Fire Department · Career
Southfield Fire Department
Southfield, MI · Oakland County
busiest fire department in Oakland County
Start as a FF/EMT with an annual salary around $48,000; EMT certification required, CPAT within one year; extensive background check and psychological evaluation.
Paramedic-certified firefighters earn $62,929-$96,419 annually with extensive benefits including health care and retirement plans. Apply now; deadline not specified.
Apply as a paramedic without firefighting experience; required certifications include Paramedic license and CPAT within a year. Benefits include comprehensive health insurance, retirement plans, and tuition reimbursement.
Established in 1942, the Southfield Fire Department has grown from two full-time employees and fourteen volunteers into a full-time career organization that describes itself as one of the most respected fire departments in Michigan.
The department protects Southfield and neighboring Lathrup Village, an inner-ring suburb of Detroit whose daytime population swells to roughly 175,000. Its five stations are positioned across the city, including headquarters on Lahser, and its high-rise office corridor shapes the kind of work crews train for.
With about 117 members and a 2025 record of 16,480 calls for service (around 45 a day), the department calls itself the busiest fire department in Oakland County. It has a long history of EMS innovation, having launched one of the state's first life-support units in 1972 and later a patient-transport program.
Missiondedicated to providing the highest quality life-safety and emergency services available
The City of Southfield hires firefighters through its municipal employment process. The fire department's public pages do not post current openings, requirements, or salary details, so prospective candidates should watch the City of Southfield's employment listings and contact the department through the city's main line for the current application status.
Because specifics such as pay ranges, testing steps, and lateral policy are not published on the department site, confirm requirements directly with the city before applying.
Is the Southfield Fire Department a career or volunteer department?
It is a full-time career department. It began in 1942 with two full-time employees and volunteers and has grown to roughly 117 members.
How many stations and members does the department have?
The department operates five fire stations across the city and has about 117 members.
What kind of calls will I run here?
The department reports being the busiest in Oakland County, with 16,480 calls for service in 2025 (about 45 per day), spanning EMS and patient transport, water rescue, hazardous materials, technical rescue, high-rise firefighting, and vehicle extrication.
What specialties does the department cover?
Crews handle emergency medical services and transport, water rescue, hazardous materials response, technical and confined-space rescue, high-rise firefighting, tower rescue, and mass-casualty response.
How do I apply?
The fire department site does not post openings or requirements directly; firefighter hiring runs through the City of Southfield. Check the city's employment listings and contact the department via the city's main line at (248) 796-5000 for current status.