How to Get Hired at San Bernardino County Fire: The Firefighter Trainee Process

John Nelson — Firefighter/Paramedic · Helicopter Paramedic Rescuer · former U.S. Navy SAR Medical Technician Updated July 27, 2026 · 2 min read

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.

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.

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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.
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.

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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