Becoming a Firefighter
Becoming a firefighter is a very rewarding career. Being a firefighter means you want to help people and be a big part of your community. It's not just putting out fires or saving lives, it is the constant caring about people and their health, and making the community a better and safer place to live. Being a firefighter means that you become part of a huge and caring family. This job is a very long-term commitment and usually ends up being a life-long career.
Periodically, the city will take applications for certified firefighters and conduct entry level testing for probationary firefighters. Applicants must be between 18 and 35 years of age, must be or become a resident of Mercer County, have a High School Diploma or GED, and have a valid West Virginia Driver’s License. Applications can only be taken when NOTICE is given. This NOTICE will be listed in our job postings and in our local newspaper.
After applying for the fire department, a physical agility test is given. Upon completion of the physical test a fire civil service exam must be completed. Upon completion of the written exam in addition to an oral interview with the fire board, a list of applicants will be provided to the City of Bluefield. Once on the civil service list, as vacancies are presented, an extensive background check, as well as a doctor's exam and drug testing must be completed. Upon being hired the applicant must complete one year of probation, where the candidate must complete Firefighter 1, Haz-Mat Operations, and become CPR Certified and First Aid Certified. The second-year candidate must complete Firefighter 2, Pump Operations, and become EMT Certified and EVOC Certified. At the end of the third year, the candidate has three tries to pass the Journeyman Firefighter test. Upon completion, candidate moves from probationary status to journeyman status for the State of West Virginia. Failure after three times means candidate is dismissed from the Fire Department.
Becoming a Police Officer
Police officers play an important role in maintaining law and order in communities all across the United States. They are often regarded as the front line of defense against crime and have a wide range of tasks and responsibilities. These include protecting the public, apprehending criminals, preventing crime, and responding to traffic accidents, just to name a few. Police officers themselves have to be upstanding citizens and must undergo intensive training to ensure that they can meet the demands of the job. Law enforcement can be a rewarding profession.
Periodically, the city will take applications for certified police officers and conduct entry level tests for probationary police officers. Applicants must be between 18 and 35 years of age, must be or become a resident of Mercer County, have a high school diploma or GED, and have a valid West Virginia Driver’s License. Applications can only be taken when NOTICE is given. This NOTICE will be listed in our job postings and in our local newspaper.
After applying for the police department a physical test is given. Upon completion of the physical test a police civil service exam must be completed. Upon completion of the written exam and an oral interview with our police commissioners, a list of applicants will be provided to the Chief of Police. Once on the civil service list, as vacancies are presented, an extensive background check as well as a doctor's exam must be completed. Then upon being hired the applicant must complete 16 weeks of training at the WV State Police Academy.