Job Description

The City of Collinsville is currently accepting applications for Firefighter/Paramedic. The general responsibilities of this position include; responding to fire alarms and other emergency calls to protect life and property; extinguishing structure and wildland fires; driving emergency apparatus; performing automobile and technical rescues, and providing emergency medical care to the sick or injured.

An Eligibility List is created through a competitive testing process which includes a Written Exam and Oral Interview.

Following testing, successful candidates will be placed on an "Initial Eligibility List" based on their individual ranking in these two events. Additional points may be added to their raw score for credible military service and/or other training and education and candidates will be placed on a "Final Eligibility List."

If an opening occurs, candidates will be subject to additional testing including a very thorough background investigation, polygraph, medical examination, including drug screening, and psychological exam.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States;
• High School diploma (or equivalent);
• Applicants must be at least twenty (20) years of age and shall be under thirty-four (34) years of age on the applications deadline date. Age determined by date of birth.
  • However, the age-34 limitation shall not apply in cases where the applicant was previously employed as a full-time firefighter in a regularly constituted fire department of (i) any municipality or fire protection district located in Illinois, (ii) any fire protection district whose obligations were assumed by a municipality under Section 21 of the Fire Protection District Act (70 ILCS 705/21); or (iii) a municipality whose obligations were taken over by a fire protection district. To qualify for these exceptions to the age limitations, the applicant shall have been actively working as a firefighter over the past two (2) years of the date of his or her application to this City, or
  • The age-34 limitation shall not apply to any applicant who turned 35 while serving as a member of the active or reserve components of any of the branches of the Armed Forces of the United States or the National Guard of any state, whose service was characterized as honorable or under honorable, if separated from the military, and is currently under the age of 40.

MINIMUM/MAXIMUM AGE TO BE HIRED

At time of conditional job offer the following age limitations apply

No person who is under twenty-one (21) years of age shall be eligible for employment as a firefighter/paramedic.

No person who has reached their thirty-fifth (35) birthday shall be eligible for employment, unless they meet the specific military exemption.

DOCUMENTATION AT THE TIME OF APPLICATIONS

• A copy of their "birth record" as proof of citizenship and age. Applicants may submit copies of a U.S. county- or state-issued birth record, valid U.S. passport, or naturalization papers as their birth record. Hospital-issued birth certificates will not be accepted.
• A copy of their high school diploma. The Board will also accept a copy of the applicants' high school transcript (showing graduation date) or evidence of a G.E.D. equivalence diploma. In cases of applicants who were educated outside the United States, appropriate documentation of a high school-level diploma shall be determined on a case-by-case basis.
• A copy of their valid driver's license, including the back side if license bears renewal sticker.
• A copy of their valid Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) card with ladder certification issued within twelve months immediately preceding the date of application. If applicant does not have a current card, one must be submitted before the final eligibility list is established.
• A copy of their DD214 if using age exception for military

DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED AT TIME OF JOB OFFER

• A copy of their valid Paramedic License (EMT-P); must be licensed as an Illinois EMT Paramedic at time of hire. All applicants must be an Illinois licensed EMT-Paramedic at the time of appointment, and if not currently a license EMT-Paramedic then the applicant must be enrolled in a program to become an Illinois Licensed paramedic at the time of application.
• A copy of their valid Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) card with ladder certification issued within twelve months immediately preceding the date of offer of employment. Note: "Applicant must maintain a current CPAT card for the duration of the eligibility list in order to be considered for employment" Valid proof of current Candidate Physical Aptitude Test with ladder certification to be placed on the final eligibility list. The Board may disqualify an application for any reason(s) allowed by law and provided for in 65ILCS 5/10-2.1. Any applicant deemed unqualified shall be notified by the Board.
• The residency requirement for this position is thirty (30) mile radius of any Collinsville Fire Station no later than six (6) months after the probationary period.

PERFERENCE POINTS
Candidates shall make a claim in writing using the process provided by the Board, with proof thereof within ten (10) working days after the date of the Initial Eligibility Register or such claim shall be deemed waived.

The preference claim form must be submitted to the Board's Staff Liaison or designee no later than 5 p.m. on the tenth (10th) calendar day after the Initial Eligibility Register is posted.

The Board will prepare an Initial Eligibility Register which shall include approved preference points. The Board shall assign preference points as follows:

Veteran's Preference (5 points)
Applicants who actively served in the United States military for at least one (1) year and who were honorably discharged or are now on inactive or reserve duty shall be preferred for employment and shall receive not less than five (5) preference points. Proof of such service must include a copy of Military Form DD-214 (long form) as proof of active service, evidence of the honorable discharge and a candidate's sworn affidavit.

Fire Cadet Training (0 points)

Education Preference (5 points)

3 Points Awarded to candidates who have an Associate Degree in Fire Science or Emergency Medical Services from an accredited Community or Junior College

5 Points Awarded to candidates who hold a Bachelor Degree in any field from an accredited College or University.

NOTE: A maximum of 5 education points may be awarded to a candidate.

Experience Points (5 points)

Applicant who are currently employed by a municipality as paid-on-call or part-time for at least 24 consecutive months at time of application and concurrent with,

a) Certified by the Illinois State Fire Marshal's Office as Basic Operations Firefighter (Firefighter II) shall be awarded 0.5 point for each consecutive 12-month period of successful service
b) If also licensed by the State of Illinois or nationally licensed as a paramedic shall be awarded 1.0 point per each consecutive 12-month period (instead of the 0.5 points, not in addition to), shall be awarded a maximum of 5 points in any combination of a) and/or b).

Proof of such service must include a letter from the Office of Human Resources or Fire Chief.

-or-

Applicants who are currently employed as full-time firefighters or firefighter-paramedics by a fire protection district or another municipality for at least 24 consecutive months at time of application shall be awarded 5 experience points. Proof of such service must include a letter from the Office of Human Resources or Fire Chief.

a) Applicants who are currently employed as full-time firefighters or firefighter-paramedics by a fire protection district or another municipality for at least 12 consecutive months at time of application but less than 24-months shall be awarded 2.5 experience points. Proof of such service must include a letter from the Office of Human Resources or Fire Chief

-or-

Applicants who are not eligible for either of the above experience points, who are certified by the State of Illinois or National Registry and who are currently employed as a full-time Paramedic shall receive 0.5 points per each consecutive 12-month period of employment to a maximum of 2.5 points.

Residency Points (0 points)

Additional Points (1 point)

Applicants who are certified or licensed by the State of Illinois as a Firefighter Basic or Advanced by the Illinois State Fire Marshal's Office at the time of application in order to receive the additional points.

NOTE: If more than one candidate receiving experience preference points is prevented from receiving all their points due to not being allowed to pass a veteran, the candidates shall be placed on the list below the veteran in rank order based on the totals received if all experience points were to be awarded.

SALARY and BENEFITS
The starting salary for this position is $74,198/year; at year 4 the starting salary is $98,931/year. The City also offers an outstanding fringe benefits package including health, vision, prescription and dental insurance. There is a 30 mile residency requirement. The City is an Equal Opportunity Employer. For more information on our benefits, please visit

APPLICATION
Initial applications must be received no later than midnight CST on September 1, 2026.

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