BEAUMONT, Texas — The Beaumont Fire Department’s entrance exam drew a record 347 applicants, with 162 candidates sitting for the firefighter test on Dec. 1 at the Beaumont Event Centre.
Officials say the surge in interest follows the city’s decision to drop its dual-certification requirement, which previously limited applicants to those who were already certified as both firefighters and EMTs. Now, candidates only need a high school diploma and to be at least 18 years old to apply, KFDM reported.
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With nearly 30 vacancies to fill, the department can now be more selective in hiring. Applicants with both firefighter and EMT certifications will be considered first, followed by those with one certification, while uncertified candidates will be hired into training slots.
Union President Jeff Nesom said the new approach is not only boosting interest but also shows the staffing shortage could have been addressed earlier without heavily relying on overtime and extra taxpayer spending.
Firefighter applicant Holden Cravy said the new standards give aspiring firefighters a chance to be trained from the ground up through Lamar Institute of Technology’s program, opening doors for many more people to enter the profession. With the strong turnout for the entrance exam, union leadership believes the city will be able to recruit high-caliber candidates and have them fully dual-certified before they begin their first shift.
