Fire Fighter Trainee

Job Posting End Date:

May 20, 2026 🛑

ARE YOU A CURRENT COUNTY OF KAUA'I EMPLOYEE?

IF

YES, DO NOT APPLY HERE!

IF

YOU APPLY ON THIS WEBSITE YOUR APPLICATION WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

This posting is for External Candidates only. Current County of Kaua'i employees, must apply on the Internal Career Site by clicking on this link

Job Title:

Fire Fighter Trainee Salary Range:

N/A Position Salary:

5,322.00

USD Monthly Location:

Fire Department Headquarters Civil Service or Non Civil Service:

Civil Service Job Summary:

Serves in a trainee capacity, receiving on-and-off the job training to learn the theories, techniques and methods used in firefighting tasks under immediate supervision; and performs other duties as required.

Examples of Duties:

(The following are examples of duties and are not necessarily descriptive of any one position in this class. The omission of specific duties statements does not preclude management from assigning such duties if such duties are a logical assignment for the position). Attends training sessions and participates in informal discussions, on-the-job training, practice drills and demonstrations concerning firefighting, rescue and first aid procedures and techniques; Studies firefighting manuals, departmental policies, procedures, fire codes, rules and regulations; Participates in tours of fire districts to study and become familiar with the location of streets, building, hydrants, water resources, standpipe connections, sprinkler connections and fire escapes; Participates in conducting fire company inspections; assists in the performance of a variety of firefighting and rescue work; Performs salvage and clean-up work when fire is under control such as removing debris, loose beams, floorings, excess water and furnishings from the buildings; Reloads hoses, ladders, and other firefighting and rescue tools and devices for return to station; Washes, polishes and services firefighting apparatus and equipment; Washes, tests and dries hoses; Performs housekeeping and maintenance tasks in maintaining station building, grounds and equipment; and Performs other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications:

Training & Experience:

A combination of education and experience substantially equivalent to graduation from high school, and two (2) years of general work experience.

Qualifying General Work Experience:

Any work experience which may involve the basic skills: reading, writing, computation and communication.

License Requirement:

Possession of a valid motor vehicle operator's license (Hawai'i Type 3 or equivalent); Prior to completion of probation candidate must possess the following certificates: First Responder Certificate or higher; American Heart Association Cardio-pulmonary Resuscitation Certificate; and United States Lifesaving Association (USLA) Aquatic Rescue Response Team (ARRT) Certificate. (These certificates must be maintained on a current basis thereafter).

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR FIRE FIGHTER TRAINEE APPLICANTS

The probation period is part of the examination/selection process. All Fire Fighter Trainee recruits must successfully pass an initial probation of one (1) year before becoming a regular member of Civil Service. Information provided herein constitutes requirements known at the time of announcement of this examination and may be revised or changed without limitation or notice for good reason thereafter.

Tests:

Applicants will be required to qualify on appropriate examinations. The examinations will consist of a written examination and physical performance evaluation. Please note exams are held ONLY on Kaua'i. We do NOT conduct testing in other jurisdictions. When attending the qualifying written and performance examinations, please be prompt. There will be no admittance if you are late. No spectators are allowed at testing sites. The written examination has been tentatively scheduled for June 8, 2026 - June 12, 2026 The performance examination has been tentatively scheduled for the week of June 22, 2026.

Physical Performance Evaluation:

Candidates must be able to perform the following (Applicants must pass each event in order to move to the next event): 100-yard pool swim within 2 minutes 5 seconds. Dive and retrieve a 5 lb. weight within 45 seconds after swimming the 100-yard pool swim. 10 flights of stair climb carrying a hose bundle, approximately 50 lbs., within 25 seconds. Aerial ladder climb (No time limit). Endurance event, one mile run within 8 minutes. Fire attack and rescue obstacle course event within 2 minutes 30 seconds. Interviews are tentatively scheduled for July 6, 2026 - July 10, 2026. For additional details about the job and information on minimum qualification substitutions, if any, click here.

Work Shift/ Schedule:

24/7; shift work (United States of America) Equal Opportunity Employer It is the policy of the County of Kauaʻi that there shall be no discrimination in employment pursuant to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 as amended, and the Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapters 368 and 378. Except for bona fide occupational or other legal requirements, no individual employed by the County, or applying for employment with the County, shall be subjected to discrimination on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation, age, religion, color, ancestry, national origin, disability, marital status, pregnancy or reproductive health decisions, arrest and court record, assignment of child support, national guard participation, Veteran status, credit history, domestic/sexual violence victim status, or any other basis covered by state or federal laws governing non-discrimination Join our Team of over 1,300 employees on the island of Kaua'i and start building a better tomorrow for you, your family and the Kaua'i community! I've submitted my application, what happens next? For civil service positions, applicants will be evaluated based on the content of their applications and depending on the position, may require additional assessments such as a written examination, performance examination or evidence of a valid driver's license before being placed on an eligible list for that class of work. Depending on your ranking on the eligible list, you may be invited to participate in the remainder of the selection process. For non-civil service positions, applicants do not need to meet minimum qualification requirements. Oral Interviews are conducted with a panel of interviewers and if you are selected for an interview you will be contacted by the hiring department. Employment references will be conducted for the final applicant. After offer, depending on the position, other requirements such as criminal background check, physical examination, and drug testing may be required. What is an eligible list? Applicants for civil service positions who meets the minimum qualification requirements are placed on an eligible list which will be used by departments to fill a vacant position for that class of work. An applicant will remain on an eligible list for 6 months. What is the difference between a civil service and non-civil service position? A civil service position must be filled through the merit system whereby applicants must be qualified to fill a position. Becoming a civil service employee provides an individual with various rights not afforded to non-civil service employees. For more information about civil service recruitment, visit our website: Employment Opportunities - Kauai County, HI Hiring for a non-civil service position is usually processed by the hiring department. There are no minimum qualification requirements and your employment is considered "at will" which means that you may be discharged by the hiring department at any time. Do you allow substitutions for minimum qualification requirements (education for experience or experience for education)? Yes we do! For more information about allowed substitutions for a specific position, visit Class Specifications and search the specific job description that you are interested in. What benefits does the County of Kaua'i offer? The County of Kaua'i offers generous leave time that employees start earning as soon as you are hired! 21 days of vacation leave 21 days of sick leave 13 paid holidays (14 in an election year) FREE medical for your entire family! Vested retirement benefits after 10 years of service! And much more! For more information about benefits, visit our website: Benefits of Becoming a County of Kaua'i Employee Didn't see a job that fits your career goals? Don't worry, we are always updating our career site! Sign up for alerts to know when new jobs are posted! Start by creating a Candidate profile by going to "Sign In" located in the top right corner of your screen and you'll be able to set up job interest alerts! This means you would know when we post a position that matches your desired role!