Becoming A Firefighter

The Elk River Fire Department is comprised of 45 paid on-call firefighters. Most on-call firefighters have regular full-time careers outside of their part-time position with the city. When an emergency occurs, firefighters are alerted via a tone/voice pager. 

Becoming an Elk River firefighter is a competitive process. To help ensure an adequate response time, every Elk River on-call firefighter must live within a pre-defined geographical area within the city. Once selected for a position, new firefighters must complete upwards of 200 hours of required training during their initial probationary period. This training includes tactics on fire suppression, search and rescue, emergency medicine, hazardous materials, and a myriad of other topics.

Minimum Qualifications

  • High school graduate or equivalent.
  • Must be at least 18 years of age.
  • Valid Class D Minnesota driver's license.
  • Must live within nine (9) minutes of an Elk River fire station.
  • Must satisfactorily pass the required pre-employment screening, including a physical exam.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Training in fire fighting techniques.
  • Experience as a firefighter.
  • NFPA 1001 Firefighter I & II
  • First Responder certification.
  • CPR certification.
  • Current EMT/Paramedic.
  • Post-secondary or technical college courses in firefighting.

Compensation and Benefits

All on-call firefighters are part-time employees of the city and are compensated for actual hours worked, including emergency responses, training, and special events. Through the Elk River Fire Department Relief Association, every on-call firefighter also earns a pension of $8,850/year (effective January 2022), which is paid in-full after 20 years of active service.

Questions or Interested?

Joining the Fire Department is a big step! If you are seeking further information on what being a firefighter entails with time commitment, Fire Academy, qualifications, training requirements, etc. we encourage you to check out our Frequently Asked Questions. If you do not see an answer to your question or if you would like further information about becoming part of the team, click here to get in touch with staff. 

We are currently not accepting applications for firefighters.

  1. Do I need to have special schooling or a degree to be an Elk River firefighter?
  2. What is the time commitment for the Elk River Fire Academy?
  3. Where is the Elk River Fire Academy held?
  4. Is the Elk River Fire Department volunteer or paid-on-call?
  5. Do I have to live in Elk River to be an ERFD firefighter?
  6. Is there any training besides the Elk River Fire Academy?
  7. Do I need to purchase uniforms for the Fire Academy?
  8. Do I have to respond to every single call for service that's dispatched?
  9. Do men and women have equal requirements for entry and training?
  10. Is there a cost for the required Emergency Medical/First Responder training?
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