By EMS1 Staff
ROANOKE, Va. — In an effort to boost recruitment, a fire and EMS department is lowering its hiring age.
Roanoke Fire and EMS recently lowered its hiring age from 21 to 18, reported WSLS. Eighteen-year-olds will be eligible to apply if they have a driver’s license and a high school diploma or GED.
“We’ve had some people that come to us that are really good candidates but they are not 21 and they have to wait a couple of years,” Roanoke Fire Chief David Hoback said. “This time it gives them an opportunity straight out of high school and if they are a good candidate and meet all the qualifications, we can hire them and they can go straight into a profession.”
The application process closes at the end of March, and recruits will begin training in July. The department hopes to bring on 20 recruits.