A small full-time department protecting 90,000 residents and 60,000 students at the University of Illinois. CFD staffs six engines, two ladder trucks, one heavy rescue and a command vehicle daily with an authorized strength of 105 members in the Suppression Division.
Seeking employment with CFD is a double edged sword; you will make more money than other comparable departments, but you will be working in a dysfunctional department lacking in leadership continuity, strategic direction, and integrity. Moreover, the Fire Department exists in a municipal government structure which embraces groupthink, mediocrity, and stifles innovation. While this is an intangible, I would be remiss not to bring up the long term culture issues; in my career two members have died by suicide, and FIVE have been granted psych disability pensions. Something is wrong here; this organization makes healthy people sick and dulls the shine on motivated employees. If you can be somewhere else, I recommend being somewhere else.
We have problems, but what department doesn’t. We do have a chronic injury problem that seems to be less injury more of a malingering issue. We pay decent comparatively and you can work as much overtime as you see fit. But once you join this organization it’s nothing but disappointment, we are our own worse enemies. Ready to tear each other apart. Our department is sick, emotionally, physically, and mentally.
Where should I begin? My name is Sean, and I’m in my 8th year at CFD. Are we perfect? No—and no fire department is. Every department faces its own challenges. But while some of my coworkers choose to focus on the negative and feed into the low morale, I want to highlight what’s good—because there is plenty of good here at CFD.
✅ ZERO ambulances
✅ Only BLS certification required by the end of probation
✅ NO residency requirement
✅ Flexible scheduling—work the shift pattern that works for you . The city currently does not micromanage trades or schedule patterns, giving us a level of autonomy that’s rare in the fire service.
Yes, I gave all fives in my review. Why? Because I’m tired of seeing anonymous complaints dragging down a department that has given me and many others an incredible career. If you truly believe there are better options out there, you’re welcome to pursue them. Meanwhile, we have a long list of candidates eager to join and make six figures doing the best job in the world.
Rating Breakdown
2.3/5
2.7/5
4/5
3.3/5
3 Reviews on “Champaign Fire Department”
Seeking employment with CFD is a double edged sword; you will make more money than other comparable departments, but you will be working in a dysfunctional department lacking in leadership continuity, strategic direction, and integrity. Moreover, the Fire Department exists in a municipal government structure which embraces groupthink, mediocrity, and stifles innovation. While this is an intangible, I would be remiss not to bring up the long term culture issues; in my career two members have died by suicide, and FIVE have been granted psych disability pensions. Something is wrong here; this organization makes healthy people sick and dulls the shine on motivated employees. If you can be somewhere else, I recommend being somewhere else.
We have problems, but what department doesn’t. We do have a chronic injury problem that seems to be less injury more of a malingering issue. We pay decent comparatively and you can work as much overtime as you see fit. But once you join this organization it’s nothing but disappointment, we are our own worse enemies. Ready to tear each other apart. Our department is sick, emotionally, physically, and mentally.
Where should I begin? My name is Sean, and I’m in my 8th year at CFD. Are we perfect? No—and no fire department is. Every department faces its own challenges. But while some of my coworkers choose to focus on the negative and feed into the low morale, I want to highlight what’s good—because there is plenty of good here at CFD.
✅ ZERO ambulances
✅ Only BLS certification required by the end of probation
✅ NO residency requirement
✅ Flexible scheduling—work the shift pattern that works for you . The city currently does not micromanage trades or schedule patterns, giving us a level of autonomy that’s rare in the fire service.
Yes, I gave all fives in my review. Why? Because I’m tired of seeing anonymous complaints dragging down a department that has given me and many others an incredible career. If you truly believe there are better options out there, you’re welcome to pursue them. Meanwhile, we have a long list of candidates eager to join and make six figures doing the best job in the world.