Firefighter Qualifications

Only the most qualified applicants will be chosen to move forward in the Firefighter pre-screening process.

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What do I need to apply?

Before you apply, you must:

  • Be at least 18 years of age
  • Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
  • Have at least a High school diploma or equivalency
  • Have a valid Class 5 driver's license or provincial / territorial equivalent without a Graduated Driver’s License (GDL) status and with
    • less than 7 demerit points
    • no current or pending suspensions
  • Activities disclosed, including those of a criminal nature, will be reviewed by CFD to align the City of Calgary and CFD policies, values and code of conduct to determine if the applicant will proceed further in the recruitment process​
  • Have been granted a pardon or record suspension for any criminal convictions
  • Meet the soft drug use parameters below. It’s your responsibility to know what it legal and what is illegal.
    • No more than one (1) illegal soft drug usage within one (1) year of the application date
    • No more than three (3) illegal soft drug usages within three (3) years of the application date
      • Illegal soft drugs are defined as: Marijuana, hashish, hash oil (prior to the date of legalization, Oct 17 2018), edible cannabis extracts, cannabis topicals (prior to the date of legalization, Oct 17 2019) and Mushrooms.
      • Recreational cannabis use, up to the date of legalization, will be assessed using the legislation in place prior to October 17, 2018 and Oct 17 2019 respectively.
      • All applicants will be asked about incidents of impaired driving. If an applicant uses cannabis within three (3) hours (this timeline is subject to change) of operating a vehicle, we will consider them to have been in a state of impairment as recommended by the Canadian Public Health Association.
  • Meet the hard drug use parameters below. Examples of hard drugs include, but are not limited to: steroids, cocaine, meth, fentanyl.
    • No hard drug use within three (3) years of the application date
  • Meet all our immunization requirements

To complete the pre-screening process, you must meet all of the medical and fitness requirements. You will also have to provide proof of having any item listed on this page.

How can I make my application stronger?

Our selection process is very competitive. If you have any of the skills or qualifications listed below, include them on your application to make it stronger.

  • Advanced First Aid certificate from any facility approved by the Alberta College of Paramedics (ACP) or from a St. John Ambulance or Canadian Red Cross provider (must still be valid at the time you apply).
    • We will also accept an EMR, EMT/PCP, or EMT-P/ACP certificate including a practice permit/license from the Alberta College of Paramedics (ACP) or equivalent provincial/territorial facility (must be valid at the time you apply).​
  • Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification at the Health Care Provider (HCP) level or a Basic Life Support (BLS) certificate (must not have expired).
  • Alberta Class 1, 2, or 3 driver's license with Air Brake (Q) endorsement, or provincial equivalent (must not have expired).

    You do not need your Advanced First Aid, CPR-HCP/BLS, or professional driver’s license before you apply. Having them before you apply will make your application more competitive. You will need these qualifications in order to qualify for a Conditional Job Offer; Conditional Job Offers are generally presented ten weeks prior to the start date of a recruit training class.
  • Post-secondary diploma or degree
  • Journeyman Certificate
  • Firefighter training
  • Experience as a full-time firefighter; including military, seasonal, forestry, paid on call, volunteer
  • Experience in Emergency Services or uniformed Public Servant roles (Law Enforcement, EMS, Military, Corrections, Park Ranger, Peace Officer)
  • Cadet Program (Fire, Police, Sea, Air, Army, etc)
  • Volunteering and/or community involvement (unpaid positions not including firefighting)
  • Fluent in languages other than English

All costs for getting and renewing any licenses, certifications, and/or other designations are at the applicant’s expense.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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