Firefighter Recruit 8-2026 Academy- Information Only Posting! Intern Orientation scheduled in April

Update 3-30-26 The most qualified applicants have been invited to the Intern Orientation and registration closed 3-29-26. Instructions for the Intern Orientation will be emailed to applicants. Applicants are encouraged to view the Firefighter Recruitment page and Firefighter Recruit FAQ links to learn more about what to expect at the Intern Orientation and helpful tips for preparation.

Update 3-16-26

Update 3-10-26: Written Testing through NTN (National Testing Network) has concluded. Testing is being evaluated in collaboration with NTN. Applicants can expect to hear results by 6:00 pm on Monday March 23, 2026.Applicants are encouraged to view the Firefighter Recruitment page and Firefighter Recruit FAQ links to learn more about what to expect in the recruitment process and helpful tips for preparation.

Update- 2-17-26:

The application period is now closed and all applicants have been notified of their status.

Next Steps after the Application Period: The Written Exam

Applicants who meet the requirements to test will be invited to the Written Exam. The Written Exam will be used to establish the Eligible List of applicants qualified to move forward in the recruitment and selection process for MFMD. The City of Mesa’s Written Exam will be offered through National Testing Network (NTN) during the testing window of Thursday, February 19, 2026, through Monday, March 9, 2026.

You have the option of taking the test at one of NTN’s nationwide testing centers as well as a virtual option to take the test at your own private location. Candidates who tested previously with NTN and have current valid FireTEAM and/or Public Safety Self-Assessment(PSSA) Part 1 test scores (PSSA Part 2 is not required for Mesa's testing process) are eligible to submit their existing scores for the Mesa’s Firefighter Recruit testing process without having to test again. NTN test scores are valid for up to one year.

MFMD will cover the full cost of the testing or transfer of valid scores for all applicants invited to test during Mesa’s recruitment process. NTN Written Exam registration will be invitation-only and the detailed information and instructions to register will be sent only to the qualified applicants by Wednesday, February 18, 2026, by 6:00 p.m. Arizona time.

If you may require reasonable accommodation due to a disability to participate in the Written Exam, we encourage you to download and complete the Reasonable Accommodation Request form Public_Safety_Accommodation_Request.pdf as soon as you are able to, in an effort to avoid any delays in scheduling a written exam. Follow the instructions indicated on the form to submit it to NTN for consideration by Monday, February 23, 2026, 8:00 a.m. Arizona time. More information about Reasonable Accommodation Requests can be found in NTN’s FAQ #16here.

Estimated Timeline of Testing/Hiring Process for August 2026 Academy:

Firefighter Recruit is a trainee class used to prepare incumbents for performing public safety work involving the protection of life and property and the delivery of Mesa Fire and Medical Department (MFMD) programs. Preparation involves training in fire suppression, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), and emergency and nonemergency incident response. A Firefighter Recruit must demonstrate the ability to use fire suppression and emergency medical services skills in accordance with MFMD standards, as well as engage in fire code enforcement, public education, and station and equipment maintenance activities prior to academy graduation. This class is also responsible for performing related duties as required.

Firefighter Recruits learn to perform emergency medical treatment and to ventilate burning buildings by opening windows and holes in roofs and floors, position and climb ladders to gain access to the upper levels of buildings, assist in advancing hose lines and making connections to hydrants, direct streams of water on fires, and perform search and rescue operations inside burning buildings, while wearing personal protective equipment weighing approximately 70 pounds that significantly impairs body cooling, in high humidity (up to 100 percent) situations, relying on self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) for ventilation, and in environments with extreme temperature fluctuations (400+ degrees Fahrenheit).

Firefighter - Recruits receive close supervision from a Fire Captain assigned as the Fire Training Officer who reviews and evaluates work in progress and upon completion to ensure conformance to standard operating procedures. New Firefighters receive close supervision from a Fire Captain who reviews and evaluates their work in progress. This class is FLSA nonexempt and has been designated as a non-classified, non-merit system, at-will position.

Please refer to the links below for the full job descriptions for Fire Pre-Recruit, Firefighter Recruit and Firefighter, which include additional information regarding preferred qualifications and essential functions.

Firefighter Pre-Recruit Pay$34,958 Annually

Firefighter - Recruit Pay $57,593 Annually

Mesa Firefighter Pay (After Promotion from Firefighter Recruit Academy) $60,562 Annually

• Must be at least 18 years of age by Monday, February 2, 2026.
• Graduation from high school or GED by Monday, February 2, 2026.
• Possession of a valid Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) with a licensed CPAT agency is required to apply. For the August 2026 Academy, a valid CPAT must be dated between August 2, 2025, and the date your application is submitted. You must include the agency, CPAT number, and date in your response to the supplemental questions. Applications that do not include the Agency, CPAT Number, and Date completed in full on supplemental questions 5, 6, and 7 will be deemed ineligible.
• State of Arizona EMT or Paramedic certification is not required to apply or test,but will be required before the start date of the Academy and must be kept current thereafter.
  • Successful Firefighter Recruit candidates who are unable to obtain their EMT certification by the start date of the Academy may be offered a Fire Pre-Recruit position where they must complete an MFMD-sponsored EMT course (if they are not already enrolled in their own outside EMT course) as soon as possible upon hire and have up to three (3) opportunities following completion of the course to pass the EMT certification test. Due to pre-requirements by the college offering the EMT course, selected Pre-Recruit candidates must show proof of a 3.0 high school GPA (or higher) or have an associate’s degree or higher. The EMT certification must be obtained no later than one week prior to the start of the Academy immediately following completion of the EMT course. Upon successful performance as a Pre-Recruit and passing the EMT certification within the specified time period, Pre-Recruits will promote to the Firefighter Recruit position in the following MFMD Firefighter Recruit Academy.
  • For State of Arizona EMT or Paramedic certification information, see the Arizona Department of Health Services website at http://www.azdhs.gov/bems/certification/index.htm.

Special Requirements. Must possess a valid Arizona Class D Driver's License by hire or promotion date and must have an acceptable driving record. Must pass a pre-employment physical. Must meet and maintain National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and Mesa Fire and Medical Department physical standards. Must meet the qualifications to wear a tight-fitting respirator by passing a medical evaluation in accordance with Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 1910.134 by hire date and must maintain certification. Because of the confidential, sensitive nature of information handled, successful completion of a psychological examination is required. Must not be on the Office of Inspector General (OIG) list of Excluded Individuals/Entities (LEIE).

Substance Abuse Testing. Due to the safety and/or security sensitive nature of this classification, individuals shall be subject to pre-employment or pre-placement alcohol, drug and/or controlled substance testing as outlined in City policy and procedures.

Preferred/Desirable Qualifications. Successful completion of Fire Science coursework from a regionally accredited college or university and previous firefighting experience (full-time, part-time, or volunteer) is preferred. Bilingual in Spanish is preferred.

https://apps.mesaaz.gov/jobdescriptions/Documents/JobDescriptions/cs3432.pdf

https://apps.mesaaz.gov/jobdescriptions/Documents/JobDescriptions/cs3919.pdf

https://apps.mesaaz.gov/jobdescriptions/Documents/JobDescriptions/cs4111.pdf