South King Fire & Rescue recognizes that providing the highest quality of service to the citizens of our community depends on having a dedicated, well-qualified group of employees who find satisfaction in their work and who enjoy a superb work environment. SKF&R seeks to attract and maintain a diverse workforce where creativity and innovation are applied daily to the Districts goals of safety, high performance, outstanding customer service and professionalism. We've devoted our efforts to being the employer of choice for qualified job seekers in a wide variety of disciplines.

The Human Resources department at SKF&R supports the Fire District and its employees by providing a full range of HR services, including:

• employee relations services
• oversight of classification and compensation systems
• coordination of benefits
• coordination of recruitment and selection of employees and volunteers

The following links provide further information regarding employment. Should you have questions, feel free to contact us at hr.info@southkingfire.org.

Diveristy

SKF&R is committed to developing and enhancing a diverse workforce that honors and respects our individual and group differences and reflects the community we serve. To this end our efforts focus on increasing organizational diversity to better reflect the diversity of our community, including racial, ethnic, cultural, language, gender, socio-economic and sexual orientation backgrounds.

We recognize that our ability to effectively serve the diverse population of our service area is directly impacted by our organizational diversity. We also appreciate that organizational diversity has a significant positive impact on the decision making and overall productivity within SKF&R.

Developing and enhancing a diverse workforce is one of the Districts Strategic Goals that define the direction of SKF&R. We understand that we can maintain the very high standards by which we qualify candidates while removing barriers that impact interest in positions among various groups.

The International Association of Fire Fighters voiced its strong support for diversity initiatives in the Fire Service, and made the following observation in its 2006 paper, Achieving and Retaining a Diverse Fire Service Workforce.

Diversity in the workforce will not occur simply because your department is located in a diverse metropolitan area or because your department follows the law regarding non-discrimination. In order to achieve diversity, you must have a strong commitment that includes an active recruiting strategy and you must take effective actions.

South King Fire & Rescue is committed to developing and enhancing a diverse workforce that mirrors our community.

Career Preparation

It is highly recommended, although not required, that those who wish to be a firefighter investigate the job fully and acquire training before applying for positions. The job is demanding, both mentally and physically. In addition the competition for the job can be daunting; it is not uncommon for several hundred people to apply for one firefighter position. Training and job understanding will increase the chance of attaining a firefighter position.

There are two main avenues that can be taken to learn the job of a firefighter. The first involves becoming a volunteer firefighter. The second involves attending firefighting courses through technical colleges, such as Bates Technical College in Tacoma.

Recruitment

South King Fire & Rescue uses EEOC guidelines during its hiring process and normally hires as vacancies occur due to attrition. The testing process is scheduled yearly utilizing Bates Technical College for the initial written and physical ability testing. Successful candidates are then placed on the Bates list and when a vacancy occurs, South King Fire & Rescue interviews candidates from the list.

A professional firefighting career with SKF&R includes highly specialized work in the protection of life and property through the provision of firefighting and emergency medical rescue services. Duties include, but are not limited to, combat firefighting, emergency medical rescue work, public education and fire prevention activities.

Annual Salary Range:South King offers a competitive salary and benefits package, commensurate to the comparables of like Departments. Medical and Dental insurance are provided for employees and families. Full time Firefighters also become eligible for pension benefits through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems.

Requirements for Employment:

• Must be 21 years old, as of the date of hire.
• Possess a high school diploma or GED.
• Show proof of successful passing of the Bates CPAP physical Test.
• Show proof of a Driving Record free from serious or frequent violations.
• Successful passing of a Medical and Psychological Exam, paid for by the Department.
• Successful passing of a criminal background check.
• Must be able to work variable shifts, including shifts that require 24 hours of consecutive duty.

Examinations:

• Medical Examination
• Formal Background Investigation

Please View Job Description (PDF)
Please View Job Application (PDF)

Current Job Openings:

Applications are only accepted during active recruitment periods. For more information about the hiring process and recruitment period dates, call the HR Administrator at 253-946-7255.

Volunteer Opportunities

South King Fire & Rescue utilizes full-time, paid firefighters and does not have a volunteer firefighter program. Some surrounding area fire departments including Kent and King County Fire District 44, Milton, and Edgewood do offer volunteer firefighter opportunities. Contact them for more information.

Occasionally, SKF&R can use volunteers to assist with administrative duties and public education projects. Please call 253- 946-7255 for more information.