Apprentice Firefighter Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

Serve in a progressive department with competitive pay, outstanding benefits, and opportunities for professional growth. Immediate openings available.

Thank you for your interest in joining Bloomingdale Fire Protection District No. 1. In partnership with the Bloomingdale Fire Commission, the District has begun a competitive testing process to create an eligibility list for hiring Firefighter/Paramedics over the next two years.

The Bloomingdale Fire Protection District serves approximately 14.4 square miles and a population of over 40,000 residents, including the Village of Bloomingdale and portions of Addison, Glendale Heights, Hanover Park, Itasca, Medinah, Roselle, and unincorporated DuPage County. Our organization consists of 49 full-time employees—45 sworn personnel, three civilian fire inspectors, and one administrative assistant—and is supported by paid-on-premise firefighters. In 2025, the District responded to 5,988 emergency calls, including:

• 65% EMS Incidents
• 35% Fire, Rescue, Hazardous Materials, and Service Calls

We proudly operate one of the busiest 911 ambulances in the Northwest Community Emergency Medical Services System.

Placement on the eligibility list is determined by:

• Written examination score
• Preference points

The Bloomingdale Fire Protection District is an equal opportunity employer. The District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, disability, political affiliation, or age, except as permitted by law or required for safe and efficient job performance.

Applications are available at our administrative office or online at www.bloomingdalefire.com. Complete your application and submit all supporting documentation in person, by mail or emailed to admin@bloomingdalefire.com by the application deadline August 27, 2026, at 4:00 PM.

For questions, please contact the fire district at (630) 894-9080, Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:00 PM.

Application Deadline & Testing Schedule

Application Deadline August 27, 2026 – 4:00 PM

Written Examination August 29, 2026 – 10:00 AM

Bloomingdale Fire Protection District No. 1

179 S. Bloomingdale Road, Bloomingdale, IL 60108

(Applicants must arrive prior to 10:00 AM. Late arrivals will not be admitted)

Employment Requirements

• Age: At least 21 at time of hire; and under 35 on the last day for submitting applications unless otherwise specified by state or federal law.
• Certification: Emergency Medical Technician–Paramedic (EMT-P) and Basic Operations Firefighter (BOF) at time of conditional offer.
• CPAT: Valid Candidate Physical Ability Test card with Ladder Climb Endorsement, dated within one year of the application deadline.
• Education: High school diploma or equivalent.
• Driver's License: Valid driver's license.
• Language: Must read, write, and speak English fluently.
• Criminal History: No felony convictions.

Application Process

How to Apply:

• Complete your application and submit all supporting documentation in person, by mail or emailed to admin@bloomingdalefire.com by the application deadline.

Required Submission

• Completed application (pages 1–4)
• Include all required supporting documents (see checklist)
• Must be submitted by August 27, 2026, at 4:00 PM

Examination Process

• Written Exam: August 29, 2026, at 10:00 AM
• Study Session: 2 hours
• Exam Duration: 1.5 hours
• All test questions are based solely on the study-session materials

(Attendance at the morning study session is mandatory)

Interview Process

• Interviews will be scheduled by final eligibility ranking and conducted by chief officers and fire commissioners.

Preference Points

Candidates must request preference points within 10 days after the Initial Eligibility List is posted.

Eligible points include:

Veteran's Preference – 5 points

• Minimum one-year active U.S. military service
• Honorable discharge
• DD-214 (long form)
• Signed affidavit

Educational Preference – 3 – 5 points (Degrees cannot be pyramided)

• Associate degree in fire service or EMS: 3 points
• Bachelor's degree in any field: 3 points
• Bachelor's degree in fire service or EMS: 5 points

Experience Preference – up to 5 points

• Paid-on-call firefighter: 0.5 points per year, max 5
• Full-time firefighter: 1 point per year, max 5

(Private-contract service does not qualify)

Trade Experience – 3 – 5 points

• Apprentice card: 3 points
• Journeyman card: 5 points

Submission of Preference Points requires a signed Candidate's Affidavit, included in the packet, that has been notarized by a notary public. Failure to provide the completed notarized document will result in no preference points being awarded.

Compensation & Benefits

Annual Salary

Probationary Firefighter: $87,201.60

Top Step Firefighter: $122,243.97

Overtime Eligibility

• Specialty team duties (HazMat, Dive, Technical Rescue, Arson Investigation)
• Lead instructor roles
• Open House (designated hours)
• EMS continuing education and related requirements

Insurance & Retirement

• Medical, dental, life insurance
• Optional vision insurance
• Optional 457 plan
• Holiday pay included in annual salary

Vacation Accrual

• First 12 months: 0 days
• After 12 months: 5 duty days
• Year completing 2nd year: 7 duty days
• Year completing 5th year: 10 duty days
• Year completing 10th year: 11 duty days
• Year completing 15th year: 12 duty days
• Year completing 20th year: 14 duty days

Sick Leave

• 6 sick days per year

Kelly Days

• 12 Kelly Days per year
• Reduces average weekly hours to 50.6
• Annual hours: 2632

Shift Schedule

• 24 hours on / 48 hours off
• Shift begins at 0700 hours
• Shift ends at 0700 hours