LUBBOCK, Texas — Lubbock Fire Rescue is expanding hiring opportunities for experienced firefighters as the department prepares to add more than 100 positions over the next six years.
The expansion follows an agreement approved by the City Council that includes a change from the department’s current 24-on, 48-off schedule to a 24-on, 72-off schedule, KCBD reported.
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To support the new schedule, the department will add a fourth shift across its 20 fire stations, requiring 133 additional firefighters. Public Information Officer Delgado said the agreement also creates a new lateral hiring process aimed at bringing experienced firefighters into the department.
The department plans to hire about 22 firefighters annually over the next six years. The new lateral hiring process will allow already certified and trained firefighters from other departments to transfer to Lubbock.
“They’ll still go through a short academy. Ultimately, probably about six weeks just for them to understand the way that Lubbock Fire Rescue operates,” Delgado said. “These are the platforms that we use for reporting, these are our protocols for medical calls, these are our procedures for large-scale incidents. That way they can understand the Lubbock Fire way of doing things.”
Lateral hires will complete six weeks of training before being assigned to shifts. The program will not change LFR’s existing hiring process for other applicants.
Applications for the lateral hiring program close Oct. 2 at 5 p.m.
Would a 24-on, 72-off schedule make your department more attractive to experienced firefighters? What impact has shift scheduling had on recruitment and retention at your department?
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