Job Announcement:

BECOME A HAMDEN FIREFIGHTER/PARAMEDIC

The Hamden Fire Department is hiring!

Applicants are required to complete an application through FirefighterApp.com There is a charge to cover processing fees.

This is a year-long recruitment period with multiple civil service testing cycles occurring during the open application process. The Town of Hamden will move forward with testing the number of qualified applications it receives on a rolling basis. Subsequent rounds of testing may continue to occur during the first half of the 2025 calendar year.

Applicants who successfully complete the civil service testing process will be placed on a ranked list with the opportunity to be placed on subsequent lists if not already hired in earlier cycles during the year-long recruitment period.

To Apply

You must create an applicant profile first and then continue to the application process. Make sure to download, read and follow all instructions contained in the Firefighter Paramedic Application & Hiring Process Handbook.

Department Mission and Information

The mission of the Hamden Fire Commission is to assist the Fire Department in ensuring that the citizens of the Town have the best possible fire service. We seek to hire and promote firefighters who display the highest degree of skill, courage, and integrity. We encourage Department programs that educate our community on public safety issues.

The Hamden Fire Department is classified as a combination fire department that incorporates career and volunteer members to accomplish their mission. Career and volunteer members provide the public with the most comprehensive and professional service possible. In addition to our department's core mission of fire suppression, we have become highly proficient as all-hazards responders. 74% of Hamden's 10,000 plus emergency responses are classified as medical. The HFD paramedic and Emergency Medical Team (EMT) staff handles these calls. Additionally, our first responders handle all technical rescues, service calls, and hazardous material incidents.

The Town of Hamden is a diverse community with approximately 62,000 residents, located in New Haven County Connecticut. The town covers 34 square miles and features urban, suburban, and rural areas.

OPEN APPLICATION PERIOD: for one (1) year starting June 10, 2024

The Position of Firefighter/Paramedic

General Statement of Duties: Firefighter/Paramedics are responsible for performing fire suppression, fire prevention, and rescue work; work is performed in accordance with departmental procedures and specific instruction; work requires performance of hazardous tasks under emergency conditions; work may involve extreme exertion for usually short periods of time under such handicaps as smoke, heat, and cramped surroundings; work involves inspecting and maintaining firefighting equipment and quarters, and performing supervised training. Over 70% of the Hamden Department of Fire & Emergency Services incidents involve both BLS and ALS emergency medical service. All on-duty personnel are required to respond to emergency medical calls regardless of their assignment.

Supervision Received: Works under immediate supervision of a superior in the Fire Department who issues instructions and reviews work for conformance to orders and instructions.

Essential Job Duties: Responds to alarms; protects exposures; ventilates fire-involved structures; forcibly enter buildings at fire scene; uses ladders; applies water and extinguishing agents; performs rescues; conducts overhaul and salvage operations; maintains fire service apparatus and equipment; maintains station house; participates in fire service training; performs both BLS and ALS emergency medical care; inspects structures; engages in fire prevention; and mans a watch desk.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Ability to follow written and oral instructions; mechanical comprehension and aptitude; ability to discern spatial relationships; mathematical ability; ability to interpret numerical tables; ability to work in accord with others; physical strength and agility necessary to performs the required work.

(Approved by the Civil Service Commission on September 17, 2019; Revised September 2022)

The Fire Chief reserves the right to reject any eligible candidate whom, on the basis of background or character investigation or medical examination, does not appear to be the most suitable qualified candidate for the position in accordance with the provisions of the Hamden Civil Service Commission's Rules and Regulations.

The Town of Hamden is an Equal Opportunity Employer Female and Minority candidates are
encouraged to apply

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

• Salary - $59,968.09 (plus 8% paramedic stipend- conditions apply)
• Retirement - CMERS pension

Other Benefits

• Education Incentives
• Shift Differential Compensation
• Longevity Bonus Compensation
• Medical / Dental Insurance
• Paid Time Off (Vacation, Personnel, and Sick)
• Paid Holidays
• Annual Uniform / Clothing Allowance
• Life Insurance

Requirements

Certification: Along with the requirement specified, only those who possess a valid NREMT Paramedic certification or provide proof of being currently enrolled in a NREMT certified paramedic program at the time of application may apply. Proof of meeting this requirement is needed at the time of application. Applicants must maintain their paramedic certification and participate in the capacity of a paramedic with Yale New Haven Hospital Center for EMS, Medical Control per the collective bargaining agreement at the time of hire. Applicants who do not have medical control must successfully attain certification from Yale Center for EMS within 90 days from successful completion of Training at the Connecticut Fire Academy. Failure to attain medical control may result in termination of employment with the Town of Hamden.

Other requirements include:

Age: You must be at least 18 years of age or older.

Education/Training: You must have a high school or GED diploma

Residency: You must be a US citizen or naturalized US citizen and must be a resident of the State
of Connecticut before contact by the Hamden Fire Commission for an interview.

License: You must currently possess a valid driver’s license – you must have CT license before
contact by the Hamden Fire Commission for an interview.

Physical Examination: You must provide proof of having successfully passed the Candidate Physical Abilities Test (CPAT) for firefighter candidates within the last 12 months or, you must schedule, take, and pass this test before contact by the Hamden Fire Commission for an interview. If you do not currently possess a valid CPAT certificate, you must schedule, take, and pass this test before contact by the Hamden Fire Commission for an interview. 

Drug Testing: Applicants shall be required to submit to and successfully pass a drug and alcohol test as part of their pre-employment medical examination.

Non-Smoker: Applicants must be non-smokers at the time of application and remain non-smokers
as a condition of employment with the Town.

Character Requirements: Applicants must meet the highest legal and ethical standards. No applicants will be accepted with any drug related conviction, felony conviction, conviction for any Class A or Class B misdemeanor or any conviction for domestic violence. Applicants will undergo a rigorous background investigation before any offer of employment is made. An applicant may be disqualified for poor employment history, recent use of illegal drugs or previously undetected criminal activity. Any omission, falsification, fabrication, or misleading statement will automatically result in disqualification from further consideration.

Background Investigation: A thorough background and character investigation will be conducted for the specific purpose of obtaining pertinent data for the Hamden Fire Department to consider in determining suitability for employment as a Firefighter / Paramedic. Eligible applicants will be requested to authorize the release of personal information including, but not limited to, educational institutions, medical history, employment history, legal complaints, arrests or convictions and motor vehicle history.

Connecticut Fire Academy: Successful applicants that are conditionally appointed under this process will be required to attend and successfully complete the Recruit Fire Training Class at the Connecticut Fire Academy (CFA) on their first attempt to do so. Failure to attain certification from the CFA will result in termination of employment with the Town of Hamden.

Selection Process

The Town of Hamden Human Resources, with the assistance of the Hamden Fire Department, work cooperatively in administering the testing process while adhering to all Civil Service rules and regulations.

Upon successful completion of the civil service written and oral tests, physical abilities standards, medical examination, background investigation and any other final steps in the selection process, the Hamden Board of Fire Commissioners may make appointments to the position of Probationary Firefighter/Paramedic.

Applicants are required to read the Applicant Handbook and apply through FierfighterApp.com There is a charge to cover processing fees.

Please direct questions regarding this position to hr@hamden.com