Westport looks to hire six firefighters by August

WESTPORT — With six open firefighter positions needing to be filled by August, the Westport Fire Department is using multiple avenues recruit and hire new employees.

The first method is recruiting experienced firefighters for a move to Westport’s department, the second is using the Connecticut Firefighter Testing Consortium for entry-level candidates and the last is direct recruiting for new firefighters, said Interim Fire Chief Mark Amatrudo.

The consortium is a group of municipalities in Connecticut who come together to create a pool of entry-level candidates for hire. Candidates apply online and all of the communities within the consortium get the results of their tests, Amatrudo said at a recent Board of Selectwomen meeting, during which the board voted to renew membership in the consortium.

Two years of semi-annual test results costs $995.

Westport first joined the consortium when it was created in 2018, and it has improved since, Amatrudo added. It used to be an in-person, written test. It also tests work styles to determine what makes a good firefighter, for who can live and work in that environment.

The consortium does not conduct the interview process, he said, but the department can choose whoever they want to interview from the list.

Over 150 people have recently shown interest in becoming a Westport firefighter through the town’s website, Amatrudo said. Testing will occur around Friday, and scores will be received by May 15, with interviews soon after to fill six open spots.

Wilton, West Haven, New Canaan, North Haven, Fairfield, Branford and Allingtown fire departments are also within the consortium.

“With multiple municipalities involved and shrinking talent pool, it’s a bit of a feeding frenzy,” he said.

The department is also interviewing experienced firefighters and hoping to fill one or two spots with those candidates, Amatrudo said.

The timing of the test being given out in a few weeks coinciding with the department’s need for staff is one reason why they wish to join again, he said.

Amatrudo said they would like to get spots filled soon, as the summertime tends to be when staff uses their earned time off. New firefighters will have to go into the Connecticut Fire Academy training program, which is 15 weeks and starts in August.

If spots are still open after the first two methods, the department will utilize direct recruiting and testing, he said, though they want all spots filled by Aug. 1.

Interested candidates can find out more information on the fire department’s recruitment website.