FIRE FIGHTER TRAINEE (PARAMEDIC)

County of Los Angeles; California; On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

LA County Fire Department is seeking a Fire Fighter Trainee (Paramedic) to provide advanced emergency medical care as part of a paramedic team. The role involves flighting through initial 90-day probation with potential for permanent appointment and a paramedic bonus upon permanent hire.

Applicants must hold an EMT-P license from the State of California EMS Authority, have 12 months of 9-1-1 paramedic experience, and possess a current CPAT certificate.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent from accredited institution.
• EMT-P license issued by CA EMS Authority; valid for at least 6 months beyond appointment.
• 12 months of full-time experience as a primary care paramedic on 9-1-1 responses.
• Current CPAT certificate required at time of appointment.

Responsibilities

• Provide EMT-Paramedic level emergency medical assessment and care.
• Monitor ECG and defibrillate; manage life-threatening arrhythmias.
• Establish IV/IO access and administer medications per protocol.
• Supervise or participate in firefighting training; learn fire suppression procedures.
• Work in teams to safely rescue and care for patients in emergencies.

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

EMT-P License (CA EMS Authority)

12 months paramedic EMS experience (9-1-1)

CPAT certificate

Job description

LA County Fire Department – Fire Fighter Trainee (Paramedic)

Type of Recruitment: Open Competitive Job Opportunity – Emergency

Exam Number: 30198 B -EA

Application Filing Period: Applications accepted from October 19, 2026, at 8:00 a.m. (PT) until October 23, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. (PT). All applications must be received before 5:00 p.m. (PT) on October 23, 2026, to be accepted.

The LA County Board of Supervisors recently declared a local state of emergency for homelessness, and the County is working to revise and expand our response to help all who are affected. We are looking for qualified and passionate individuals to help us in the mission of addressing issues like housing, mental health, and substance use. If you are looking for a new career that will directly benefit the population of LA County, this may be the opportunity for you.

POSITION

Fire Fighter Trainee (Paramedic) vacancies related to the homelessness crisis.

Under the emergency order, applicants who meet the requirements may be hired for an initial period of up to 90 days, with an opportunity for permanent County employment. During your initial work period, you will be assessed on your work performance. This assessment will be weighted 100%. Those who successfully pass the 90‑day assessment will be considered for permanent appointment to Fire Fighter Paramedic and will be eligible for a paramedic bonus upon permanent appointment.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Provides EMT-Paramedic level of advanced emergency medical assessment, care and treatment.
• Utilizes, monitors, and interprets electrocardiograms, performs defibrillation, chemical and electrical cardioversion, and/or external pacing to correct any life‑threatening arrhythmia occurring with the patient's heart.
• Establishes intravenous (IV) catheters, intraosseous (10), or other cannula (IV/10 lines) in peripheral veins and/or intraosseous.
• Administers and monitors approved medications and dosage by intravenous, intraosseous, intramuscular, subcutaneous, inhalation, transcutaneous, rectal, sublingual, endotracheal, oral or topical means.
• Assesses and clears oral and nasal airways to administer oxygen in proper quantity as per protocol in order to facilitate patient’s breathing.
• Inspects the airway by the use of laryngoscope and removes foreign bodies with forceps.
• Performs pulmonary ventilation by use of approved Los Angeles County EMS Agency basic and/or advanced techniques and adjuncts (CPAP, supraglottic airway devices, adult oral endotracheal intubation, etc.).
• Utilizes point of care devices to monitor glucose, capnography, pulse oximetry, carboxyhemoglobin levels; and performs needle thoracostomy.
• Under close supervision, participates in a firefighting training program. Through classroom and field training, learns proper firefighting techniques and procedures for fighting structural, watershed, chemical, petroleum, electrical, and other fires.
• Receives instructions and participates in field training to learn proper procedures and acquire proficiency in the rescue or evacuation of persons endangered by fire or disaster in the provision of emergency medical care.
• Receives instructions in pre‑fire plan inspection and enforcement of the Fire Code.
• Receives instructions and learns proper care and operations of all fire suppression apparatus.
• Works in a team environment while providing patient and compassionate care to members of the public in emergency and non‑emergency conditions.

REQUIREMENTS

Specialty Requirements: Applicants who do not have a Paramedic License issued by the State of California Emergency Medical Services Authority and the required experience will be disqualified.

In order to qualify, candidates must meet all of the following requirements:

• Graduation from high school, its equivalent*, or higher from an accredited institution**
• A current, valid, non‑probationary California Emergency Medical Technician‑Paramedic (EMT‑P) License issued by the State of California Emergency Medical Services Authority*** that must be effective for at least six months beyond the date of appointment
• Twelve (12) months of full‑time experience as a primary care paramedic running 9‑1‑1 responses****
• A current and valid Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) certificate*****

See below LICENSE/CERTIFICATE(S) section for details on what must be submitted.

• Graduation from an accredited U.S. high school or equivalent U.S. high school proficiency or higher education. Evidence of equivalent high school proficiency includes having passed the GED, TASC, HiSET, or CHSPE. Accredited high schools are those accredited by certifying organizations recognized by the United States Department of Education, and include accredited public and non‑public high schools in the United States and accredited United States Department of Defense high schools.
• Accredited institutions are those listed in the publications of regional, national, or international accrediting agencies which are accepted by the Department of Human Resources. Publications such as American Universities and Colleges and International Handbook of Universities are acceptable references. Also acceptable, if appropriate, are degrees that have been evaluated and deemed to be equivalent to degrees from United States accredited institutions by an academic credential evaluation agency recognized by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services or the Association of International Credential Evaluations, Inc. (AICE) .
• EMT‑P License: Issued by the State of California Emergency Medical Services Authority that must remain effective for at least six months beyond the date of appointment .
• Full time experience as a primary paramedic running 9‑1‑1 responses is defined as the paramedic responsible for primary patient care decisions while running 9‑1‑1 responses . Primary paramedic responsibilities are defined as all decisions on the assessment, treatment, and transport of patients that are accessing the 9‑1‑1 system . Inter‑facility transports do not qualify .
• A Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) is a timed test that measures performance on physical tasks simulating actual job duties on the fire ground. A current and valid CPAT must be provided by the time of appointment.

AGE

At least 18 years of age at the time of appointment.

CITIZENSHIP

A United States citizen or permanent resident who is eligible for and has applied for citizenship at the time of appointment.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

• Twenty‑four (24) months of full‑time experience as a firefighter paramedic
• California State Fire Training Firefighter I or II, or equivalent certification(s) from another state
• California State Fire Training Apparatus Operator IA or IB certificate, or equivalent certification(s) from another state
• A current and valid Los Angeles County Paramedic Accreditation issued by the Los Angeles County Emergency Medical Services Agency

PHYSICAL CLASS

4 – Arduous: This class involves frequent heavy lifting over 25 pounds, often combined with bending, twisting, or working above ground on irregular surfaces. It includes those positions that occasionally demand extraordinary physical activity such as those in Safety positions.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Applicants must be in good general physical condition, free from any medical condition that would interfere with the satisfactory performance of the duties of this position.

VISION

• Acuity – At least 20/70 in each eye without correction, correctable to 20/30 in each eye.
• Color perception – Anything other than minor hue impairment is disqualifying .

HEARING

There may be no greater than a 25 Db loss in the better ear as averaged over the test frequencies of 500, 1000, 2000, and 3000 Hz. There may not be a peak loss at any of the test frequencies greater than

• 30 Db at 500 Hz
• 30 Db at 1000 Hz
• 40 Db at 2000 Hz
• 40 Db at 3000 Hz

There may be no greater than a 35 Db loss in the worse ear as averaged over the test frequencies, and no peak loss greater than 45 Db at any of the test frequencies. In the case of a questionable, unusual, or borderline hearing loss, the applicant's record will be reviewed by the Occupational Health Service consultant in otolaryngology who will make a recommendation as to the applicant's employability, and forward it to the Medical Director for final disposition.

LICENSE/CERTIFICATE AND SUBMISSION PROCESS

• To receive credit for your education, include a copy of your official diploma, its equivalent, official transcript, or letter/certificate from an accredited institution within five (5) calendar days of filing your application. The document should show the date the degree was conferred and be in English; if it is in a foreign language, it must be translated and evaluated for equivalency to U.S. standards. For more information on our standards for educational documents, please visit: https://file.lacounty.gov/dhr/PPG%20123.pdf ( Download PDF reader) (Download PDF reader) and https://file.lacounty.gov/SDSlnter/dhr/205105_PPG_l23_ACE Resource_Guide.pdf ( Download PDF reader) (Download PDF reader) .
• A California driver's license before being appointed. Successful candidates for this position will be required to obtain and present a copy of their driving record from the California Department of Motor Vehicles before being appointed. License must not be suspended , restricted or revoked . ANY CANDIDATE WHOSE DRIVING RECORD SHOWS FOUR OR MORE MOVING VIOLATIONS WITHIN THE LAST TWO YEARS WILL NOT BE APPOINTED.
• Candidates who are successfully hired must have a current and valid CPAT at the time of appointment.

DEPARTMENT CONTACT INFORMATION

Department Contact Name: Fire Examination Section

Department Contact Phone: [phone]

Department Contact Email: [e-mail]

Analyst Contact Phone: [phone]

Teletype Phone: [phone]

California Relay Services Phone: [phone]

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY/NON-DISCRIMINATION STATEMENT

The County of Los Angeles is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and is committed to non‑discrimination in the County workforce, regardless of age (40 and over); ancestry; color; ethnicity; religious creed; protected family or medical leave status; disability; marital status; medical condition; genetic information; military and veteran status; national origin; race; sex; gender; sexual orientation; or any other characteristic protected by State or federal law. For more information, please visit: https://employee.hr.lacounty.gov/eeo-programs/ .

TESTING ACCOMMODATIONS FOR APPLICANTS

The County of Los Angeles complies with all federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for qualified applicants and employees with disabilities. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application process, please contact the testing accommodation coordinator listed on the job posting.

FAIR CHANCE

The County of Los Angeles is a Fair Chance employer. Except as otherwise permissible under applicable laws, you will not be asked to provide information about conviction history unless you receive a conditional offer of employment. The County will make an individualized assessment of whether your conviction history has a direct and adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job, and will also consider potential mitigating factors, which may include, but is limited to, evidence and extent of rehabilitation, recency of the offense(s), and age at the time of the offense(s). Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with County Fair Chance Policies and the Fair Chance Act (Gov. Code Section 12952).

EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY

Final appointment is contingent upon verification of U.S. citizenship or the right to work in the United States.

CAREER PATHFINDER

Resources to help current and prospective employees plan a career with Los Angeles County are available. To explore career paths to and from nearly all job titles, please visit our interactive Career PathFinder application at http://career-pathfinder.hr.lacounty.gov .

VETERAN’S CREDIT

Pursuant to the County Charter and County policy, in all open competitive examinations (i.e., examinations open to everyone), the County of Los Angeles will add a credit of 10 percent of the total credits specified for such examination to the final passing score of an honorably discharged veteran, as well as the spouse of a deceased or disabled veteran, who served in the Armed Forces of the United States under specific conditions. For more information on veteran’s credit, please visit: https://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/dhr/205102_PPG_115.pdf

REVISED

Revised September 2025