Now that you’ve had a chance to learn about our community, Department, culture and our
compensation/benefits, we’re hoping that you are interested in pursuing a position with the
Westport Fire Department. Here are some of what we believe to be the compelling reasons
to consider joining the Westport Fire Department:

• Excellent Reputation - We're known around the region as one of the best fire and
rescue departments in the state! Those who join our Department will have an
opportunity to be part of a team that makes a true difference in the lives of the
citizens we serve.
• Generous Compensation Package – The combination of our base salaries, available
overtime, and supplemental compensation positions our Firefighters as some of the
highest paid in the State. Current base salary range is $65,892 to $96,876, plus
overtime. Stipends of up to $6,500 are available for EMT, Master Firefighter, college
degree, etc.
• Department Size – With minimum staffing of 15 per shift responding from 4 fire
stations, our Department is considered mid-sized. This allows for a setting where
there are growth and promotional/career advancement opportunities, but we still
have a family atmosphere.
• Health & Safety Focus – 

o Dedicated Health & Safety Committee that is constantly working to make our
stations, apparatus, and incident scenes safer for our members throughout
their careers
o Strong focus on firefighter occupational cancer prevention and early disease
detection
o Westport Uniformed Firefighters Charitable Foundation (WUFCUF)
regularly funds health and safety initiatives 

• Shift Schedule – With 24-hour shifts that rotate on a 24-48-24-96 hour basis, you
will have two or four days off between your scheduled shifts.
• Incident Volume & Mix 

o Annual incident volume increased 6% last year, resulting in nearly 3,900 responses
o EMS and rescue responses accounted for only 36% (not 70%) of our call volume. On the other hand, fire and alarm activation responses accounted for 30% of our call volume.

• Fire Stations, Apparatus & Equipment 

o Apparatus Fleet Replacement Process - Entire either recently purchased or will be replaced in the next few years
o 10 Year Capital Plan includes replacement or complete remodeling of all stations
o Sufficient budget funding for annual tool and equipment purchases

• Specialized Teams/Units – The size of our Department and the community we serve allow for various opportunities for members to specialize in while remaining in their current positions. Some of those opportunities include:

o Dive & Water Rescue Team (2 boats)
o County Hazardous Incident Response Team (primary haz-mat truck is housed
in Westport)

o Mask Services Unit
o County Communications Unit (specialized communications vehicle is houses
in Westport and has responded to Fairfield and New Haven Counties)
o Hockey Team

o Maintenance Division
o Firefighters Charitable Foundation

o Burn Care Foundation
o Golf tournament

 

 • Community – The Town of Westport is a vibrant and diverse community with an excellent tax base. The financial strength of the community has allowed our Department to conduct the following capital projects:

o Replace all front-line engines (including 2 arriving in March 2024)
o Initial replacement of the tower ladder truck is in process
o The Town 10 Year Capital Plan includes replacement or major remodeling of
all fire stations