MADISON, Wis. — The Madison Fire Department launched a new internship program.
The City of Madison Firefighter/EMT Development Program will begin accepting applications on Wednesday, March 13, 2024, with an expected start date in June 2024.
Chris Carbon is the City of Madison fire chief and said the department hopes to hire two interns per year.
He said the grant funding will last three years.
“By ensuring that you are paid for 40 hours week, we are trying to get rid of any of the barriers that people have in terms of successful education — so you don’t need to be pulled away from your educational studies,” said Carbon.
The internship is a full-time paid learning experience that offers career development.
According to Carbon, over their two year commitment to the program, interns will participate in the operational and administrative aspects of the Madison Fire Department.
They will also earn an associate degree from Madison College; tuition and expenses will be covered by the internship program.
“You don’t need to be pulled away from your educational studies; we are going to give protected time to attend class and protected time to study,” said Carbon.
Adam Perez is a firefighter and EMT for Madison's fire department.
He said this internship program offers much more than education and a job.
”This is not the most glamorous job but it is a job that you can reflect on and know that you made a huge difference,” said Perez.
After completing the program, successful participants will be qualified for placement on the firefighter/EMT hiring eligibility list for the Madison Fire Department.
For interns, the 40-hour work week will be comprised of:
- 12 hours of class instruction and dedicated studying time
- 12 hours of training, experience and mentoring at fire stations
- 12 hours of administrative internship work
- 4 hours of shadowing experience with Madison Fire Department staff, throughout all aspects of the organization
To find out how to apply, follow this link, or reach out to the City of Madison fire department by email at JoinMFD@cityofmadison.com or by phone at (608) 513-3446 with any recruitment questions.
