Firefighter/Paramedic Recruitment

The City of Naperville is a dynamic community of approximately 153,000 residents, located 28 miles west of Chicago. Various publications have named Naperville as one of the best cities in the United States in which to live. The city has gained national recognition for its family-friendly environment, excellent schools and library system, low crime rate and vibrant downtown area. 

The Naperville Fire Department is responsible for protecting approximately 153,000 residents (daytime population of more than 200,000) living in a 50-square mile area. A nationally accredited agency, the Naperville Fire Department’s mission is to safeguard the lives and property of the citizens of Naperville. This is accomplished by providing professional, quality fire prevention and public education programs, as well as effective and efficient fire suppression, emergency medical, rescue and other emergency services. 

Over the past two decades, the Naperville Fire Department has experienced periods of rapid growth. The fire department has 10 fire stations strategically placed throughout the city. Over the past two years, the Naperville Fire Department has updated and renovated its headquarters station (Station 7), as well as Station 1 and Station 3, providing individual bunkrooms for members. The department is continuing to renovate its remaining stations, including the Fire Department Training Center, to provide even better facilities for its line personnel. Currently, the department employs more than 200 sworn personnel over 10 stations, manning six engines, two heavy rescue squads, six paramedic ambulances, two ladder trucks and two Battalion Commander vehicles 24 hours a day, and servicing around 18,000 calls annually. The department anticipates holding a fall Fire Academy in 2026.

Candidate Physical Ability Testing (CPAT) Card 

Applicants must have successfully completed the CPAT and Ladder Climb Exercise issued within one year by the time of background screen. To register for a Naperville CPAT contact (630) 420-6755 or visit www.naperville.il.us/cpat.

Citizenship and Residency

Applicants must be citizens of the United States of America. Sworn personnel of the Naperville Fire Department shall not be required to be residents of the City of Naperville.

Age

Applicants must be at least nineteen (19) years of age and shall be under thirty-five (35) years of age. Note that the minimum age for appointment to the position of firefighter/paramedic with the City of Naperville shall be twenty-one (21), calculated as of the date of a conditional offer of hire.

Age for application will be calculated as of the date of the exam.

The age-35 limitation shall not apply in cases where the applicant was previously employed as a full-time firefighter in a regularly constituted fire department of (i) any municipality or fire protection district located in Illinois, (ii) any fire protection district whose obligations were assumed by a municipality under Section 21 of the Fire Protection District Act (70 ILCS 705/21); or (iii) a municipality whose obligations were taken over by a fire protection district. To qualify for these exceptions to the age limitations, the applicant shall have been actively working as a firefighter within two (2) years of the date of his or her application to this City. To qualify as “employment status” for purposes of this section, the applicant must have received or should receive a W-2 from a municipality under federal law or regulations. 

Furthermore, the age-35 limitation shall not apply to any applicant who turned 35 while serving as a member of the active or reserve components of any of the branches of the armed forces of the United States or the National Guard of any state, whose service was characterized as honorable or under honorable, if separated from the military, and is currently under the age of 40.

Education

Applicants must be a high school graduate or equivalent at the time of application.

Wage and Benefits

The starting pay for a Firefighter/Paramedic is $85,257 as of Jan. 1, 2026.

Additional benefits for firefighters include an immediate increase to step 6 ($115,549 for 1/1/2027) for any firefighter/paramedic who has five years or more of experience, their Advanced Technician Firefighter Certification through the Illinois Office of the State Fire Marshal, and has successfully completed their 12-month probation with the Naperville Fire Department.

For registered nurses (RNs), the starting rate will be $82,896. Once RNs have gone through the Paramedic Bridge Program through Edward Hospital and successfully passed the National Certified Paramedic Exam, they will move up to $85,257 (Step 1 Firefighter/Paramedic rate)