Firefighter
Driver Engineer
Rescue Lieutenant
Captain
Battalion Chief

1. A Firefighter is eligible to be promoted to Driver Engineer after he/she has completed three (3) or more years of satisfactory service and has met all requirements. A Firefighter is eligible to be promoted to Rescue Lieutenant after he/she has completed three (3) or more years of satisfactory service, has previously been on a Driver Engineer eligibility list, and has met all requirements.
   
2. A Driver Engineer is eligible to be promoted to Rescue Lieutenant if all requirements have been met.  A Driver Engineer is eligible to be promoted to Captain if he/she has previously been on a Rescue Lieutenant eligibility list, and has met all requirements.
   
3. A Rescue Lieutenant is eligible to be promoted to Captain if all requirements have been met.
   
4. A Captain is eligible to be promoted to Battalion Chief after completing three (3) or more years of satisfactory service in his/her current grade and all requirements have been met.
   

Pre-employment Eligibility List

1. Applicants for employment as a Firefighter/EMT shall have completed and filed with the City, in a timely manner, an application for employment.
   
2. Applicants shall be no less than eighteen (18) years of age and shall have met the minimum requirements of employment set forth by the State of Florida Firefighters Standards Council and other agencies setting minimum standards that have jurisdiction.
   
3. Applicants must meet all requirements set forth by the State of Florida to drive authorized emergency vehicles that are equipped with extraordinary audible warning devices that display red or blue lights and are on call to respond to emergencies, and maintain the same.
   
4. Applicants must obtain a minimum score of 70% on the written examination.
   
5. Applicants shall successfully complete a physical agility screening.
   
6. All successful applicants shall be placed on an eligibility list and ranked according to their overall scores.
   
7. An eligibility list shall be maintained for a one (1) year period.  The eligibility list may be adjusted at the discretion of the Director of Human Resources only if the City has a hiring freeze and only for the length of time the hiring freeze is in effect.
   
8. Applicants must not use tobacco products and will be required to sign a non-tobacco use agreement.
   
9. Applicants must sign an agreement to become a State of Florida Certified Paramedic within four (4) years of the date of employment.

Promotions/Assignments

1. The Director of Human Resources shall provide examinations and maintain a current list of eligibles for promotion within the Fire/Rescue Department. The Director of Human Resources shall be responsible for the enforcement of these rules and procedures.
   
2. The Director of Human Resources shall divide the Fire/Rescue Department into grades and shall certify a list of the members of each grade.  This list shall be certified to the Fire Chief at such time as may be determined, but not less than every two (2) years and shall be available for examination by any member of the Fire/Rescue Department upon request. Appointments to fill vacancies shall be made only from said list of eligibles.
   
3. Members of the Fire/Rescue Department shall be moved from any grade to a higher grade only after passing the examination prescribed by the Director of Human Resources, and only after the Director of Human Resources has certified as to their efficiency and fitness that they possess the necessary qualifications prescribed by the Director of Human Resources, and that their names have been entered upon the eligibility list of said grade.
   
4. Promotions to a higher grade shall be made only from the personnel of the Fire/Rescue Department occupying the next lower grade.  This provision may be waived by the Director of Human Resources if no member of such lower grade has satisfactorily passed the examination for promotion to the higher grade.
   
5. All examinations shall be conducted and graded by the Director of Human Resources on a fair and impartial basis.
   
6. All promotions will be based on the most eligible candidates as shown by the City’s examination process unless a candidate is physically unable to perform the duties of the position and is not expected to be able to physically perform these duties in the foreseeable future.
   
7. All promotional examinations must be on a competitive basis; that is, two (2) or more eligible candidates will compete.
   
8. Notice of examination shall be given at least ninety (90) days in advance of examination.
   
9. Study materials, if available, will be provided.
   
10. All promotional eligibility lists will be valid for two (2) years.
    
11. Where applicable, an Oral Board/Practical Test shall consist of at least three (3) fire service personnel from other fire departments.  The rank of the Oral Board/Practical Test personnel shall be equal to or higher than the rank being tested for.
    
12. A Committee shall be created which will be comprised of three (3) members, to include one (1) union member to be selected by the Union President, one (1) Fire/Rescue Department management member to be selected by the Fire Chief, and one (1) representative from the City to be selected by the Director of Human Resources. This Committee will have the responsibility of reviewing challenged test questions from the written examination. Said Committee will rule whether the challenged question and answer stands, is removed entirely, or an additional answer will be accepted. This Committee will be present at the time of the written examination review, but located in a separate room so as not to allow recognition of which candidate is submitting the challenge, thereby eliminating potential bias. Each Committee member shall have a designated alternate in the event the principle member appointed is unable to attend the review. The testing company will remain in control of the promotional testing process, with oversight on challenged questions from the three-member Committee.
    
13. Challenges to a test question must be submitted in writing, along with supporting reasons and documentation on why the test question should be eliminated or the answer accepted as valid. (For example, answers “a” and “b” are accepted, but those who answered “c” or “d” will not receive credit for the question.) In a separate room, the Committee will research the challenged question and, after deliberation, will vote as to whether that particular question remains, is eliminated entirely, or an additional answer is accepted. After the ruling of a question by the Committee, there will be no further challenges of that particular question. The Committee’s decision will be considered final. Therefore, all documentation used to challenge the test question should accompany the challenge, which may involve grouping several complainants’ challenges together for a single question. The Committee shall be given sufficient time to complete the review, with the results made available by the end of the written examination review. If more time is needed for deliberation and review, the results will be available no later than the end of the business day.
    

Longevity Points

1. Longevity points shall be based on time in grade with this department, with one (1) point per year with a maximum of five (5) points being awarded.
   

Selection Rule

1. Once an eligibility list is established, all candidates on the list shall be considered eligible for advancement.
   
2. As vacancies occur, the Chief of the Department shall be furnished the names and scores of the first three (3) candidates by the Director of Human Resources.
   
3. The Chief of the Department, utilizing the selection rule criteria referred to as the Rule of Three, shall appoint the most qualified candidate. Any candidate who was ranked above the appointed candidate shall be counseled accordingly.
   
4. If more than one (1) promotion is to be made for a given rank, one (1) promotion at a time shall be completed. For example, when two (2) vacancies occur for a given rank, the Chief of the Department shall make his appointment from the top three (3) candidates on the promotional eligibility list. Once selection has been made to fill the first vacancy, the Chief of the Department shall be given the next three (3) candidate names from the promotional eligibility list to include the two (2) applicants that were previously not chosen.
   

Driver Engineer Qualifications

1. To be eligible to compete for the assignment of Driver Engineer, the candidate shall have completed three (3) or more years of uniform service with this department. The candidate must meet all requirements prior to the date of the written examination.
   
2. The candidate shall be a State of Florida Certified Paramedic and maintain the same.
   
3. The candidate shall possess a State of Florida Driver/Operator Certificate and maintain the same.
   
4. The candidate must have obtained acting Driver Engineer status prior to the written examination.
   
5. Competitive examination shall consist of the following components with weight of each as indicated:
   
   a. Written Examination              50%
   b. Practical Test                          45%
   c. Longevity                                  5%
6. The candidate must obtain a minimum of 70% on the written examination.
   

Rescue Lieutenant Qualifications

1. To be eligible to compete for the assignment of Rescue Lieutenant, the candidate shall have completed three (3) or more years of uniform service with this department, with at least the previous twelve (12) months as a State of Florida Certified Paramedic.  The candidate must meet all requirements prior to the date of the written examination.
   
2. The candidate shall be a State of Florida Certified Paramedic and maintain the same.
   
3. The candidate shall possess a Pediatric Advanced Life Support or equivalent certificate and a Pre-hospital Trauma Life Support or equivalent certificate and maintain the same.
   
4. The candidate may come from the rank of Driver Engineer or Firefighter if they meet the qualifications for Driver Engineer and have been on an eligibility list for Driver Engineer.
   
5. The candidate must have obtained acting Rescue Lieutenant status prior to the written examination.
   
6. Competitive examination shall consist of the following components with weight of each as indicated:
   
   a. Written Examination              70%
   b. Practical Test                          25%
   c. Longevity                                  5%
7. The candidate must obtain a minimum of 70% on the written examination.
   

Captain of Fire Prevention Qualifications

1. To be eligible to compete for the assignment of Captain of Fire Prevention, the candidate shall have completed three (3) or more years of uniform service with this department.  The candidate must meet all requirements prior to the date of the written examination.
   
2. The candidate shall be a State of Florida certified Paramedic and maintain the same.
   
3. The candidate shall possess a State of Florida Fire Inspector Certificate and a Broward County Fire Inspector Certificate and maintain the same.
   
4. Competitive examination shall consist of the following components with weight of each as indicated:
   
   a. Written Examination              95%
   b. Longevity                                  5%
5. The candidate must obtain a minimum of 70% on the written examination.
   
6. Captains of Fire Prevention are not eligible to transfer to a Captain of Operations position without having previously been promoted to that position.
   
7. If the employee returns to the operations level, they will return to their previously held rank prior to their fire prevention assignment.

Captain of Operations Qualifications

1. To be eligible to compete for the assignment of Captain of Operations, the candidate shall have completed five (5) or more years of uniform service with this department, with at least the previous twelve (12) months as a Rescue Lieutenant or a Driver Engineer. The candidate must meet all requirements prior to the date of the written examination.
   
2. Driver Engineers must have been on a previous eligibility list for Rescue Lieutenant.
   
3. The candidate shall be a State of Florida Certified Paramedic and maintain the same.
   
4. The candidate shall possess a State of Florida Fire Officer I and a State of Florida Instructor I Certificate and maintain the same.
   
5. The candidate must have obtained acting Captain status prior to the written examination.
   
6. Competitive examination shall consist of the following components with weight of each as indicated:
   
   a. Written Examination              70%
   b. Practical Test                          25%
   c. Longevity                                  5%
7. The candidate must obtain a minimum of 70% on the written examination.
   

Battalion Chief of Fire Prevention Qualifications

1. To be eligible to compete for the assignment of Battalion Chief of Fire Prevention, the candidate shall have completed three (3) or more years of uniform service with this department as either a Captain of Fire Prevention or a Captain of Operations.  A Battalion Chief of Operations is eligible to compete at any time. The candidate must meet all requirements prior to the date of the written examination.
   
2. The candidate shall be a State of Florida Certified Paramedic and maintain the same.
   
3. The candidate shall have, at a minimum, an Associate’s degree from an accredited institution.
   
4. The candidate shall possess a State of Florida Fire Inspector Certificate and a Broward County Fire Inspector Certificate and maintain the same.
   
5. The candidate shall meet the requirements of a Broward County Plans Examiner.
   
6. Competitive examination shall consist of the following components with weight of each as indicated:
   
   a. Written Examination              95%
   b. Longevity                                  5%
7. The candidate must obtain a minimum of 70% on the written examination.
8. Battalion Chief of Fire Prevention is not eligible to transfer to a Battalion Chief of Operations position without having previously been promoted to that position.
9. If the employee returns to the operations level, they will return to their previously held rank prior to their fire prevention assignment.
   

Battalion Chief of Operations Qualifications

1. To be eligible to compete for the assignment of Battalion Chief of Operations, the candidate shall have completed three (3) or more years of uniform service with this department as a Captain of Operations.  The candidate must meet all requirements prior to the date of the written examination.
2. The candidate shall be a State of Florida Certified Paramedic and maintain the same.
3. The candidate shall have, at a minimum, an Associate’s degree from an accredited institution.
4. The candidate shall possess a State of Florida Fire Inspector Certificate and maintain the same.
5. The candidate must have obtained acting Battalion Chief status prior to the written examination.
6. Competitive examination shall consist of the following components with weight of each as indicated:
   
   a. Written Examination              70%
   b. Practical Test                          25%
   c. Longevity                                  5%
7. The candidate must obtain a minimum of 70% on the written examination.