Firefighter hiring, department by department
Every department runs its own process. Some use the CPAT, some use Biddle, some use their own physical test entirely. Some want you paramedic-certified before you apply; others hire you as an EMT and send you to medic school. These 26 guides break down each one: requirements, which tests they actually use, the real timeline, and what to prepare first.
Requirements and windows change. Always confirm against the department's own posting before you rely on anything here.
Southern California
Long Beach Fire
Long Beach Fire's recruit process: FCTC written, Cal-JAC CPAT, EMT at conditional offer, the Ambulance Operator route, and when applications open.
Los Angeles City Fire (LAFD)
LAFD firefighter hiring: requirements, the FCA written, the Biddle (BPAT) physical that replaced the CPAT, EMT rules, application dates and how to prepare.
Los Angeles County Fire (LACoFD)
LACoFD hiring: the EMT and Paramedic Firefighter Trainee tracks, the 911 paramedic-experience rule, CPAT, when applications open, and how to prepare.
Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA)
OCFA firefighter hiring: the Biddle physical vs. CPAT, EMT requirements, when Trainee and Paramedic Trainee applications open, and the timeline to academy.
San Bernardino County Fire
The San Bernardino County Fire firefighter trainee hiring process: CPAT requirement, the paid 4-month academy, paramedic track pay, and how to prepare.
San Diego Fire-Rescue
San Diego Fire-Rescue's recruit process: EMT and CPAT requirements, preferred experience, when applications open, academy pay, and how to prepare.
Ventura County Fire
Ventura County Fire's two entry paths, Fire Control Worker and Firefighter Trainee: testing requirements, when applications open, and how to prepare.
Northern California
Contra Costa Fire (Con Fire)
How Contra Costa County Fire (Con Fire) hires recruits: the FCTC list, EMT requirement, when applications open, the academy, and how to prepare.
Sacramento City Fire
Sacramento Fire's recruit process: the FCTC statewide list, EMT and paramedic tracks, the summer application window, the residency rule, and prep.
Sacramento Metro Fire
How Sacramento Metro Fire hires: Firefighter/Paramedic postings, the paramedic license and CPAT requirements, when windows open, and how to prepare.
San Francisco Fire (SFFD)
SFFD's H-2 firefighter process: FCTC written, CPAT, EMT requirements, current application rounds, the eligible list, salary, and how to prepare.
San Jose Fire
San Jose Fire's recruit process: the FCTC statewide list, CPAT, EMT and paramedic requirements, when windows open, pay after academy, and prep.
Central California
Bakersfield Fire (city)
Bakersfield Fire's Firefighter Trainee process: EMT, FCTC written, CPAT or Biddle, the oral appraisal, current filing dates, and how to prepare.
Kern County Fire
Kern County Fire's Firefighter Recruit process: when applications open, the written test, CPAT, the academy and NREMT requirement, and how to prepare.
Statewide
CAL FIRE (statewide)
CAL FIRE Firefighter I (FF1): seasonal work, the training categories, FFI academy and EMT certs, the November application window, and how to prepare.
Arizona
Phoenix Fire
Phoenix Fire's recruit hiring process: online testing, CPAT and EMT deadlines, when application windows open, salary, and how to prepare for each step.
Tucson Fire
Tucson Fire's recruit process: written exam weighting, oral board, CPAT, EMT rules, when testing cycles open, salary, and how to prepare.
Nevada
Clark County Fire
How Clark County Fire (CCFD) hires: when applications open, the written test, the Candidate Ability Test, paramedic preference, and how to prepare.
Las Vegas Fire & Rescue
The Las Vegas Fire & Rescue firefighter trainee hiring process: CPAT window, written test, Nevada or NREMT certification at offer, and how to prepare.
Colorado
Colorado Springs Fire
The Colorado Springs Fire Department fire trainee hiring process: NTN FireTEAM score, CPAT at testing and offer, the EMT-B requirement, and how to prepare.
Denver Fire
How Denver Fire hires entry-level firefighters: the Civil Service application, NTN written test, CPAT, EMT and vision rules, and how to prepare.
South Metro Fire Rescue
The South Metro Fire Rescue (Colorado) hiring process: FireTEAM test, CPAT, the 21+ age rule, paramedic hiring, the 16-week academy, and how to prepare.
Washington
Seattle Fire
Seattle Fire's hiring process: the fall civil service window, NTN FireTEAM, EMT rules, the physical ability test, starting salary, and how to prepare.
Oregon
Portland Fire & Rescue
How Portland Fire & Rescue hires entry-level firefighters: NTN FireTEAM, CPAT, EMT and paramedic postings, when windows open, and how to prepare.
New Mexico
Albuquerque Fire Rescue
The Albuquerque Fire Rescue cadet hiring process: CPAT certificate, written exam, pack test, structured oral interview, salary steps, and how to prepare.
Texas
Austin Fire
How Austin Fire hires cadets: eligibility, the written exam, the video Structured Oral Process, CPAT, when applications open, and the academy.
The Firefighter Hiring Roadmap
Every step from where you are now to a badge (certs, the written, the CPAT, the oral board, background, academy) with the honest timeline for each. Written by a working Firefighter/Paramedic. We'll email you the guide and the occasional hiring-window heads-up. Unsubscribe in one click.
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