Firefighter/Rescuer I (Recruit), Grade F1

Montgomery County (MD); Gaithersburg (MD); On-site; USD 62,000 - 72,000; Full time

Job summary

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service is looking for Firefighter/Rescuer I candidates for Recruit Class 59, starting June 2026. The role includes emergency medical services and fire suppression on a rigorous rotating schedule, with a focus on maintaining high operational standards. Candidates must meet minimum qualifications, including a high school diploma, and be ready for a competitive hiring process.

Qualifications

• High School graduate or equivalent acceptable to the State of Maryland by December 15, 2025.
• Must possess a valid, non-provisional driver’s license.
• Must be 18 years of age by December 15, 2025.

Responsibilities

• Perform manual and technical work in fire suppression and rescue.
• Work on a rotating 24-on/48-off shift schedule.
• Serve a probationary period of twelve months.

Skills

Emergency Medical Services

Fire Suppression

Communication

Education

High School graduate or equivalent

Job description

Anticipated salary upon hire:$62,102

WHO WE ARE

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS) is currently accepting applications for the position of Firefighter/Rescuer I (Recruit). This announcement provides information for Recruit Class 59(RC59) tentatively scheduled to begin June 2026.

MCFRS, an Accredited Agency, is a full-spectrum life safety agency protecting about 500 square miles and over 1 million people living and working in Maryland's most populous jurisdiction. The MCFRS annually handles over 120,000 emergency calls for service and is staffed by nearly 2200 career uniformed men and women, professional civilian staff, and volunteers. Our mission is to protect lives, property, and the environment with comprehensive risk reduction programs and safe and effective emergency responses.

Our hiring needs vary from year to year; however, our goal is to recruit and hire highly qualified and diverse candidates to join our organization. The hiring process is very competitive. MCFRS delivers services to our customers with impartiality and excellence, promotes the highest standards of safety and welfare, and serves with integrity and mutual respect.

To learn more about MCFRS please visit:Join.MCFRS.com

ABOUT THE POSITION

Montgomery County Firefighter/Rescuers perform manual and technical work in fire suppression prevention, rescue, communications, and emergency medical services primarily on a rotating 24-on /48-off shift work schedule, which requires the highest level of sustained exertion and agility. Candidates selected for this position are considered “Essential Employees.” Essential employees must report to work during a period of general emergency or liberal leave.

Candidates selected for hire are required to serve a probationary period of twelve (12) months prior to attaining permanent status, during which time performance will be carefully evaluated.

Candidates selected for hire will be required to sign an agreement stating they are tobacco-free, both on and off duty. Failure to remain tobacco-free throughout employment with Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service may result in termination.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience: None

• Education: High School graduate or equivalent acceptable to the State of Maryland. Verification of a high school degree or equivalent must be obtained byDecember 15, 2025.

• License: Possession of a valid, non-provisional/learners driver’s license from the candidate’s state of residence byDecember 15, 2025.

• Age: Must be eighteen (18) years of age byDecember 15, 2025.

• Citizenship: Must be a citizen of the United States or a Resident Alien at the time of application.

THE HIRING PROCESS

Prior to receiving a final offer of employment, candidates must successfully complete the following steps:

• Written Entrance exam

• Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT)

• Background Investigation

• Medical examinationwith drug & alcohol screening(NFPA 1582 Standard)& SCBA FitTest

• Oral Interview and Psychological Evaluation mayberequired

Candidates applying for this position must use their legal name and continue to use this name throughout the hiring process.

Candidates who meet theminimumrequirements, as described above will be invited to take thewritten entrance exam. Throughout the entirety of the hiring process, communication will be via email. It is the candidate’s responsibility to provide a valid personal email address at the time of application, that is not blocked by IT systems (for example a school or employer email address) and will remain valid throughout the hiring process. Candidates are strongly encouraged to regularly checkall email folders (including spam)to avoid missingimportant information.

ADDITIONAL HIRING INFORMATION

Based upon service needs, hiring preferencemaybe given to:

1. Candidates that have the following training / certifications at the time of application:

• Firefighter I

• Firefighter II

• Hazardous Materials Operations

• EMT-Bor Paramedic (Maryland or National Registry)

All certifications will be verified.

All certifications must be MFRI, Pro Board or IFSAC. Credentials from agencies will be considered on a case-by-case basis, however, approval is not guaranteed.

Candidates selected for hire based on their ALS certification, will berequiredto sign an agreement requiring them to obtain Montgomery County, Maryland ALS certification within (1) one year andmaintaintheir ALS Certification for (7) seven years. Candidates with ALS Certification will receive a pay differential, in addition to their base salary, after obtaining their Montgomery County, Maryland ALS Certification.

2) Candidates that have the following at the time of application (all will be verified):

• Veteran

• Veteranwith aDisability

• Bachelor’s degree

• Associate degree or 30 or more college credits from an accredited college or university

• Residency in Montgomery County (for at least 6 months before the time of application)

• Basic multilingual skills (oral communication) in one of the following languages:

American Sign Language – Amharic – Chinese – French – Korean – Spanish - Vietnamese

3)Successful completion of theMontgomery County Fire & Rescue High School Cadet Program

PREFERRED CRITERIA

There are no preferred criteria for this position.

ADDITIONAL EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION

All applications are reviewed by the Montgomery County Office of Human Resources (OHR) todeterminethe minimum qualifications of all candidates, irrespective of whether the candidate has previously been found to have met theminimumrequirements for the job. This evaluation is based solely on the information contained in the application/resumesubmittedfor this specific position.

Montgomery County Government is an equal opportunity employer, committed to workforce diversity.Accordingly, as it relates to employment opportunities, the County will provide reasonable accommodations to candidates with disabilities,in accordance withthe law. Candidates requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the Office of Human Resources via email [e-mail]. Individual determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation(s) will be madein accordance withall applicable laws.

Montgomery County Government also provides hiring preference to certain categories of veterans and veterans/persons with a disability. For more information and to claim employment preference, please refer to the Careers webpage on Hiring Preference.Montgomery County Government: Hiring Preferences (montgomerycountymd.gov)

Montgomery County Ethics Law: Except as provided by law or regulation, the County's "Public Employees" (which does not include employees of the Sheriff's office) are subject to the County's ethics law including the requirements to obtain advanced approval of any outside employment and the prohibitions on certain outside employment. The outside employment requirements of the ethics law can be found at 19A-12 of the County Code.Additionalinformation about outside employment can be obtained from the Ethics Commission website.Montgomery County Ethics Commission - Outside Employment - Outside Employment Regulations and Requirements (montgomerycountymd.gov)