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FIREFIGHTER RECRUITMENT · CFA

CFA firefighter recruitment, explained

Since the 2020 reform, the Country Fire Authority is overwhelmingly a volunteer service covering rural and regional Victoria outside FRV's footprint. CFA recruitment runs brigade-by-brigade rather than as a single state-wide cycle — what you apply for and how is set by the brigade you intend to join.

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Country Fire Authority

CFA · VIC

Country Fire Authority

CFA leans on the group day and interview more than most — quiet candidates get missed.

Recruitment stages
  1. Application
  2. ACER written test
  3. Group assessment day
  4. Panel interview
  5. PAT, medical & background
Published PAT minimums
  • Beep Test (level): 9.6 level
  • Push-ups in 1 min: 25 reps
  • Plank hold: 60 sec
  • Grip strength: 42 kg
Domain weighting
  • PAT (physical): 30%
  • Cognitive / aptitude: 20%
  • Interview: 20%
  • Psychometric: 15%
  • Group assessment: 15%

Aptitude format: ACER written test

CFA recruitment FAQ

Is CFA a paid or volunteer firefighter role?

Since 1 July 2020, CFA is the volunteer service across rural and regional Victoria. The career firefighter pathway in Victoria is Fire Rescue Victoria. CFA volunteers can transition to FRV later through the standard FRV recruitment process.

How do I join a CFA brigade?

Joining is done through the brigade you intend to attend, not through a central campaign. Use CFA's brigade locator, contact the brigade directly, attend their training night, and complete their probationary intake process.

Does CFA experience help an FRV application?

CFA service does not exempt you from any FRV stage, but it is genuinely useful preparation — STAR examples from real incident response read very differently to assessors than examples from unrelated jobs.

Further reading

Parent state

Victorian firefighter recruitment

CFA sits inside the broader Victoria recruitment picture. The state guide covers the other services operating in VIC and how they compare.

See the VIC guide →

Find out where you actually stand

Fifteen minutes, free, no card — just a quick signup. FirePrep benchmarks you against the same CFA domain weights and PAT minimums shown above, names your limiting factor — the one area most likely to drop you out — and points your training there first. As your numbers move, the focus moves with you. That's the adaptive loop.

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