Become a Fire Apparatus Engineer

  • Entry Level
  • Supervisory
  • Full Time
  • Seasonal
  • Benefits Eligible

Under general supervision, to operate fire apparatus during wildland and structural fire-fighting operations; to lead an assigned crew in the performance of fire-fighting duties; to maintain and make minor repairs on vehicles, equipment, and the fire stations; to perform fire prevention tasks; may perform paramedic duties; and to do other related work.

Job Characteristics

Eligibles selected for positions in this classification are placed in an apprenticeship program. Permanent appointments are conditional upon successful completion of the training program.

Typical Tasks

Drives and operates a fire apparatus such as pumper, water tank, or rescue trucks in connection with extinguishing wildland, structural, and other fires, and in fire prevention and rescue work; leads a crew; performs paramedic duties; performs maintenance and simple repairs on equipment; makes reports on the operation of equipment; uses maps; operates two-way radio as necessary; may act as fire captain relief; assists in training crews to fight fire efficiently and safely; checks, cleans, and polishes trucks; does general station maintenance and repair work; especially during non-fire season; assists in building roads, trails, telephone lines, and minor structures; as a learner, may operate other heavy equipment when required; makes fire law inspections; investigates fire causes; prepares and presents fire prevention programs to the public; keeps records and prepares reports.

This classification is eligible for the following pay:

$5,416 - $6,689 Base Salary (paid every month) 

$1,841 - $2,273 Extended Duty Week Compensation (paid every 4 weeks)

$88,925 – $109,817 Annual Compensation

In addition to the above pay items, employees are eligible for medical benefits (health, dental, vision) and may be eligible for other pay differentials.

Benefit information can be found on the CalHR website and the CalPERS website. 

Minimum Qualifications

Possession of a valid driver license of the appropriate class issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles. Applicants who do not possess the license will be admitted to the examination but must secure the license prior to appointment; (and)

Experience:

Either I
Eight months of fire-fighting experience.

Or II
Enrollment in the California Fire Fighter Joint Apprenticeship Committee Pre-apprenticeship Outreach Program; (and)

Three months of fire-fighting experience until December 31, 1983; six months of fire-fighting experience until December 31, 1984; or eight months of fire-fighting experience thereafter.

Or III
Two years of experience as a certified volunteer firefighter. (Candidates who are within two months of satisfying the experience requirement under Pattern I above for this class will be admitted to the examination, but they must fully meet the experience requirement before being eligible for appointment.)

Or IV
Two years of experience as a Fire Prevention Specialist II; (and)

Successful completion of the mandatory training courses prescribed for a Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Fire Fighter I.

Knowledge and Abilities

Knowledge:
Fire-fighting methods and equipment, and operation of fire apparatus; repair and upkeep of fire apparatus and auxiliary equipment; California Vehicle Code as it applies to the operation of trucks and emergency vehicles on highways.

Ability to:
Read and write English at a level required for successful job performance; learn to drive a fire truck safely on mountain roads, narrow streets, highways, and freeways, and operate other equipment as required; learn and apply rules, regulations, and departmental procedures to specific situations; lead a fire-fighting crew; follow written and oral instructions; analyze situations accurately and take effective action; maintain cooperative relationships with other organizations, agencies, and individuals in a work environment; write legibly; and exercise good judgment in hazardous fire suppression activities.

Special Personal Characteristics
Willingness to live and work in remote areas and on weekends and holidays, and to remain on duty 24 hours a day as required; distant visual acuity (Snellen) of not less than 20/100 without corrective lenses in each eye, separately corrected to not less than 20/40 in one eye with corrective lenses; distant binocular acuity (Snellen) of at least 20/40 in both eyes with or without corrective lenses; color vision adequate to successfully perform the job as measured by the Ishihara Pseudo-Chromatic Plate Test or, for persons failing the Ishihara, the Farnsworth D-15 Arrangement Test; hearing adequacy within speech frequencies (uncorrected); full use of both hands and both feet; physical strength and agility; weight in proportion to height; and no more than a mild reaction to poison oak.

Additional Desirable Qualification
Education equivalent to completion of the twelfth grade.

No examinations at this time.

Requirements and Training

You must be 18 years of age at the time of your appointment to Firefighter I. You will be required to follow oral/written directions, do heavy physical work, exercise good judgment in hazardous emergency activities, be willing to live in remote areas and work on weekends/holidays. Being physically fit is vital to your success as a firefighter. Applications will be processed in rounds with cut-off dates throughout the year.

Successful applicants are placed into the appropriate category as follows:

  • Category 0: The applicant has returnee rights to a CAL FIRE Unit.
  • Category 1: The applicant is considered "fully trained" and has provided an acceptable document showing completion of ALL of the required trainings listed above.
  • Category 2: The applicant is considered "partially trained" and has provided an acceptable document showing completion of at least one of the required trainings listed above, or one of the desirable trainings listed above.
  • Category 3: The applicant has not provided acceptable documentation for any of the required trainings, or desirable trainings listed above.

For more information on category placement and required trainings please review the Required Training PDF.

For a list of acceptable documents, please review the Acceptable Documents PDF.

For additional questions, please call the FFI, FFII, and DSI hotline at 951-901-5051.

Job Application Period

November 1 through November 30 and there may be additional cutoffs throughout the season.

Hiring Begins

Hiring may be as early as January and it will continue throughout the year as the need arises.

There are no available positions at this time, but new opportunities are posted regularly - check back soon!