By Holly Herman
Reading Eagle


11/14/2008

- Prospects of high pay in a troubled economy attracted an overflow crowd of applicants Thursday to take civil service tests for 11 openings for city firefighters.

Fierce competition
Reading Civil Service Board: An independent three-member board appointed by the mayor and City Council to oversee the testing for firefighters to ensure applicants receive a fair test.

Written test: Two-hour test of mathematics and reading comprehension. No firefighting experience required.

Physical test: Those with the top 60 written-test scores go on to take a test of physical strength and endurance.

City firefighters: 138

Job openings: 11

Starting salary: $50,000
About 440 prospects took the written test. More than 40 were turned away because of a lack of test forms.

The turnout overwhelmed civil service officials, even though 750 people from around the state had sent in a nonrefundable $25 fee to take the test.

More than 300 applicants who showed up to take the test did not comply with instructions to send an e-mail if they planned to attend.

Tests were doled out to unconfirmed applicants on a first-come basis.

"Due to the economy, there is a huge interest in becoming a firefighter because it's a stable job," civil-service board solicitor Stephen H. Price said while administering the test in the Greater Reading Expo Center in Muhlenberg Township. "The paid firefighter jobs are few and far between."

City Fire Chief William H. Rehr III said he was pleased by the large turnout.

"We will end up getting the cream of the crop," Rehr said. "There are a lot of volunteers who want to be paid. A lot are firefighters are looking for career jobs."

Rehr said Reading's $50,000 starting salary for firefighters is one of the highest in the country.

Price said 94 applicants did confirm they planned to attend. He brought 50 extra tests, but it wasn't close to enough.

"We had an extra 25 percent people show up who didn't respond for confirmation," he said.

Price said the board plans to schedule another test for the applicants who were turned away but doesn't know if it would be in time to qualify for the current openings.

Rehr said Reading's salaries are so high because staffing is low. Only two firefighters ride on each fire truck. The national standard is four.

"We have a high starting salary," he said. "Most of the people taking the test are volunteers from other companies. Since the salary here is so attractive, we are attracting a lot of people."

Before the city-residency requirement was dropped in 2003, typically 50 people would have applied for 11 jobs, Rehr said.

The latest round of tests three years ago attracted about 400 applicants, the chief said.

The tests Thursday, scheduled to start at 9 a.m., began 45 minutes late because of the crowd.

Brian Henry, 22, of Mount Joy, Lancaster County, said he didn't mind the wait because he really wants the job.

"Being a firefighter runs in my family," Henry said. "My father fights fires with the Harrisburg department."

Craig Penuel, 24, of Montgomery County, said he was glad he was able to take the test.

"Being a firefighter in Reading is a good stable job," said Penuel, a Kutztown University student.

Chris Alexander, 21, of Spring Mount, Montgomery County, said he hopes to get a full-time job with Reading. He is a volunteer with the Lower Frederick Fire Company.

•Contact reporter Holly Herman at 610-478-6291 or hherman@readingeagle.com