Placentia Fire Department

The Placentia Fire and Life Safety Department ran its first shift on July 1, 2020, making Placentia the first Orange County city to break away from the Orange County Fire Authority and stand up its own municipal fire department. At launch the city paired its fire engines with a private ambulance provider for paramedic transport, keeping engine companies available for the full range of calls; medical emergencies make up the majority of the department's workload.

The department protects the city from two stations — Station 1 on South Bradford Avenue and Station 2 on North Valencia Avenue — and is dispatched by Placentia's own Public Safety Communications Center, which handles both police and fire calls. Per the 2023–25 biennial report, operations run under a deputy fire chief with three battalion chiefs, six captains, six engineers, and nine firefighters.

A Community Risk Reduction division under the fire marshal handles fire code compliance, inspections, and fire plan review, and reached full implementation during the 2023–25 reporting period with the addition of a full-time fire inspector. The department also participates in the California Fire and Rescue Mutual Aid System, sending firefighters as single resources to support fire suppression efforts across the state.

Hiring runs through the City of Placentia's Human Resources Department on GovernmentJobs. A complete city application is required — a resume may accompany it but is not accepted in its place. Applications are screened on education, training, and experience, and the most qualified candidates are invited to a selection process that can include oral interviews, written exams, and oral presentations. Successful candidates are placed on an employment-eligible list, valid for up to one year, from which hires are made as vacancies occur. Civilian fire prevention positions under the fire marshal recruit through the same portal.