Volunteer Firefighter Recruitment

The minimum qualifications for this position include:

• High School diploma or equivalent.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and a positive attitude.
• Basic First Aid/CPR Certificate.
• Possess a valid G Driver’s Licence.
• Able to provide a recent satisfactory driver’s abstract (within 30 days) in good standing and to the
  satisfaction of the Township of Puslinch.
• Police Vulnerable Sector Check required upon hire.
• Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills, including the ability to work effectively in a team
  environment.
• Ability to respond to matters of a sensitive nature and maintain strict confidentiality.
• Able to respond to emergencies with no prior notice.
• Fulfill the physical requirements of the position including heavy lifting and the ability to work under
  strenuous conditions.
• Must be 18 years of age or older.

Some questions you can begin asking yourself and additional factors you should consider are as follows:

• Does your current residency allow for a reasonable emergency response time?
• At times, this is a very tough job. A basic level of physical fitness is required to do the job effectively and safely. Can you work for extended periods of time, under arduous conditions, and in extreme temperatures? We can help you with the training, but you need to have the underlying drive and ability.
• Are you a motivated person who challenges themselves to life-long learning? There is no end to the learning within this department! You will constantly be pushed to learn new information and skills. There are many opportunities to advance yourself with courses and charged with bringing those new skills back to the hall.
• Do you meet all minimum qualifications? We will train you to be a safe and competent firefighter, however you need to have some basic qualifications before you start.
• Does your lifestyle allow you to commit to the required hours of training in house and home study, as well as attend emergency calls? This is an important thing to consider. Once you are through the heavy recruit training, regular training for everyone is offered Wednesday evenings at 7:30 p.m. Each training session lasts for two hours. On top of this training, there are calls – a lot of them.
• Successful completion of all assessment tests or steps of the recruitment process does not guarantee a job offer.
• Before you decide to challenge yourself as a Puslinch firefighter, learn all you can about the job.
• The Recruitment Team has the responsibility of selecting individuals with personal values that match the Puslinch Fire and Rescue Service values of pride, professionalism, respect, and teamwork.

The Firefighter Recruitment Manual and Job Advertisement will be available on the Careers page of the Township website when recruitment opens.

If contacted, you will be invited to attend an information session. This session will be
approximately two hours in length. During these two hours, you will receive information
regarding the aptitude test, fitness testing, recruit training, the application process, the
probationary period, and other general information about the fire department.

*Contact information and other important recruitment dates will be confirmed at this session.

One of the skills of a firefighter is to have a large breadth of general knowledge. The written Aptitude Test covers a range of skills that are important to firefighting in our Township. The applicant must achieve a passing score to move on to the next step of the hiring process. The aptitude test date will be announced during the information session.

The Aptitude Test was developed by the Recruitment Team and will assess your competence with respect to:

• Mathematical skills (calculators will not be permitted)
• Reading comprehension
• Problem solving
• Writing skills
• General knowledge of the Township of Puslinch i.e., roadways, businesses, government, etc.

1. Name one Township of Puslinch Councilor?
2. Super Gasoline sells for $2.50 per gallon. Assume there are 4 L in 1 gallon. What will be the cost of 16 L of fuel be?
   • $5.00
   • $16.00
   • $10.00
   • $2.50

Question on this test will take the form of multiple choice, true or false, and fill in the blanks. The Recruitment Team will not provide test scores.

If you are successful in achieving a passing score on the Aptitude Test, you will be invited to proceed to the next stage in the recruitment process.

If you do not achieve a passing score on the test, you will not move on to the next steps of the hiring process.

Applicants that are successful to this stage of the recruitment process will be interviewed by the Recruitment Team.

A member of the Recruitment Team will call all successful applicants to confirm an interview date and time. The interview phase of the recruitment process assists the recruitment team in learning more about you as a person.

The following items will be requested once you have successfully moved past the interview stage:

• A satisfactory driver’s abstract with no more than three (3) demerit points. This abstract can be obtained through a Service Ontario location, or through the following link: Government of Ontario – Service Ontario Public Portal – Driver Record
• A Police Vulnerable Sector Check.
• Candidates will be required to provide a medical certificate from a qualified physician indicating their ability to perform all expected duties of a firefighter. We suggest that you book an appointment as soon as possible to allow enough time for your physician to issue this certificate. Forms for this certificate will be handed out at the interview.

All applicants will be required to complete the CPAT fitness assessment. This is a test conducted by a 3rd party testing facility located in St. Catharine’s that gauges your ability to perform routine activities involved in firefighting. There is a personal cost of approximately $160 to be tested and obtain a certificate. Full information, including description of all components of the test can be found at:
Occupational Assessment (CPAT)

There are many water sources throughout our Township, and water and ice rescue are a part of our rescue services. As a member of Puslinch Fire and Rescue Service, you are required to have basic swimming ability. On the same day as the CPAT test, you will complete a swimming evaluation which includes a basic swim test and treading water for a period of time. The cost of this evaluation is approximately $15. If you have an equivalent proof of swimming ability, you may submit that for consideration.

The Recruitment Team will conduct reference checks and review your application package.

As part of the verification process, a member of the recruitment team will call the employment and character references that you have provided. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that all reference information is correct and up to date.

The Fire Chief or a member of the Recruitment Team will call successful candidates. If you are successful – Congratulations!

Applicants are expected to provide immunization records within six months. It is also expected that successful applicants immediately begin completing any outstanding vaccinations.

From the date of hire, applicants will be become Auxiliary Firefighters until they are promoted to a
Probationary Firefighter. Probationary Firefighters must then pass the following:

• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1001 Level 1 Firefighter Exams (Training will continue in future years for NFPA Level 2 and beyond)
• DZ driver’s license accreditation within one year
• Canadian Red Cross, in house First Responder course
• NFPA 1072 Hazardous Materials Awareness Exam
• Attend 100% training

*The Fire Chief has the authority to extend the probationary period if deemed necessary.

If you receive a job offer, there will be in-house training that will get you up to speed on some of the basics including professionalism, the fire service, personal protective equipment, self-contained breathing apparatus, and more.

After the initial training, you will be enrolled in the Wellington Country Training Recruit Program and, together with recruits from fire departments across Wellington County, you will take part in a training program consisting of online materials, text assignments, lectures, hands-on skills, and physical practical skills and evaluation days across many locations, while learning from a variety of instructors. Expect to attend one to two meetings per week (usually on weekends), as well as complete self-study time for a
duration of approximately four to five months.