For current fire department employment information, contact Kim Nemitz, deputy chief of administrative services, at 913/438-4888, ext. 222, or 913/888-6066.
Firefighter Qualifications:
- Be 18 years of age at the date of the examination
- Explorers program (ages 14-19)
- Have a high school diploma or equivalent
- Have no felony convictions
- Have a valid driver's license and an insurable driving record
- Have no members of your immediate family employed full-time or part-time by the City of Overland Park
- Meet the city's pre-employment requirements relative to background check, pre-employment physical and drug screening and psychological evaluation
- No city residency requirement
- No lateral entry program for salary, position level or benefits.
Certification Requirements:
- Firefighter 1 Certification in the State of Kansas or equivalent International Fire Service Training Association (IFSTA) certification.
- The Firefighter 1 certifications can be obtained locally through Johnson County Community College, Kansas City Kansas Community College, Western Missouri Regional Fire Academy at Blue River Community College, or the University of Kansas in Lawrence.
- The Firefighter 1 certifications can be obtained locally through Johnson County Community College, Kansas City Kansas Community College, Western Missouri Regional Fire Academy at Blue River Community College, or the University of Kansas in Lawrence.
- Emergency Medical Technician Certification in the State of Kansas.
- This certification can be obtained locally through Johnson County Community College or Kansas City Kansas Community College.
Testing Requirements:
- Successfully complete the Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) within the prior year.
- CPAT Orientation Guide (.pdf file)
- CPAT Preparation Guide (2MB .pdf file)
- Successfully complete the written Fire Service Entrance Exam (FSEE) with a score of 70 percent or better within the prior two years.
You can register for the FSEE or CPAT by calling Johnson County Community College's Continuing Education Registration line at 913/469-2323 or the Western Missouri Regional Fire Academy at 816/220-6700.
Salary:
For an entry level Firefighter and Paramedic, the annual salary is $37,476 with a maximum of $64,392, reachable after nine years in the salary step plan. We offer excellent benefits that includes health and dental insurance and 100 percent employer-paid contribution in a defined retirement plan.
Work Schedule:
Firefighters and Paramedics work a 24-hour Berkeley shift schedule, which is: 24 hours on, 24 hours off, 24 hours on, 24 hours off, 24 hours on, four days off. Then the schedule repeats.
The 24 hour shift begins at 8 a.m. and ends the following morning at 8 a.m.