Employment with the Fire Department

As approved by the County Board, the department is offering:

• A $68,016 starting salary (up to $86,361.60 with experience) and increasing to $71,510 (up to $91,208 with experience in July 2026)
• Advanced step placement beginning in FY26 for prior full-time career fire service (1-for-1 credit, up to 10 years minus one), which will be reflected in starting pay

Examples of Step Placement (for FY26):

Example 1: A firefighter with 5 years of full-time career fire service experience will receive 5years of credit -1, placing them 4 steps above entry level on the pay scale at Step 5.

Example 2: A firefighter with 12 years of full-time career fire service experience will receive the maximum allowed—10 years of credit - 1, placing them 9 steps above entry level or step 10.

If you possess a current valid Virginia (VA) EMT-Intermediate or VA Paramedic certification you will be eligible to receive the relative premium pay upon hire:

• VA EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) Intermediate - $0.88 per hour (non-shift rate)
• VA Paramedic - $1.75 per hour (non-shift rate)

We'd also like to highlight the following information:  

pay-schedule-b-fire-bu-fy2026.pdf(PDF, 85KB) (Reflects a 40-hr workweek, not the 50-hr workweek when on shift)

Firefighter/EMT recruits will begin employment on a 40-hour schedule, working Monday through Thursday, while attending our 28-week Recruit School.

Upon graduation from Recruit School, recruits will become probationary Firefighter/EMTs and will be assigned to a crew at a fire station in Operations. At that point, they will transition to an average 50-hour work week, consisting of 9 or 10, 24-hour shifts per month.

Operations personnel are split into three platoons: A, B, and C. Shifts begin at 7:00 a.m. and end at 7:00 a.m. the following day. Shift schedules rotate on a 9-day cycle consisting of a 3-day "tour."

• Day 1: Work 24 hours
• Off duty 24 hours
• Day 2: Work 24 hours
• Off duty 24 hours
• Day 3: Work 24 hours
• Off duty 96 hours (4 days)

Sample 2 week schedule:

Everyone on shift work gets one rotating Kelly Day (day off duty) each month. Members are allowed to sign up for overtime on their Kelly Day and get preference over members from other shifts.

Insurance

• Health 
• Dental 
• Life 
• Retiree
• Disability

Flexible Spending Accounts

• Health Care
• Dependent Care
• Parking

Retirement Plans and DROP

• Defined Benefit (Pension)-Can retire at 25 years or age 52 with 5 years.  Receive lifetime income of 2.7% of average final compensation for each year of service.
• 401A defined contribution
• 457 Deferred Compensations & 457 Roth
• DROP (Deferred Retirement Option Program)-with up to 4 years of participation.
• Post Retirement Healthcare Subsidy

Commuting Benefits

• Metro/Mass Transit
• Walk or bike to work
• Parking
• Location Pay

Leave

• Vacation
• Sick
• Paid Parental Leave-14 weeks per child born or adopted
• Paid Family Leave up to 2 weeks per year for qualifying conditions
• Holidays

Learning Opportunities 

• County Courses
• Health Smart Classes
• Tuition Reimbursement

Additional Benefits

• Live Where You Work Grants
• Health Smart Wellness Clinic
• Parks and Recreational Programs
• Adoption Assistance
• Employee Assistance Program, "EAP"
• College America 529 Savings Plan
• Arlington Community Federal Credit Union

No prior experience or training is required for the Firefighter/EMT Recruit position. You will receive all the training needed to be a starting firefighter/EMT-B while you are getting paid to attend the 28-week Recruit School.

Minimum Qualifications for Firefighter/EMT or Paramedic Lateral position:

At the time of application, candidates must have two (2) years of experience post-probation as a full-time firefighter/EMT professional with a jurisdiction or agency whose primary responsibility is fire protection and emergency service, including fire suppression, hazardous materials mitigation, and EMS; and

• Completion of a career recruit school that includes the following certifications:
• National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians – Basic (NREMT-Basic);
• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR);
• Firefighter I and II Certifications;
• Hazmat Awareness/Operations Certification;
• Emergency Vehicle Operations and Incident Command (EVOC) Courses EVOC I, II, and III); and
• Incident Command System (ICS) Courses (ICS 100, 200, 700, and 800).

Certification Substitutions:
We understand you may have equivalent certifications. We'll accept them if they're accredited through Pro Board or a similar organization.

Breaks in Service:
If you're a previously paid firefighter with a break in service exceeding 90 days your application will require a review process.

Desirable Skills (For Priority Consideration):
While not mandatory, these certifications may give your application a competitive edge:

• Virginia EMT-I (Intermediate);
• EMT-P (Paramedic) Certification; or
• National Registry EMT-P (Paramedic) Certification.

Attendance

Recruits are required to report to the Fire Training Academy (FTA) for 28-week Recruit School. FTA staff shall establish reporting days and hours, which generally correspond to a 40-hour, Monday-Friday workweek. At the discretion of the FTA staff, Recruit School days and hours may be flexed to adjust work hours to accommodate night operations and other unique training opportunities. Advance notification will be provided to recruits when this is scheduled to occur.

Attendance during Recruit School is mandatory. Portions of the curriculum have 100% attendance requirements. Absences as a result of extenuating circumstances, such as injury or illness, will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Recruits who do not meet minimum attendance requirements established by the certifying bodies or who miss five unexcused days of a specific curriculum will be subject to separation from employment at the discretion of the fire chief. Recruits who are tardy three times, in accordance with the Recruit School Handbook, are subject to separation from employment at the discretion of the fire chief.

Physical Fitness

Performing the duties of a firefighter/Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) is physically demanding. To prepare recruits for the rigors of emergency response, mandatory physical training will be conducted daily. The physical fitness evaluation of recruits will be ongoing from the start of school throughout graduation. Physical training will consist of aerobic and anaerobic exercise, along with job related tasks.

EMS Curriculum

Recruits shall participate in all classroom and practical sessions but may not be subject to certifying body tests if already certified. All recruits shall successfully complete the AHA Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification course. CPR certification is a mandatory criterion to continue the EMS portion of Recruit School. All recruits must successfully obtain the Commonwealth of Virginia EMT Certification.

Performance Standards and Testing

 Recruits will be evaluated during Recruit School by the FTA staff using:

• Module Tests
  • Eight total modules tests are administered throughout Recruit School. Module tests are designed to be cumulative and cover all material learned to date. Four module tests are administered during the Fire School and four during EMT School.
  • Recruits unable to achieve a grade percentage of 70% or higher at the conclusion of the fourth EMS or fire module test will be separated from employment at the discretion of the fire chief.
• Quizzes
  • Quizzes will be offered during each of the EMT school and fire school portions of Recruit School.
• Certification tests
• ACFD skill sheets

Lateral Firefighter/EMT Training and Probationary Period

The Fire Training Academy (FTA) is the beginning of a 12-month probationary period for lateral Firefighter/EMTs.

The lateral academy is six weeks in length and is designed to orient experienced firefighters to Arlington County Fire Department policies, procedures, and operational expectations. During the academy, probationary lateral Firefighter/EMTs must successfully complete a skills verification process to confirm competency in required firefighting and EMS skills. If additional time is needed to demonstrate proficiency, the skills verification period may be extended up to eight weeks, based on evaluation by training staff.

Prior to completing the academy, probationary lateral Firefighter/EMTs are required to successfully pass a duty fitness evaluation, which includes completing a designated physical task within 10 minutes while wearing full protective equipment and SCBA. Successful completion of this evaluation is required before assignment to shift work.

Following completion of the academy and skills verification, probationary lateral Firefighter/EMTs will be assigned to shift work for a 4 to 10 month field training and evaluation period. During this time, members will complete additional training, receive ongoing evaluation, and demonstrate the ability to safely and effectively perform job duties in an operational environment.

Successful completion of all academy requirements, duty fitness standards, field training, and probationary expectations is required for continued employment.