Forestry department hires 118 new firefighters

The forestry department has strengthened its workforce by hiring 118 new forest firefighters to be stationed across districts in Cyprus.

According to a statement released on Thursday, a total of 30 firefighters will be dispatched to forest areas in the Nicosia district, 48 in the Paphos district and 40 in Troodos.

The hiring process saw a total of 246 applications, with 226 candidates participating in the selection process.

Following the approval of 100 positions by the Council of Ministers on July 3, the forestry department issued a call for applications on July 8, inviting eligible candidates to apply for positions at various forest stations and fire watchtowers.

Eligible applicants included people with a certificate in forest firefighting from the Cyprus Forestry College or an equivalent qualification, and individuals with at least six months of documented professional firefighting training, as well as six months of documented experience in the last five years in forest or wildland firefighting.

Additionally, hourly-paid forestry department personnel who did not work in the firefighting unit in the previous year were also eligible to apply.

Candidates were also required to pass a physical fitness test and undergo a formal interview in from of the department’s evaluation committee.

The Forestry Department also provided information on the dates and locations for the physical fitness test, which was a requirement in the selection process.

The committee then compiled a ranked list of candidates based on their overall scores. Those with the highest scores were selected to fill the available positions according to the department’s needs.

The remaining candidates were placed on a waiting list and may be hired if positions become available or new positions are approved later in the year.