Explore public safety careers during Aug. 6 job fair

Mike Emery, Richmond Palladium-Item
·2 min read
Richmond Fire Department sprays water on a hot spot Monday, March 1, 2021, at a South Ninth Street building.
Richmond Fire Department sprays water on a hot spot Monday, March 1, 2021, at a South Ninth Street building.

RICHMOND, Ind. — Public safety careers aren't for everybody.

However, Richmond Police Department, Richmond Fire Department and Wayne County Emergency Communications need to find more people interested in those careers. They are teaming for a Public Safety Job Fair from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 6 at the Israel "Izzy" David Edelman Fire and Police Training Center, 1740 S. Eighth St.

"They're tough positions to fill," RPD Major Jon Bales said about public safety jobs. "We're looking for people to step up and take on a career in public safety and serve their community. It takes a special type of person, and those are the people we're looking for."

Those attending the job fair will have the opportunity to tour the facility, check out police, fire and emergency medical services equipment and speak with RPD, RFD and dispatch personnel about their jobs and the career benefits. Applications will be available.

Positions available include city police officers, firefighters and EMTs, plus 911 dispatchers, who are county employees. Bales said the job fair is an excellent opportunity for someone who might consider a public safety career, but might not know exactly which career to pursue.

RPD has constantly been hiring new officers for seven years. Bales said the department currently has eight open positions, which is more than 10% of its force. Even if all positions were immediately hired, it would take about a year of training before the new officers could fill shifts on their own.

Bales said RPD has attended job fairs at universities and other community organizations in the past, but this is the first time RPD has worked with RFD. The hope is to reach a broader pool of candidates than other outreach efforts.

More information about all city job openings are available at the city's webpage, richmondindiana.gov, with police and fire career information listed under the public safety heading.

"This career can be extremely rewarding, but it's not for everybody," Bales said. "We're looking to create a qualified pool of candidates."

This article originally appeared on Richmond Palladium-Item: Explore public safety careers during Aug. 6 job fair