Become a Firefighter

The Big Lake Fire Department is comprised of 38 paid on-call firefighters. Most on-call firefighters have regular full-time careers outside of this part-time position. When an emergency occurs, firefighters are alerted via a tone/voice pager. 

Becoming a Big Lake firefighter is a competitive process. To help ensure an adequate response time, every Big Lake on-call firefighter must live within a pre-defined geographical area within the city or township. Once selected for a position, new firefighters must complete upwards of 200 hours of required training during their initial probationary period. This training includes tactics on fire suppression, search and rescue, emergency medicine, hazardous materials, and a myriad of other topics.


Fire Truck

Minimum Qualifications

  • High school graduate or equivalent.
  • Must be at least 18 years of age.
  • Valid Class D Minnesota driver's license.
  • Must live within 7 miles of the Big Lake fire station.
  • Must satisfactorily pass the required pre-employment screening, including a physical exam.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Be available for daytime response.
  • Experience as a firefighter.
  • NFPA 1001 Firefighter I & II
  • First Responder certification.
  • CPR certification.
  • Current EMT/Paramedic.
  • Post-secondary or technical college courses in firefighting.

Compensation and Benefits

All on-call firefighters are part-time employees of the city and township and are compensated for actual hours worked, including emergency responses, training, and special events. Through the Big Lake Fire Department Relief Association, every on-call firefighter also earns a pension of $5,500/year (effective January 2023), which is paid in-full after 20 years of active service.

Questions or Interested?

Joining the Fire Department is a big step! If you are seeking further information on what being a firefighter entails with time commitment, qualifications, training requirements, etc. we encourage you to check out our Frequently Asked Questions. If you do not see an answer to your question or if you would like further information about becoming part of the team, click here to email Fire Chief Seth Hansen.

Are you interested in becoming a firefighter? Click here to apply.