There are many things people look to as the first sign of spring… a person may look for the first robin in the sky or perhaps a boat show… The City of Fargo is looking for that person who wants to become a firefighter…
“We only take candidates once a year, so our application process is open now and will stay open until April 3rd. We'll be accepting applications all through that period of time so they can get to the fire department's website and apply online. Once this application period closes, we will not take applicants again until next spring.”
Ryan Viergutz is a Battalion Chief with the Fargo Fire Department. He says when it comes to looking for recruits to the training academy it’s best to start with the basics…
“So, really, we're looking for people who are committed to public service. Public service is what we do far beyond emergency response. We do a lot of prevention and community risk reduction efforts throughout the community, a lot of education. So it's really about people who are committed to public service and wanting to serve their community in whatever capacity is needed.”
And while the quality of character is important, Viergutz says the job can become physically demanding…
"When we get to the firefighting aspect of our job, we wear a lot of heavy gear, it's very labor intensive, so physical fitness is an important part of the job. Part of that 18-week academy is that's a four-month window where we can help people get physically conditioned in the way that they need to."
Viergutz says based on the current calendar there could be four candidates selected immediately to fill vacancies in the department. He says a successful applicant could see a starting annual salary around $67,000. More information and the application can be found at the City of Fargo Fire Department website.
