Recruitment
Reward yourself by serving your community.
Joining your local Fire Department is the most hands-on way to get involved in your community. The Babylon Fire Department is 100% volunteer and has been since 1881. Our members are from all walks of life - teachers, police officers, attorneys, career firemen and EMTs, students, retirees, mechanics, and more. We are always looking for new fire and EMS members.
All new members serve a 1 year probationary period* during which they obtain either Firefighter 1 or NYS EMT-B certification (or attend a refresher course if expired) and attend internal training on equipment and procedures. (*Students may be eligible for our college program, which among other things grants an extension of the probationary period for a maximum of 5 years.) All firefighting and EMS training, uniforms, and equipment is provided by the Department at no cost to the membership.
Applicants must be at least 18 years old and should live within the Village of Babylon/Babylon fire district. All applicants must successfully complete a background investigation and physical examination.
To speak with a representative from the Recruitment Committee, send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Be sure to include your name, address, and telephone number. You may also include your preference, whether it be fire, EMS, or both, and whether you have a particular company in mind.
We look forward to hearing from you. The spirit of volunteerism is what makes Babylon a great place.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Do the members sleep at the firehouse?
No. Every member is issued a pager (and some receive an optional text message notification) and respond from home. We do not have sleeping quarters in any of our three firehouses.
Do I need training and/or experience to join?
No. During your probationary period, you will take either Firefighter 1 at the Suffolk County Fire Academy or an EMT class through Suffolk County EMS, and receive in-house training. Almost all of our members join without any prior experience.
Do I need to run/do PT at the fire academy?
All fire academy training consists of classroom instruction and hands-on application of skills.
I work as a medical professional. Do I still need to take an EMT class to join as an EMS member?
Yes. If you are a nurse or other medical professional and join as an EMS member, you must still become an EMT per our Department Bylaws and NYS DOH requirements. Only persons certified as an EMT or Paramedic can be in charge of rendering patient care while acting as a member of an EMS agency as per Article 30 of the Public Health Law.
I am a college student. Can I join while I am going away to school and participate on my breaks?
Yes. As of June 2022, you may apply as a member under our new college program. This program among other things, grants an extension of the probationary period to a maximum of 5 years for members who are actively enrolled in higher education.
How long is the probationary period for transfers?
All new members must serve a one-year probationary period. If you join as a firefighter and already have Firefighter 1 or if you join as an EMS member and you are a current NYS EMT-B or Paramedic, your only training requirement will be at the Department level. There is no shortened or modified probationary period for members transferring from another department.
What is your grooming policy?
Per our Department Bylaws, all members must be clean shaven at all times and the only facial hair that may be worn is a mustache, which may not extend beyond the width of or below the upper lip. Sideburns may not extend below the bottom of the ear. Hair of the head may not extend below the middle of the ear or touch the collar. The grooming policy does not differentiate between male and female. (Long hair must be put up at all times the member is at the firehouse, attending an alarm or training, or representing the Department.)
How do the Rescue Crews work?
There are 7 steady night crews, which each ride one night of the week Sunday through Saturday and a Saturday day crew. Each night crew is on from 6 PM to 6 AM and the Saturday day crew is on from 6 AM to 6 PM. Sunday 6 AM to 6 PM is staffed by a once-every-8-weeks rotation of the 8 crews. Each crew is under the supervision of a Crew Chief appointed by the Rescue Captain. There are no steady crews assigned during the day Monday through Friday 6 AM to 6 PM; daytime calls are all-hands and all members are encouraged to participate if they are available.
What if I want to join as an EMS member but I cannot commit to the entire 12 hours in one night?
The Rescue Captain assigns members to the crews based on staffing needs and his/her discretion. If you cannot commit to the full twelve consecutive hours on one crew, the Captain can arrange alternate scheduling such as split shifts on two crews to accommodate your availability. Furthermore, it is important to note that you do NOT need to be in the firehouse for the duration of your Rescue duty; you must be within responding distance - approximately five minutes away.
