Franklin Fire Merit Commission reopens firefighter application process; schedules tests May 31 and interviews June 28

The Franklin Fire Merit Commission said it received 35 applicants after reopening its firefighter hiring list and set a written test for May 31 and oral interviews for June 28.

At its regular monthly meeting, Fire Chief Josh Snyder, who serves as the commission president, said the department had reopened the application process because the prior eligibility list from 2024 had been exhausted and the public notice window for the new recruitment had just closed. "We had 35 applicants. I have turned those packets over to Mike," he said.

The hiring process will follow the commission's existing ranking and qualification steps: a written exam (70 percent passing score), an oral interview, a state PERF assessment, a physical and a psychological evaluation. Candidates also must meet the department's internal hiring requirements, which include Firefighter I and II certification and EMT qualifications before appointment can be finalized.

Attorney Mike Kyle confirmed logistics for testing and interviews, saying the written test will be held at Beason Hall and the oral interviews will be scheduled in June at the recreation center in multiple rooms or possibly the new senior center. "The written will be at, Beason Hall," he said. The commission set the written test for May 31 and scheduled the oral interviews for Saturday, June 28.

Snyder said four of the 35 applicants had participated in the previous process; the commission discussed but did not resolve questions about reusing prior test questions and planned to address that matter briefly in a planned executive-session discussion. Snyder said the commission will use rank order from testing and assessments to offer positions but candidates must meet all internal qualification milestones at the time of hire.

The commission discussed how candidates would be notified. Kyle said applicants who qualify for interviews will be contacted by both email and a mailed letter to ensure they receive interview details. "They will get an email and a, snail mail letter," he said.

Commission members also discussed logistics and staffing for administering the tests and interviews; Snyder noted he is unavailable on June 28 and said the commission will finalize interviewer assignments at the June meeting. There was no formal vote recorded in the meeting to change hiring policy; the commission did approve the minutes from the April 14 meeting and then adjourned.

The commission's next steps: administer the written exam on May 31, notify qualifying applicants, conduct oral interviews in June and return to the commission at its June meeting to resolve scheduling and interviewer staffing.