Fire Department · Career
Trenton Fire Department
Trenton, NJ · Mercer County
Volunteer companies protected Trenton from 1747 until the city established a paid department on April 4, 1892; a 2002 reorganization left seven engine companies and three ladder companies.
No active openings right now
Watch this department to be notified when Trenton Fire Department is hiring, or check their careers page.
Department careers page ↗Trenton Fire and Emergency Services is one of the oldest fire departments in the country, with its lineage running back to the Union Fire Company organized at a blacksmith shop on February 7, 1747. Thirteen volunteer companies protected the city for nearly a century and a half before Trenton stood up a fully paid department on April 4, 1892. A 1999 public referendum split the fire division out of a combined Public Safety agency into its own independent department, and a 2002 reorganization consolidated companies into the seven engine and three ladder companies that, along with the West Ward Station opened in 2003, cover the capital city today.
Beyond structure fires, the department fields a Technical Rescue Team trained for building collapse, confined space, and rope rescue, runs a water/dive recovery capability, staffs a Fire Marshal Unit and fire prevention bureau, and serves as first responders for emergency medical calls citywide. The department also maintains the Meredith Havens Fire Museum, a collection of antique apparatus and artifacts documenting nearly three centuries of firefighting history in Trenton.
Missionto be viewed as a world class department in the all hazards industry
Trenton firefighters are hired through the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. Periodically the Commission opens a firefighter exam announcement; applicants who pass the written test are ranked on an eligible list using their score plus credit for volunteer firefighting service, residency, and location preference, and must then complete Physical Performance Testing before certification and appointment.
Requirements
- Pass the New Jersey Civil Service Commission firefighter written examination
- Complete Physical Performance Testing at time of certification from the eligible list
- Veteran status documentation (if applicable) submitted to the NJ Department of Military and Veterans Affairs at least 8 days before the eligible list is issued
Hiring process
- Apply during an open NJ Civil Service Commission firefighter exam announcement
- Sit for the written civil service examination
- Placement on a ranked eligible list (score plus volunteer, residency, and location-preference credit)
- Complete Physical Performance Testing at certification
- Receive appointment from the eligible list, which stays active at least two years
How do I become a firefighter with Trenton Fire and Emergency Services?
Hiring runs through the New Jersey Civil Service Commission rather than the department directly. Candidates apply when a firefighter exam announcement opens, take the written test, and are placed on a ranked eligible list used for appointments.
What is required to apply for a firefighter position in Trenton, NJ?
Applicants must pass the NJ Civil Service Commission's written firefighter exam and later complete Physical Performance Testing at the time of certification from the eligible list.
Does volunteer firefighting experience help a Trenton Fire Department application?
Yes. Volunteers with continuous service receive bonus points on the civil service eligible list: 3 points for two years of service, plus 1 additional point per year up to a maximum of 10 points.
Where can I find current Trenton Fire Department job openings?
Openings are posted through the City of Trenton's Division of Personnel and the New Jersey Civil Service Commission, not a standalone fire department careers page.