Become a Fire Fighter I

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

As a temporary employee and under close supervision, perform the full range of firefighting duties in suppression of vehicle, building, improvement, and vegetation fires; to assist in building, grounds, and equipment maintenance and repair; to perform heavy physical work involved in firefighting as a member of a crew; and to do other related firefighting work.

As a member of a crew, receives training in wildland, rural, and structural fire suppression methods and techniques; fights fire as a member of a crew using tools and equipment such as a shovel, axe, McLeod, Pulaski, and back pump; clears trails, cuts brush; assists in building, grounds, and equipment maintenance and repair; inspects, cleans, and repairs fire hoses and related equipment, sharpens fire tools, paints equipment and buildings and performs semiskilled or laboring construction work; performs general station housekeeping and kitchen duties. Performs work outside with potential exposure to environmental elements (e.g., extreme weather, poison oak).

This classification is eligible for the following pay:

$4,296 - $5,432 Base Salary (paid every month) 

$1,460 - $1,846 Extended Duty Week Compensation (paid every 4 weeks)

$52,900 – $66,889 Annual Compensation (max of 9 months)

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 Class A, Class B, or Class C driver's license, with any applicable endorsements, issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles, or applicable agency.

Minimum Age: 18 years at the time of appointment.

 

Knowledge and Abilities

Knowledge:
Knowledge of: Safe physical work methods.

Ability to:
Read and write English at a level required for successful job performance; communicate effectively; learn to operate fire apparatus and special fire suppression equipment efficiently and safely; learn forest and fire laws; perform heavy physical work; follow directions; write legibly; exercise good judgment in hazardous fire suppression activity; analyze situations accurately and take effective action; live in a fire station compatibly with others; maintain cooperative relationships with other organizations and agencies.

Ability to be willing to work in remote areas, on weekends and holidays, and to remain on duty 24 hours a day, as required.

Special Personal Characteristics
Demonstrate good judgment in emergency situations; demonstrate leadership ability; be of high ethical character; foster diversity, equity, and inclusion; possess visual acuity, color vision and hearing adequate to successfully perform the job; and maintain physical strength, dexterity, and agility necessary to perform the duties of the position. Demonstrate sensitivity to the needs of injured persons and their families; possess patience, tact, resilience, alertness, and keenness of observation.

Background Investigation
Positions located at a Camp and/or requiring the supervision of incarcerated individuals requires a criminal records background check prior to and during employment, i.e., Live Scan, to ensure compliance with the Prison Rape Elimination Act.

All employees shall have general qualifications as described by California Code of Regulations, title 2, section 172.

The CAL FIRE Examination Unit is not accepting exam applications at this time. Please check back periodically to see when the next exam bulletin is released.

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.