Entry level and Lateral Firefighter Paramedic

About the Department

Position Duties

• Responds to medical emergencies and provides patient care at the paramedic level. Cleans and maintains station quarters and grounds; cleans, maintains, and tests emergency equipment and apparatus; and participates in drills and training sessions.
• Responds to fire alarms of all types and performs suppression activities.
• Operates a variety of apparatus, equipment, tools, devices, and vehicles related to fire services.
• Conducts inspections of equipment to ensure proper working condition and readiness, which includes fire hydrants, power tools, medical equipment, and other related equipment.
• Participates in public education activities, which may include giving station tours, presenting prevention education materials, giving classroom presentations, assisting public walk-ins at the station, and performing other related activities.
• Compiles, writes, and submits reports related to emergency and non-emergency activities, which includes fire, emergency medical services, and fire prevention activities.
• Conducts fire prevention inspections of dwellings, public assemblies, and commercial and industrial buildings.
• Participates in continuing education related to fire safety. Performs other duties of a similar nature or level.

Minimum Qualifications

Entry Level: 

• High School diploma or G.E.D (College level work in Fire Science, EMS, or a related field is highly desirable). 

• High School diploma or G.E.D (College level work in Fire Science, EMS, or a related field is highly desirable). 
• Graduation Certificate of Completion from a full, all-risk firefighter academy (400+ hours) 
• 1-year full-time employment as a Firefighter/Paramedic with a paid, career fire department AND successful completion of a minimum 1-year probationary period with a current paid full time fire department.

• Current Emergency Medical Technician- Paramedic (EMT-P) License with the State of California
• Current Advanced Cardiac Life Support Certificate (ACLS)
• Current CPR Certification
• Candidate must be able to obtain a County of San Diego, EMT-P accreditation by the time of appointment

Other Qualifications

Application Process and Deadline: 

A completed employment application, including all required attachments, must be submitted online by 5pm on Sunday, May 17, 2026. Applications that do not include attached copies of the required licenses and certifications will not be accepted. Only include copies of the required licenses, certifications, and education.

Testing will begin the week of June 1, 2026. Notices will NOT be sent until after the application acceptance period has closed. 

Please note dates are tentative and subject to change. 

Recruitment Timeline:

Candidates must pass each component in order to advance to the next step in the testing process.

The EMS Written Test will test your general paramedic knowledge on topics such as anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, skills knowledge, signs and symptoms, basic treatment, etc. This test will include San Diego County-specific protocol questions. All dates are tentative and subject to change without prior notice.

SD County Paramedic Protocols

The Physical Ability Test was designed after an exhaustive job task analysis conducted by ARA/HUMAN FACTORS, one of the country's leading authorities on public safety job standards development. The test accurately reflects the physical demands of many fire suppression activities. In order to participate in the testing processing, you must have submitted a Release and Waiver of Liability prior to the start of the testing. Waivers will be provided at the testing location.