Employment FAQ

When is your next hiring test?

Our next testing and hiring period will be January 2011.

How many calls does PFA run a year?

Our department responded to 14,351 calls in 2010. This includes emergent and non-emergent responses. Medical calls account for 71 percent of PFA's emergency responses. In 2010, fire companies also responded to 1,059 False Alarms, 385 Fire/Explosions, 301 Hazardous Condition/No Fire, 2,369 Service/Good Intent, and 10,207 Rescue/EMS calls.

What is a fire "authority"?

Poudre Fire Authority was created in 1980, through the consolidation of the City of Fort Collins Fire Department and the Poudre Valley Fire Protection District. Poudre Fire Authority provides fire, rescue and EMS services within its authority jurisdiction, which includes Fort Collins and, outside of the city, parts of Larimer and Weld counties. The Fire Chief works with the authority board of directors, which is composed of several members of the Fort Collins City Council and the Fire District Board of Directors. Funding for the department is provided by the City and District through a tax and revenue formula.

I'm already an engineer on the fire department where I currently work. If I'm hired at PFA, may I take PFA's engineer test after my first year?

No. Current policy allows firefighters to become an acting driver/operator after two years on the department, and you may take the test for driver/operator certification after three years on the job.

Do you accept lateral transfers?

PFA currently does not allow lateral transfers for uniformed personnel.

Do you have firefighter/paramedics?

Poudre Fire Authority currently operates at the EMT-Basic level. PFA does have some firefighters who have their paramedic certification, but they do not function as paramedics while working on PFA apparatus. Advance life support in Fort Collins is provided by Poudre Valley Health Systems.

How many fire stations do you have?

PFA operates ten (10) stations staffed by career/professional firefighters, and three stations staffed by volunteer firefighters.

How many new stations do you plan to build?

The schedule for opening Station 8, located in Timnath, is 2011-13. The schedule for opening Station 15 is 2014-16. The newest fire stations are Station 14 which opened in 2005, and Station 12 which began operation in 1998. Station 4 was remodeled in 2010.

PFA is also looking at the possibility of adding an East/West Rescue Squad as well as 4 person engine companies and a new South Battalion.

How many people will you hire from an eligibility list?

This is always an unknown number. Due to growth and retirements, an exact number cannot be determined for each hiring process.

Does your testing process include a polygraph test?

No, PFA does not require a polygraph for pre-employment testing.

What is the starting salary?

The base salary for introductory firefighter in 2010 is $46,358, excluding overtime and holiday pay.

Is there an age limit to apply for the hiring process?

Poudre Fire Authority does not have a minimum-age requirement. However, applicants must have a minimum number of college credits to apply, or the approved military service history in order to apply.

What are the hiring interviews like?

Poudre Fire Authority considers the candidate interviews to be the strengths of its hiring process. For an applicant who makes it through the entire testing process, there will be two interviews: the panel interview and the oral-resume interview. If the candidate makes the final list, they will go through an Administrative Interview with the chiefs for final employment. During the panel interview, candidates are asked approximately five questions by a group of 3-5 PFA firefighters, driver/operators and captains. The session lasts 20-30 minutes. During the oral-resume interview, applicants have about five minutes to give a presentation about themselves. They are then asked about five questions by a panel of 3-5 PFA firefighters, driver/operators and captains, and the interview lasts 20-30 minutes. The Administrative Interview is the final interview, which determines whether a candidate receives a job offer. Several PFA Chief Officers interview the final candidates, then make a conditional job offer based upon performance in the interviews.

Does PFA give extra points for military experience, paramedic certification, volunteer/career firefighting experience, or being female or another minority?

The PFA hiring process is designed to provide each candidate with an equal opportunity to be selected. Therefore, all candidates are considered equal and no preference points are given.

How long is the probationary period?

In most instances, one year from date of hire.

How large is your response area?

About 235 square miles. The size and diversity of our district lends itself to a variety of emergencies: residential fires, commercial fires, high-rise fires, urban/interface fires, medical and other emergencies at Colorado State University, water rescue, and high-speed motor-vehicle accidents on an interstate highway (Interstate highways including I-25) and several U.S. and state highways. The PFA protects the City of Fort Collins, Timnath, LaPorte, Bellvue, and surrounding non-incorporated Larimer County areas. We protect approximately 189,000 residents.

What is your physical ability test like?

PFA uses the Candidate Physical Ability Test, a product of the International Association of Fire Fighters and the International Association of Fire Chiefs. For more information on the CPAT, check out the CPAT section on the PFA web site.