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The City of San Luis Obispo typically tests for Firefighter every other year and is looking for compassionate, friendly, physically, and mentally strong individuals.  Please review the job description for information about the minimum qualifications for Firefighter and sign up for job opening alerts through our Human Resources portal. 

Over the past few years, the City has hired lateral firefighters and firefighter-paramedics from other fire departments throughout the State of California.  We are challenged in our ability to hire non-California firefighters because of the lack of interstate reciprocity for Firefighter certification.  Candidates who wish to work for San Luis Obispo City Fire should pursue California State Fire Marshal certification as well as reciprocity for their EMT-Basic or Paramedic certifications.  For out-of-state applicants, obtaining National Registry Certification is typically the best first step in this process.

The City of San Luis Obispo requires applicants to be at least 18 years old, with a valid driver’s license, a California State Firefighter Academy certificate and a current EMT-B or EMT-P certificate.  The City is currently using CAL JAC Firefighter Candidate Testing Center for recruitments.  Please click here for more information: https://www.fctconline.org/.

Becoming a Firefighter, a social media collaboration of Cal-JAC  and FCTC, provides resources and recruitment information to prospective California firefighters at every step of their journey.

• Oral Interview: FCTC candidates meeting SLO City FD requirements will be screened for overall fit and invited to the Oral Interview process based on qualifications. Only the top applicants will be invited to participate in an oral interview. The interview panel shall interview prospective candidates and shall be comprised of personnel from the Fire Department and a representative from the City's Human Resources Department.
• Background Check: All successful applicants shall be subject to a reference check, a credit history check, and a criminal record check.
• Medical Exam: Any applicant passing all previous segments of the process will have thorough medical examination by a licensed physician of the City's choice and a valid and job-related psychological examination performed by a licensed psychologist of the City's choice.
•  Fire Academy: Recruit firefighters will go through a fire academy for approximately 10 weeks before being assigned to an engine or truck company.
•  Probationary Period: Original appointments to the Fire Department shall be for probationary period of 12 months from date of hire.
• Firefighting is an extremely arduous career, which is why our fitness standards are very high.  While the San Luis Obispo currently relies on third-party pre-employment fitness testing and certification, successful candidates will find that the minimum expectations for on-the-job application of fitness and skills are significant.  For more information, please consider San Luis Obispo Fire's Basic Performance Evaluation.  This hands-on manipulative evolution is one example of an evolution that is used to assess technical skills and physical fitness for our Emergency Response personnel.  In developing a fitness regimen for testing as well as for understanding the fitness expectations for all SLO City Firefighters, candidates are encouraged to consider this evaluation tool, which requires strength, flexibility, aerobic and anaerobic endurance, and tenacity.  

Other than during the open application phase, qualified Firefighter candidates are encouraged to schedule a ride-along with a SLO City fire crew.  You can schedule a ride-along by contacting us via email, and please include your full name and contact phone number.  Because our employees are our most vital asset in delivering our community-focused mission, Fire Chief Aggson is willing to meet with qualified Firefighter candidates prior to the open application process.  During this optional one-on-one time, interested potential applicants are encouraged to bring a current resume.  You can schedule a meeting with Chief Tuggle via email.

**Ride-Alongs, station visits, and meetings with the Chief will be unavailable during the recruitment process**

Our standards for meeting the minimum qualifications for employment consideration are high.  We are looking for highly skilled professional firefighters.  Having said that, our expectations for personal character are even higher.  We've often said that competence is the minimum expectation, and character is what sets successful candidates apart.  Our comprehensive testing process and background investigations assess both competence and character.

Here are some recommendations to help you navigate starting a career in the Fire Service.

• Have a plan
  • Seek out a line level suppression Fire Captain or Firefighter as a mentor. 
  • Write out your plan to obtain a Firefighter/EMT position and steps to execute it.
  • There are several planning aids to help you with this. This is a great handout created by Santa Clara County Fire Department.
  • Be realistic, remember it is a journey to get there, most FF candidates take 3 to 5 years to get full time employment.
  • Evaluate, decide and commit.  Once you commit you need to be all in at all times, it is a great career, however there is no “I am thinking about it”.  Either you’re in or out; non-commitment leads to an unfulfilled waste of time.  Don’t look back 3 years from now without employment due to lack of commitment. 
  • Make sure you discuss this with your spouse/partner and you both agree to be all in... the team approach is important; at times the testing part is stressful.
• Training/Education:
  • FINISH your AS DEGREE then go get a BS DEGREE. If you have your BS/BA you are steps ahead and consider a Masters.
    • AS – Focus on Fire Science
    • BS – Fire Administration, Forest Management, Public Administration etc… are great, but any advanced degree is good.
  • Allan Hancock Fire Technology A.S. Degree classes
    • https://catalog.hancockcollege.edu/current/programs/fire-technology-associate-in-science.php
    • If you work fulltime, consider taking an online class each semester to get this knocked out
  • Allan Hancock or any CA State Fire Training approved Fire Academy
    • This is a big commitment, recommend getting on as a reserve/PCF somewhere first and getting some basic experience before applying
  • Cuesta College Emergency Medical Technician and Paramedic Program
  • National Fire Academy Self Study Courses
    • https://www.usfa.fema.gov
    • Free and self-paced
    • A few recommended classes
      • Firefighter Safety: Calling the Mayday Q0133
      • ICS-100: An Introduction to the Incident Command System Q0462
      • ICS-200: Basic Incident Command System for Initial Response Q0463
      • Introduction to Emergency Response to Terrorism Q0890
      • NWCG S-190, Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior Q0901 - S190
      • Principles of Building Construction Q0751
      • Wildland/Urban Interface Fire Q0617
• Fire Department Reserve and Seasonal jobs contacts:
  • Atascadero Fire
    • Seasonal FF jobs
  • CAL FIRE SLU/SLO Co.
    • Paid Call and Seasonal FF Jobs
  • Morro Bay Fire
    • Reserve and Seasonal FF jobs
  • Templeton Fire
    • Paid Call Firefighter jobs
  • San Luis Obispo City
    • Firefighter Intern Program – beginning in July 2021
  • Firefighter Candidate Testing Center Program
    • https://www.fctconline.org/
    • Administer written placement test
    • Administer the Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) for measuring an individual’s ability to handle the physical demands of being a firefighter (eight separate events)
    • Provides statewide eligibility lists and job opening information
  • Firefighter Jobs
    • Check out several of the online job search websites.  Look at the job descriptions, minimum qualifications, desired training and certifications to give you an idea what path you may need to take.
    • https://www.firecareers.com/index.php

It is a great career but requires a lot of training and dedication to get there.  You will take lots of tests and interviews but keep your head up and stay focused.  It is entirely worth it!