Becoming a Volunteer Firefighter
When hiring volunteer / reserve firefighters for St. George Fire department, the St. George City Human Resources department advertises an open application period and then collects all eligible applications. Eligibility is based on applicants residing in St. George City boundaries and fire station areas. Then Human Resources notify all eligible applicants of testing dates and turns over testing to St. George Fire Department staff. An orientation is held to explain all testing procedures and policies. Applicants are given physical agility packets and testing schedules. All applicants are then run through a physical agility exam that is fire service oriented; it has eight skills that must be completed within a given time frame. Upon successful completion applicants are then schedule for a formal interview by an oral board that is made up of city staff and fire service personnel. A final list of eligible applicants based on test scores and fire station staff needs is then turned over to Human Resources for formal notification. Once an applicant has been approved for selection they are then signed to the Fire Department Recruit Academy. This academy trains new probationary firefighters about their job and gives them the skill need to pass all four state certifications. The academy is sixteen weeks long and runs two to three days a week, (weekdays are from 6pm to 10pm and Saturdays are 8am to 5pm). Upon successful completion of the recruit academy probationary firefighters are then assigned to a fire station and placed on probation for one year, before becoming eligible for any fulltime positions.
