Fire Department
Holland Fire Department
Holland, MI · Ottawa County
21 career · 21 paid-on-call firefighters
The Holland Fire Department protects the city of Holland, Michigan as the fire services division of the Holland Department of Public Safety. The city consolidated its police and fire departments into a single public safety agency in 2010, overseen by one Public Safety Chief, with two full-time captains assigned solely to fire operations.
It is a combination department: 21 full-time firefighters work alongside 21 paid-on-call firefighters, supported by a full-time fire marshal, a full-time training officer, and a department assistant. Fire protection runs out of two stations, on Waverly Road and Kollen Park Drive, each staffed around the clock by career members with a complement of paid-on-call members assigned to it.
The fleet includes an aerial tower truck, a front-line pumper, two rescue pumpers, a reserve pumper, two EMS squad vehicles, a brush fire unit, and a rescue watercraft. Beyond suppression, the department provides emergency medical services, hazardous materials response, fire prevention code enforcement, and public fire-safety education, and members can join specialty teams including HazMat, technical rescue, and drone teams. Following a 2015 evaluation, the city's ISO Public Protection Classification improved from Class 4 to Class 3.
MissionTo protect lives and property in the community by aggressively enforcing modern fire prevention codes and laws; effectively educating the public of its role in fire safety; safely and efficiently extinguishing fires; and providing emergency medical services, hazardous materials response, and other services consistent with the role of a modern fire department.
Holland accepts applications at any time for both full-time and paid-on-call firefighter positions, through the city's GovernmentJobs portal. Full-time applicants must already hold Michigan Fire Fighter I and II certification, a Michigan Basic EMT license (NREMT), Hazardous Materials Operations-level certification, and at least an associate degree, with fire science or a related field preferred. Paid-on-call positions require no certifications or prior experience to apply — both are preferred but new hires train up on the job.
Every candidate, regardless of position, completes a physical ability test, an interview, a comprehensive background examination, and a pre-employment physical before appointment. Resumes and cover letters are optional, and the department asks applicants not to submit certification documents until requested later in the process.
Requirements
- Full-time: Michigan Fire Fighter I and II certification
- Full-time: Michigan Basic EMT license (NREMT)
- Full-time: Hazardous Materials Responder — Operations-level certification
- Full-time: associate degree minimum (fire science or related field preferred)
- Paid-on-call: no certifications or experience required to apply (preferred); Michigan Firefighter I within two years of appointment
- Physically able to perform required duties and pass an agility test
Hiring process
- Submit an application through the city's GovernmentJobs portal (accepted at any time)
- Physical ability test
- Interview
- Comprehensive background examination
- Pre-employment physical
Benefits
The City of Holland's pension is a defined-contribution 401(a) plan through the Municipal Employees' Retirement System (MERS): the city contributes 6% of salary, and employees who elect to contribute 2% receive a matching 2% from the city for a total of 10%, with five-year vesting on city contributions. Paid-on-call members receive in-house training and department sponsorship through the Ottawa County Fire Academy.
Paid-on-call hires are sponsored through the Ottawa County Fire Academy and must earn Michigan Firefighter I certification within two years of appointment; the department also lists potential future sponsorship for EMT training.
Do Holland paid-on-call firefighters have to live in the city?
Paid-on-call members must live and work within a reasonable distance of their assigned station, be available around the clock, and carry a department pager at all times.
What is expected of paid-on-call members once hired?
Members respond to incidents as dispatched, attend regular and special training classes and drills, help maintain vehicles and equipment, take part in community involvement programs, and must keep the minimum attendance average set in department SOGs as a condition of continued membership.