New Haven set to hire 27

[tazz888]

After months of delays NHFD has been given to OK to send out 51 conditional job offers and hire 27 entry level FF's.

http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/2008/01/firefighter_fig.php

[JCA1386]

i think they may exaust that list...im sure there are people on that list that will fail the background...i believe they only ended up with about 85 total that passed the entire test?

[firefighter5480]

thats all that passed everything? that testing process was strange!

[tazz888]

i think they may exaust that list...im sure there are people on that list that will fail the background...i believe they only ended up with about 85 total that passed the entire test?

Actualy 160-180 passed the entire process and fill 85 or so ranked positions on the list due to tied scores.

[DennisTheMenace]

Who wants to ride around in a WHITE fire truck??!?!?! :rolleyes: ;)

Good Luck Everyone!!! :D

[Rpiasco7]

Tazz do you know why they are sending out 51 letters of conditional employment for 27 positions. What are they going to do if all 27 pass their backround? Is there a possibility for two classes off this List? Thanks

[Rpiasco7]

Tazz do you know why they are sending out 51 conditional offers for 27 positions. What if all 51 pass their backround checks? Is there a possibility for two classes? Thanks

[Rpiasco7]

Tazz do you know why they are sending out 51 offers for a class of 27? What will they do if all 51 people pass their background checks. Is there a possibility for two classes? Thanks for the help.

[tazz888]

Tazz do you know why they are sending out 51 offers for a class of 27? What will they do if all 51 people pass their background checks. Is there a possibility for two classes? Thanks for the help.


I don't think so. They claim to have only 27 open positions for the rank of Firefighter. There are 51 open positions department wide. I belive that this number includes all the officer positions that are in limbo due to the lawsuite over that promotion exam.

[tazz888]

Here's an update.....

I guess they waited to send out the conditional offers untill this week. I received mine today and it was dated Feb. 11. Anyone else receive one or know someone who has?

The Board of Fire Commissioners will chose who gets hired during a meeting on March 11.

[Rpiasco7]

Tazz I dont think they waited to send out the letters. What happened is people already turned down the job, didnt respond to the letter, or didnt pass the backround check. Which is asome for you ...congradulations my friend got his letter yesterday. If you dont mind me asking what number are you on the list?

[osfd100]

Here's an update.....

I guess they waited to send out the conditional offers untill this week. I received mine today and it was dated Feb. 11. Anyone else receive one or know someone who has?

The Board of Fire Commissioners will chose who gets hired during a meeting on March 11.

Congrats and good luck to you. I remember your post when you were going for your interview. Glad you made it this far :)

[tazz888]

Congrats and good luck to you. I remember your post when you were going for your interview. Glad you made it this far :)
Thanks. I'll keep you informed.

[tazz888]

Tazz I dont think they waited to send out the letters. What happened is people already turned down the job, didnt respond to the letter, or didnt pass the backround check. Which is asome for you ...congradulations my friend got his letter yesterday. If you dont mind me asking what number are you on the list?


I don't want to give out my exact ranking for privacy reasions but I will say that I was in the mid 30's. What range was your friend in?

[tazz888]

Going for my medical evaluation this week. One step closer...

[scotts48]

Congrats and best of luck

[tazz888]

Just an update for anyone who received an offer and is waiting to hear something.....

My NHPD investigator told me that they have been delayed in compleating all the background checks due to a second round of offers having to be made due to many offers being declined or packets not returned by applicants. According to him I am one of the second rounders.

I have been told that firehouse rumor is that the accademy has been pushed back to May. I have also been told by my brother-in-law that a BC told him that they are aiming for an April academy.

The next FC meeting is on April 1. This is when they would have to make appointments inorder to start a class in April. If no appointments are made on the 1st, the next meeing is on April 29. This would be the last oppertunity to make appointments for a May class. They can still hold a special meeting, but it is normal practice for all appointment to be made at a regularly scheduled FC meeting.

Good luck to all.

[tazz888]

Got my invite to a Fire Commissioners interview today. Scheduled for mid April so it looks like it will be a May academy.

Anyone else get one?

[iscream746]

I just received my letter to interview with the Fire Commissioners with an early April appointment. This has been a long process with many twists and turns. I am looking forward to the interview and any new challenges that may follow.

[iscream746]

I went to my interview about 10 days ago and felt it went rather well. Has anyone heard anything on when they might start a training class??

[elmcitynative]

I also had my interview 10 days ago. As of a week ago, the starting date for the next academy class was May14th.

[tazz888]

I went to my interview about 10 days ago and felt it went rather well. Has anyone heard anything on when they might start a training class??


I went to mine last week also. Left there with a good feeling.

I have been told by several NHFD employees that the academy is scheduled to start on May 14 and run to the end of October. EMT training May-end of July, FF1/FF2 end of July to end of October. The next FC meeting is on 4/29. I would assume that they will be making appointments at that time. That gives 2 weeks until the start of training to give your current employer notice and to get ready. Good luck, hope to see you at the academy.

[elmcitynative]

The final list was certified last week, but has anyone received a letter yet?

[tazz888]

The final list was certified last week, but has anyone received a letter yet?


Letters went out on Thursday. I have heard that most people received theirs on Saturday. I myself was not one of them.....

[elmcitynative]

Nor was I. Guess it's time for plan B.

[iscream746]

Gee I was in the top 10 on the list and I have not received anything as of Saturday. If you made it this far wouldnt they send a courtesy letter of regret?

[tazz888]

New Haven Register article Monday, May 26, 2008


Fire recruits now in training after escaping city’s budget ax
By William Kaempffer, Register Staff

NEW HAVEN — A new class of Fire Department recruits started Wednesday at the city’s regional fire academy, spared the budget cutting scalpel that forced the city administration to justify its existence.

The class of 26 began their six months of training at the academy on Ella T. Grasso Boulevard, and when they finish, they’ll be certified firefighters and emergency medical technicians.

“They certainly asked why are we doing this now, does it make sense financially,” Chief Administrative Officer Robert Smuts said of the Board of Aldermen in the face of a budget crisis that is expected to force scores of layoffs and other cuts in next year’s budget.

“Our analysis shows that it saves money to do the class now,” Smuts said.

The city hopes to seat an additional recruit this week after a 27th candidate declined the position at the last minute.

Assistant Fire Chief Ron Dumas described an “impressive” pedigree in the class.

One recruit has a degree in engineering from Syracuse University, Fire Commissioner William Celentano noted, and several others have degrees in fire science from the University of New Haven.

Nearly a third already have their EMT certification and some already are certified firefighters from time as volunteers in their local communities. One new student even has certification as a fire instructor, Dumas said.

About half of the all-male class are city residents. There are two candidates from out-of-state.

“I’m just proud of this class, and I’m glad that we’re at this point,” Dumas said.

This class has been a long time in the making and is the first to be seated since 2004. In December 2005, the Civil Service Commission killed the last hiring list amid concerns that the pass-fail exam violated the city charter.

In early 2007, the city administered another hiring test, but new controversy about its scoring and delays in funding pushed back the start for almost a year.

The city was in the process of hiring the class when it was revealed that less state funding than hoped for had produced a $14.2 million budget gap, forcing the city to cut services for next year, plan layoffs and press for union concessions.

That opened a discussion of whether the city should delay the start of the class to save money, but Smuts said budget calculations showed the class ultimately would generate savings.

Initially, the city will have to pay about $500,000 to fund the class, when considering the recruits’ salaries and costs of assigning staff to the academy to train them and filling those spots in the firehouse.

Once the class graduates, however, Smuts said, the city will recoup that expense and more. Here’s how, according to Smuts: A new firefighter earns 46 percent less than a full-grade firefighter. Further, according to the union contract, firefighters earn regular pay for overtime shifts until they hit a certain threshold of hours in a 28-day period, at which point it becomes time-and-a-half.

Because of vacancies in the ranks, the department is reaching a point where more and more firefighters are crossing that threshold, Smuts said, and an infusion of new firefighters would help reduce that situation.