Fire Department · Career
Central County Fire Department
Burlingame, CA · San Mateo County
Daily staffing includes seven engine companies, one truck company, and one on-duty Battalion Chief, 24 hours a day, run out of seven stations plus an administrative headquarters and training facility.
No active openings right now
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Department careers page ↗Central County Fire Department was formed in April 2004 when the City of Burlingame and the Town of Hillsborough signed a Joint Powers Agreement merging their long-standing, century-old fire departments; the department's jurisdiction today also covers Millbrae. CCFD protects roughly 70,000 residents across about 15.51 square miles surrounding San Francisco International Airport, a corridor that also carries tens of millions of SFO travelers a year plus riders passing through the Millbrae BART and Caltrain station and traffic on Highways 101 and 280. The district mixes dense single-family and multi-residential neighborhoods, hotels, retail and industrial areas, a regional hospital, and wildland-urban interface terrain bordering the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission's Peninsula Watershed.
Daily operations run out of seven stations with seven engine companies, one truck company, and an on-duty Battalion Chief staffed around the clock. CCFD also cross-staffs a state-typed Type I heavy rescue Urban Search & Rescue unit — many of its Special Operations-trained members serve on California US&R Task Force 3 — alongside a Type 6 wildland apparatus for the department's WUI exposure. A Fire Chief leads the department with a command staff of a Deputy Chief, Fire Marshal, Battalion Chiefs, and an Administrative Services Manager, while a dedicated Fire Prevention Division handles inspections, plan review, code enforcement, fire investigations, and community risk-reduction and safety-education programs across the three-city service area.
MissionWe deliver effective, efficient, accessible protection across all hazards by collaborating with our community to ensure safety and resilience.
CCFD hires both entry-level and lateral firefighters and posts openings on CalOpps, its own website, and its social media accounts. Applicants must first meet the department's minimum qualifications and be on the statewide Firefighter Candidate Testing Center (FCTC) eligibility list before CCFD's Hiring Committee will consider them.
Requirements
- Minimum 18 years of age at time of employment
- Eligible to work in the United States
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Current EMT-1 (Basic), Defibrillator, or Paramedic license (National Registry acceptable)
- Valid California Class C driver's license or equivalent
- Must be on the Firefighter Candidate Testing Center (FCTC) statewide eligibility list
Hiring process
- Meet minimum qualifications and place on the FCTC statewide eligibility list
- CCFD Hiring Committee interview
- Fire Chief's interview
- Thorough background investigation
- Physical examination and drug screening
- Fourteen-week fire academy with recruits from throughout San Mateo County
- Eighteen-month probationary period with ongoing training after academy graduation
New hires attend a fourteen-week fire academy alongside recruits from other San Mateo County departments, followed by additional department training and an eighteen-month probationary period.
How do I become a firefighter with Central County Fire Department?
Meet CCFD's minimum qualifications and get on the statewide FCTC eligibility list, then complete the department's Hiring Committee interview, Fire Chief's interview, background investigation, and physical/drug screening before attending a fourteen-week fire academy and an eighteen-month probation.
What are the minimum requirements to apply?
Applicants must be at least 18, eligible to work in the U.S., hold a high school diploma or equivalent, have a current EMT-1/Basic, Defibrillator, or Paramedic license, hold a valid California Class C license, and be on the FCTC statewide eligibility list.
How do I apply for a position with CCFD?
CCFD posts job openings on CalOpps, its website, and its social media accounts, and uses the Firefighter Candidate-Testing Center (FCTC) to establish an eligibility list; candidates who meet the minimum passing score receive invitations to continue in the process.
How long does the firefighter eligibility list last?
Candidates who reach the Chief's interview are placed on an eligibility list that lasts 12 to 24 months at the Chief's discretion.
Does CCFD hire lateral firefighters?
Yes. CCFD recruits both entry-level and lateral firefighter candidates for its openings.