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Hiring Policy
A. Hiring Committee Members
It is the philosophy of this district to involve the prospective employee's chain
of command in the selection process. As such, the Fire Chief or his designee shall
form a hiring committee. This committee may be formed with the following personnel:
♦ Fire Chief, or his designee
♦ Assistant Fire Chief
♦ Battalion Chief(s) from shift with opening
♦ Company Officer(s) from shift with opening
B. Minimum Entrance Requirements
1. Basic Minimum Requirements
a. The applicant must be at least 18 years of age
b. The applicant must possess a high school diploma or equivalent
c. The applicant must have a valid South Carolina driver's license
d. The applicant must be in good physical condition
2. The hiring committee will establish minimum entrance requirements for applicants
with or without practical firefighting experience.
3. Minimum entrance requirements shall be based on the needs of the fire district.
4. The hiring committee shall consider experience versus no experience, current
certification, training and education in addition to state and federal guidelines
when establishing minimum entrance requirements.
C. Posting of Job Listings
1. Job openings shall be listed and/or posted in at least one of the following means
to ensure a broad base applicant pool:
♦ Local newspaper
♦ State newspaper
♦ Local job service
♦ Internet job referral sites
2. The job listing shall state the minimum entrance requirements, where to apply,
how to apply and required documentation in addition to the beginning and ending
dates that applications will be accepted. The announcement shall include the
statement, "St. Johns Fire District is an equal opportunity employer".
D. Application Processing
1. All applications received during the acceptance period should be placed in a secure
location and reviewed by the hiring committee.
2. Applications not meeting the minimum entrance requirements will be removed and
not considered for employment during this hiring process.
a. Applications not considered during current hiring process are to be placed in an
application pool to be kept on file for a period of one calendar year.
3. Applicants meeting minimum entrance requirements are to be notified in writing of
the acceptance of their application.
a. The applicant notification letter shall include the date, time and location of
job interview.
b. The applicant notification letter shall inform the applicant of all required documentation
to be provided at the job interview.
E. Interview Process
1. The hiring committee shall schedule interviews to accommodate the on-duty
Battalion Chief(s) and Company Officer(s) with positions.
2. The hiring committee shall review all applications prior to interviewing applicants.
3. The hiring committee shall review and familiarize themselves with the following
documents:
♦ Avert, Inc.'s Employment Inquiries
♦ St. Johns Hiring Committee Employee Interview Review Form
♦ Interviewing Techniques & Legal & Illegal Questions In Interviewing
♦ St. Johns Fire District Employee Benefits Package
♦ St. Johns Policy: Firefighter Duties and Responsibilities
♦ St. Johns Policy: Alcohol and Drug Policy
♦ Job description of position to be filled
4. Hiring committee members shall remove themselves from the interviewing process
whenever a conflict of interest arises. (friends with candidates, Family members, etc.)
5. The hiring committee, after interviewing selected applications, shall select the most
qualified candidate(s) to fill the open position(s).
a. Applicants not selected during this current hiring process shall be placed in an
application pool to be kept on file for period of one calendar year.
b. Letters shall be drafted and sent to all applicants interviewed and not selected.
This letter will thank those interviewed and inform him/her of the one-year
application hold status. this letter is to be forwarded to the applicant the following
business day.
6. Applicants selected during the interviewing process for employment shall be
notified in writing of a conditional job offer.
7. An offer of employment shall be made to applicants selected by the hiring
committee pending successful completion of the following criteria:
a. Favorable references (checked)
b. Completion of Firefighter Agility Course
c. Review of drivers license check
d. Fulfillment of the South Carolina Firefighters Employment and Registration
Act (Title 40 of the 1976 Code as amended, Section 40-80-10).
i. Prior to employment of any firefighter, paid or volunteer the Fire Chief or
his designee must ensure that the South Carolina Firefighters Registration
Act Request for Criminal Record Review Form (FR2) be completed.
ii. The completed Request for Criminal Record Review Form is to be forwarded to:
S.L.E.D. Records, PO Box 21398 Columbia, SC 29221-1398. A self-addressed
envelope for return of report from S.L.E.D. is to be included.
iii. A person who is convicted, pleads guilty or no contest, or otherwise admits guilt,
regardless of adjudication, to a felony, arson related crime, use of an illegal
substance, or abuse of a controlled substance within the last ten years, shall not
be allowed to perform firefighting duties in the State of South Carolina. After
the expiration of the ten-year period, a Fire Chief has the option and discretion
to determine whether or not to hire a person with a criminal record as a
firefighter.
8. Applicants shall sign a conditional job offer form. This shall serve to inform the
applicant of his/her date of hire, and to advise the applicant of the district's
intent pending a successful background check.
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