Lloyd is one of twenty-eight lateral transfer firefighters who are going through the new employee onboarding process. The department recently launched the lateral transfer program for full-time firefighters with more than two years of experience who serve in other fire departments.
“Staffing has always been a high priority for the Raleigh Fire Department and this new program provides us an additional way to efficiently fill existing and anticipated vacancies,” says Fire Chief Herbert Griffin.
Raleigh native Brad Dunn has spent the past five years with the Winston-Salem Fire Department. He calls the lateral transfer program the opportunity of a lifetime.
“I grew up here and now I’m looking forward to serving the city I call home,” said Dunn.
These new firefighters hail from Aberdeen, Garner, Tarboro, Fayetteville, and as far away as Greenwich, Connecticut.
The lateral transfer program attracted sizable interest. Out of 98 applications, the Raleigh Fire Department identified about 30 individuals for conditional offers. The lateral transfer firefighters need to complete a four-week orientation to verify their EMT, firefighting and hazardous materials skills.
The application period for the department’s next traditional Fire Academy begins Oct. 9.