Firefighter

The Hutchinson Fire Department (HFD) is currently building an eligibility list for future firefighters to join our next Recruit Academy during the spring of 2027.

HFD is an organization of continuous improvement that takes pride in improving its commitment to the community and has confirmed International Accreditation as well as a Class 1 rating with the Insurance Service Organization (ISO). HFD is 1 of 112 organizations in the world that currently holds both statuses. Establishing this:

• Provides greater community alignment.
• Encourages quality improvement.
• Facilitates input from and builds positive relationships with labor.
• Identifies areas of strengths and weaknesses.
• Allows for the establishment of an improvement plan.
• Provides data-supported decision-making.
• Communicates management and leadership philosophies.
• Ensures that our agency has a defined mission and related objectives.
• Encourages the development of organizational procedural documents.
• Is operating under industry best practices.

HFD protects 50,000 residents and covers 108 square miles encompassing the City of Hutchinson and suburban and rural Reno County Fire District #2. HFD responds to unique challenges within this area including having the number one wildland-urban interface fire threat in the State of Kansas resulting from thousands of acres of sandhill-covered grass and brush land, unique tourist attractions, a regional airport, three major rail lines, major highways, high-pressure underground pipelines and large gas storage facilities, salt mining operations, and sinkholes resulting from abandoned mine operations and natural hazard threats such as severe summer and winter storms, drought and high winds.

HFD has 89 uniformed members and 1 civilian employee. We operate 6 engine companies, 2 truck companies, and Crossman 10 brush trucks, 2 water tenders, 2 reserve engines, and a heavy rescue trailer from 6 strategically located fire stations. Fire Headquarters is located in our Command and Training Center with a 4-story training tower with 2 burn rooms and 2 large paved training pads located on 53 acres of land. The department provides fire suppression, basic life support EMS response (Tactical Emergency Medicine), hazardous material - technician level, technical heavy rescue (confined space, high and low angle, structural rescue, and water rescue), and wildland firefighting (with the possibility of federal deployment).

A DAY IN THE LIFE:

The firefighter is primarily responsible for performing emergency response services including fire suppression (building, trash, automobile, wildland, etc.), hazardous material releases, natural disasters and mass casualty events, and emergency medical services, and will also perform fire prevention and safety education duties. In addition to Fire Fighter duties, this position drives and operates fire apparatus and equipment at the scene of emergency incidents and is responsible for inspecting and maintaining assigned firefighting equipment on an ongoing basis.

The City of Hutchinson employs over 400 employees that serve our community every day. City employees make Hutchinson a great place to live, work, and play. We take pride in our work and it shows. Come be a part of a workforce that makes a difference! We're always looking for talented, self-motivated individuals to join our team.

The City of Hutchinson is an Equal Opportunity Employer that recruits and hires qualified candidates without regard to race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, disability, or veteran status.