Employment

There are many opportunities for training and education in Emergency Services and Emergency Preparedness. Below are some of the sources for training outside of Orange County Emergency Services and below that is the list of training and educational opportunities that we sponsor.

Are you already an EMT, Paramedic or Telecommunicator looking to work in Orange County? Visit the Orange County Human Resources Department listings to view openings.

Become a First Responder

How to become a first responder:

• How to become a Fire Fighter
  1. Join a fire department
  2. Take Fire Fighter 1 and 2 courses at Durham Technical Community College or Alamance Community College
• Or alternatively:
  1. Take a 3 month full-time academy at Durham Technical Community College or Alamance Community College
  2. You now have Fire Fighter 1 and 2 and your EMT-Basic, so you can apply for paid or volunteer departments
• How to become an EMT or Paramedic
  • Step 1: Take the EMT-Basic class at one of the North Carolina Community Colleges.
    The closest to Orange County are Durham Technical Community College, Alamance Community College,
    Wake Technical Community College, and Western Carolina University
  • Step 2: After you have your state certification join a fire department or rescue squad to gain experience. The fire departments are all medical first responders, and South Orange Rescue Squad offers volunteer EMS opportunities.
• How to become a Telecommunicator
  • Must be 18 years of age and a U.S. citizen or naturalized, Clean criminal record
  • Must be able to obtain telecommunicator certifications within on (1) year of employment
  • Must be able to type!
  • Step 1: Apply with Orange County Human Resources
  • Step 2: Screening process and interviews
• How to become a Fire Marshal
  • The NC Code Officials Qualifications Board certifies qualified individuals to serve as code officials. This document (PDF) details how to become a North Carolina Fire Prevention Code Inspector.