Image: Supplied by City of Chilliwack / Applications for the City of Chilliwack's paid on-call firefighter recruit program are being accepted until Friday, August 26.

By Mike Vanden Bosch

On-call firefighters

Applications accepted for on-call firefighter recruit program to work at one of six Chilliwack fire halls

Aug 14, 2022 | 5:00 PM

CHILLIWACK — Aspiring firefighters or people with a passion for public service in times of need, especially those with a flexible schedule, are invited to give back to their community in a unique way.

The application period to staff one of six Chilliwack fire halls as a paid on-call firefighter remains open for a little less than two weeks.

The City of Chilliwack recruits paid on-call firefighters on an annual basis as part of its recruit training program. Applications are currently being accepted for the 2022-23 program until Friday, August 26.

Those six fire halls include Hall No. 1 at 45950 Cheam Avenue, Hall No. 2 in Rosedale at 51235 Yale Road, Hall No. 3 in Yarrow at 42385 Yarrow Central Road, Hall No. 4 in Sardis at 45433 South Sumas Road, Hall No. 5 in Ryder Lake at 49285 Elkview Road, and Hall No. 6 in Greendale at 6485 Sumas Prairie Road.

According to the City of Chilliwack’s on-call firefighter recruiting web page, applicants for paid on-call firefighters should be at least 19 years of age, a high school graduate or holder of a GED certificate, reside in the Chilliwack, hold a current and valid B.C. driver’s license (Class 5 or better), have a safe driving record, no criminal record, be physically and medically fit, and not have any phobias related to heights or confined spaces. Normal vision and hearing are also required, as regular glasses cannot be worn under a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA mask).

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Successful candidates do need to attend weekly Monday night training practices from 7:15 p.m. to 9:15 p.m., and have the ability to respond to calls all year. The ability to communicate effectively in English and use computer programs such as Word, Excel and E-learning platforms are essential. Immigrants who are legally entitled to work in Canada are invited to apply, including landed immigrants. For safety reasons, beards are not permitted once applicants have been accepted into the recruit training program.

Preferred qualifications, but not mandatory, include previous firefighter experience, daytime response ability, employed and working in Chilliwack, air brake endorsement, current first aid and/or CPR certification, trade certification, post-secondary education, and volunteer experience with other organizations. a Class 1 or 3 license, and residing close to one of the six fire halls.

Image: Supplied by City of Chilliwack / Firefighters with trades certification and experience operating machinery are especially encouraged to apply for the City’s annual paid on-call firefighter recruit program. Applications are being accepted for this program until Friday, August 26.

On-call firefighters are paid an hourly wage when called to respond to emergencies and to attend weekly Monday night practice sessions. All six fire halls in Chilliwack are staffed by paid on-call firefighters.

Prospective candidates are invited to contact Andy Brown, assistant fire chief for the Chilliwack Fire Department, at 604-792-8713 or by email at brown@chilliwack.com. Visit https://www.chilliwack.com/main/page.cfm?id=734 for more information.