How to Become a Firefighter in Denver

Denver, the capital of Colorado, has a very efficient firefighting unit consisting of hardworking individuals who never hesitate to go above and beyond the call of duty if need be. The Denver Fire Department (DFD) is among the state’s 325 nationally registered fire departments. It currently has more than 900 firefighters on its books that operate out of 38 fire stations across the city.

Other than the Mile High City, the DFD also extends its fire and rescue services to the nearby City of Sheridan, City of Glendale and the Skyline Fire District. The various divisions of the department include Operations, Technical Services, Fire Prevention, Administration, and Safety & Training.
There is also a dedicated division providing fire and rescue services at the Denver International Airport (DIA), the country’s largest transnational airfield. If you want to become a part of this great unit, continue reading.

Following is the eligibility criteria that will have to be fulfilled by every firefighting aspirant in Denver.

• Must be at least 21 at the time of applying
• Must complete high school. If you don’t have a high school diploma (HSD), then the equivalent General Educational Development (GED) certificate will suffice
• Must be a legal citizen of the United States. This includes individuals born in America as well as naturalized citizens of this country
• Must have a valid Colorado driver’s license before being appointed to the Denver Fire Department. Any other licensing requirements outlined by the department have to be fulfilled as well
• Must be a Colorado resident
• Must not have any kind of criminal record in any state
• Must not be a drug user
• Must qualify the written and physical evaluations of the DFD

Firefighter training in Denver tends to be 6 months long on average. Before that, all applicants go through a rigorous screening process which lasts a few months. So, it will take you about 8 months to 1 year to become a part of the Denver Fire Department (DFD). Please keep in mind that all this is dependent upon the availability of vacancies within the DFD.

From January, 2019 onwards, the starting salary of a firefighter in Denver is $57,323. The department also offers its employees the following benefits.

• Paid vacations and sick leaves.
• Health insurance (both medical and dental).
• Pension plan.

Going by the stats and figures available with O*Net Online, the decade from 2016 to 2026 will witness a 13% increase in employment opportunities for firefighters in Colorado. As the state’s capital city, a considerable number of these vacancies will come in Denver. In addition, the national growth rate for firefighting jobs during this period is expected to be 7%. So, the career outlook for Denver’s bravest looks very encouraging.