Minimum Qualifications

New Firefighters

The following are the minimum qualifications for applicants to be consider for a
position within the Westport Fire Department:

• High school graduate or GED
• US Citizen
• Nonsmoker
• Valid driver’s license (CT Q endorsement or CDL preferred)
• Not necessary at time of application, but documentation required prior to receiving a conditional offer, candidates must possess:

o Valid EMT
o Valid CPAT

Lateral (Experienced) Firefighter Candidates

Are you currently a full-time Firefighter and interested in transitioning to our Department? If so, we are very interested in meeting with you. In addition to the minimum qualifications outlined above, lateral Firefighter candidates should have graduated from the CFA Recruit Program or an equivalent within the past three years or be willing to attend the CFA Recruit Program upon hiring.

How Do I Apply?

The application process is slightly different for new firefighters than it is for those who are currently employed as full-time firefighters.

New Firefighters

Throughout the year we conduct recruiting to develop interest in a career with the Westport Fire Department across a cross section of the community and surrounding area with a goal of attracting a diverse pool of candidates that will be successful Recruit Firefighters. During those recruiting campaigns, check back to this website for application and testing details.

If you fill out an Indication of Interest Card and be included in our database, we typically will conduct new Firefighter testing when we either have or anticipate open positions. Those recruiting campaigns will be publicized in social media and communicated to those in our database. If you hope to apply for a position with our Department, please develop a plan to complete your EMT certification and pass the CPAT test. Further information on both are included In this website.

Lateral Firefighter Candidates

Lateral Firefighter candidates (those that are currently working full-time for another fire department) are considered on a rolling basis. We will also periodically conduct recruiting and testing for lateral Firefighter candidates. If you are a lateral candidate, complete the Indication of Interest Card and submit it online. Periodically, we will assemble a group of lateral candidates from that database and conduct testing. Once you are in the database, you will remain there for lateral consideration unless or until such time as you notify us at 203-341-5000 that you wish to be removed from it. 

How Do We Test?

The Westport Fire Department utilizes multiple evaluation methods to ensure that those we hire as Firefighters are a good fit for our Department. The methods of testing include:

• Online written examination that tests general areas of knowledge, reading comprehension, map reading, etc. as well as your workstyle (which identifies how well you would fit into a fire service workplace)
• Interview with Town of Westport Human Resources Director
• Oral interview with a panel of officers from Westport and other fire departments
• Interview with the Westport Chief and Deputy Fire Chief 
• Before a candidate can receive a conditional offer of employment, they must pass the Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT). CPAT is a nationally recognized, standardized test that consists of a sequence of eight critical events completed in a predetermined path from one event to another in a
continuous manner. This is a pass/fail test based on a maximum total time of 10 minutes and 20 seconds. The events are placed in a sequence that simulates fire scene events. The events consist of:

o Stair Climb
o Hose Drag
o Equipment Carry
o Ladder Raise and Extension
o Forcible Entry
o Search
o Rescue
o Ceiling Breach and Pull 

 

During the events, candidates will wear a 50-lb vest to simulate the weight of self-contained breathing apparatus and firefighter protective clothing. An additional 25 pounds is added to the candidate’s shoulders during the stair climb event to simulate carrying a high-rise pack.

o This CPAT video describes the testing process.
o CPAT Candidate Orientation Guide
o CPAT Courses Frequently Asked Questions
o Schematic Drawing of the CPAT Events
o Candidate Preparation Guide - see Appendix B

• Pre employment physical, drug screening, background check, etc.
• Swim Test - Given that Westport protects 21 miles of shoreline and a portion of Long Island Sound, all candidates must pass a basic swim test.

Cumulatively, these tests allow the Westport Fire Department to rank candidates in the selection process. This ranking process helps ensure that the candidates that we make conditional offers to:

• Are people who can physically do the job of Firefighter
• Have a high likelihood of successfully completing the Connecticut Fire Academy Recruit Firefighter Training Program
• Have the proper mindset to have a long and successful career with the Westport Fire Department

Most importantly, it affords all candidates a fair and equitable evaluation in the selection process