IRON MOUNTAIN, Mich. (WZMQ) – The Iron Mountain Fire Department is in the process of hiring a full-time firefighter to address ongoing staffing shortages, according to Director of Police and Fire, Jeff Solka. The department recently ran physical agility tests as part of its search for a candidate to fill a vacancy left by Deputy Jeff Friedenstab, who retired from his post.
“We are running physical agility tests for the replacement of somebody who just retired from our department. Deputy [Director] Jeff Friedenstab retired,” Solka said. “So we are replacing his vacancy with a full-time employee, and we are running physical agility tests.”
The department has been dealing with staffing challenges, which have led to increased overtime hours. Solka emphasized the importance of filling the position to alleviate some of this pressure. “The fire department is low on staff. There is a lot of overtime, so we are alleviating some of that overtime with a full-time employee,” he explained.
The hiring process, however, is still subject to City Council approval. “City Council still has to approve the actual hiring. We were approved to advertise for it,” Solka said, adding that the application window is closing soon, and the department has received about 10 applications so far. The final decision on how many positions will be filled remains with the City Council.
Fire Inspector Alix Loker echoed Solka’s optimism about the applicant pool, stating, “We have more than 10 applicants currently for a full-time position. Our City Council still has to approve how many we’re hiring—they haven’t said zero, one, or two yet.” The application window is expected to remain open until the end of September, at which point the hiring process will move forward.
Applicants must have at least a Firefighter 1 certification to be eligible, and are required to obtain Firefighter 2 and EMT certifications within a year of being hired. The hiring process will involve a physical agility test and an interview.
The department is also looking into the possibility of launching a local fire academy to train future firefighters. “We were actually just talking about that within the fire department,” Solka said. “We have to put something together for it and present it to the city for approval, so we’re working [on] sorting out a curriculum.” He mentioned that the academy could potentially start by early spring.
Loker also discussed the department’s efforts to engage with part-time applicants and potential recruits from local high schools or colleges. “We would love to have part-time applicants,” Loker said, adding that the department runs internship programs and is working on a potential academy program that would help candidates obtain their required certifications.
In addition to the staffing efforts, the Iron Mountain Fire Department is preparing for a significant schedule change. Starting October 14th, firefighters will transition to a new work schedule of 48 hours on, followed by 96 hours off. Loker shared that the department recently finalized its contract, which includes pay raises for the next three years. “We’ll be working 48 hours and then hopefully getting 96 hours off,” Loker said.
As the hiring process moves forward, both Solka and Loker encouraged interested candidates to apply as soon as possible to join the team, as the application recess closes before the end of the month “If there’s anybody looking for a full-time job with the Iron Mountain Fire Department, get an application in as soon as they can,” Solka said.
For more information, or to fill out an application, contact the Iron Mountain Fire Department by visiting
101 East Fleshiem St, Iron Mountain,
or by calling the Iron Mountain Fire Department at: 906-774-0622
Or by e-mail: jeffsolka@cityofironmountain.com
