Entry Level Firefighter

Why Tumwater?

Tumwater is more than just a city; it’s a vibrant community rooted in history and filled with opportunity. Located at the southern gateway to the Seattle‑Tacoma metro area, Tumwater offers the perfect blend of small‑town charm and big‑picture vision.

Surrounded by the natural beauty of Puget Sound, prairie landscapes, rivers, and evergreen forests, we’re just over an hour from ocean beaches, the Olympic Peninsula, and Mount Rainier. Whether you’re into hiking, kayaking, brewery‑hopping, or live music, you’ll find easy access to it all.

Here in Tumwater, we’re building a future that’s highly livable, connected, and inclusive. With safe neighborhoods, excellent schools, and a deep sense of civic pride, it’s not just a great place to live, it’s a great place to grow your career.

The City of Tumwater is actively seeking qualified applicants for the position of Firefighter. Applicants interested in this position must complete the Fire Selection Tool written test through Public Safety Testing. Please visit  to register for testing. Be sure to select Tumwater Fire Department under the Puget Sound agency section.

Candidates must score 80% or more on the written test and submit their scores to Tumwater by January 30, 2026, 5:00 p.m. The top qualified candidates will be invited to participate in a speed interview. See below for full recruitment process and schedule.

You are encouraged to print a copy of this job announcement for your reference as the process continues. Please refer to the frequently asked questions (FAQs) for more information on the City of Tumwater website at  Firefighters provide emergency assistance and protective services to people in our community. They are trained and equipped to protect life and property threatened by disaster, fire, explosion, hazardous materials, illness, accidents and other hazards.

Firefighters perform rescue and emergency medical services in accordance with Thurston County Medic One protocols. Work may involve environments that are dangerous to life and health. Strenuous physical exertion under stressful conditions may be required during training and emergency scene operations. The work environment includes, but is not limited to, confined spaces, temperature extremes, inclement weather, extreme heights, exposure to diseases, and violent acts.

The career firefighter also conducts or participates in non‑emergency services, including training, pre‑incident planning, fire/injury prevention, public education, building inspections, public relations, facility and equipment maintenance, apparatus and equipment checks, report writing, and other activities.

Supervision: Direct supervision is from a superior Firefighter, Fire Lieutenant, or Fire Captain. Performance evaluations are conducted by a Company Officer.

Typical firefighter tasks and or assignments include but are not limited to:

• Compliant with Agency policies, guidelines, rules, and regulations.
• Responds to emergencies.
• Public education, outreach, and training.
• Participates in assigned training.
• Responds to customer requests.
• Operating agency equipment and apparatus.
• Physical training/conditioning.
• Obtaining and retaining Agency‑required professional certifications.
• Timely and accurate documentation of activities.
• Operating a variety of telecommunication tools and computer programs.
• Mentoring other firefighters.
• Opportunity to work out of class after sufficient training and experience is completed.
• Other duties as assigned.

Contacts: Firefighters routinely come in contact with the general public, law enforcement personnel, medical professionals, and fire service personnel from other jurisdictions. Contacts with the public are generally in emergency and stressful situations, which require the employee to present and maintain a professional, service‑oriented public image. Firefighters must be able to use tact, discretion, and may exercise independent judgment in emergency or dangerous situations.

Accountability: Firefighters are accountable for maintaining public safety through fire suppression and prevention, basic life support emergency medical response, and for compliance with…