LATERAL FIREFIGHTER AND FIREFIGHTER/PARAMEDIC

LATERAL FIREFIGHTER AND FIREFIGHTER/PARAMEDIC

Hiring Rate

Firefighter: $25.00 – $31.91 per hour

Firefighter/Paramedic: $33.50 – $35.54 per hour (Hiring Bonus of $4,000 paid upon graduation and successful completion of Mesa County Protocols.)

About the Position:

Are you looking for a change of pace, a career that makes a difference, and a place you can call home? The Grand Junction Fire Department is experiencing unprecedented growth, and we are excited to welcome the next generation of community servants to join our family!

Firefighters and Firefighter/Paramedics respond to emergency and non-emergency calls, working with their assigned station crew to provide basic or advanced life support care to patients. Additional duties include performing fire prevention, fire suppression, and emergency rescue operations. Academy is typically scheduled 44-48 hours per week. Upon graduation from the Lateral Fire Academy the Grand Junction Fire Department has a 48/96 work schedule.

What You'll Do:

• Attend, participate, and successfully complete all skill blocks of the fire academy; learn and complete Mesa County Protocols; meet all job performance indicators to operate as a Firefighter or Firefighter/Paramedic.

• Perform various EMS and firefighting activities to protect life, property, and environment.

• Respond to a variety of emergency and non-emergency calls including emergency medical response, fire suppression, traffic collisions, hazardous materials incidents, building collapses, wildland fires, technical rescue, and extraction.

• Operate a variety of fire suppression and life-saving equipment.

• Perform station and equipment inspections and maintenance.

To view the full Firefighter job description, click here.

To view the full Firefighter/Paramedic job description, click here.

This position is a safety-sensitive position, which means you will be subject to random drug screens due to the nature of the work performed.

What We're Looking For:

Lateral Firefighter:

• Colorado EMT certificate OR National Registry EMT certificate on or before October 12, 2026.

• CPR certificate on or before October 12, 2026.

Lateral Firefighter/Paramedic:

• Colorado EMT-P certificate OR a National Registry EMT-P certificate on or before October 12, 2026.

• PALS certificate OR PEPP certificate on or before October 12, 2026.

• ACLS certificate on or before October 12, 2026.

• CPR certificate on or before October 12, 2026.

General (for all positions):

• Minimum 3 years’ experience in a full-time paid position on an all-hazards fire department.

• Firefighter II certification (ProBoard or IFSAC Accredited).

• Hazardous Materials Operations certification (ProBoard or IFSAC Accredited).

• Current State of Colorado Driver’s License or ability to obtain.

• Driver Operator Certification (ProBoard or IFSAC).

• Proof of completion of an emergency vehicle operator program (i.e. VFIS, CEVO, EVOC or other equivalent internal department program).

• Must successfully complete a National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1580 physical

• Color perception resulting in the ability to use imaging devices.

• High school diploma or equivalent.

• Must be 18 years of age upon time of hire.

• Ability to pass a thorough background check.

• Current Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) certification.

*If you do not possess a current CPAT certification, you must obtain one by September 10, 2026. If you are selected for initial testing, the Grand Junction Fire Department will offer CPAT Orientation, Practice sessions, and Testing. You are welcome to obtain a valid CPAT certificate from any certified testing location.