Those candidates selected as Seattle Fire Department Firefighter Recruits will enter a Recruit Training Program taught by Seattle Fire Department Officers.

The Seattle Fire Department's Recruit Training program is a nationally recognized program. Seattle was the first fire department in Washington State to receive accreditation for its Firefighter Training Program in a National accreditation system.

Recruit Training includes comprehensive classroom instruction as well as training in firefighting techniques and equipment use. The program requires study time outside of the 46 hours per week of on-site training. The Recruit Training Program is pass/fail and recruits are evaluated on a daily basis.

This physically and emotionally intense 13 1/2 week program consists of approximately 614 hours of training. That figure does not include the pre-employment requirement of 110 hours of EMT training/certification.

Recruit School confers Firefighter I Certification on its recruits as well as continued employment with the Seattle Fire Department. Upon successful completion of Recruit School, recruits become Probationary Firefighters and complete additional training requirements during their probationary year.

Recruit School goes above and beyond Firefighter I training in terms of requirements to be a Seattle Fire Department employee. Technical Rescue, Hazardous Materials and Driver/Pump Operator training are just a few examples of how Seattle's Recruit School exceeds the requirements of Firefighter I Certification.

The program is rigorous and not all recruits succeed. For the ones that do, opportunities exist within multiple career tracks including the Paramedic Program, Fire Alarm Center, Specialty Team assignments (Technical Rescue, Hazardous Materials, Marine Unit), Fire Marshal's Office and promotion to officer ranks.

Instruction during Recruit School includes: