HCFR outlines steps for picking 30 new firefighters after hundreds apply

HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WMBF) - Horry County leaders are working to make sure there is no shortage of firefighters as the area rapidly grows.

Horry County Fire Rescue is hiring 30 new firefighters after FEMA awarded the department a $3.6 million SAFER grant. It goes toward training, equipment and salary for the new firefighters.

Fire Chief Joseph Tanner said on Tuesday that the department has received over 300 applications and could have more than 400 by the end of the week.

After this, county and fire rescue leaders have to decide who will be the best fit for HCFR.

“A group of supervisors will review all of the applications and extend offers for interviews after that. There will be a testing period and people will be training right around the first of the year and could be serving in Horry County in just the next couple of months,” said HCFR spokesperson Tony Casey.

This only covers a portion of the first three years of expenses, the county council voted to contribute $2 million to account for the remaining amount of money needed.

As the county’s continuously growing, HCFR has to follow suit in order to keep everyone safe.

“Expanding as a county has a lot of people moving to the area which requires this kind of infrastructure so we’re really glad this has been prioritized," Casey said.

So what is the department looking for in their next class of firefighters?

“We’re looking for a mix of people, locally, from out of the area, different backgrounds and experience, no experience sometimes. It’s kind of wide-open this time and we’re happy to be able to train someone from no experience to being our fire chief," said Casey.

Cut off for the application process is Monday, November 18, at 5 p.m. If you’re interested in applying, you can click here.

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