On-Call Firefighter

The City of Elk River is seeking candidates for the position of on-call firefighter. Firefighters provide fire suppression, rescue, medical and other emergency care in accordance with the rules and regulations, administrative policies and operational procedures of the department. Helps keep the department in a constant state of readiness and assists with fire prevention and public education. 

Probationary firefighters earn $11.13 per hour. Current pay rate following probation is $17.57 per hour.

Candidates must pass physical agility testing, criminal background check, physical fitness test including drug screen, and psychological assessment.

Attend the April 24, 2025, fire expo to learn more about being an Elk River Firefighter! Application deadline is May 2, 2025.

Please note! Although Minnesota legalized the recreational use of marijuana, the use of marijuana remains illegal under federal law and prohibits the use of marijuana by firefighters. If a firefighter candidate tests positive for marijuana/cannabis on their pre-employment drug test, they will be denied employment, regardless of recreational use being legal in Minnesota.

The City of Elk River is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
If you need accommodation with the application process, please call 763.635.1000 and ask for Human Resources.

Important Facts about Information on your Employment Application          

Department: Fire
Immediate Supervisor: Lieutenant
Pay Grade: Per City Compensation Plan
FLSA Status: Non-exempt
Positions Supervised: N/A

Essential Functions

1. Responds to emergencies as required.
1. Performs firefighting activities, including laying and pulling hose, retrieving and/or setting up equipment, forcible entry, search and rescue, ventilation and other fire-scene responsibilities.
2. Performs rescue/extrication by retrieving and/or setting up equipment, operating equipment or performing other duties.
3. Renders medical care.
4. Performs hazard identification and mitigation activities.
5. Investigates alarms.
6. Drives and operates fire fighting apparatus and equipment.
7. Performs other duties as directed.
2. Participates in training.
1. Participates in drills and other department training activities to maintain and upgrade firefighting skills.
2. Attends outside training activities such as fire schools, sectional schools, etc.
3. Maintains departmental and personal equipment.
1. Maintains tools, apparatus, and equipment in functioning condition.
2. Keeps the station and premises neat, clean, and in good order at all times.
3. Maintains fire apparatus and equipment as part of a team under the supervision of an officer.
4. Performs fire prevention and public education.
1. Assists with conducting fire prevention, public education, community outreach and other related assignments. 
5. Performs other essential job duties.
1. Regular and timely work attendance.
2. Follows all safety procedures.
3. Participates in safety training.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of fire fighting techniques and procedures.
• Skill and ability to apply fire fighting techniques and procedures.
• Skill in operating various fire fighting apparatus and equipment.
• Ability to follow city and department rules and regulations, administrative policies and operational procedures.
• Ability to administer first aid and CPR.
• Ability to respond to fires during work hours when called upon.
• Ability to maintain required attendance and training requirements.
• Ability to learn a wide variety of fire fighting duties.
• Ability to work with others and effectively carry out orders and written instructions.
• Ability to work as a team member under stress.
• Ability to present a positive and professional image of the city and the fire department.

Minimum Qualifications

• High school graduate or equivalent.
• Must be at least 18 years of age.
• Valid Class D Minnesota driver license.
• Must live within nine (9) minutes of an Elk River fire station.
• Must satisfactorily pass the required pre-employment screening, including physical exams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Training in fire fighting techniques.
• Experience as a firefighter.
• NFPA 1001 Firefighter I & II
• First Responder certification.
• CPR certification.
• Current EMT/Paramedic.
• If not self-employed, employer’s written permission to attend fires during working hours.
• Post secondary or technical college courses in firefighting.

Physical Requirements
Vision: Normal vision needed with or without correction.  Requires both near and far acuity.
Hearing: Normal hearing required.  To do this work, the on-call firefighter must discriminate among similar sounds in environments with a great deal of background noise.
Lifting: The on-call firefighter will be required to regularly lift heavy objects, sometimes in excess of 100 pounds.
Mobility: The on-call firefighter must be able to walk or crawl while carrying or lifting objects.  Must be able to ascend and descend stairs or ladders.  Must be able to balance and steady oneself to keep from falling.
Handling: The on-call firefighter must be capable of reaching (extending the hands or arms in any direction), handling (sizing, holding, grasping, turning, or otherwise working with the hands), fingering (picking pinching, or otherwise working with the fingers), and feeling (perceiving attributes of objects such as size, shape, temperature, or texture by means of receptors in skin, particularly those of the fingertips).
Leg Movement: The on-call firefighter must be capable of applying a leg lock with either leg on a ground ladder to provide a safe anchor when operating hose lines or performing rescue work. 

Work Environment

1. The on-call firefighter works both inside where there may be protection from weather conditions and outside where there may be no effective protection from the weather.

2. The on-call firefighter may work in extreme cold where the temperature is sufficiently low to cause bodily discomfort.

3. The on-call firefighter may work in extremes of heat where temperatures are sufficiently high to cause bodily discomfort.

4. The on-call firefighter may encounter wet conditions and high humidity where atmosphere conditions have a moisture content sufficiently high to cause bodily discomfort.

5. The on-call firefighter may encounter high noise and/or vibration, constant or intermittent.

This Position Description is not intended to be all-inclusive. It is within the City of Elk River’s discretion to assign additional duties and responsibilities or remove duties and responsibilities at any time.

This Position Description does not constitute a Contract of Employment.

Residency Requirement:
To help ensure an adequate response time to emergency calls for service, all on-call firefighters, as a condition of employment, must live within nine (9) minutes of an Elk River fire station.  Applications will be initially screened to ensure that they meet the minimum response time requirements as outlined in the position description.

An initial screening will be done using two free online mapping tools provided by Google (maps.google.com) and Bing (www.bing.com/maps).  Public computers are available at the Elk River Library (13020 Orono Parkway).

Drive times falling between 8-9 minutes and 9-11 minutes will be manually driven by the fire chief or his/her designee prior to a conditional offer of employment being made to a candidate. Any change of residency during employment will require verification to ensure compliance with the nine (9) minute time requirement.  The fire chief reserves the right to assign personnel to either station based on current or future staffing and resource needs.

City of Elk River Application Instructions:
Apply online by May 2, 2025.

Salary : $11 - $18