Full Time Firefighter Recruitment

Firefighters are responsible for a wide variety of duties including, but not limited to:

• Applying first aid to stabilize and prepare patients for transport to medical care facilities.
• Assisting with the development of pre-fire plans.
• Controlling hazardous materials to prevent injury or loss of life and to minimize property and environmental damage.
• Maintaining fire equipment.
• Operating fire apparatus such as pumpers, aerial devices, tankers, rescue trucks, and support vehicles within the structure of the Highway Traffic Act.
• Participating in fire safety inspections.
• Participating in public relations activities.
• Performing administrative duties.
• Performing communication duties including operating mobile and portable radios, computers, and other equipment.
• Performing fire ground operations under the direction of a supervisor.
• Performing rescue operations as part of a team and individually.
• Performing station duties.

To become a firefighter with the City, you must:

• Be able to communicate in English both orally and in writing.
• Be able to conduct routine maintenance and cleaning of stations, apparatus, and equipment.
• Be able to make decisions and react calmly and quickly in emergency situations.
• Be able to successfully complete the Applicant Assessment with Firefighter Services of Ontario upon request.
• Be able to provide photo identification.
• Be able to work in a highly structured work environment, on rotating shifts, following the rules, regulations and procedures of the department.
• Be capable of learning and performing the various methods and techniques used in extinguishing and preventing fires and in rescue techniques.
• Have a valid Class “DZ” licence with 0 demerit points and satisfactory to the City of Hamilton at time of application.
• Have a willingness to participate (on-duty) in a professionally regulated physical fitness program and in training courses directly related to the duties of the job.
• Have an Ontario High School Diploma or approved equivalent.
• Have the ability to acquire a general knowledge of hazardous materials, poisonous substances, arson detection, life safety systems and other job-related subjects, and be familiar with the procedures associated with these subjects.
• Have the ability to work within confined spaces or high places.
• Have visual requirements of at least 20/30 corrected OR 20/40 uncorrected both eyes tested together, normal depth perception and colour vision.
• Have, at minimum, a Basic Rescuer or Level “C” Certificate (Heart and Stroke) and Standard First Aid Certificate (Canadian Red Cross, Canadian St. John’s Ambulance or WSIB approved training is acceptable, dated no more than 12 months before the date of your application. Any training that exceeds these minimum requirements would be considered an asset. You must present both certificates at the time of interview.)
• Relevant Provincial Certifications as per the Province’s Firefighter Certification legislation.
• Maintain the physical strength and agility to perform hard work and operate all firefighting/rescue apparatus and equipment, as well as safety equipment under adverse conditions, frequently, for prolonged periods of time.
• Not have any criminal convictions for which a pardon has not been granted.

Candidates who are contacted to complete the Firefighter Entry Level Test with Firefighter Services of Ontario will do so at their own expense.

The Firefighter Entry Level test is a multiple choice, video-based test designed to simulate emotional triggers present in the job.

These emotional triggers are used to elicit responses showing how the candidate determines priorities when responding to common job stressors such as:

The passing score for the Firefighter Entry Level test taken with the Firefighter Services of Ontario is 70% or higher in the Human Relations section of the testing. Meeting this criterion does not guarantee that you will move forward in the hiring process. Candidates selected to move forward in the recruitment process will be contacted by email.

Photo ID is required at time of testing and throughout the recruitment process:

• Driver’s Licence
• Military ID
• Passport
• Health Card

Candidates who are contacted to move to the next steps will be required to complete the Firefighter Services of Ontario Applicant Assessment at their own expense. View more information about this testing

The steps in the Applicant Assessment include:

Clinical Assessment

​​​​​Occupational Assessment (CPAT)

​​​​​​Acrophobia Test

The acrophobia test requires candidates to climb a 30-foot ladder, wearing a harness, helmet and gloves for safety purposes. Once at the top of the ladder candidates will be asked to anchor themselves with one leg over and through the rung. Before returning to the ground, candidates will be asked to connect two hose couplings, lean backwards on the ladder and look down at a mark on the ground for 10 seconds.

Tread Water Test

The tread water test requires candidates to tread water, unassisted, for fifteen (15) consecutive minutes. Candidates must remain vertical and keep their heads completely above water.

Written Aptitude Examination

Firefighter Services of Ontario administers the Cooperative Personnel Services (CPS) Firefighter Entry-Level aptitude examination. The test format is multiple choice and metric versions of these examinations have been provided to accommodate Canadian fire services.

Description of the types of questions include:

The selected Probationary Full-time Firefighter applicants who pass the Practical Agility testing will be required to undergo a psychological assessment to assess their suitability for the position of Firefighter.

If you are selected for an interview you will contacted via email. 

Bring the original and one copy of each of the following documents to your interview:

• Ontario High School Diploma or approved equivalent as established by the Ontario Ministry of Education. For evaluation of International educational certificates please contact:
  • The International Credential Assessment Service (ICAS) of Canada at 1-800-321-6021, www.icascanada.ca or
  • World Education Services – Canada (WES-Canada) at 1-866-343-0070, www.wes.org/ca or
  • The Comparative Education Service of the University of Toronto (CES) 
• Proof that your basic rescuer or level "C" CPR certificate (minimum) is valid at time of application and will remain valid throughout the process until time of hire.
• Standard First Aid certificate (minimum) that is valid at time of application and will remain valid throughout the process until time of hire. Canadian Red Cross, Canadian St. John's ambulance, or WSIB-approved training is acceptable.
  • If a certificate for either CPR or First Aid is not available a letter on company or department letterhead outlining the recognized training stating the level and the date completed, may be accepted.

If the above information is not provided at the interview, you will be disqualified from the process.

To be eligible to continue further in the process the following conditions must be met:

1. Police Vulnerable Sector Check (satisfactory to the City)
   You will be required to obtain a Police Vulnerable Sector Check at your own expense. To obtain your police check, go to the police service in the municipality where you permanently live.
   For your application to be considered, you must not have a criminal conviction for which a pardon has not been granted at the time of application and your police check must be satisfactory to the City.
2. Medical (administered by our physician)
   You will be contacted by the City with a date and time for your third-party medical assessment.
   The cost of the medical assessment is covered by the City.
   The required medical documents will be provided to you once your appointment has been confirmed.
   You must successfully complete the medical assessment to be considered.
   Your vision will be tested at the medical assessment. The acceptable vision required for this position is 20/30 in each eye without corrective lenses and the ability to satisfactorily complete a colour vision test.
3. Reference Checks
   Complete the Reference Consent Form(PDF, 195.28 KB). References must be employment-related and someone that you report or reported to.
4. Valid Class “DZ” licence with 0 demerit points (satisfactory to the City)
   Including a Driver’s Abstract Check that is satisfactory to the City of Hamilton. 

Successful candidates start 18 weeks of training on their employment start date.