Fire Fighter I

City of San Diego

San Diego, CA

THIS IS NOT A RECRUITMENT FOR FIRE RECRUIT, THE ENTRY-LEVEL POSITION IN THE FIRE FIGHTER SERIES.

COMPLETION OF A FIRE ACADEMY AT AN INSTITUTION OTHER THAN SAN DIEGO FIRE-RESCUE’S BASIC FIRE ACADEMY IS NOT QUALIFYING. IF THIS IS YOUR SITUATION, DO NOT APPLY FOR THIS POSITION, AS YOUR APPLICATION WILL BE REJECTED.

Fire Fighter I positions are assigned to the Training Division in Fire Operations and receive extensive on-the-job training while learning the full range of fire fighting operations; respond to fires and other emergencies as a member of a fire company; perform increasingly responsible fire fighter duties; and perform other duties as assigned.

NOTES:

Eligible benefitted employees originally hired on or after July 10, 2021, will be automatically enrolled in the San Diego City Employees Retirement System (SDCERS).
Those appointed as a Fire Fighter I will be required to meet California State Fire Training's Fire Fighter I & 2 certification standards and the City of San Diego Fire-Rescue Department proficiency requirements by the end of the one-year probationary period. On-the-job training will be provided.
As a condition of employment, candidates with paramedic certification may be assigned to practice as paramedics, and may be required to maintain their certification for which additional compensation may be paid.

You must meet the following requirements on the date you apply, unless otherwise indicated.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE: You must meet ONE of the following options:

Current enrollment in San Diego Fire-Rescue’s Basic Fire Academy. (Proof of successful completion is required at the time of hire.)
Successful completion of San Diego Fire-Rescue’s Basic Fire Academy within six months prior to the date of application.
One year of full-time experience as a Fire Fighter with the City of San Diego Fire-Rescue Department. Applicants will be required to pass the City of San Diego Fire-Rescue Department physical strength and agility evaluation at the time of hire.

NOTES:

If utilizing Option 1, proof of current enrollment in San Diego Fire-Rescue’s Basic Fire Academy will be provided by the hiring department.
Applicants MUST submit proof of successful completion of San Diego Fire-Rescue’s Basic Fire Academy at the time of hire.

CERTIFICATE: You must have ALL of the following valid certificates:

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Certificate or a Paramedic License issued ONLY by the State of California or by the National Registry (NREMT-Basic) or by an EMT or Paramedic certifying agency approved by the State of California.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Card (Healthcare Provider/BLS Provider equivalent or higher).

NOTES:

A valid County of San Diego Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Certificate or Paramedic License issued by the State of California and certified by the County of San Diego is required at the time of hire.
A valid Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Card (Healthcare Provider/BLS Provider equivalent or higher) is required at the time of hire.
A Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) or Pediatric Education for Prehospital Professionals (PEPP) Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Certificate is NOT qualifying.

LICENSE: A valid California Class C Driver License is required at the time of hire.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS (MUST SUBMIT WITH APPLICATION):

Proof of graduation from San Diego Fire-Rescue’s Basic Fire Academy, if utilized to meet Option 2 of the education/experience minimum requirement.
Copy of the front and back of your valid Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Certificate or Paramedic License.
Copy of the front and back of your valid Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Card (Healthcare Provider/BLS Provider).

Required documents should be attached electronically to your application. If you are unable to attach at the time of application submittal, you must submit them as soon as possible via fax: (619) 533-3337; or to the Employment Information Center: City of San Diego Personnel Department, 1200 Third Avenue - Suite 300, San Diego, CA 92101. Include your name and the title of the position for which you are applying.Please ensure all information is complete and accurate as the responses you provide on the supplemental questions will be reviewed using an automated evaluation system. If you are successful in this initial screening process, your application will be reviewed for applicable education, experience, and/or training to ensure all minimum requirements have been met. Successful candidates will be placed on a list which will be used to fill position vacancies during the next six months (180 days). For each vacancy, only those candidates with the most appropriate qualifications will be contacted by the hiring department for an interview.PRE-EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS: Employment offers are conditional pending the results of all screening processes applicable to this position, which may include the following: confirmation of citizenship or legal right to work in the United States; completion of a pre-employment medical review and exam (which may include drug and alcohol testing); reference checks; and fingerprinting. Fingerprints will be submitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the California Department of Justice for a conviction record report. Certain positions may require additional screening processes, including a polygraph examination and/or background investigation. All screening processes must be successfully completed before employment begins. A positive test result for alcohol, cannabis/marijuana, illegal drugs, or inadequately explained prescription drugs, or misrepresentation, falsification, or omission of pertinent facts in any step of the screening or selection process, may constitute cause for disqualification or termination of employment. Nothing in this job posting constitutes an express or implied contract for employment with the City of San Diego. Candidates must notify the Personnel Department of any change in their name, mailing address, email address, or phone number, otherwise they may miss employment opportunities.

CITY OF SAN DIEGOVision Requirements for Fire Fighter Candidates
1. Prior to being hired or offered employment, applicants must pass every aspect of a comprehensive medical examination and review of their medical history. Every medical standard must be met before an applicant will be approved by the City's examining physician. Vision standards are of no more importance than any other medical standard, but are given explanation because of new technology.

2. Your visual acuity must be 20/20 corrected or uncorrected, both eyes together. If your vision needs correction to 20/20,it must be corrected with eyeglasses at the time of the preplacement medical examination given by the City of San Diego. You will need to take your eyeglasses with you to the medical examination appointment.

3. In addition to meeting the requirements in number 2 above, if your vision needs correction to 20/20, you may choose to wear soft contact lenses. If you plan to wear soft contact lenses on the job, take your lenses with you to the medical examination appointment.

Hard contact lenses, including those known as semi-soft, semi-rigid, semi-permeable, gas permeable and similar lenses are not acceptable. Orthokeratology lenses are also not acceptable.

If you choose to wear soft contact lenses, you will be asked to present satisfactory medical evidence from your private optometrist or ophthalmologist documenting that you currently are a successful wearer of these lenses. Such documentation must also indicate if you have any medical contraindications to wearing soft contact lenses. We will request this information from you following the medical examination given by the City.

4. (a) If you have undergone any type of refractive vision surgery (or “touch up” surgery) such as Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK), radial keratectomy (RK), or photo refractive keratectomy (PRK),a year or longer prior to being medically considered for a Fire Recruit or Fire Fighter position, you must be substantially free of vision problems such as impaired vision at night or under dim lighting conditions, sensitivity to glare, starbursts experienced around light sources such as street lights or headlights, hazing or blurring of vision, eye irritation and pain, progressive regression of visual acuity, and daily changes in visual acuity. Your vision must be 20/20 both eyes together. If it is not, it must be corrected to 20/20 both eyes together in accordance with the requirements in number 2 or 3 above.

You will be asked to submit the results of a recent eye examination from your private ophthalmologist documenting the status of your vision. We will request this information from you following the medical examination given by the City.

(b) If you have undergone any type of refractive vision surgery (or “touch up” surgery)within less than a year of being medically considered for a Fire Recruit or Fire Fighter position, you may be hired on a conditional basis if you successfully complete a City-provided vision examination prior to hire, and at periodic intervals thereafter, until one year has elapsed from the date of the last vision surgery or “touch up” surgery. You must be substantially free of the vision problems outlined in paragraph 4(a) above. Your vision must be 20/20 both eyes together. If it is not, it must be corrected to 20/20 both eyes together in accordance with the requirements in number 2 or 3 above.

5. In all cases, you need to have binocular vision (vision in both eyes), normal visual fields, normal binocular fusion, and freedom from other visual conditions that would interfere with your ability to perform the full range of duties of a Fire Fighter with the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department.

6. In all cases, you need an acceptable level of color vision. This is determined at the time of the medical examination given by the City using standardized color vision tests.

NOTE:

The contents of this announcement are for the general information of candidates. They do not constitute an expressed or implied contract. Final determination of a candidate's medical suitability for employment is determined at the time of the medical examination.

Rev. 5 - May 1, 2026 (New Recruitment Date)