Joining the Fire Department
Paid On-Call Firefighting is a rewarding and valuable way to serve your community. It takes dedication and many hours of training and education. If you’re willing to put in the time and effort, there is a place in our department for you.
Interested candidates can fill out an application and mail it to City Hall or email it to Chief Hendrickson at ghendrickson@cityofdaytonmn.com.
Requirements
To join the fire department, candidates must:
- be 18 years or older
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have a high school diploma
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be able to pass a criminal background check
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live within 10 minutes of a Dayton fire station, per Google maps.
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It is not required that candidates live within the boundaries of Dayton
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have a valid Minnesota driver’s license
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pass a physical agility test (PAT) NEXT PAT TESTING DATE: May 25, 2023
DFD Hiring Process
In addition to the general requirements, there are several steps in the DFD hiring process. Please note that the full process can take up to 2 months. If there are no positions open at the time of your inquiry, your application will be saved and you will be contacted when a position comes available.
- Submit an Application. This can be sent to City Hall or emailed to Chief Hendrickson at ghendrickson@cityofdaytonmn.com
- Attend a Physical Ability Test session – NEXT PAT TESTING DATE: May 25, 2023
- Interview with a panel of up to 6 officers
- BCA criminal background and driving record check
- Full physical, including drug test, hearing screening and EKG
- Meeting (family members invited) with the Department Chief
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the time commitment?
- Members must maintain a minimum call response quota of 25% in each calendar year to remain in good standing.
- Percentages are monitored on a monthly basis and discussed during performance evaluations with the Department Chief.
- Members must attend a minimum of 16 out of 24 hands-on trainings each year
- Trainings, truck checks and meetings occur on Thursday evenings
- Additional training dates may be offered (outside of Thursday evening), throughout the year
- Members are encouraged to participate in DFD and city sponsored events throughout the year such as the open house, parades, fundraisers, public education events, highway clean-up, etc.
What is the compensation?
- Calls responded to are compensated at an hourly rate.
- Trainings are compensated at an hourly rate.
- Required certification & training fees are paid by the DFD.
- Hours spent in training for required certifications are compensated at an hourly rate.
- New employees are enrolled in the DFD pension plan immediately upon hire. However, members are not vested until year five, and are fully vested after twenty years.
- DFD will pay for extra schooling/classes at the Chief’s discretion and with prior approval.
How am I trained? (See video link below)
- New employees will sustain a 12-18 month probationary period during which:
- Trainees are expected to respond to calls, familiarize with equipment, attend weekly trainings and attend school for the following certificates:
- Firefighter I with Haz-Mat Operations – 120 hour class (Video below)
- Firefighter II – 40 hour class (Video below)
- EMT – 120 hour, college level course with practicals on Ambulance and/or in the Emergency Department
- Trainees are expected to respond to calls, familiarize with equipment, attend weekly trainings and attend school for the following certificates:
Do I have to know how to drive a fire truck?
- New employees are assigned mentors who train them in vehicles operations.
- No prior experience is required.
- No special drivers licensure is required.
- New employees should not expect to drive an apparatus for several months after initial hiring
