Firefighter

Firefighter

The Hutchinson Fire Department (HFD) is currently building an eligibility list for future firefighters to join our next Recruit Academy during the fall of 2026.

HFD is an organization of continuous improvement that takes pride in improving its commitment to the community and has confirmed International Accreditation as well as a Class 1 rating with the Insurance Service Organization (ISO). HFD is 1 of 112 organizations in the world that currently holds both statuses. Establishing this:

• Provides greater community alignment.
• Encourages quality improvement.
• Facilitates input from and builds positive relationships with labor.
• Identifies areas of strengths and weaknesses.
• Allows for the establishment of an improvement plan.
• Provides data-supported decision-making.
• Communicates management and leadership philosophies.
• Ensures that our agency has a defined mission and related objectives.
• Encourages the development of organizational procedural documents.
• Is operating under industry best practices.

HFD protects 50,000 residents and covers 108 square miles encompassing the City of Hutchinson and suburban and rural Reno County Fire District #2. HFD responds to unique challenges within this area including having the number one wildland-urban interface fire threat in the State of Kansas resulting from thousands of acres of sandhill-covered grass and brush land, unique tourist attractions, a regional airport, three major rail lines, major highways, high-pressure underground pipelines and large gas storage facilities, salt mining operations, and sinkholes resulting from abandoned mine operations and natural hazard threats such as severe summer and winter storms, drought and high winds.

HFD has 89 uniformed members and 1 civilian employee. We operate 6 engine companies, 2 truck companies, and Crossman 10 brush trucks, 2 water tenders, 2 reserve engines, and a heavy rescue trailer from 6 strategically located fire stations. Fire Headquarters is located in our Command and Training Center with a 4-story training tower with 2 burn rooms and 2 large paved training pads located on 53 acres of land. The department provides fire suppression, basic life support EMS response (Tactical Emergency Medicine), hazardous material - technician level, technical heavy rescue (confined space, high and low angle, structural rescue, and water rescue), and wildland firefighting (with the possibility of federal deployment).

A DAY IN THE LIFE:

The firefighter is primarily responsible for performing emergency response services including fire suppression (building, trash, automobile, wildland, etc.), hazardous material releases, natural disasters and mass casualty events, and emergency medical services, and will also perform fire prevention and safety education duties. In addition to Fire Fighter duties, this position drives and operates fire apparatus and equipment at the scene of emergency incidents and is responsible for inspecting and maintaining assigned firefighting equipment on an ongoing basis.

Work is normally performed under close supervision in accordance with well-defined procedures, and is inspected in process and upon completion by a Fire Captain. Candidates for our next academy:

• May be required to relieve an officer of higher rank on occasion.
• Should be in the excellent physical condition and have the ability to remain poised under extremely difficult and hazardous circumstances.
• Must pass the required entrance exams, and medical evaluation process, and complete all training and certifications required for this position.
• Must have acquired the necessary information and skills to perform the job reasonably well after completing the required training and probationary period.
• Must follow and adhere to all NFPA Standards, including 1001 and 1002
• Respond to medical emergency calls and assesses and treats a range of illness and injuries at the scene using EMT techniques. Take pulse, and blood pressure, and visually observes changes in skin color; make a determination regarding patient status and priority for emergency care. Determines when a victim should be moved and moves the victim from the scene to the ambulance. Uses equipment such as a defibrillator, electrocardiograph, adjunct airway equipment, immobilization devices, splints, and bandages
• Ensures all equipment and apparatus are in a constant state of readiness for emergency calls. Thoroughly inspects, tests, and performs preventative maintenance functions of a mechanical nature on fire apparatus and related departmental equipment; reports conditions that require attention and act promptly to remedy them.
• Maintains, cleans, stocks, and loads various firefighting, rescue, and EMS-related tools, equipment, and supplies on department apparatus, units, and vehicles per departmental SOPs. Provides instruction and oversight to firefighters in the operation and care of department apparatus.
• Performs general maintenance and custodial work at the fire station and other department facilities. Performs other duties as assigned
• Follows all safety and security procedures.

Academy

New firefighter recruits that join our department must complete an 8-week academy conducted by the HFD Fire Training Division. The Recruit Academy consists of courses designed to review IFSAC and the NFPA Standard 1001, Firefighter I and II skills, Hazardous Materials Operations skills, Kansas Emergency Medical Technician skills, and HFD policies and procedures. Recruits are tested and evaluated weekly throughout the process on both written and practical skills and are given both a final written exam and a practical skills test. Recruits must pass all exams with a minimum score of 70%.

Work Schedule

The department works a modified 56-hour work week. Firefighters are required to work 24-hour shift assignments - living, eating, and sleeping at the station for the entire period (including weekends and holidays), and may be required to work overtime with little or no notice. The shift schedule is as follows: On-Off-On-Off-On-Off-Off-Off-Off. Our firefighters work 10 days per month with 4 consecutive days off occurring 3-4 times per month. The schedule then repeats.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL:

• Must be willing and able to work irregular hours, including weekends, holidays, and extended hours in emergency, disaster, or other situations influenced by workload or staffing difficulties.
• Must have the physical ability to perform the essential functions as described.
• EDUCATION: A high school diploma or GED is required. An Associate's degree in Fire Science or other related coursework is preferred.
• CERTIFICATIONS : Applicants must be certified as an EMT or higher by the Kansas Board of EMS. Out-of-state applicants must hold both a National Registry certification and a state certification. Additionally, a Kansas Board of EMS certification must be obtained within 30 days of hire. Certifications for Paramedic, Firefighter I & II, National Wildfire Coordinating Group Red Card, and Hazardous Materials Operations are preferred.
• EXAMS: Must have successfully completed CPAT, and received a passing score of 70+ in all sections of the FireTEAM exam within the last 24 months . If you do not have a current FireTEAM exam an aptitude test will be administered using the Firefighter Aptitude and Character Test (FACT) provided by FPSI. A study guide and practice test is available to purchase for $15 at the following link:
• LICENSES: A valid Kansas driver's license is required.

WHAT WILL DISQUALIFY YOU:

In order to be eligible for employment with the Hutchinson Fire Department (HFD), an applicant must not have any of the automatic employment disqualifiers in his/her background. Applicants will be permanently disqualified for any of the following reasons:

• Conviction of a crime that would constitute a felony under the laws of this state or the United States.
• Conviction of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.
• Confirmed history of selling, manufacturing, distributing, or transporting any controlled dangerous substance, narcotic drug, or marijuana in his/her lifetime.
• Conviction of any crime of a sexual nature or that involves acts of dishonesty, including but not limited to theft, fraud, false police reports, etc. Convictions as a juvenile will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
• Historically or currently listed on any sex offender registry.
• If military service, dishonorable discharge from any branch of the United States Armed Forces. The specifics of other non-honorable discharge codes will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
• Any pattern of offenses that would tend to diminish or otherwise undermine the public trust in the fire prevention/fighting profession.

OTHER BACKGROUND CATEGORIES THAT WILL RESULT