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 Rescue. Seattle firefighters must have at least three and a half 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.