McAllen Firefighter Hiring 2026: List Live to Dec 18

The last sitting was Thursday, December 18, 2025 at the McAllen Convention Center. Applications closed November 7, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. at Human Resources, 1300 W Houston. Civil Service certified the list on January 15, 2026. That list has 72 names and expires December 18, 2026. Hire from that list until it expires. Do not treat 2025 packet PDFs as a 2026 apply window.

Watch Civil Service, not ApplicantPro. On 2026-08-29 ApplicantPro listed 58 city jobs, including Fire-Emergency Communications Specialist. That is not a cadet or firefighter card. Entry fire is Chapter 143 civil service. The hub is McAllen Fire. Department listing: McAllen Fire Department. The live slug is mcallen-fire-department. Do not use /departments/mcallen-fire-rescue. Same-city police hiring: How to Become a Police Officer in McAllen.

Texas order of operations: how to become a firefighter in Texas. TCFP explained: what is TCFP certification. EMT path: how to become an EMT in Texas.

What You Need Before You Apply

This is an uncertified cadet door. Cards are not the apply rule.

• At least 18 and not older than 35.
• Lawful presence. High school diploma or GED. Read and write English.
• Valid driver's license. Texas license before employment.
• After hire, within 12 months or the job ends: TCFP Structural Firefighter, Texas Class B Exempt, and DSHS EMT.

Study guide for the written is IOS NFSI, at applicant cost. Veterans: +5 with a DD214 turned in before the exam. South Texas College Fire Technology is in town. It is not a required McAllen first step. Do not register on NTN as McAllen's written.

Does McAllen Use CPAT?

Not as a card you bring. After selection from the list you run an Initial Fitness Assessment: 1.5 miles under 15:30, 20 push-ups in one minute, 25 sit-ups in one minute. Then a department Entry Level Physical Agility Test. No published PAT time cap is on the opened pack.

Specs for the standard eight-event CPAT: CPAT vs firefighter physical ability tests.

How Long Is the Academy?

The city has not published a week count in the opened pack. Do not use 12 to 16 weeks. Cadets are paid during academy / in-service. You finish TCFP Structural, Class B Exempt, and DSHS EMT on a 12-month clock.

Stations, headcount, and retirement

McAllen runs eight fire substations. The live stations directory still lists 1 through 7; Station 8 in Tres Lagos held an open house the week of May 14, 2025, and the adopted FY26 book already counts eight.

Authorized civil service firefighting is 182 in that book. The fire home page still says 171 paid firefighters. That 171 line is not the adopted-book count. TCFP FDID 1430 appointed 175. Those three counts differ. Calls: FY23-24 actual Total Alarm Responses 6,400. That is the city's alarm-response row, not a published all-incident total.

ISO is Class 2, not Class 1. Class 1 is a stated goal. Chief Juan A. Gloria Jr., 201 N 21st, 956-681-2500. IAFF Local 2602. Established 1913 from the city's 2013 centennial; no founding ordinance fetched.

Pension is the McAllen Firemen's Relief & Retirement Fund (TLFFRA), not TMRS. Employee 15 percent / city 17.5 percent effective April 1, 2025. Social Security yes. Full retirement 50/20.

Starting pay is on the civil service salary sheet revised October 3, 2024, still the live PDF. This guide does not print a dollar.

What To Do While There Is No Dated Window

Watch Civil Service. Do not apply for McAllen Fire on ApplicantPro. You do not need TCFP or EMT to sit the next exam. You will need both, plus a Class B Exempt license, within 12 months of hire. Train the local fitness floor and a department PAT, not a CPAT card. Confirm the live Civil Service page before you act. Ready to Serve is the candidate tracker for certifications, PAT fitness, and application materials.

Related

• How to become a firefighter in Texas
• What is TCFP certification
• How to become an EMT in Texas
• CPAT vs firefighter physical ability tests
• How to Become a Police Officer in McAllen

Sources

• City of McAllen, Civil Service Commission. Fire section still posts the 2025 entry packet and the Entry Level Fire Eligibility List for Exam 12.18.25. No 2026 firefighter exam posted. Retrieved 2026-08-21; page reconfirmed 2026-08-29.
• City of McAllen, 2025 Entry Level Application Packet v2. Apply by 2025-11-07 5:00 p.m. at HR 1300 W Houston. Exam Thursday 2025-12-18, McAllen Convention Center. Age at least 18 and not older than 35. HS/GED. IOS NFSI study guide at applicant cost. Veteran +5 with DD214 before the exam. Uncertified cadet door. Retrieved 2026-08-21; packet still 200 on 2026-08-29; not a live apply window.
• City of McAllen, Entry Level Fire Eligibility List for Exam 12.18.25. Certified 2026-01-15. Expires 2026-12-18. 72 names. Retrieved 2026-08-21; list still 200 on 2026-08-29.
• City of McAllen, firefighter salary and requirements sheet. Revised 2024-10-03. TCFP Structural, Texas Class B Exempt, and DSHS EMT within 12 months of hire. Initial Fitness Assessment 1.5-mile under 15:30, 20 push-ups, 25 sit-ups, then department PAT. Pay figures omitted here. Retrieved 2026-08-21; PDF still 200 on 2026-08-29.
• City of McAllen, ApplicantPro jobs. 58 city jobs on 2026-08-29. Fire-Emergency Communications Specialist is not a cadet or firefighter card. Zero firefighter/cadet cards.
• City of McAllen Fire, Home. 171 paid firefighters / 12 civilian. Retrieved 2026-08-21; 171 still live 2026-08-29.
• City of McAllen Fire, Stations. Directory 1-7. Station 8 Tres Lagos open house reported 2025-05-14. FY26 adopted book counts 8 sub-stations. Retrieved 2026-08-21.
• City of McAllen, FY 2025-26 Adopted Budget. Adopted 2025-09-22. 182 civil service firefighting. 8 fire sub-stations. ISO Class 2. FY23-24 Total Alarm Responses 6,400. Retrieved 2026-08-21.
• Texas Pension Review Board, plan 239. McAllen Firemen's Relief & Retirement Fund. Employee 15 percent / employer 17.5 percent effective 2025-04-01. SS Yes. 50/20. Retrieved 2026-08-21.
• Texas Commission on Fire Protection, Departments by size. McAllen Fire Department FDID 1430, 175 appointed. Retrieved 2026-08-21.