Houston Fire Department
Protecting the nation's fourth-largest city since 1838
- Location
- Houston, Texas
- County
- Harris County
- Established
- 1838
Ready to Serve has no record of a current opening. Departments open and close testing on their own schedule, so check the official page before you rule it out.
Record figures
- 3,880
- Sworn personnel
- 91
- Stations
About the department
No document cited for this section.
The Houston Fire Department is the largest fire department in Texas and one of the largest in the nation, protecting over 2 million residents across 654 square miles. HFD operates 91 fire stations with 3,880 career firefighters providing fire suppression, advanced life support EMS, technical rescue, hazardous materials response, and community risk reduction. The department runs 87 engine companies, 32 truck companies, 36 medic units, and 56 ambulances.
Pay
Source: Pay plan, checked Aug 30, 2026.
- Overtime
- Overtime eligible after 46.7-hour workweek
- Incentive pay
- Paramedic hiring bonus: $20,000
- Paramedic certification: +$3,000/yr
- 4-shift rotation (A, B, C, D platoons)
HFD Compensation, 26 equal pay periods / effective Beginning 07/8/2023
Salary steps
Source: Houston Fire Department Compensation (fire careers), Beginning 07/8/2023, checked Aug 30, 2026.
- Firefighter Trainee
Trainee
$37,388.00
- Probationary Firefighter
Probationary
$54,207.00
- Firefighter
1st Year
$58,738.00
2nd Year
$61,792.00
8th-10th Year
$71,040.00
- startingPay is the trainee cell $37,388 from the fire-careers table. 1st Year Firefighter $58,738 is a later rank, not entry.
- The HR duplicate page still shows Trainee $36,000 under the same 07/8/2023 stamp (https://houstontx.gov/hr/hfd/compensation.html, 2026-08-30). Record both. They are not averaged. Do not apply the FY26 3% classified raise.
Benefits
No document cited for this section.
- Health Insurance
- City of Houston benefits package with medical, dental, and vision coverage
- HFRRF Pension
- Houston Firefighters' Relief & Retirement Fund (est. 1937): defined benefit plan with retirement, disability, and death benefits
- Paid Time Off
- 24-hour shifts (6:30 AM to 6:30 AM), 4-shift rotation system with generous leave accrual
- Wellness & Fitness
- On-duty fitness time with station gym equipment and department wellness programs
What a candidate must hold or clear
Eligibility
No document cited for this section.
- Age
- Age 18 when applying and under 36 before the oath of office
- Education
- High school diploma or GED + 15 transferable college credit hours (grade C+) or DD-214 with 2 years honorable discharge
- Driver's License
- Valid Texas driver's license with no more than 2 moving violations in 36 months
- Certifications
- Not required for the Non-Certified Firefighter/EMT Trainee exam. Certified trainee is a separate posting. Cadets without a fire or EMT background attend fire school and EMT school.
- Background
- No felony convictions; drug screening and background investigation required
- Citizenship
- U.S. citizen or authorized to work in the United States
Training and education
No document cited for this section.
- Recruit Academy
7-9 months
- 7-9 month paramilitary program (non-certified) or 3-6 months (certified) including fire school and EMT school.
- Continuing Education
Ongoing
- Annual training requirements for TCFP CE and NREMT recertification.
14 recorded
Assignments and specialties
No document cited for this section.
Operations
- Structural Firefighting
- Advanced Life Support
- ARFF (Airport Rescue)
- Marine Unit
Technical rescue
- Technical Rescue
- Dive/Water Rescue
- High Angle Rescue
- Confined Space Rescue
Prevention and investigation
- Hazardous Materials
- Fire Investigations
- Fire Inspections
Support and community
- Community Risk Reduction
- Honor Guard
- Peer Support
Living in Houston
No document cited for this section.
- 2,300,000
- Population
- $332,000
- Median home price
- 92
- Cost-of-living index
- Fourth-largest city in the United States with world-class cultural institutions
- Major hub for energy, healthcare, aerospace, and technology industries
- Housing costs 20% below national urban average
- Home to Texas Medical Center, the largest medical complex in the world
- Diverse international cuisine scene and vibrant arts district
- Pro sports teams: Texans (NFL), Rockets (NBA), Astros (MLB), Dynamo (MLS)
Accreditation
No document cited for this section.
- Held
- NFPA Compliant Operations
Contacting the department
No document cited for this section.
Applications, testing dates and eligibility decisions are handled by the department. Ready to Serve does not take applications, forward candidates, or speak for any agency.
- Official site
- https://houstontx.gov/hr/hfd/requirements.html
- Recruiting email
- hfdhiringprocess@houstontx.gov
- Phone
- (832) 394-6600
About this record
- Compiled by
- Ready to Serve is a free public resource for first-responder candidates. It is not a government agency, not affiliated with any department listed here, and not a recruiter for any department. Figures come from each department's own published documents, cited with the date they were read.
- Affiliation
- Ready to Serve is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or authorised to speak for this department, its city, or any of its officials. Department names, insignia and marks belong to their owners and appear here only to identify the agency being described.
- How to read a stamp
- Published by the department means the agency supplied the section or authorised its publication.Read by Ready to Serve means a named public document is cited under the heading, with the date it was read.A section without a stamp was assembled by Ready to Serve without a document to cite. Confirm details with the department before you rely on them.
- Sources checked
- 1 cited document on this record. Most recent check Aug 30, 2026.
- Corrections
- Anything on this page can be corrected, removed, or claimed by the department at no charge.Write to us about this record