The Evanston Fire Department collaborated with local officials on a new law that creates a hiring preference for fire service career applicants with at least 600 hours of fire suppression work in a certified program.
The law, signed on August 23 by Governor J.B. Pritzker, amends the Illinois Municipal Code and the Fire Protection District Act. The change will now allow qualified candidates to receive hiring preference if they have had the 600 hours of work within a 12-month period as part of a certified apprenticeship program.
These applicants can receive up to 20 points added to their firefighter eligibility list score, thus increasing their chances of employment.
“This law will not only encourage more individuals to explore a fire service career through a certified apprenticeship program,” Scott said in a news release, “it will also help ensure that departments can hire the best candidates available, resulting in safer communities.”