Employment with the Ogden City Fire Department (OFD) is achieved through a rigorous testing and certification process. Testing is conducted annually to establish a weighted list of individuals for recommendation the City’s Civil Service Commission. The Civil Service Commission must approve or disapprove each candidate. Once certified by the Commission, the list of possible hires is used by the Fire Chief to fill OFD positions throughout the year.

Candidates must meet the following requirements for their application to be approved and to be invited to participate in the testing process,

• Must be 18 years of age
• Must be a high school graduate or possess a GED certificate
• Must have a valid driver’s license and a good driving record
• Must have a Utah Emergency Medical Technician-Basic (EMT-B) Certification or above
• Must have the following fire related certifications that are issued by the Utah Fire Service Certification System or if issued by another state’s system, bear the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) seal for,
• Hazardous Materials First Responder – Awareness Level
• Hazardous Materials First Responder – Operations Level
• Firefighter 1
• Firefighter 2

Testing and Certification

The testing process for an entry-level Firefighter position involves,

• A written test on the subjects contained in Firefighter and EMT
• A written Work Styles Inventory that measures motivation and satisfaction as compared to a nationally validated, non-discriminatory pool of successful firefighters
• An oral board that rates on the centers of,
• Previous field experience of EMT and Firefighting
• Skill application from Firefighting and/or EMT
• Advanced training in Firefighting and/or EMT

Although the Ogden City Fire Department does not currently have a training program in place, several local institutions have Firefighter and EMT training courses including Weber State University (WSU) in Ogden, Davis Applied Technology College (DATC) in Kaysville, Brigerland Applied Technology College (BATC) in Logan, and the Utah Fire Rescue Academy at Utah Valley State College in Orem. The Utah Bureau of Emergency Medical Services also has information on educational opportunities, and private courses can often be found in local newspapers.

Physical ability testing is also required. The current gym test consists of a 1.5 mile run, sit-ups, push-ups, etc. and a tower test which simulates firefighting tasks. Prior to 2009, the physical ability test had not weighed into the list’s rating. However, gym test information has always been considered by the Fire Chief at hiring time.

Applications can be made for an OFD once a position is posted and public advertising begins. Positions are advertised in the local newspaper and on the City’s website.