Employment

ACCEPTING NEW APPLICATIONS

MARCH 25 - APRIL 19, 2024

Mark you calendar with the following dates:

  • Apr 19 - Applications Due
  • Apr 25, 26 & 27 - Written/Physical Ability Testing - time are TBD
  • May 9 & 10 - Structured Interviews

Looking for a rewarding career where you can contribute to the community?

Consider a career in the fire service with Hastings Fire & Rescue. Although the work is tough, firefighting is a highly rewarding career, providing a vital service to the community. Professional firefighters work as a team to protect life and property during all types of emergencies. As a member of the fire service, you will partake in many different life-saving duties including fire emergency response, emergency medical services, hazardous materials, high angle and rope rescue, vehicle extrication, water and ice rescue, building inspections, and public safety prevention/education.

About the Career

Hastings Fire & Rescue currently employs 30 full-time firefighters, six part-time firefighters, and six full-time administrative staff. HFR operates with three shifts, each working a 24 hours on, 48 hours off schedule. They work year-round including holidays and weekends. A, B, and C shifts each operate with ten personnel, including a Captain, a Lieutenant, two Fire Apparatus Operators, and six Firefighter - Paramedics/EMT's.

General Qualifications

  • Be at least 18 years of age
  • Possess a high school diploma or GED
  • Have, or be able to obtain, a valid Nebraska driver's license

Residency Requirements

None  

Application Process

The City of Hastings does not take applications in advance of open recruitment. Applications are only available during the active recruitment process.

1.  Hastings Fire and Rescue is currently seeking applicants to make an eligibility list for both Firefighter/EMT and Firefighter/Paramedic positions.  For more information about the positions follow links:

Firefighter/EMT 
Firefighter/Paramedic (must be currently licensed as a PM to apply)

2. Eligible applicants will be required to take the FireTEAM written exam, which may be completed at any National Testing Network testing site. To fill out an application and schedule a test, go to www.NationalTestingNetwork.com, select “Fire” and sign up for the Hastings Fire-Rescue Department.

3. Applicants successfully scoring 75% or higher in all categories will be invited to attend the Hastings Fire & Rescue Physical Ability Test (or submit your CPAT certificate). 

5. Applicants successfully passing the FireTEAM test and passing the Physical Ability Test, will be invited to attend a structured interview panel at Hastings Fire & Rescue.

6. Applicants will be ranked based on their combined FireTEAM and structured interview scores, and an eligibility list will be established by the Hastings Civil Service Commission. The eligibility list will be maintained for one year.

7. As openings occur, the top three applicants will be invited to a final interview with the Fire Chief. Successful interviews may result in conditional offers of employment based on: a thorough background investigation, drug screen, medical examination, physical assessment, psychological examination, fingerprinting, and signing of an employment commitment agreement.

The Written Exam

There are four components to the FireTEAM Testing System: a video-based human relations test, a mechanical aptitude test, a math test and a reading ability test. Successful candidates must score a minimum of 75% on each component to continue in the process. The FireTEAM test can be taken at one of NTN's nationwide testing centers. Candidates are responsible for all costs associated with this test.

The Physical Ability Test

Hastings Fire-Rescue gives you two ways to prove your physical ability to be a firefighter. One way is to submit a current (within one year) Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) certificate. CPAT testing sites are found all around the country, mostly provided at local community colleges. You can find a list of organizations that are licensed to provide CPAT testing here. The closest sites to Hastings, NE are Hutchinson Community College and Metropolitan Community College (Blue River Campus).

The second way is on-site in Hastings through our FPSI Physical Ability Test. In this test, candidates are asked to perform several tasks similar to those performed by firefighters on the job. These tasks are designed to test strength, stamina, endurance, and ability. The events in this test are as follows:

  • Dry Fire Hose Deployment 
  • Charged Fire Hose Deployment
  • Roof Walk with Saw
  • Attic Crawl
  • Roof Ventilation
  • Victim Removal
  • Ladder Carry
  • Crawling Search
  • Stair Climb with Hose

Failure to complete the test will eliminate the applicant from further consideration during this application process. The test is Pass/Fail. Passing time for candidates is 8 minutes 5 seconds or less. See additional information for each event, including failure points. 

Structured Interview

Candidates that successfully pass the written exam and physical ability tests will be invited to a structured interview at Hastings Fire & Rescue. The structured interview will be a formal, scored interview. The interview panel will be made up of four individuals; a human resources professional, a fire department supervisor, a fire department peer and another individual employed by the City. Candidates will be asked a series of standardized questions, with the potential for one to two follow-up questions based on their answers.

 

Learn more about working at Hastings Fire & Rescue: