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Numbers are also down due to expansions or hiring at other fire divisions, he said.
“A couple of the area departments have gone from part-time departments to career departments,” Miller said. “They pay the very top of the pay scale locally and we’ve lost some really qualified people here to those departments that pay exceptionally well,” Miller said.
The Springfield Fire/Rescue Division is considered fully staffed with 127 firefighter/paramedics. The division currently has 120 but that number is misleading because 10 people are in training. The division has 110 members who can go out and respond to emergency calls.
The current class will graduate from the nine- to 10-week training course on Aug. 4 and will begin taking shifts by Aug. 7.
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The fire division wants to hire at least 10 firefighters/paramedics. That training class will begin in October and they will begin taking shifts after Christmas or at the beginning of 2018.
The application period opened last week, Miller said, and will be open until Friday, July 28.
There are prerequisites for the job, but Miller said candidates should apply even if they don’t meet all of them.
“During our last application period, our civil service commission amended some of those requirements,” Miller said.
Applications can be downloaded at springfieldohio.gov under the employment tab. They must be mailed or submitted in person to City of Springfield Personnel Department, 76 E. High St., 3rd Floor, Springfield, OH 45502. Anyone with questions may call the Springfield Fire Rescue Division at 937-324-7605.
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