Firefighter Examination Information

Civil Service Commission

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FIREFIGHTER EXAMINATION INFORMATION

FIREFIGHTER

Thank you for your interest in employment as a Firefighter with the City of Columbus. To be considered for employment, you MUST submit an application during the application filing period.

Key Dates at a Glance

The following dates are subject to change. To ensure that you are kept up to date, please follow the guidance outlined in the Applicant Profiles & Information Notices section below.

Filing Period January 1 – January 31, 2019
Information Sessions (optional) January – February 2019 (exact dates and times below)
Phase I Exam and Phase II Exam February – March, 2019
Firefighter Mile (Phase III) Practice May – June, 2019
Firefighter Mile (Phase III) June 2019
Eligible List Established June 2019

Application Filing Period

The filing period for entry-level Firefighter is January 1 – 31, 2019. To be considered for the 2019 entry-level Firefighter exam, your application must be submitted by January 31, 2019. To apply click here.

To apply, complete an application online during the filing period. While you are waiting for the filing period to open, you can submit a Job Alert and set up a profile. When this is complete, you will be sent an email reminder to apply January 1, 2019 and information that you enter in your profile will be accessible when you complete your application.

See the Applicant Profile section below for how to create and access an Applicant profile.

Firefighter Exam

The 2019 Entry-Level Firefighter examination will consist of three phases:

Phase I: Multiple Choice Examination (pass/fail)
Phase II: Oral Examination aka Fire Oral Assessment Mechanism (FOAM) (band/fail)
Phase III: Physical Examination aka Firefighter Mile (pass/fail)

Test dates will be made available for candidates whose application is approved for testing. Approval depends on the candidate meeting the minimum qualifications for the position, and the results of the Abbreviated Background Questionnaire.

Candidates who pass Phase I and Phase II will be invited to Phase III. After the filing period closes on January 31, 2019, applicants approved to take the test will be sent information about test dates.

Approved applicants may schedule themselves for testing on a preferred date/time per instructions that will be outlined in an Information Notice that will be issued after the start of the filing period. If the preferred date is full, a candidate may arrive on their preferred test date by 7:30 a.m. and take the test on a space available basis; first come, first served.

Applicant Profiles & Information Notices

The City of Columbus Job Alerts and/or your profile can be accessed here. Select “log in” if you have already created an account, or select “create an account” if you have not yet created a profile.

When an individual creates an account for the first time, they will be prompted to complete a basic profile.

If you have never set up an applicant profile, you may set one up before the filing period opens. You can include your work history, education, your DD214 (applicable to Military) and additional information. Then, when the filing period opens, you can use that profile to apply. When you apply, you may update or add to this profile information.

If you have set up a profile before, but forgot your username and/or password, do NOT set up another profile. Instead, use the retrieval process to access the profile you already have. Duplicate profiles may cause you to miss Information Notices that highlight key information and updates. You may update or add to your profile at any time.

Keep the contact information in your applicant profile absolutely up-to-date, so you are sure to be sent each Information Notice that the Commission sends throughout the testing process.

Setting up a profile is not the same as submitting an application. Be sure to submit a City of Columbus Firefighter application during the filing period.

Firefighter Exam Information Sessions

Information sessions are designed to help candidates understand what is expected during the exam. An overview of the study guide will be provided, along with a question and answer session. These information sessions are optional for candidates. They are hosted by the Civil Service Commission.

Location: 750 Piedmont Road, Columbus, OH 43224

Registration: NOT required