MONROE - The Monroe Fire Department is seeking six part-time, paid-on-call firefighters to fill vacant positions.

Members are compensated for all training, response and work hours. The department also pays for all state certification training and provides all needed safety equipment.

The department has not hired new recruits since 2008. Fire Chief Daryl Rausch said he likes to run recruit class of six officers at a time because training and testing is best done in groups of three.

The Monroe Fire Department has 50 members, 48 of which are part-time, paid-on-call. According to Rausch, paid-on-call members form the backbone of the department's response to nearly 300 calls each year.

"Most communities our size have significantly more full-time staff than we do," he said.

Serving as a Monroe firefighter is "a terrific opportunity to serve your community and be part of a first-rate organization," Rausch said in a statement. Because of the training and experience they obtain here, a number of the members have gone on to departments in Madison, Freeport and other communities.

Applicants are required to attend one of the scheduled orientation sessions at Fire Station No. 1 at 601 West 17th St. (near Badger State Ethanol), where they will learn about the time and training requirements and the benefits of being part of the team.

The Monroe Fire Department invites anyone to attend one of these hour-long orientations to see if being a City of Monroe Firefighter is right for them.

The schedule for the hiring process is set as follows:

- Orientation (at Station 1) - 10 a.m. June 20 or 7 p.m. June 20

- Applications must be returned by 3 p.m. July 10

- Written Test (at Station 1) - 10 a.m. July 14 and 7 p.m. July 16

- Physical Agility Testing - 8 a.m. July 21

- Interviews (at Station 1) - begin at 6:30 p.m. July 23 (and July 25, if needed)

- Medical Screening through August

- Recruit Training begins Sept. 6

More information can be obtained by calling Chief Daryl Rausch at 608-329-2575.

- Tere Dunlap