Work Experience Program - Fire Fighters

Nestled within the beautiful Rocky and Purcell Mountains in the southeast corner of British Columbia, the East Kootenay region is a four-season destination. The region boasts unlimited year-round outdoor recreation, including skiing, hiking, biking, kayaking, canoeing, golfing, boating, hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing, mountaineering, white-water rafting, and snowmobiling. The Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) serves over 60,000 permanent residents and approximately 25,000 to 30,000 seasonal residents.

The region is diverse and home to several unincorporated communities, eight municipalities, and four First Nations communities.

Under the direction of the fire chief, the Work Experience Program (WEP) firefighters will gain practical first-hand experience in firefighting, medicals, wildland fire, and highway rescue calls. The WEP Firefighter is responsible for working alongside and augmenting the Paid-On-Call (POC) Firefighters within the various fire stations of the RDEK Fire Services in performing fire suppression activities of structure, vehicle, and wildland fires within the designated fire protection service areas of the RDEK.

There are 4 positions based out of the Jaffray Fire Hall, The employment term for these positions will last 6 months, commencing Monday May 4, 2026, and ending October 30, 2026.

Qualifications and experience include:

Minimum Application Requirements (Required at time of application)

• Interior-level operations firefighter per the British Columbia Structure Firefighter Minimum Training Standard, NFPA 1001 is preferred.
• Emergency vehicle driver training, NFPA 1002 Driver/Pump Operator is preferred.
• BCWS WFF-1 Wildland Firefighter or NFPA 1140 Wildland, is preferred
• Emergency Scene Traffic Control Course.
• NFPA 1006 Rope Rescue or equivalent, preferred
• Eligibility to work in Canada (Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident/Landed Immigrant).
• Able to pass a firefighter medical examination according to NFPA 1582.
• Valid Class 5 BC Driver's License, or higher, with air brake endorsement.
• Driver’s abstract with less than three demerits in any year or less than six demerits in five years. Must not have any suspensions or impaired driving convictions.
• Current Criminal Records Check.
• Medical First Responder, BC Licensed is preferred.