Become a Durham Firefighter

Compensat​ion & Benefits

• City of Durham benefits begin on the first day of the month after hire.  We urge you to consider our  benefits in salary comparisons with other departments.
• Starting Salary:  $34,388 for entry level fire recruits or $36,098 for certified firefighters and certified A-EMTs who would like to become firefighters.  Personnel are paid biweekly.  Starting salaries are non-negotiable.  
• We offer 5% annual increases for sworn personnel with satisfactory performance
• Education incentive: 2.5% increase for an Associate's Degree or 5% increase for a Bachelor's Degree (after graduation for entry level fire recruits)
• 401 K - 5% Employer Contribution / Optional 457 with 5% Matching Contribution 
  
• Bilingual incentive: $1,000 annual bonus paid to those fluent in Spanish or sign language (contingent on passing a fluency exam and awarded AFTER academy graduation)
• Exceptional dental and health insurance with specialty insurance options
  
• Recruits are paid throughout the Fire Academy lasting approximately 33 weeks for entry level firefighters; number of weeks will vary for certified firefighters and certified EMTs.  (Fire=16 weeks, EMT=7 weeks, A-EMT=10 weeks)  Tuition and books are fully funded by the Durham Fire Department.
• Additional City of Durham Employee Benefits

Eligibility Requirements  

• Must be a permanent U.S. resident
• Must be at least 18 years old
• Must have a high school diploma or equivalent
• No DWI convictions in the last four years
• No felony convictions - Note: speeding tickets and misdemeanors are not disqualifiers
• Valid driver’s license
• Must be able to speak and write in English