PASCO, Wash. – Two new Pasco Fire stations are going to be here soon. The Pasco Fire Department is in need of new recruits and the applications are not showing up.
According to a report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 26,000 firefighting job openings are projected each year on average and according to Firefighter Nation 40 years ago people were lining up to become firefighters. The number has since dropped and fire departments across the country like the PFD are lacking applicants.
PFD Public Information Officer Ben Shearer said for every job out there, we need five or ten applicants to find the right ones.
Shearer has been a firefighter for over 30 years and said he never imagined he’d be one.
“I did not grow up wanting to be a firefighter,” said Shearer. “It wasn’t until a bit later when I had the opportunity to be a volunteer at a department and got to see the job a little bit. I started doing it and then it just kind of grew on me.”
Shearer said the most recent class of recruits has 10 applicants but, there’s always a need for firefighters, with two new stations on the way it’s more important than ever.
Shearer said when he took his test, there were 100 people applying for one spot, not recruiting has become a challenge.
“There’s not as many applicants out there across the nation right now,” he said. “Everybody is talking about the same thing; people just aren’t out there looking for those jobs anymore and firefighting has had that same impact.”
According to Shearer, the PFD has an in-house academy complete with a training center in the Tri-Cities. He hopes this will attract more applicants to become firefighters in the area.
“We do our own academy here in-house so they don’t have to go to North Bend,” Shearer said. “They’re using our equipment; they’re working with the firefighters they’re going to be working with on the line.”
Grady Winn is a Firefighter Paramedic with the PFD and said aside from needing more firefighters, one of the toughest parts is the time away from his family.
“Probably one of the things that’s talked about most is our schedule,” said Winn. “More so as a benefit but, it’s definitely hard with young kids and not seeing them for two days at a time.”
Shearer said to apply you need to”
Be 18 years old
Have a clean driving record
Get an EMT Certification, which you will need before you can start the academy.
According to Shearer Columbia Basin College has a class that takes a quarter to complete.
To get started you have to schedule and take the Public Safety Test which includes a written and physical test.
Shearer said the best part about the job is you never know what you’re going to do on a daily basis.
