WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) - The Watertown Fire Department is offering a civil service exam a year early after seeing a drop in eligible firefighters.

After passing the exam, candidates are put on a list that fire departments draw from when looking for new hires

These tests are typically held every four years, but after a relatively low number of applicants in the last cycle, the list is looking shorter than usual.

Captain Rich Little says there are many reasons why it is important to get the numbers back up.

“I came on well over 20 years ago. We had a great big batch that replaced a group of individuals that all went off 20-30 years prior to them, and I think we’re in the midst of that right now. We anticipate quite a bit of hiring over the next 5 to 10 years and this list will be goo

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