How to become employed by the Frederick County Fire and Rescue Department:

1. Apply.  Once it is determined to begin a hiring process, the Department will send out messages on our social media pages (Facebook – Frederick County Fire and Rescue, Twitter – @FCFireRescue) as well as other media outlets announcing the hiring process, and the deadline for submitting an application.  Applications can be located at the Frederick County Human Resources Department application website.


2. Application Review.  Your application will be reviewed by the Human Resources Department for specific information and any disqualifying items that could prevent you from becoming certified in the Commonwealth of Virginia as an EMS Provider.  If you meet the qualifications in these checks, you will continue in our process.


3. Take the Written Examination.  You will be emailed a letter indicating the time and location of the written examination.  The written examination is a general aptitude test, which evaluates your reading comprehension, mathematical skills, and decision-making abilities.  You must pass the written examination with a score of 60% or higher to move on to the next step.


4. Take the Physical Agility Test.  The physical agility test consists of seven (7) stages that evaluates your ability to perform essential job functions and tasks at incident scenes.  You must complete the test within the 12:30 time limit to move on to the next step. A new video of the agility test will be published soon.


5. Panel Interview. Candidates will be interviewed by a panel of Fire and Rescue Department Officers who will review their application and ask a series of standardized questions regarding the candidate’s prior employment history, reasons for wanting to work for our Department, and other pertinent information.  Candidates will be graded based upon their responses and ranked among the entire candidate pool. The candidate’s application will be good for one (1) calendar year from the date of the opening of the hiring process.


6. Contingent Offer and Authorization Packet.  Candidates will receive a letter via the United States Postal Service should be they be considered for employment with the Department.  All forms and required documents will need to be completed by the candidate by a specific date in order to continue through the process.


7. Background Check and Driving Record Screening.  Your personal background, including criminal and credit histories, will be evaluated to ensure that you are eligible to be hired by the Department.  Your driving record will be assessed against the Frederick County Human Resources Driving Policy to ensure you are a valid driver and do not possess any traffic violations that would prevent you from driving any County- or Volunteer station-owned vehicles. Find information regarding obtaining your Driving Record here.


8. Polygraph.  You will be evaluated by a certified polygraphist who will review your application and ask a series of standardized questions pertinent to potential employment in public safety.  Based upon your answers, an electronic printout and score will be compiled for each candidate.  Candidates who successfully complete the polygraph evaluation will continue through the hiring process.


9. Medical Clearance Physical Examination.  You will undergo a thorough medical screening, including laboratory and cardiovascular evaluation, to ensure you are healthy to hire as a Firefighter/EMT.

If you have been selected for hiring, you will be given an offer for employment with a start date that will be the first day of a twenty-six (26) week Recruit School.  During the Recruit School, you will receive certification as a Virginia / National Registry Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and Virginia / ProBoard Firefighter.  

Candidates with prior certifications will also attend the Recruit School and receive continuing education (CE) hours for EMS courses and remedial training at the Fire and Rescue Department level for the firefighter certification.  All candidates must successfully complete the Recruit School to maintain employment with the Frederick County Fire and Rescue Department.