Benefits

  • $82,192 starting salary
  • Medical, dental and vision benefits for employee and family
  • Operations Firefighters work approximately eight 24-hour shifts per month
  • State Retirement System pension plan (LEOFF Plan 2)
  • Tax deferred compensation account with fixed City contributions (similar to a 401K plan)
  • Vacation (up to 14 shifts per year)
  • Compensatory time
  • Sick Leave (approximately 4 shifts per year, with unlimited accrual)
  • Life and Disability Insurance
  • Employee Assistance Program counseling and referral benefits available for employee and household members
  • Uniform Allowance
  • Paid military leave (256 hours) and military wage supplement pay
  • Veterans are eligible for certain GI Bill reimbursements during Recruit School
  • Paid Parental Leave (320 to 480 hours)
  • Other leaves include emergency, paid family care leave, funeral, pregnancy disability, jury duty, transplant donor, family and medical, EAP counseling and personal leave
  • Eligibility for Public Service Loan Forgiveness
  • Tuition Reimbursement Program
  • IAFF Local 27 union membership
  • Employee Discounts (gym membership, cellphone service and more)

Salary

The starting annual salary for a Fire Recruit is $82,192 per year with step, longevity and cost of living pay increases per union contract.

  • $6,849/month - Starting Recruit Firefighter Pay
  • $7,259/month - 6 months
  • $7,670/month - 18 months
  • $8,080/month - 30 months
  • $8,490/month - 42 months

In addition to promotional opportunities, there are several premium pay assignments available to firefighters. Seattle firefighters must have completed probation to apply for a technical team, including Hazardous Materials, Decontamination, Technical Rescue, Marine Emergency Response and Vault Fire Response Team. Seattle firefighters must have at least two years with the department to apply to attend Medic One Paramedic training and work as a Seattle paramedic.

Promotional Opportunities

  • Firefighter (starts at $82,192 per year)
  • Fire Lieutenant (starts at $111,723 per year)
  • Fire Captain (starts at $127,964 per year)
  • Battalion Chief (starts at $134,376 per year)
  • Deputy Chief (starts at $153,408 per year)
  • Assistant Chief (up to $235,443 per year)
  • Fire Chief

Premium Pay Assignments

  • Paramedic (17-18.5%)
  • Apparatus Driver (5%-10%)
  • Hazardous Materials (6%)
  • Technical Rescue/Dive (6-8%)
  • Marine Emergency Response (5%)
  • Vault Rescue (5%)
  • Fire Prevention Inspector (7.5%)
  • Training Division Instructor (7.5%)
  • Fire Dispatcher (7.5%)
  • Arson Investigator (7.5%)
  • Other Administrative Positions (7.5%)

Questions

Questions about the hiring process should be directed to the Seattle Fire Department Recruitment Office via email to SFD.Recruitment@seattle.gov.