FIREFIGHTER/PARAMEDIC RECRUIT

About the role

The City of San Marcos is currently recruiting three (3) Firefighter Paramedic Recruit positions. Applications open on June 22, 2026, and close at 4:30 PM on July 10, 2026. Skills testing and structured interviews take place on July 29 and 30, 2026, followed by ladder climbing and PPE fitting on July 30, 2026, and background checks from September 7 to 8, 2026.

Responsibilities

• Responds to alarms involving fire, all types of accidents, gas leaks, flooded structures, hazardous substances, and lifesaving and rescue work.
• Plays fire hose, sets ladders, operates fire streams, ventilates and enters burning structures to extinguish fires and perform rescue services.
• Treats and transports patients in accordance with San Diego County Emergency Medical Services protocol and Department policy; diagnoses medical problems and provides emergency medical care and treatment to ill or injured persons.
• Interprets electrocardiograms and recognizes cardiac arrhythmias; administers cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), defibrillation, intravenous solutions, emergency bandaging and splinting, places and uses adjunctive breathing devices to maintain an effective airway, and performs other medical procedures as directed by the Base Station Hospital.
• Prepares and maintains, in a confidential manner, a variety of records and reports such as medical information, controlled drug inventory, equipment and station logs, and EMS reports.
• Supports and assists other Firefighter/Paramedics as directed on medical calls.
• Performs fire prevention and pre-fire planning inspections in commercial, industrial and municipal facilities; inspects and maintains fire hydrants.
• Participates in drills and other Department training activities; participates in fire watches; participates in self-directed exercise program to maintain physical fitness.
• Studies and keeps up to date on City geography, Department rules, regulations, procedures and other training and job-related materials; updates station bulletin boards and maps.
• Cleans and maintains fire station and grounds; washes, polishes, and performs preventive maintenance on fire apparatus and equipment.
• In the event of a major fire or emergency, may be called in from off duty to work mandatory hours which may include an extended period.
• Supports and assists in automatic or mutual aid responses, or in support of Department endorsed or sponsored events.
• Presents programs and participates in departmental public relations programs as assigned; demonstrates proper procedures and techniques to other employees as assigned.
• Performs other related work as required.

Qualifications

• Must be at least 18 years of age and have an education equivalent to completion of the twelfth grade.
• Must have graduated from a 240-hour Firefighter I Academy accredited by California State Fire Marshal/State Fire Training or equivalent, as determined by the department.
• Must have a valid Driver License - if from a state other than CA - Candidate must obtain a CA Driver license with satisfactory driving record by time of appointment.
• Must have a Certified EMT/Paramedic license – if issued in a state other than CA – candidate must obtain an EMT-P accreditation with the County of San Diego EMS office. A San Diego County Card is required at time of appointment, not at time of application.
• Must have a valid CPR Certification with a minimum rating of BLS-C.
• Must have a Current ACLS Card.
• Must have a passing result in both FCTC written and CPAT within 12 months of application deadline.
• Must be on the FCTC Statewide Eligibility List (SEL) at time of application.

Skills

Knowledge of firefighting and EMS procedures and equipment; fire ground tactics and strategy; emergency incident management, specifically the Incident Command System (ICS); principles of incident safety; automatic and mutual aid agreements; hazardous materials procedures; and confined space and technical rescue techniques; hazardous materials, fire prevention procedures and related codes; rescue operations and procedures; California vehicular laws related to operation of various firefighting and rescue apparatus; safety principles and practices related to the Fire Service; policies, procedures, rules and regulations of the City of San Marcos and the San Marcos Fire Department; geography and street layout of the City and surrounding area; laws and regulations pertaining to fire and emergency medical services operations; personal protective equipment; pertinent federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations; algebraic and arithmetic computations; English usage, spelling, grammar and punctuation; principles and practices of customer service.

Benefits

Protecting the public is just the start—check out the great benefits that protect you, too! A Firefighter Paramedic Recruit (Recruit) is under constant supervision while attending the fire department orientation and mentorship. The department orientation and mentorship process prepare recruits for a firefighting career and teaches them to perform related work. Fire Recruit is an entry-level class in the Firefighter series. The Recruit attends fire department orientation and mentorship processes to learn and demonstrate proficiency at firefighter and paramedic skills and related rescue techniques, emergency medical techniques, fire codes, fire apparatus and equipment use, fire prevention and investigation methods, salvage and overhaul operations through classroom training, drills and observation.

Pay

The starting salary step for lateral employees will be negotiated at time for hire.

Schedule

At the successful completion of the Orientation phase, the Recruit position will transition into the class of a Firefighter/Paramedic.