Fire Department Recruitment

Yes, each recruitment is unique. 

DDFS firefighters respond to a variety of emergency calls, though almost half are medical in nature. For a list of potential duties as a recruit and firefighter please read:

• Job description for Recruits
• Job description for Firefighters

Yes, DDFS firefighters are paid, on-call volunteers. This means that you are paid when you are called upon for emergencies, for training or as requested by the Fire Chief or their designate(s). Mileage is also paid for emergency response to and from your assigned fire station. 

Yes, if you do not have your college pre-service firefighter education, then DDFS will enroll you at the Eastern Ontario Emergency Training Academy (EOETA) during your first year of service so that you can obtain the necessary certification to serve on a fire department. Classes typically run every weekend (on either Saturday or Sunday) from January to June, plus a few more weeks in the fall. 

DDFS personnel are expected to attend in-house training twice a month throughout the year, as well as attend a maintenance night at their station at the end of each month.

At the time of application, you must be:

• 18 years of age or older
• Legally entitled to work in Canada
• In possession of a valid Ontario G-level driver’s licence or higher (or equivalent).
  • If you do not possess a DZ licence, you should be eligible to obtain one
• Able to provide an acceptable 3-year driver's abstract 
• Able to provide an acceptable Vulnerable Sector Check
• A great team member

The following qualifications may be considered assets (but are not required to apply):

• NFPA 1001 and 472/1072 certification
• DZ driver’s licence
• First aid – specifically first responder level or higher (including BLS and O2 therapy)
• Paramedic other medical profession designation
• Experience in the field of skilled trades or construction
• Technical rescue
• Experience operating boats and a valid boating licence

Recruitment for DDFS firefighters involves the following process:

• Submit a complete application form online by the due date
• If you are selected to proceed in the process you will be called for an interview
• Interviews are done using a panel of at least 3 interviewers
• If your interview is successful, you will be invited to participate in a physical aptitude test
• Upon successful completion of the physical test you may be called with an offer to join DDFS
• You will have 30 days to complete and submit the required documentation

Firefighters need to be within a very short driving distance to their assigned station. This means that our stations in Donwood and Douro, which are close to the borders of the Township, could have firefighters responding to the stations from outside of Douro-Dummer. 

Although we do not have a set distance, the closer you live to the fire station the better.

Recommendations for a rural response are to be on scene within 14 minutes, 90% of the time.

As an example, if a call for help comes from a rural property within 8 kilometers of a fire station, it would take approximately 7 minutes of travel time to get from the fire station to the property. That leaves 7 minutes for firefighters to leave their home, put on protective gear, and have a fire truck on route. This timeline would suggest firefighters should live within 4 to 5 kilometers from a fire station.

In addition to distance from the fire station, we also consider availability (especially during the daytime) to be a bonus, and we recognize that not everyone is going to make the first fire truck to leave. Given these other considerations, we encourage people to apply even if they are beyond the noted distance. 

Yes, as a volunteer department our personnel need to respond at all hours of the day. Having personnel that work shifts or odd hours may mean that they are available to respond when others that work “normal hours” aren’t.

Training and maintenance meetings typically occur on either Wednesday or Thursday evenings from 7pm-9pm. Even if you work shifts, you will be required to attend a minimum number of training and maintenance nights throughout the year. We can discuss availability if you are chosen for an interview.

Yes, we can discuss availability if you are chosen for an interview. 

Yes. Firefighters need to maintain their fitness to be able to competently complete tasks, but they come in all shapes and sizes - we need people that can haul and operate heavy equipment, as well as people that can get into small spaces. We work as a team and can use special techniques or mechanical advantage to overcome any perceived strength challenges.

No, these placements are for students currently enrolled in a pre-service program only.

If you have recently graduated, you may consider applying during the formal recruitment period in the fall.