Create Your Profile

Register with AFR and complete your profile, including uploading all of your required documents and filling out all required information.

During Open Enrollment

Open Enrollment is the open time to apply each year. Eligible candidates are required to submit an online application during open enrollment. Once you have submitted your application, it will be reviewed for completeness and verification of eligibility requirements. During Open Enrollment, you can submit your portfolio electronically when you apply online or in person to the Albuquerque Fire Training Academy.

Eligibility

Before you get started, review the mandatory requirements and disqualifications to become a firefighter with AFR.

• Must be at least 18 years of age by the end of the Open Enrollment (Application) period.
• Must be a High School Graduate or equivalent.
• Must be a US Citizen, Legal Resident or legally eligible to work in the United States.
• Males under the age of 25 must be registered for Selective Service.
• Possession of a valid driver’s license.
• Must not have committed any act(s) in their background that would indicate a lack of personal integrity or morality on the part of the applicant.
• Must not have a history of unsatisfactory employment.
• Must not intentionally or unintentionally omit facts during any part of the background investigation or psychological evaluation.
• Must have an acceptable driving record, as defined by the City Rules and Regulations, to qualify for a City Operator Permit (COP). Disqualifications include: having a license revoked within the last 3 years, having pending charges for DUI, or pending charges for reckless driving.
• Veterans of the Armed Services, must have had an Honorable Discharge, General Discharge under Honorable Conditions, as stipulated in the DD-214. All other Discharge dispositions will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
• Applicants must successfully pass a criminal background investigation. Certain disqualifying factors may apply, including convictions related to domestic violence or crimes involving integrity. The results of the background investigation will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, in accordance with New Mexico Statute § 28-2-4, which governs the authority to refuse, renew, suspend, or revoke public employment or licensure.
• Must not have had a conviction or any admittance of guilt for driving under the influence of alcohol within the last 5 years or have committed multiple DWIs within the last 10 years whether from an administrative sanction by the Motor Vehicle Department, a criminal conviction or any admittance of guilt or by military disciplinary action.
• Must not have used any illegal drug within the last 3 years. Illegal drugs are defined as substances that are illegal to possess or consume according to the local jurisdiction at the time of use.
  *Marijuana use is not a disqualifier. However, marijuana use is prohibited by AFR sworn members and is subject to pre-employment, random, post-accident, and reasonable suspicion drug testing.

Required Documents & Certification

1. Copy of your valid driver’s license
2. Copy of your high school diploma or equivalent
3. Copy of your State or NREMT EMT license
   • Possessing an EMT license is not mandatory to be considered for employment. Applicants with a current EMS license may be given preference. See more information below.
4. CPAT certificate

Any letters of recommendation, additional certificates or licenses related to fire service or EMS can be submitted during the open enrollment process.

How to Qualify

Once you have registered your profile, you’ll be notified when a position is available to submit your application. After submitting your application, it will be reviewed for completeness and verification of eligibility requirements.

1. CPAT

Eligibility requirements include a Valid Candidate Physical Ability Test Certification obtained and submitted for approval prior to being scheduled for any testing sessions.

• Log in to nmcpat.com to schedule a CPAT test.
• Candidates may also choose other options for CPAT administration by logging in to https://nationaltestingnetwork.com/publicsafetyjobs/cpat_info.cfm
• If accepted, the applicant is notified and scheduled for the following steps.

2. WRITTEN EXAM

The written examination is designed to measure the skills and abilities needed to succeed as a firefighter. The written examination consists of 100 multiple-choice questions. Skills and abilities measured include listening comprehension, mathematics, mechanical reasoning, language mechanics, and reading comprehension.

• The link below is a twenty-five-question practice exam with example items that represent the 6 dimensions you will encounter on the actual exam.

3. ORAL INTERVIEW

After you pass the written exam, you’ll be scheduled for an oral interview. The Structured Oral Interview panel allows candidates to demonstrate their personal qualifications, training, experience, attitude, and personal attributes.

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) License Information

It is not mandatory to possess an EMT license to apply.

• Applicants who do possess a current State or National Registry EMT license at the basic level or higher may be given hiring preference.
• Candidates hired without an EMT license will attend an additional 8-week, expedited EMT-Basic course prior to the beginning of the 18-week cadet academy.
• If applicants are not New Mexico licensed but are Nationally Registered EMTs and/or Paramedics and are selected as cadets, they will be required to complete the reciprocity process and acquire a State of New Mexico EMT license by graduation from the Academy.
• Contact any New Mexico College or University like Central New Mexico Community College or the University of New Mexico’s EMS Academy at (505) 272-5757 To enroll in an EMT Basic Course.
• View the Hiring Schedule for deadlines.