Fire Department · Combination
Tulare County Fire Department
Visalia, CA · Tulare County
108 full-time and 360 extra-help personnel
No active openings right now
Watch this department to be notified when Tulare County Fire Department is hiring, or check their careers page.
Department careers page ↗Tulare County Fire Department provides fire, rescue, and emergency medical response across Tulare County in California's Central Valley, a region that stretches from valley farmland up into the Sierra Nevada and the southern Sequoia groves. That geography puts the department squarely in wildland-urban interface country, responding to major campaigns such as the SQF and Windy fires.
The department operates 27 fire-station-based companies and is staffed by roughly 108 full-time and 360 extra-help personnel, giving it a mix of career firefighters and seasonal/extra-help capacity suited to a heavy summer fire season.
Leadership sits under Fire Chief Charlie Norman, a longtime California fire-service officer whose career began with CAL FIRE. The department maintains divisions for training, fire prevention, and emergency services, and recruits both entry-level firefighters and firefighter/paramedics.
Tulare County hires firefighters through the county's official governmentjobs.com portal, opening periodic recruitments to fill current vacancies and build a six-month eligibility list for future openings. Entry-level candidates need a valid CPAT certificate (issued within 12 months) at the first interview, and firefighters must obtain EMT-B certification within their first year.
Prospective applicants are encouraged to monitor the department's website and social media for open recruitments and to submit an interest card to be notified when a firefighter or firefighter/paramedic recruitment opens. Selection typically includes application screening, an oral interview, and a departmental assessment/exercise, with final ranking set by exam scores.
Requirements
- Minimum 18 years of age at time of application
- High school diploma or equivalent (12th grade completion)
- Valid California driver's license
- Valid CPAT certificate issued within 12 months, presented at first interview
- Obtain EMT-B certification through CCEMSA within the first year of employment
- Pass pre-employment drug and alcohol screening and background investigation
Hiring process
- Submit application through the county governmentjobs.com portal during an open recruitment
- Application review to identify qualified candidates
- Oral interview and departmental assessment/exercise
- Ranking on the six-month employment eligibility list by exam score
- Pre-employment drug/alcohol screening and background investigation
Benefits
Full-time firefighter positions may qualify for federal student loan forgiveness under the College Cost Reduction and Access Act. County benefits apply to full-time positions.
What are the basic requirements to become a Tulare County firefighter?
You must be at least 18, have a high school diploma or equivalent, hold a valid California driver's license, and present a valid CPAT certificate (issued within the prior 12 months) at your first interview. New firefighters must earn EMT-B certification through CCEMSA within their first year.
How do I apply and get notified of openings?
Recruitments are posted on the county's governmentjobs.com portal. Between openings you can submit an interest card and follow the department's website and social media to be alerted when a firefighter or firefighter/paramedic recruitment opens.
What does the hiring process look like?
After application screening, qualified candidates are invited to an oral interview and a departmental assessment/exercise. Exam scores determine your rank on an employment eligibility list that stays active for six months and is used to fill current and future vacancies.
What is the pay and schedule?
Entry-level firefighters earn roughly $53,389-$65,067 per year ($18.33-$22.34/hour) working a 56-hour week on a 48-hours-on/96-hours-off rotation. Firefighter/paramedic positions pay a higher rate.
Do I need to be a paramedic to apply?
No. Entry-level firefighter positions require EMT-B certification within the first year, not paramedic certification. The department also runs separate firefighter/paramedic recruitments for licensed paramedics at a higher pay rate.
Past postings, kept for reference. These are no longer accepting applications.