Southern Nevada fire departments to launch recruitment drive

Clark County and three other Southern Nevada fire departments will hold a firefighter recruitment drive and an online application period from June 18 to July 2.

Clark County, North Las Vegas and Pahrump fire departments as well as the Mount Charleston Fire Protection District will take part in the drive, with information sessions near each location. Recruitment efforts will be hosted by the Clark County Human Resources Department, according to a press release.

The sessions will address the application process, the testing process, test-taking tips, employment requirements and available positions.

“It’s important that applicants have all the information and are aware of the realities of the job,” Clark County Fire Chief Greg Cassell said Wednesday. “Hopefully we will get some women and other minorities in the community interested through these sessions.”

The collaborative effort will centralize the application process, allowing candidates to apply for separate departments with a single form, according to the recruitment website.

Cassell said the departments received approximately 1,500 applications last year and expect a similar number this year, usually accepting 35 to 50 new firefighters at the end of the process. With the number of firefighters retiring this year, the departments could accept more than 50, he said.

Following the application, candidates must take a written exam as well as complete a physical exam called the Candidate Physical Ability Test. The test aims to gauge a person’s ability to meet the physical demands of being a firefighter and includes exercises such as a stair climb, hose drag and forcible entry.

Information for candidates who successfully complete the application and testing will be forwarded to the fire departments for consideration as positions open.

“We’re excited to see how it all turns out,” Cassell said.

Contact Amanda Bradford at abradford@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0279. Follow @amandabrad_uc on Twitter.