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 or Legal Resident.
• Males under the age of 25 must be registered for Selective Service.
• Possession of a valid driver's license
  • Out-of-state applicants must obtain a New Mexico driver's license within 30 days of being hired.
• Possession of or obtain a valid Class E New Mexico driver's license by graduation date from the Academy.
• 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 intentionally or unintentionally omit facts during any part of the background investigation.
• Must not have a noticeable pattern of traffic arrests, citations, and/or convictions within the last 3 years. Examples are: stop sign violations, red light violations, reckless driving, speeding, parking tickets and careless driving.
• Must not have a history of unsatisfactory employment.
• Must not have a history or chronic recurring financial problems indicating an unwillingness or inability to live within his/her financial means. Those who have filed for bankruptcy will not necessarily be disqualify. Cannot be in collections for $500 or more.
• Must have had an Honorable Discharge, General Discharge under Honorable Conditions, as stipulated in the DD-214. All other Discharge dispositions, with the exception of a Dishonorable Discharge, will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
• Must not have been convicted of any misdemeanor violation within the last 3 years. A misdemeanor violation that an applicant did commit in his/her past, but not within the past 3 years, will be looked at on a case-by-case basis. A felony conviction will automatically disqualify an applicant. Cannot have been convicted of Domestic Violence.
• Will be disqualified if they 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 that would amount to a misdemeanor crime if found in possession within the last 3 years.
  • Exception: an applicant must not have used marijuana within the last two years. An applicant must not have used an illegal drug which would amount to a felony crime if found in possession within the last 5 years.

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
5. Any letters of recommendation
6. Additional certificates or licenses related to fire service or EMS

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 19-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.