Becoming a Firefighter

The New Hampshire Fire Academy has information on how to become a firefighter: https://www.nh.gov/safety/divisions/fstems/training/becomff.html

The Candidate Physical Ability Training (CPAT) pre-hiring requirement: (Fire 701.01 (d) and Fire 702.01)

New candidates MUST NOT be hired without a valid CPAT certificate (dated 26 months or less prior to the hiring date).
Candidates who transfer from full time status in one department to another one, with a lapse in service of less than 30 days, are considered “lateral transfers”.
- Note: If there is a lapse in service of 30 or more business days, then the candidate is no longer considered a lateral transfer and will have to obtain a new valid CPAT certificate.
Copies of the CPAT certificates, obtained in states other than New Hampshire, must be submitted to the Fire Standards and Training Commission (fax, email, or mail. See below for details).

The Firefighter II requirement: (Fire 701.02)

Full-time firefighters MUST be certified in Firefighter II within 1 year of their hiring date.
- This rule does not apply if a firefighter is placed in lay-off status due to a reduction in force and is then hired by another department within 1 year of the lay-off date.

Hiring requirement verification:

When full-time firefighters are hired, towns/department are required to submit a “Form A” to the Fire Standards and Training Commission within 15 days from the date of hire.
- This form is a declaration from the town/department that the candidate has met the CPAT pre-hiring requirement and has/has not met the Firefighter II hiring requirement.
  - This information is then verified by a staff member from the Division of Fire Standards and Training & EMS (NH FST & EMS) on behalf of the FST Commission.
  - The NH Retirement System is informed of any candidate who has not met the CPAT pre-hiring requirement and who has not met the Firefighter II requirement within 1 year of being hired.
Fire Standards and Training Commission contact information:

FST Commission
33 Hazen Drive
Concord, NH 03305
Fax: 603-271-1091
Email: June.connor@dos.nh.gov

Other hiring requirement that should be verified by departments/towns:

High school diploma or GED
No felony convictions
At least 18 years of age
Background investigation, to include criminal and motor vehicle offenses
Written authorization from a physician to take the CPAT test, unless already certified in CPAT
Pre-placement medical evaluation as outlined in NFPA 1582
Oral interview with jurisdictional agency
Acrophobia test

Contact Information