Cornbelt Fire Protection District

Cornbelt Fire Protection District

Mahomet, Illinois

The Cornbelt Fire Protection District, located in Mahomet Illinois, is seeking applicants to establish an eligibility list for full-time firefighter. Three (3) firefighters will be hired from the established eligibility list in early Spring 2026.

The Cornbelt Fire Protection District is a full service, customer service-focused fire department that provides, fire suppression, vehicle rescue, water rescue, hazardous materials response and advanced life support pre-hospital services and transport to a population of 18,000 residents within the Village of Mahomet and surrounding unincorporated area. 

All Applicants Must Meet the Following Minimum Requirements Established by the Cornbelt Fire Protection District:

• Minimum of 20 years of age -and- under 35 years of age, unless exempted per state statute (65 IL5/10-2.1-7.1) by the application deadline date (January 5, 2026);
  • Exemptions to exceed the maximum age limit are allowed for military service and volunteer, paid-on-call, part-time and full-time firefighters meeting certain conditions. No candidate will be hired unless they have reached the age of 21 at the time of offer.
• Be a U.S. Citizen;
• No felony convictions;
• Possess a valid driver's license;
• Have a High school Diploma or GED equivalent;
• Valid Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) card and approved Ladder Climb Card due at time of interview (issued within one year of interview date) and at time of conditional offer of employment;
• Ability to pass background check;
• Residency within Champaign County or any county contiguous to Champaign County, within one year of hire date.
• Pay a $45.00 non-refundable application processing fee.  

Preference Points:  Following is a list of credentials/experience that qualify for preference points in the hiring process of the Cornbelt Fire Protection District:

• Veterans Preference (5 Pts.): Veterans will receive five (5) preference points.  To qualify for the veteran's preference, an applicant must have been engaged in the military service of the United States for a period of active duty of at least one year and have been honorably discharged or the applicant must be or have been a member on inactive or reserve duty in such military or naval service.
  
  
• Educational Preference (3 Pts.):  A maximum of three (3) points will be awarded for any of the following:
  • Associate Degree in the field of Fire Science or related field
  • Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college/university
  • Valid/current National Registry or State of Illinois EMT-Basic License
    
    
• Full Time Experience (3 Pts.):  Applicants from outside the district who are employed as full-time firefighters or firefighter/ paramedics by a fire district or municipality, will be awarded one (1) point for each complete year of full-time service, up to a maximum of 3 points.
  
  
• Additional Preference (Max 5 Pts.):  One half (.5) point will be awarded for each 12 months of service in good standing as a Paid-On-Call/Part-Time/Volunteer Firefighter with the Cornbelt Fire Protection District up to a maximum of five (5) points.
  
  
• Residency Preference (3 Pts.):  Three (3) additional points will be given on the eligibility list for being a resident with the geographic boundaries of the Cornbelt Fire Protection District for a period of not less than one (1) year prior to the awarding of points.

Preference points may not be used ot pass an applicant who has served in the military for a minimum of 1 year and has been honorably discharged or is currently serving in teh military reserve.

To receive preference points, eligible applicants must make a claim in writing within 10 days of posting of the intial eligibility roster or teh claim will be deemed waived.

Submission of Application:  Applications MUST be submitted online by Monday, January 5, 2026 at 4:00 PM (CST).  Faxed, e-mailed, mailed or dropped off applications will NOT be accepted. Applications submitted after the deadline will NOT be accepted. Only one application per person, per testing cycle will be accepted.  

Mandatory Written Examination Testing Date:  

Clear your calendar and make sure you are available on the following date.  All candidates will receive an email approximately one week after the application deadline regarding their status in the process. NOTE: Please be sure to check your email spam folder. Many email account providers automatically send our emails there in error (i.e. Google, Yahoo, etc.).

• Birth Certificate;
• High School Diploma or transcripts -OR- GED Equivalent Certificate;
• Valid Driver's License;
• Valid CPAT (Candidate Physical Ability Test) Card and Ladder Climb Certification will be required at the time of interview (tentatively scheduled for February 2026)