Lateral Firefighter

salary ranges for the Firefighter and Senior Firefighter positions:

Firefighter Salary Range: $54,600.00 - $84,614.40

Senior Firefighter Salary Range: $62,795.20 - $97,323.20

MISSION STATEMENT

To selflessly serve by proactive risk reduction, operational readiness, and effective response in the pursuit of organizational excellence.

Learn more about Apex Fire Department

WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING:

In this position you will perform responsible fire suppression, rescue, and incident response activities on an assigned shift in the fire department. Firefighters participate in the operations of fire suppression, rescue, incident response, and daily maintenance activities at the fire station.

These activities involve firefighting, performing emergency medical service response, facility and equipment maintenance, participation in all-hazard incident response as called-upon and multidiscipline cognitive and physical training. Work requires that the employee stay abreast of state-of-the-art fire suppression and rescue procedures, techniques, and equipment and requires the employee to incorporate the necessary changes into in-service training. Ability to make effective decisions under pressure is required in all aspects of emergency response work.

The employee is subject to the hazards associated with incident response work including working in inside and outside environments, in extreme hot and cold temperatures, loud noise, vibration, moving parts, high heat, chemicals, fumes, odors, dusts, gases, poor ventilation, oils, wearing respirators, and working in close quarters. The employee is also subject to OSHA standards on bloodborne pathogens.

Work is performed under regular supervision of the assigned station's Company Officer and is evaluated through observation, conferences, and written reports concerning the quality and effectiveness of work completed.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF A FIREFIGHTER:

Respond to fire alarms and participates in fire suppression activities; participates in operations level hazardous materials incident mitigation; responds to emergency medical calls and provides EMT at the basic level; responds to and provides technical rescue services.

Participates in on-going training activities to increase and maintain skill levels as emergency responder.

Inspects station and equipment for proper appearance and condition.

Performs maintenance and cleaning of fire apparatus, equipment, station building, and related facilities.

Inspects, cleans, and maintains fire hydrants and hoses, tests proper operation and maintains maintenance records.

Assists with the preparation of fire reports; participates in special projects as required.

Conducts pre-incident surveys.

Conducts station tours; makes fire prevention talks at the station and in schools and other settings.

Obtains the required amount of training hours as mandated by the department.

Assists the fire engineer with apparatus checks, ensuring that the apparatus is in a state of readiness.

Works to ensure that the station and grounds are kept clean and presentable.

Follows departmental guidelines related to the maintenance of apparatus, equipment and facilities.

Performs related duties as required.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

High school diploma or GED, at least 1 year of fire service experience for graduate of an approved fire academy.

Possess IFSAC/Pro-Board or approved certifications of completion for or have reciprocity documentation for:

• Firefighter II
• NCOEMS EMT-Basic
• Hazardous Materials Operations Level I
• NIMS 100, 200, 700, and 800
• Possession of a valid North Carolina driver's license.

Preferred Qualifications but not required.

• Technical Rescuer certification
• Technical Rescuer Vehicle certification
• Child Passenger Safety Seat Tech certification

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF A SENIOR FIREFIGHTER

Responds to fire alarms and participates in fire suppression activities; participates in operations level hazardous materials incident mitigation; responds to emergency medical calls and provides EMT at the basic level; responds to and provides technical rescue services.

Participates in on-going training activities to increase and maintain skill levels as an emergency responder.

Inspects station, and equipment for proper appearance and condition.

Performs maintenance and cleaning of fire apparatus, equipment, station building, and related facilities.

Inspects, cleans, and maintains fire hydrants and hoses, tests for proper operation and maintains maintenance records.

Assists with the preparation fire reports; participates in special projects as required.

Conducts pre-incident surveys.

Conducts station tours; makes fire prevention talks at the station and in schools and other settings.

Obtains the required amount of training hours as mandated by the department.

Assists the fire engineer with apparatus checks, ensuring that the apparatus is in a state of readiness.

Works to ensure that the station and grounds are kept clean and presentable.

Fills in as a relief engineer when needed.

Operates emergency apparatus in a safe and responsible manor.

Follows departmental guidelines related to the maintenance of apparatus, equipment and facilities.

Performs related duties as required.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

High school diploma or GED, 3-years of fire service experience in a full-time career department.

Possess IFSAC/Pro-Board or approved certifications of completion for or have reciprocity documentation for:

• Firefighter II
• NCOEMS EMT-Basic
• Hazardous Materials Operations Level I
• NIMS 100, 200, 700, and 800
• Technical Rescuer (TR)
• Technical Rescuer – Vehicle (TR-V)
• Emergency Vehicle Driver (EVD)
• Driver Operator Pumps Certified
• Possession of a valid North Carolina driver's license, non-CDL Class B

Preferred Qualifications but not required.

• Child Passenger Safety Seat Tech certification

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

Skill in teamwork, collaborative conflict resolution and customer service excellence.

Knowledge of the application of information technology to the work of the department.

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, officials, and members of the public.

Ability to make sound judgements in emergency situations.

Ability to prepare records of work activities.

Ability to operate or learn to operate all required equipment and apparatus.

Ability to maintain physical standards as required by the department.

Ability to complete emergency and non-emergency tasks effectively while requiring a minimum degree of supervision.

Ability to make effective decisions under pressure is required in all aspects of emergency response work.

Ability to utilize tools and PPE associated with emergency incidents effectively without disregarding safety practices.

Ability to follow directions of the company officer effectively.

Demonstrates an appropriate level of knowledge, skills and abilities associated with services rendered by the department.

Demonstrates the ability to retain knowledge and skills necessary to perform tasks, requires minimal re-training.

Demonstrates a sound knowledge of departmental rules, policies, and procedures.

Assists the fire engineer with apparatus checks, ensuring that the apparatus Is in a state of readiness.

Works to ensure that the station and grounds are kept clean and presentable.

Regularly completes a physical fitness routine while on-duty.

Completes the annual “Fit for Duty” fitness evaluation.

HIRING PROCESS TIMELINE:

Application Closing Date: May 22, 2026 at 7 pm

Written Test, Agility Test and 1st round of panel interviews: June 1-5, 2026

Testing will occur at the Wake Fire Training Center. The applicant must pass the written test with a 70% score or better to move onto the agility test. Each test will be graded after completion. More information will be sent to those invited to the written and agility testing.

WHO WE ARE:

Known as "The Peak of Good Living", the Town of Apex is a rapidly growing Wake County municipality with a current population of over 84,000 and has been ranked as Money Magazine's Best Place to Live in America. Our current workforce is comprised of over 680 full-time employees and over 125 part-time/seasonal staff. Our Human Resources Department - with the support and confidence of Town leadership - is committed to providing best-in-class HR programs for our employees, with a mission to create a culture of empowerment and accountability that maximizes individual and organizational potential. We offer a generous benefits package, and have a highly competitive compensation program. More than that, the Town is an awesome place to work, as evidenced by our high job satisfaction rating received in the last employee opinion survey.

WHAT WE OFFER:

Not only is the Town "The Peak of Good Living", but it's also a great place to work! We strive to "reach the peak" of being an employer of choice by providing competitive salaries and excellent benefits, including:

• Free medical, dental, vision, and life insurance for employees.
• 5% contributions to the NC401(k) retirement plans (no matching required)
• Participation in the Local Government Employees' Retirement System (LGERS)
• Traditional sick and vacation leave
• 80 hours Peak Paid Time Off
• $1,200 Peak Lifestyle Benefit payment provided to pay for health and wellness activities (after completion of probation)
• 8 weeks of Paid Parental Leave
• 3 weeks of Paid Caregiver Leave
• Bereavement Leave
• 13 paid holidays
• Longevity Pay
• Tuition Assistance
• Expansive wellness program, and more!

KEEP IN MIND:

Providing a safe work environment for our employees is a top priority, therefore all new hires must successfully complete a pre-employment drug test, post-offer functional testing (if required by position), background verifications including references, criminal record and driver's license checks prior to employment. Some positions may also require SBI fingerprinting as part of the background screening process.

The Town of Apex provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, political affiliation or marital status, veteran status, or genetic information.