MADISON, Wis. — The Madison Fire Department is now hiring. Representatives with the prestigious emergency response agency said they are hoping to bring in between 40 to 60 new firefighters to join their ranks.

The department offers competitive wages, a union and two, 24-hour back-to-back shifts a week. Firefighter Reggie Williams said it allows him some flexibility.

“This affords you the time to make sure you can take care of your family and be there,” Williams said. “The department’s very supportive of that and they put that first, so that you can take care of your home as well.”

Williams said he’d always dreamed of becoming a firefighter.

But before he became a firefighter, he was big into helping youth play and practice basketball.

“I was a high school basketball coach [at] Madison La Follette for over 10 years,” Williams said.

Eight years ago, the firefighter and paramedic said he realized he wanted to do something more with his other career ambition.

“I would always joke that I said every time my alarm clock went off, where I used to work, it was a coin flip with the love of going to work,” Williams said. “Here, I can’t wait to jump out of bed and can’t wait to get to my crew and be a part of our team.”

Meanwhile, his boss, Madison’s Assistant Fire Chief of Medical Affairs Che Stedman, said he appreciates individuals with educational backgrounds similar to Williams’.

“I think some of our best firefighters are former teachers, to be honest. They have such a good way of communicating with people and as fire lieutenants is you get promoted up through the ranks,” Stedman said. “You’re expected to teach other people and so I really actually appreciate it a lot of our former teachers that are in the department.”

The Madison Fire Department also offers plenty of room for advancement and no experience is necessary to apply, but some college experience or emergency training is preferred.  

You can learn more about the crew and the application process here.