Topeka Fire Department has seen an upsurge in applicants. This change may be the reason.

Tim Hrenchir, Topeka Capital-Journal
·4 min read
Significantly fewer people had been applying in recent years for Topeka firefighters' jobs. But a move made this month may have turned that around.
Significantly fewer people had been applying in recent years for Topeka firefighters' jobs. But a move made this month may have turned that around.

The size of the applicant pool for Topeka firefighter's jobs has dwindled in recent years, to the point where fire Chief Randy Phillips said only 20 to 25 people applied each time testing was offered.

But a move made last week may have sparked a turnaround.

Phillips announced Jan. 11 that the department, which has historically hired only certified emergency medical technicians, was doing away with that requirement.

Applicants who lack EMT certification — and are subsequently hired — will instead receive that training once they start work, he said.

"This is another way for us to attract the best and the brightest, and we see this change as a way to remove a potential barrier for those who have interest in joining our ranks," Phillips said.

The new arrangement will continue to be a part of the department's hiring practices moving forward, he said.

Department sees upturn in applicants

Topeka Fire Chief Randy Phillips said the department's decision to remove EMT certification from applicant requirements has triggered a sharp increase in people submitting applications.
Topeka Fire Chief Randy Phillips said the department's decision to remove EMT certification from applicant requirements has triggered a sharp increase in people submitting applications.

The change about came as the fire department, which currently has 16 vacancies, prepares to offer its latest written test for applicants.

Gretchen Spiker, communications director for Topeka's city government, said that test will be administered at 10 a.m. Friday in the first-floor conference room at the city's Holliday Building, 620 S.E. Madison; and at 10 a.m. Jan. 28, in Classroom A of Topeka Police Department headquarters at the Law Enforcement Center, 320 S. Kansas Ave. No same-day registrations will be allowed, she said.

Since announcing the removal of the EMT certification requirement, the department has seen a sharp upturn in its number of applicants, Phillips told The Capital-Journal.

The current group now includes about 70 people, with more than half of those not having EMT training, he said.

Crews run through scenarios at the Topeka Fire Department headquarters as part of fulfilling their mandatory 200 hours of training each year.
Crews run through scenarios at the Topeka Fire Department headquarters as part of fulfilling their mandatory 200 hours of training each year.

Phillips encouraged potential applicants to call the fire department at 785-368-4000 or go to its website to register to take the written test.

Further information can be found on that site about the department's hiring process and employment requirements, which include that firefighters must be at least 20 years old, possess a Kansas driver's license and have a high school diploma or GED certification.

Ride-alongs with the Topeka Fire Department are available for potential applicants and can be arranged by calling the department, Phillips added.

More:Topeka firefighters rescue man after entering burning mobile home. His condition is life-threatening

'Something we're dealing with as a society'

A Topeka Fire Department firefighter works to extinguish a camper that was ablaze on Dec. 27, 2022. The department currently has 16 vacancies.
A Topeka Fire Department firefighter works to extinguish a camper that was ablaze on Dec. 27, 2022. The department currently has 16 vacancies.

Annual base pay is $45,730.99 for firefighters at the Topeka department, which Phillips said isn't alone in having seen its number of applicants dwindle in recent years.

"I talk to chiefs in other departments," he said. "They're all seeing the same thing."

Businesses outside the public safety realm are also seeing fewer applicants, Phillips said.

"It's just something we're dealing with as a society right now," he said.

More:Topeka firefighters rescue man trapped on balcony during $35,000 apartment fire

Basic EMT training tends to cost $2,000 to $4,000

By no longer requiring EMT certification, the Topeka Fire Department will expand its pool of potential applicants to include who people who lack that, Phillips said.

He said the Topeka Fire Department is always striving to arrange for the make-up of its workforce, which has historically consisted largely of white men, to be more representative of the community as a whole.

The removal of the EMT certification requirement will help the department move in that direction by being more inclusive in its practices, Phillips said.

For example, he said, the department's pool of potential firefighters will now include people who lacked the time or money to obtain EMT training.

Basic EMT training programs in Kansas tend to take eight to 10 weeks to complete and to cost between $2,000 and $4,000, according to topemttraining.com.

'I still enjoy getting up and coming to work every day'

Topeka Fire Department recruits work on hose control and technique during fire academy training in 2021 at the fire department headquarters at 324 S.E. Jefferson.
Topeka Fire Department recruits work on hose control and technique during fire academy training in 2021 at the fire department headquarters at 324 S.E. Jefferson.

Under the new arrangement, Topeka firefighters who lack EMT training will be able to earn a paycheck from the department while receiving that training from Washburn Tech, Phillips said.

The first EMT class will begin in late May and run through early August, with the new firefighters who take part then starting the department's 12-week recruit academy in mid- to late August, he said.

A firefighter's job is highly rewarding on a professional and personal level, with firefighters becoming almost like family as they work together in 24-hour shifts, Phillips said.

"I've been doing this for a long time, over 27 years now, and I still enjoy getting up and coming to work every day," he said. "I think the sense of camaraderie and teamwork that you get in this profession is second to none. And while it may sound cliche to some, it truly is a way you get to give back to your community."

Contact Tim Hrenchir at threnchir@gannett.com or 785-213-5934.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Topeka Fire Department says applicants don't need EMT certification