LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Louisville Fire Department is in search of dozens of firefighters, facing a shortage that could mean it'll take longer to get help where people need it most.
Right now, the department is short 38 firefighters. Fully staffed, it employs more than 500.
"It's very important to have someone in each seat," Capt. Tamara Stewart, a spokesperson for LFD. "Because everyone has a different job on a fire scene."
To be eligible, applicants you must be 18 years old with a high school diploma or have a GED. Academy hopefuls first take a written assessment before they move on to a physical agility test.
Participants take down, raise and hoist up a few different ladders before connecting a hose to a fire hydrant. Then, they run up and down 24 flights of stairs holding a heavy hose.
Applications to the Louisville Fire Department first take a written assessment before they move on to a physical agility test. May 30, 2024. (WDRB Photo)
It is not hard to find fire stations with peeling paint, rusted facades, holes in buildings and equipment older than the firefighters charged with their operation. Maintenance on the city's firehouses has been deferred for years, and the department estimates it needs about $31 million just to catch up.
But the city's mayor and council said they need to wait one more year.
The share of the Louisville Fire Department's budget covers salaries and benefits. But firefighters rejected the city's latest contract offer earlier this month, saying it was too long and raises were not equal to other agencies. The city has not set a time table to negotiate a new contract.
"I have made at least a couple of requests and one of them being formal, and I understand the mayor's position of having ongoing negotiations with other bargaining units, but that does not prevent us from setting dates," Jeff Taylor, president of IAFF Local 54, the union representing Louisville's firefighters, said earlier this week.
One of the department's newest firefighters, Corey Grimes, who had to respond to a call during the interview for this story, said he was working a job he "absolutely hated" when a friend told he she thought he'd make a good firefigher.
"I couldn't get it off my mind," he said. "I thought I came in in shape. They showed me what in shape is."
Below are the salary information and benefits the department lists on the city website:
Starting Salary:
- $55,317.18
Salary Progression:
- There are contractual salary increases, longevity pay after 3 years, and promotional opportunities after two years.
Work Schedule:
- Firefighters work 24 hours on duty and then are off 48 hours on a continuous three day rotation.
Personal Benefits:
- Being engaged in a rewarding career with the focus of assistance to the community.
- Working as a member of a team of dedicated professionals.
- Opportunities to expand your skills to specialized disciplines such as dive rescue, high angle (rope) rescue, structural collapse rescue, hazardous material response technician, and others.
- Ability to shape your own career through competitive testing for promotion and advancement.
Other Benefits:
- 25-year Retirement
- Paid Vacation
- Health Insurance
- Tuition Reimbursement
- Deferred Compensation Savings Plan
- Life & Dependent Life Insurance
The academy takes six months to complete, and the department is accepting 25 applicants this year. If you'd like to apply to be a Louisville firefighter, click here.
Related Stories:
- Louisville Fire officials say department needs $31 million to catch up on deferred maintenance
- Louisville firefighters frustrated with deferred maintenance after 10-year-old rope used in bridge rescue
- Louisville firefighters working without a contract while city ignores aging stations, equipment
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