicants should watch the department's recruitment page for the next posted exam date.
What does the Somerville Fire Prevention Bureau do?
The Fire Prevention Bureau, located at 1 Franey Rd., handles fire safety inspections, permitting (smoke detectors, oil burners, welding/hot works, garages, food trucks), construction plan reviews, sprinkler and fire alarm approvals, and storage tank monitoring, with applications now processed online through CitizenServe.