Houston Fire Department offering hiring bonuses for hundreds of selected candidates

The Houston Fire Department is now hiring and offering extra pay incentives for selected candidates. FOX 26's Damali Keith has more.

HOUSTON - The Houston Fire Department is getting creative to attract more firefighters because HFD is in need of hundreds of new hires.

"Right now we are hiring 350 firefighters this fiscal year," explains HFD Recruiting Manager Tameka Hardison.

Because of the staffing shortage, HFD is also offering bonuses.

"Firefighters that have their fire certification and their emergency medical technician certification will receive an incentive pay up to $2500 and for those who have a paramedic certification they are able to receive $3,000," Hardison adds.

What’s the reason for the employee shortfall?

"The department of course has natural human resources occurrences attrition, retirement, resignations," Hardison explains.

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The shortage within the Houston Fire Department has caused issues like ladder trucks sometimes sitting out of service.

"Daily staffing has been heavily impacted by sick leave, COVID 19 quarantines, the cancellation of recruit classes in 2019 to meet Prop B obligations," HFD said in a statement. "Despite staffing challenges, all fire stations have remained open and…today all HFD apparatus are in service."

So who qualifies to be a Houston Firefighter and Paramedic?

"Individuals who are 18 to 35 years old are eligible to submit an application and you must have 24 accredited college hours," Hardison says. "If you don’t have that you can have two years of military experience with an honorable discharge."

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And what’s the salary range?

"Currently the training to enter the academy is $36,000 and upon graduation your salary will jump to approximately $50,000," Hardison answers.

"I’m going through testing right now to be a full firefighter here," says HFD Cadet Devin Byrd, who graduated from the academy in May and explained how they receive extensive training, even to learn how to put on the heavy, hot firefighting suit and full gear in less than two minutes.

"The gear by itself without the extra equipment in the pockets weighs about 50 pounds," Byrd explains. "We also take our air packs which weighs about another 25. The gear is great at protecting us from heat and fire on the outside, but it traps the heat that we generate naturally on the inside."

"We’ll administer a physical abilities test because you’re right the equipment is heavy," Hardison adds.

If you are interested in becoming a Houston Firefighter visit hfdcareers.org.