How to Get Hired at San Bernardino County Fire: The Firefighter Trainee Process
The San Bernardino County Fire Protection District covers the largest county in the contiguous United States — over 20,000 square miles — protecting its unincorporated communities and a growing number of cities, and hires through a Firefighter Trainee classification with its own paid academy. Here is the path and how to prepare. Confirm current openings on the official site, sbcfire.org.
Testing with this department? Rehearse the oral board before it counts. Run a free board, no card →
When does San Bernardino County Fire open applications?
Closed Checked : No entry-level Firefighter Trainee posting is open. The one firefighter posting this year was internal only.
Windows run about two weeks with no fixed month: June 2024 for paramedics, then March to April 2025 for both tracks. The EMT and paramedic tracks post separately. County Fire accepts only the FCTC written.
| Posting | Opened | Closed |
|---|---|---|
| Firefighter Trainee (Paramedic) | Jun 8, 2024 | Jun 21, 2024 |
| Firefighter Trainee, EMT | Mar 29, 2025 | Apr 11, 2025 |
| Firefighter Trainee (Paramedic) | Mar 29, 2025 | Apr 11, 2025 |
Get told when it opens: Submit an interest card on the county jobs portal. The district says this is how you get the email when a recruitment opens. governmentjobs.com · Official recruitment page: sbcfire.org
Basic requirements
- 18 or older with a high school diploma or equivalent at time of application
- A valid California class C driver's license (maintained throughout)
- A passing CPAT dated within the last 12 months at time of application
- A California EMT or paramedic license — recent Firefighter Trainee recruitments have required a valid California paramedic license, plus current CPR and ACLS cards, and an FCTC written test score; ICEMA accreditation is required by appointment
The selection process
- Apply during an open Firefighter Trainee recruitment on San Bernardino County's GovernmentJobs portal — trainee and paramedic-trainee postings run separately.
- Screening and testing — applications are screened for minimums, including the 12-month CPAT; competitive steps vary by posting.
- Background, medical, and psychological evaluation.
- The paid academy (the Tower) — roughly four months of fire suppression, prevention, and EMS coursework. Trainees earn an hourly wage during the academy, and paramedic-track candidates must complete licensing and ICEMA accreditation before Tower completion.
- Promotion to Firefighter — graduates promote to Firefighter on a 56-hour schedule; the paramedic track carries a monthly stipend and significantly higher total pay — recent ranges ran roughly $74,000 to $100,000.
Knowing the process is step one. Being ready for each gate is the rest. Tailboard covers the written, the physical, and the oral board for one hiring season.
How to prepare
- The CPAT: it must be dated within 12 months when you apply, so time your test — use the CPAT training plan and study all 8 CPAT events.
- The oral board: county panels reward candidates who know the district's scope — wildland, structure, EMS across mountain, valley, and desert. Rehearse with the firefighter oral board. Work through the firefighter oral board interview questions first.
- The background: the county process is thorough; get ahead of it with the background check and psych eval guide.
Frequently asked questions
Does San Bernardino County Fire require the CPAT?
Yes. A passing CPAT dated within the last 12 months at time of application is a stated requirement on recent Firefighter Trainee postings. Schedule your CPAT so the card is current when the recruitment opens.
How long is the San Bernardino County Fire academy?
The paid academy — often called the Tower — runs approximately four months and covers fire suppression, prevention, and emergency medical training. Successful graduates promote into the Firefighter classification.
How much does San Bernardino County Fire pay?
Recent postings listed academy pay at roughly $30 per hour, with promotion after the Tower to a range of roughly $74,000 to $100,000 per year on a 56-hour week for the paramedic track. Verify current figures on the county's posting.