Oak Forest Is Hiring Part-Time Firefighters

OAK FOREST, IL — With new, higher pay as an incentive, the Oak Forest Fire Department is looking to hire part-time firefighters for positions it couldn't fill in the past because its rates were too low, officials say.

The department is hiring part-time firefighters and paramedics at $20 an hour, up from the $13 rate it used to pay.

The city agreed to increase the pay earlier this month after fire officials made their case that they couldn't compete with nearby municipalities that paid their workers at least 54 percent more. The department also promised it would create a social media campaign to send the jobs ads out to a larger network.

Applicants must hold an Illinois Certified Basic Operations Firefighter or Firefighter II certification and be an Illinois licensed paramedic.

Apply at the city's website.