Firefighter

The Richfield Fire Department (RFD) is currently seeking candidates for a firefighter eligibility list.   We anticipate openings in the next 12 months.

The RFD is a small, progressive, established career department that has our community’s trust. Our department is strong because of our people. If you are a Firefighter/EMT that is; Team Oriented, Motivated, Compassionate, and loves “the job”, we want you to apply.

The RFD has a residency requirement of 20 minutes to one of our 2 fire stations, using Google Maps. Residency is required within 12 months of hire.  

The 2025 starting wage for firefighter is $84,869.400 annually.  RFD also offers pay for experience. Firefighters with experience may earn up to top firefighter pay of $104,930.232.  Qualification for experience is part of the application process. Firefighters have a strong contract with great benefits, including reaching top firefighter pay at the 3rd year of employment. The contract is up for negotiation in 2025.

Thank you for your consideration and we look forward to seeing you in the process!

Mike Dobesh, Fire Chief

City of Richfield 

Firefighters are responsible for a variety of functions within the community, including the following: protecting life and property from the hazards of fire, providing assistance and responding to various types of medical and other emergencies. Firefighters apply fire suppression methods to control and stop property damage, save lives through rescue from fire or other hazardous environments, provide efficient and immediate care to the ill and injured, perform safety inspections and provide public fire safety education. May be required to assist neighboring communities as assigned.

This is a full-time Firefighter job opportunity with 24 hour shifts.

1. Responds to fire and other emergencies; enters buildings with hose and operates nozzles; hand fire extinguishers and related equipment; raises, lowers and climbs ladders and ventilates burning buildings; removes persons from danger, giving first aid to injured persons; operates pumper, aerial rescue truck and other equipment; performs salvage operations. Operates highly technical alarm and monitoring equipment. Wears and uses appropriate protective clothing and equipment, including self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). Assists in identifying and stabilizing situations involving flammable liquids and other hazardous substances.  
2. Responds to emergency medical and rescue calls to provide efficient and immediate care to the ill and injured. When patients need extrication from entrapment, assesses the extent of injury and gives emergency care and protection to the entrapped patient and uses the prescribed techniques and appliances for removing the patients safely. Assesses the nature and extent of illness and injury and establishes priority for appropriate emergency care.
3. Participates in inspection and prevention work and pre-fire planning of buildings, looking for fire hazards and other related public safety hazards, noting location of sprinkler and alarm systems, sources of emergency water supply and general layout of buildings. Participates in public education demonstrations, expositions and presentations.
4. Attends regular and assigned training sessions to maintain and upgrade skills. Participates in drills, demonstrations and related courses.
5. Maintains fire apparatus, equipment, stations and grounds as assigned. Conducts tests on equipment as required. Maintains appropriate maintenance records.
6. Operates communications equipment and other related duties. Keeps routine records and routinely makes out reports. Performs other duties and responsibilities as needed, apparent or assigned.
7. Responds to emergency callbacks when off-duty.  
8. Having the ability to communicate with the injured or sick, with the public, and other police and fire department or other emergency personnel under stressful situations.  
9. Works under the direction and supervision of superior officer. In emergency situations, work may involve considerable personal danger. Must be able to act without continuous supervision and exercise appropriate independent discretion. Must perform in a skillful manner, using sound judgment, based on accepted fire fighting practices.
10. Must be able to work and live in a non-emergency setting for extended periods of time with people of diverse backgrounds in a manner that fosters teamwork, acceptance and dignity of fellow employees and of the public.
11. May provide work direction to other Firefighters in special circumstances, or assist in training of others assigned.
12. Must maintain work habits, personal manner and appearance which command respect of associates and the public at all times.
13. Must be able to concentrate during emergency situations while working quickly as a team member, under stress caused by emergencies, danger or criticism.
14. Coordinates efforts to ensure Richfield is an equitable, inclusive and respectful organization and supports the City’s mission, vision and core values.
15. Shall effectively carry out the policies and goals of the City of Richfield and Richfield Fire Department.

Minimum Requirements

• Must be at least 18 years of age.
• Must have a high school diploma or GED.
• Must have Firefighter I and Firefighter II state certification or equivalent.
• Must have Hazardous Materials Operations certification or equivalent.
• Must have a current and valid Emergency Medical Technician certification from Minnesota EMSRB or National Registry of EMT’s.
• Must have valid Minnesota Class D driver’s license and good driving record.
• Must comply with response time residency within one year of appointment.
• Must have, or be able to obtain a Minnesota Firefighter License prior to completion of probationary period.

Desired Qualifications

• Associate degree or Bachelors degree.
• NREMT Paramedic Certification.
• Prior experience as a Firefighter.
• Knowledge of Fire and Building Codes.
• Fluency in Spanish, Hmong, Somali, Vietnamese or other non-English language(s) prevalent in the City of Richfield.

PLEASE NOTE
Please note that the City of Richfield has a response time residency requirement for all newly hired firefighters. Newly hired firefighters MUST establish residency within 20 minutes travel time of either Richfield fire station within the first twelve months of date of hire.

Physical Requirements

• NFPA 1582 medical standards apply.

Lifting and Carrying Requirements (while wearing SCBA & PPE)

• May be required to lift very heavy loads.

Ground to Waist Level – 100 lbs.
             Dragging/removing fire victims.
             Advancing hose lines at fires.
             Carrying fans, rescue tools, foam containers.
Waist to Shoulder Level – 50 lbs.
             Opening/closing hydrant valves.
             Making hose connections.
             Lifting/carrying ladders, hose bundles and other equipment.
Above Shoulders – 35 lbs.
             Placing ladders against buildings.
             Pulling ladder halyard to raise ladder.
             Using axe and other equipment to ventilate.
             Lifting items onto fire apparatus.
Pushing/Pulling Requirement (while wearing SCBA & PPE)

• 75 lbs. of hand over hand pulling force for ladder halyard raise.  
• 55 lbs. pushing/pulling force to raise and support ladder.
• 100 lbs. pulling for advancing charged hose lines.

Walking and/or Mobility Requirements (while wearing SCBA & PPE)

• Must be able to walk and crawl while carrying or lifting.
• Must be able to ascend and descend stairs and ladders while carrying heavy loads.
• Must be able to balance and possess the ability to steady oneself and keep from falling when walking, standing, crouching, crawling on narrow, slippery or erratically moving surfaces.
• Must be able to work in confined spaces.
• Must be capable of:
• Reaching (extending hands or arms in any direction);
• Handling (seizing, holding grasping, turning or otherwise working with the hands while carrying items of substantial weight, i.e., fans, rescue equipment, foam containers, ladders and using axes, sledgehammers, hydrant wrenches, pulling ladder halyards or using rope to lift heavy items, dragging victims and hose lines.)
• Fingering (picking, pinching or otherwise working with the fingers while manipulating items such as SCBA valves, apparatus controls, small monitoring equipment, alarm panel controls.)
• Using rope and tie knots.
• Feeling (must be able to discriminate differences in items by feeling. Must be able to determine the difference between hot and cold by touch.  Must be able to feel a patient’s pulse.)
• Must be capable of applying a leg lock with either leg upon a ground ladder to provide a safe anchor when operating hose lines or performing rescue work.

Work Environment

• Works both inside where there may be protection from the weather conditions and outside where there may be no effective protection from the weather.
• May work in extreme cold where the temperature is sufficiently low to cause marked bodily discomfort and variations in temperature, which accompany extreme cold and are sufficiently marked and abrupt to cause marked bodily reaction.
• May be required to work in extremes of heat where temperatures are sufficiently high to cause marked bodily discomfort and variations in temperature which accompany extreme heat and are sufficiently marked and abrupt to cause marked bodily reaction.
• Encounters wet conditions and high humidity where atmospheric conditions have a moisture content sufficiently high to cause marked bodily discomfort.
• Will frequently encounter noise and/or vibration exceeding 80 decibels, constant or intermittent, to cause marked distraction.
• Will encounter a variety of physical hazards, including but not limited to, moving mechanical parts, electrical shock, working on high places, bodies of water, confined spaces, exposure to radiant energy, explosives, toxic chemicals and biological agents.
• Will work in above conditions while wearing various levels of personal protective equipment causing mobility impairments and high temperatures.

Salary : $84,869 - $104,930