Fire Department · Combination
Pulaski County Fire Rescue
Dublin, VA · Pulaski County
No active openings right now
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Department careers page ↗Pulaski County Fire and Rescue is the newest layer of emergency response in this New River Valley county, created to knit together long-running volunteer fire companies with a growing corps of career and part-time staff. The county named Brandon Hamblin, a Town of Pulaski firefighter since 2005 and former Virginia Department of Forestry wildland firefighter, as its first-ever Chief of Fire & Rescue in 2024 to lead that unification. In 2026 the department added a second layer of capability with its first-ever Fire Marshal, Zack Dunnigan, a former fire captain who now handles fire and life-safety inspections, code compliance, plan reviews, and fire investigations across the county.
Day to day, the department runs a combination model: career and part-time Combination Fire/EMS Staff Members cross-train to answer both structural fire calls and EMS calls, working fire suppression, extrication, and hazardous-materials responses alongside the county's volunteer fire departments while also staffing ambulances as EMS Field Staff. Chief Hamblin has described the goal as one department where career staff support volunteers and volunteers support paid staff, all pointed at the same call.
Pulaski County Public Safety hires both dedicated EMS Field Staff and Combination Fire/EMS Staff Members who split time between fire suppression/rescue work and EMS response. Full-time staff work rotating 24-hour shifts totaling 48 hours a week, including holidays and weekends; part-time staff work shifts based on availability. New hires go through a six-month orientation and precepting period before working independently, with annual evaluations and an annual physical agility/medical evaluation to continue.
Requirements
- Minimum age 18
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Certification as an EMS provider (EMT, AEMT, Intermediate, or Paramedic) through the Virginia Office of EMS
- VDFP Firefighter II Certification (for combination fire/EMS roles)
- Hazardous Materials Operations certification (VDFP or approved equivalent)
- Extrication Technician certification (VDFP or approved equivalent)
- EVOC (Emergency Vehicle Operator Course) Class I, II, and III certification, or ability to obtain within a specified period after hire
- Pass a drug test, background check, and physical agility test
- Valid driver's license and ability to meet County vehicle-operation clearance requirements
Hiring process
- Apply through the appropriate Virginia Employment Commission office or submit a County employment application to Human Resources
- Complete a drug test, background check, and physical agility test
- Complete EMS/fire precepting and a six-month agency orientation period
- Maintain required certifications (EMS provider level, Firefighter II, Hazmat Ops, Extrication Tech, EVOC) as a condition of continued employment
- Complete an annual physical agility and medical evaluation thereafter
Benefits
County employees have access to Anthem health coverage and LiveHealth Online telehealth; Pulaski County is a certified Virginia Values Veterans (V3) employer.
Who is the fire chief of Pulaski County Fire and Rescue?
Brandon Hamblin was named Pulaski County's first-ever Chief of Fire & Rescue in 2024. He had served the Town of Pulaski Fire Department since 2005 as a firefighter, lieutenant, EMT, training officer, and captain, and previously worked as a wildland firefighter for the Virginia Department of Forestry.
Does Pulaski County Fire and Rescue hire EMTs and paramedics?
Yes. The department hires EMS Field Staff certified through the Virginia Office of EMS at the EMT, Advanced EMT, Intermediate, or Paramedic level, as well as combination Fire/EMS staff who are cross-trained in both firefighting and EMS response.
What certifications do I need to become a firefighter/EMS staff member with Pulaski County?
Combination Fire/EMS Staff Members need EMS provider certification through the Virginia Office of EMS, VDFP Firefighter II Certification, Hazardous Materials Operations, Extrication Technician certification, and EVOC Class I-III, in addition to passing a drug test, background check, and physical agility test.
How do I apply for a job with Pulaski County Fire and Rescue?
Applicants apply through the local Virginia Employment Commission office or submit a Pulaski County employment application to the County's Human Resources office; current openings are listed and applied for online at the County's Employment Opportunities page.
Is Pulaski County Fire and Rescue a volunteer or career department?
It's a combination system: the County created its first paid Chief of Fire & Rescue in 2024 and its first Fire Marshal in 2026 to unify career and part-time staff with the county's existing volunteer fire departments under one coordinated response structure.