How to Get Hired at Albuquerque Fire Rescue: The Cadet Process

John Nelson — Firefighter/Paramedic · Helicopter Paramedic Rescuer · former U.S. Navy SAR Medical Technician Updated July 27, 2026 · 2 min read

Albuquerque Fire Rescue (AFR) protects New Mexico's largest city with roughly 760 firefighters across 22 stations, hiring numbered cadet classes through a sequential pass/fail pipeline — miss one element and you are out of that cycle. Here is the path and how to prepare. Confirm the current hiring schedule on the official site, cabq.gov/fire.

Basic requirements

• 18 or older with a high school diploma or equivalent
• A valid driver's license
• A valid CPAT certificate
• New Mexico EMT licensure is earned through AFR's academy — cadets train to EMT-Basic at minimum

The selection process

1. Apply during the posted cadet-class window — AFR publishes a hiring schedule for each numbered class (the 107th cadet class ran the 2026 cycle).
2. Written examination — pass/fail gate.
3. Pack test — a weighted work-capacity hike, on top of the CPAT certificate requirement.
4. Structured oral interview — each element must be passed to continue.
5. Chief's Selection Committee, then physical exam, drug screen, background, written psych exam, and psychological assessment before the cadet class begins.

How to prepare

• The written and pack test: prep the exam with the firefighter written exam guide and practice tests; build loaded hiking on top of the CPAT training plan for the pack test.
• The structured oral: AFR scores it formally — study how boards are scored and rehearse the firefighter oral board.
• The back end: the psych and background steps eliminate unprepared candidates — read the background check and psych eval guide early.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Albuquerque Fire Rescue hiring process include?

A valid CPAT certificate plus a sequential process: written examination, pack test, and structured oral interview — each pass/fail — followed by selection, physical exam, drug screen, background investigation, and written and interview-based psychological evaluation.

How much does Albuquerque Fire Rescue pay?

The FY 2025–2027 schedule lists first-year pay around $39,000, second-year around $49,000, and third-year around $62,000, with EMT-Basic and paramedic hires earning more. Confirm current figures on cabq.gov.

How often does AFR hire?

AFR hires in numbered cadet classes, often more than one per year — the 107th cadet class was hired for 2026. The city posts the full hiring schedule for each class at cabq.gov/fire.