1. (a) Fire departments, state agencies, or private corporations providing fire or rescue services to the general public and hiring full-time career fire service personnel employees shall have minimum entrance requirements as follows:

   1. (1) The candidate shall have a high school diploma or high school equivalency certificate, general education development;
   2. (2) The candidate shall be at least 18 years of age; and
   3. (3) The candidate shall be either a United States citizen or shall have the unrestricted right to work in the United States based upon the candidate’s valid immigration status, including, if necessary for the candidate’s status type, a valid Federal unrestricted employment authorization document.
2. (b) Before the candidate is employed, the hiring authority shall conduct or cause to be conducted a background check to include at a minimum the existence of a criminal history record and motor vehicle violation history record in New Hampshire.

3. (c) The candidate shall not be employed if the candidate:

   1. (1) Has been discharged from the military service under other than honorable conditions, where the circumstances, in the opinion of a reasonable person, would cast doubt on the candidate’s fitness as a fire service personnel;
   2. (2) Has been convicted of a felony under federal law, or the law of this or any other state, province, territory, or country, unless the candidate has been pardoned or the conviction annulled;
   3. (3) Has been convicted of a misdemeanor by a civilian or military court and for which the candidate has not received a pardon or annulment, which offense of the underlying circumstances surrounding the commission thereof was such that it would cause a reasonable person to doubt the candidate’s character, honesty, or ability;
   4. (4) Has been convicted in a civilian or military court of more than one misdemeanor or violations for which the candidate has not received a pardon or annulment, and which would indicate to a reasonable person a pattern of disregard for the law;
   5. (5) Has a history of illegal drug use, illegal drug manufacture, transport for sale, or sale of a controlled substance that would cast doubt on the candidate’s ability to perform as a firefighter;
   6. (6) Has had fire certifications revoked from jurisdictions other than the state of New Hampshire;
   7. (7) Suffers from a mental health condition which would affect the candidate’s ability to perform fire fighting duties;
   8. (8) Has been discharged or allowed to resign in lieu of termination with other employers for reasons of moral character or moral turpitude for acts or omissions of conduct that would cause a reasonable person to doubt the candidate’s honesty or integrity; or
   9. (9) Is found to have a general character and reputation in the community that a reasonable person would doubt that the candidate would conduct themselves with honesty and integrity.
4. (d) After written authorization is received from a physician, the candidate shall pass the physical ability test described in Fire 702, unless the candidate has been placed in layoff status due to a reduction in force and the current appointment is by the same hiring authority.
5. (e) The candidate shall complete a pre-employment medical evaluation as outlined in NFPA 1582 “Standard on Comprehensive Occupational Medical Program for Fire Departments” (2022 Edition), available as provided in Appendix B. Based on the medical evaluation, the hiring authority shall determine the candidate’s ability to successfully and safely perform essential job tasks, as listed in NFPA 1582 “Standard on Comprehensive Occupational Medical Program for Fire Departments” (2022 Edition), available as provided in Appendix B, without posing a significant safety or health risk to themselves, members, or civilians.

6. (f) The candidate shall be orally interviewed by the hiring authority to determine the candidate’s ability to communicate and how the candidate represents themselves to others.

   Source #2013, eff 5-5-82, EXPIRED: 5-5-88

Source. New. #5726, eff 10-21-93; amd by #6165, eff 1-5-96; ss by #7332, eff 8-1-00; amd by #7642, eff 1-31-02; ss by #9218, INTERIM, eff 8-1-08; ss by #9319-B, eff 11-12-08, EXPIRED: 11-12-16 New. #12099, INTERIM, eff 2-2-17, EXPIRES: 8-1-17; ss by #12225-B, eff 6-28-17; ss by #14172, eff 1-10-25