Columbia-Richland

Fire Department

For Immediate Release:

September 17, 2010
Contact: Jamie Helms, Interim Assistant Chief Columbia Fire Department @ 545-3704

Columbia-Richland Fire Department Actively Recruiting

The Columbia Fire Department is currently accepting applications for the positions in
the City of Columbia and Richland County for Recruit Firefighter. The Department is in
the process of filling their new advanced recruit program and standard recruit program.

The advanced recruit program will consist of candidates who are nationally IFSAC or
Pro-board certified at the Firefighter I and/or Firefighter II levels. Any candidate, which
has received training from outside of South Carolina, wishing to apply to the advanced
recruit program must be granted equivalency/reciprocity from the South Carolina Fire
Academy (SCFA), to a level of Firefighter I and/or Firefighter II. To receive
equivalency/reciprocity applicants must submit proof of their level of training to the
Columbia Fire Department, Assistant Chief of Professional Services. This proof must
include the following information for each level of training:

 Course syllabus
 Course lesson plans
 Course objectives
 Training Hours
 Contact information to the training facility or company that conducted the courses
 Any other information that will help evaluate the level of training

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This advanced recruit program will last 7 to 9 weeks depending on the candidate’s level of
training.

The standard recruit school will target candidates who have no experience or experience that
is not granted equivalency/reciprocity by the SCFA. This program will run for 14 to 16 weeks
and will bring the recruits to a trained level of Firefighter II upon graduation of the program.

The application period is already in progress and will remain open until October 18, 2010 at
5:00 p.m. All qualified candidates will be notified of the dates for the pre-qualification testing
process. This will be a progressive process based on minimum passing scores for each of the
testing phases.

Phases of the pre-qualification testing process include:

1. Application, to include a 10 year driving record from the State of residency
2. Written test on basic aptitude, testing reading and comprehension, basic mathematics,
reasoning skills
3. Maze and Physical agility test (Preparation manual/video available on CFD website).

For advanced recruit program applicants only:

4. FFI and FFII skills check (list of test skills, videos and description on CFD website)

Through the Department of Homeland Security 2009 Staffing for Adequate Fire and
Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant the City has been provided with financial assistance to
help fire departments hire or rehire firefighters. Federal funds in the amount of $1,430,797 will
be used to pay for 100 percent of the actual salary and benefit costs of rehired firefighters for a
two year period with no requirement for a local cost-share.
Chief Aubrey Jenkins stated during a press conference announcing the award of the SAFER
Grant “With the grant it will allow the Fire Department to keep all required positions staffed and
Fire Companies in service through the next two fiscal budget years. It returns us to our
required staffing levels and allows us to recruit and hire the firefighters that are needed.”

To receive a Firefighter application packet from the City of Columbia’s Human Resources
Department (Make sure you request a Firefighter application and include your correct mailing
information) contact:
City of Columbia HR Department
1225 Lady Street
PO Box 147
Columbia, S.C. 29217
(803) 545-3010 or visit the City of Columbia Fire Department’s website at
www.columbiasc.net/fire.

Any questions that you may have can be e-mailed to cfdrecruitment@columbiasc.net. For
information on equivalency/reciprocity you can contact the Columbia Fire Department’s Office
of Professional Services at (803) 545-3704.

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9/23/2010