Lateral Firefighter

The Town of Apex; Apex (NC); On-site; USD 64,679 - 79,225; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free medical, dental, vision, and life insurance for employees

5% contributions to NC 401(k) retirement plan

Traditional sick and vacation leave

Job summary

The Town of Apex is seeking to fill the position of Lateral Firefighter, which allows for quick promotion to Senior Firefighter within the first year. The role involves critical responsibilities such as fire suppression and emergency medical response, requiring key certifications and at least one year of fire service experience.

We offer a competitive salary range from $64,679.06 to $79,225.95, alongside excellent benefits including free insurance and retirement contributions.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED, and at least 1 year of fire service experience or a graduate of an approved fire academy.
• Possess IFSAC/Pro-Board or approved certifications of completion.
• Possession of a valid North Carolina driver’s license.

Responsibilities

• Respond to fire alarms and participate in fire suppression activities.
• Participate in ongoing training activities to increase and maintain emergency responder skill levels.
• Inspect station and equipment for proper appearance and condition.

Job description

Overview

Invites applications for the position of:

Lateral Firefighter (with the ability to promote to Senior Firefighter, Relief Drivers, during the first year)

About this position

Work location: One of six fire stations located in the Apex Fire District

Schedule: 24-hour rotation

Application requirement: A detailed resume and a copy of all certifications must be included with your application. Applications without this information will not proceed in the hiring process.

Are you ready to turn a job into a career? The Town of Apex has openings for the rank of Lateral Firefighters with the ability to promote to Senior Firefighters (Relief Drivers) during your first year.

The following are the salary ranges for the Firefighter and Senior Firefighter positions:

Firefighter Salary Range: $64,679.06 – $79,225.95

Senior Firefighter Salary Range: $68,278.29 – $83,639.30

Mission

To selflessly serve by proactive risk reduction, operational readiness, and effective response in the pursuit of organizational excellence.

In this position you will perform responsible fire suppression, rescue, and incident response activities on an assigned shift in the fire department. Firefighters participate in the operations of fire suppression, rescue, incident response, and daily maintenance activities at the fire station.

These activities involve firefighting, performing emergency medical service response, facility and equipment maintenance, participation in all-hazard incident response as called-upon, and multidiscipline cognitive and physical training. Work requires staying current with state-of-the-art fire suppression and rescue procedures, techniques, and equipment and incorporating changes into in-service training. Ability to make effective decisions under pressure is required in all aspects of emergency response work.

The employee is subject to hazards associated with incident response work including inside and outside environments, extreme temperatures, loud noise, vibration, moving parts, high heat, chemicals, fumes, odors, dusts, gases, poor ventilation, oils, respirator use, and close quarters. The employee is also subject to OSHA standards on bloodborne pathogens.

Work is performed under regular supervision of the assigned station's Company Officer and is evaluated through observation, conferences, and written reports concerning the quality and effectiveness of work completed.

Essential functions of a firefighter

• Respond to fire alarms and participate in fire suppression activities; participate in operations-level hazardous materials incident mitigation; respond to emergency medical calls and provide EMT at the basic level; respond to and provide technical rescue services.
• Participate in ongoing training activities to increase and maintain emergency responder skill levels.
• Inspect station and equipment for proper appearance and condition.
• Perform maintenance and cleaning of fire apparatus, equipment, station building, and related facilities.
• Inspect, clean, and maintain fire hydrants and hoses; test proper operation and maintain maintenance records.
• Assist with the preparation of fire reports; participate in special projects as required.
• Conduct pre-incident surveys.
• Conduct station tours; give fire prevention talks at the station, in schools, and other settings.
• Obtain the required amount of training hours as mandated by the department.
• Assist the fire engineer with apparatus checks, ensuring apparatus readiness.
• Keep the station and grounds clean and presentable.
• Follow departmental guidelines related to the maintenance of apparatus, equipment, and facilities.
• Perform related duties as required.

Minimum qualifications – Firefighter

High school diploma or GED, and at least 1 year of fire service experience or a graduate of an approved fire academy.

Possess IFSAC/Pro-Board or approved certifications of completion, or have reciprocity documentation for:

• NCOEM/SEMT-Basic
• Hazardous Materials Operations Level I
• NIMS 100, 200, 700, and 800
• Possession of a valid North Carolina driver’s license

Preferred qualifications but not required.

• Technical Rescue certification
• Child Passenger Safety Seat Technician certification

Note: The physical agility, written test, and interviews will be conducted the week of July 20, 2026 at the Wake County Fire Training Center.

Essential functions of a senior firefighter

R esponds to fire alarms and participates in fire suppression activities; participates in operations-level hazardous materials incident mitigation; responds to emergency medical calls and provides EMT at the basic level; responds to and provides technical rescue services.

Participates in ongoing training activities to increase and maintain skill levels as an emergency responder.

Inspects station and equipment for proper appearance and condition.

Performs maintenance and cleaning of fire apparatus, equipment, station building, and related facilities.

Inspects, cleans, and maintains fire hydrants and hoses; tests for proper operation and maintenance records.

Assists with the preparation of fire reports; participates in special projects as required.

Conducts pre-incident surveys.

Conducts station tours; makes fire prevention talks at the station and in schools and other settings.

Obtains the required amount of training hours as mandated by the department.

Assists the fire engineer with apparatus checks, ensuring apparatus readiness.

Fills in as a relief engineer when needed.

Operates emergency apparatus in a safe and responsible manner.

Follows departmental guidelines related to the maintenance of apparatus, equipment, and facilities.

Performs related duties as required.

Minimum qualifications – Senior Firefighter

High school diploma or GED, 3 years of fire service experience in a full-time career department.

Possess IFSAC/Pro-Board or approved certifications of completion, or have reciprocity documentation for:

• NCOEM/SEMT-Basic
• Hazardous Materials Operations Level I
• NIMS 100, 200, 700, and 800
• Technical Rescuer (TR)
• Technical Rescuer – Vehicle (TR-V)
• Emergency Vehicle Driver (EVD)
• Driver Operator Pumps Certified
• Possession of a valid North Carolina driver’s license, non-CDL Class B

Preferred qualifications but not required.

• Child Passenger Safety Seat Technician certification

Knowledge, skills, and abilities

Skill in teamwork, collaborative conflict resolution, and customer service excellence.

Knowledge of the application of information technology to the department work.

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, officials, and the public.

Ability to make sound judgments in emergency situations.

Ability to prepare records of work activities.

Ability to operate or learn to operate all required equipment and apparatus.

Ability to maintain physical standards as required by the department.

Ability to complete emergency and non-emergency tasks effectively with minimal supervision.

Ability to make effective decisions under pressure in all aspects of emergency response work.

Ability to use tools and PPE effectively without compromising safety.

Ability to follow directions of the company officer effectively.

Demonstrates knowledge, skills, and abilities related to departmental services.

Demonstrates the ability to retain knowledge and skills with minimal retraining.

Demonstrates knowledge of departmental rules, policies, and procedures.

Regularly completes a physical fitness routine while on duty.

Completes the annual “Fit for Duty” fitness evaluation.

Hiring process timeline

Testing will occur at the Wake Fire Training Center. The applicant must pass the written test with a 70% score or better to advance to the agility test. Each test will be graded after completion. More information will be sent to those invited to the written and agility testing.

Who we are

Known as "The Peak of Good Living", the Town of Apex is a rapidly growing Wake County municipality with a population of over 84,000 and has been ranked as Money Magazine’s Best Place to Live in America. Our workforce includes over 680 full-time employees and over 125 part-time/seasonal staff. Our Human Resources Department is committed to providing best-in-class HR programs for our employees, with a mission to create a culture of empowerment and accountability. We offer a generous benefits package and a highly competitive compensation program. The Town is an excellent place to work, as evidenced by a high job satisfaction rating in our latest employee opinion survey.

What we offer

We offer competitive salaries and excellent benefits, including:

• Free medical, dental, vision, and life insurance for employees
• 5% contributions to the NC 401(k) retirement plan (no matching required)
• Participation in the Local Government Employees' Retirement System (LGERS)
• Traditional sick and vacation leave
• 80 hours Peak Paid Time Off
• $1,200 Peak Lifestyle Benefit payment after probation to cover health and wellness activities

Note: All new hires must successfully complete a pre-employment drug test, post-offer functional testing (if required by position), background verifications including references, criminal record and driver’s license checks prior to employment. Some positions may require SBI fingerprinting as part of the background screening process.

The Town of Apex provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, political affiliation or marital status, veteran status, or genetic information.