Firefighter/Paramedic

Cffjac; Redwood City (CA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Redwood City seeks dedicated Firefighters/Firefighter-Paramedics focused on protecting life and property. Ideal candidates will perform firefighting duties and provide medical assistance, requiring relevant certifications and education. The role offers a chance to grow in a supportive community-focused environment.

Benefits

Health Insurance

Generous Paid Time-Off

Retirement Health Savings Plan

Free Fitness Center Access

Qualifications

• Minimum of 30 semester college units in Fire Science.
• Possession of a valid Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certificate.

Responsibilities

• Perform firefighting and fire prevention duties.
• Provide Basic Life Support emergency medical care.

Skills

Basic life support

Communication

Emergency response

Education

Fire Science or similar field

High School Diploma or equivalent

Job description

Redwood City is a Charter City operating under the council-manager form of government. The City Council consists ofseven membersand is the governing body elected directly by the residents of Redwood City. As the legislative branch of our local government, the Council makes final decisions on all major city matters and sets City-wide priorities and policies. The Council directs the City Manager to implement these priorities and policies. In 2020, the City Council moved to district-based elections which means City Councilmembers are elected by district instead of at-large voting, where all voters cast their ballots for all candidates in the jurisdiction. The city is a full service city with the departments of Community Development, Engineering & Transportation, Finance, Fire, Human Resources, Information Technology, Library, Parks, Recreation and Community Services, Police, and Public Works Services,along with the City Manager's Office, City Clerk's Office, and City Attorney's Office. Municipal services are delivered with the support of over 600 employees.

The City of Redwood City is a values-driven organization and a leader in the bay area. Redwood City’s Core Purpose is "Build a Great Community Together" and our employees play a vital and indispensable role in realizing this purpose. We’re looking for creative individuals dedicated to excellence, service and integrity. We offer a wide range of public service career opportunities with potential for growth and advancement. We also offer highly competitive salary and benefits, employee development opportunities, along with alternate work schedules and generous vacation and holidays. So if you’re passionate and bright, community-oriented, creative and committed, we hope you consider making the City of Redwood City your next career home.

About the Redwood City Community

Located in the Silicon Valley at the center of the San Francisco Peninsula, the City of Redwood City is known as a creative, innovative and dynamic organization and community. With a population of over 85,000, the city has a healthy blend of residential, commercial and industrial elements in a community that stretches from the San Francisco Bay to the hills of the San Francisco peninsula. The city is home to a vibrant Caltrain station where commuters from both San Jose to the south, and San Francisco to the north, arrive into one of the most tech-savvy communities in the world. Redwood City offers outstanding accommodations, top entertainment, and diverse dining options. The City's pedestrian-friendly and distinctive Downtown honors the community's heritage and is home to a growing number of restaurants, and a vibrant mix of retail to fit every consumer mood. The beautiful Courthouse Square stands as the centerpiece of Downtown and has become the gathering place for people from throughout the community and the peninsula. Redwood City enjoys a one-of-a-kind waterfront including the Redwood Shores neighborhood, with ample recreational opportunities right on the Bay. The community also boasts the only deep-water port in the south San Francisco Bay, has a yacht harbor, and offers numerous bayfront residential options. The success and health of Redwood City is built upon the community's diversity, civic pride, strong neighborhoods, and each individual's sense of responsibility for making the City a better place for all. It's a terrific place to do business, with appealing neighborhoods supported by a strong sense of community, making Redwood City a natural place to call "home".

The Firefighter Candidate Testing Center’s (FCTC) Written Exam and Statewide Eligibility List (SEL) and will be used to screen applications. If you are not already on the FCTC Statewide Eligibility List (SEL), please arrange to be on the list at www.fctconline.org/written-testing/ . There is a $50 fee for the test. Candidates experiencing financial hardship may qualify for financial aid to pay for their FCTC testing fees at https://www.fctconline.org/financialaid/ .

Interested in learning more about the Redwood City Fire Department: Attend the Open House on June 21, 2025, between 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM at Station 9, located at 755 Marshall St, Redwood City, CA 94063.

The Role:

The City of Redwood City is seeking Firefighters or Firefighter/Paramedics who, under direction of the Fire Captain, will perform firefighting and fire prevention duties aimed at protecting life and property, operate and maintain firefighting equipment, and provide basic medical assistance. Firefighters also provide Basic Life Support first responder pre-hospital emergency medical care and emergency medical assistance, perform minor station maintenance, and participate in training to maintain skills. Please see the Firefighter/Engineer job description for more details.

Required Qualifications:

A typical way to demonstrate the applicant possesses the required knowledge and ability may be obtained through the following ways:

• Minimum of 30 semester college units. Completion of college credits in the study of Fire Science or similar field.
• High School Diploma or equivalent (G.E.D. or California Certificate of Proficiency).
• Successful completion of a Firefighter 1 equivalent training program, or possession of a California State Fire Training Firefighter 1 certificate.

Required Certification and License:

• Must possess a valid Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certificate or valid Paramedic license.
• Provide proof of a valid Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPT) certificate prior to appointment to the classification of Firefighter/Engineer. CPAT must be current.
• Possession of, or ability to obtain, a valid California driver’s license. Driving record will be reviewed and any infractions will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Knowledge of:

• Basic life support

Ability To:

• Act in accordance with departmental policies, rules, and instructions in the field of firefighting.
• Apply principles practices and procedures of modern firefighting.
• Safely operate fire apparatus, equipment, tools, devices, facilities and use properly.
• Perform tasks relating to firefighting, medical aid and other calls for assistance.
• Maintain an Emergency Medical Technician Certification as required by the State of California.
• Act appropriately in emergency situations.
• Understand and follow oral and written directions promptly and accurately.
• Analyze fire and emergency situations and adopt effective courses of action.
• Communicate clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Establish, maintain and foster positive and harmonious working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
• Operate and maintain voice radio equipment, and a computer terminal or personal computer.
• Drive and operate fire apparatus and motor vehicles proficiently and safely.

Special Requirements - Essential duties require the following physical abilities and work environment:

• Must be eighteen years of age;
• Vision Standards: Must pass a pre-employment medical exam according to the standards set by The National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) and freedom from color blindness;
• Hearing Standards: Must pass a pre-employment medical exam according to NFPA;
• Ability to sit, stand, walk, kneel, crouch, squat, stoop, reach, crawl, twist, climb, lift and carry in excess of 100 lbs.; pull and/or drag 175 lbs.; work in the following environments: cold, extreme heat, extreme noise, outdoors, confining work spaces, elevated areas; work with electrical hazards, vibration, chemicals, dust, toxic waste, mechanical hazards, and explosive materials; availability for shift work.
• This position shall serve a probationary period of eighteen (18) months.
• As a condition of employment, employees shall comply with mandated medical monitoring.
• Health Insurance for you and your family – Choose from a range of HMO, PPO and EPO options. The City pays up 90% of the Bay Area Kaiser family rate, which is $2,461.99per month in 2025.
• Dental and Vision Insurance – The City pays 90% of the premiums for eligible employees and dependents.
• Employee Assistance Program – Obtain a range of supportive services, including free counseling.
• Generous Paid Time-Off (Based on a 56-Hour Week)
  • Vacation leave – 120 to 280 hours per year, depending on years of service with the City; Lateral hires may qualify for vacation accrual rate equitable to years of service
  • Sick leave – 288 hours per year; Lateral hires may qualify for sick leave transfer of up to 200 hours
  • Total paid time off (categories above combined) – 408 to 568 hours
• Holiday In-Lieu Compensation – Employees receive 8.65% of base pay in lieu of any holiday benefits.
• Bereavement Leave – Eligible after 1 year of service for up to 2 scheduled shifts.
• Free Fitness Center Access at City Facilities
• Flexible Spending Account (Section 125) – Use pre-tax dollars to pay for health insurance premiums, dependent care, medical expenses and commuter expenses.
• Free Employee Parking
• Education Reimbursement Program of $750/fiscal year. $750 may be used for courses taken as a part of a degree program. Up to $750 may be used for job-related professional development classes outside of a degree program.
• Education Incentive Program – Employees who meet the requirements can receive up to 5% of their base pay.
• Emergency Medical Technician / Paramedic Pay – Employees receive 5% of base pay for EMT certification. Firefighters/Engineers accredited and assigned as a Paramedic receive an additional 12.5% of base pay.
• Life Insurance – The City pays the full cost of the Basic Life Insurance. Policies available equal to one and one-half times the employee’s annual salary, at a 60/40 premium split between the City and employee respectively.
• Long Term Disability Insurance – The City reimburses each employee $29.50/month for Long Term Disability Coverage.
• Uniform Allowance – $900/fiscal year.
• Retirement Health Savings Plan – Mandatory pre-tax contributions upon retirement funded by accrued sick leave, vacation, and non-FLSA compensatory leave payout.
• Learning and Development Program – The City fully supports professional development and offers a variety of classes and seminars for our team to continue to learn and grow.
• For more information regarding benefits, please refer to the MOU .

Special Instructions

Recruitment Process:

• Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT
  • Make sure you can provide proof of a valid Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) prior to appointment. The CPAT must be current.
• The Firefighter Candidate Testing Center’s (FCTC) Written Exam and Statewide Eligibility List (SEL) and will be used to screen applications. If you are not already on the FCTC Statewide Eligibility List (SEL), please arrange to be on the list at www.fctconline.org/written-testing/ . There is a $50 fee for the test. Candidates experiencing financial hardship may qualify for financial aid to pay for their FCTC testing fees athttps://www.fctconline.org/financialaid/

Important Tentative Oral Board & Assessment Dates:

• In-person Oral Board Interviews - Week of July 28 - August 1, 2025.
• Paramedic Assessments - Week of August 11 - August 15, 2025
• Selection Interview with the Fire Chief- Week of August 25, 2025.

Information will be shared with candidates via CalOpps emails.

Please note:

• Updates about process details and application status will be provided via CalOpps as they become available. Individual status updates will not be provided; please do not inquire. Thank you in advance for your patience and cooperation.
• Candidates with a Paramedic License are highly desirable and encouraged to apply.
• All certifications, licenses, training, and other relevant information must be clearly stated within the appropriate area(s) of the CalOpps application, and added as attachments.
• For candidates who are IFSAC or PROBOARD certified, you may apply for California Firefighter 1 Certificate via reciprocity with the California State Fire Marshall. To learn more about the process, visit the website of the California Fire Marshall, or review the reciprocity application here .
• Entry Level Firefighter candidates will need to attend an academy at the start of their employment.
• 9.5% Paramedic Pay will be applied to the base salary for those who qualify. Firefighter/Paramedic applicants may be required to participate in an additional skills assessment during the selection process.
• For Firefighter / Paramedic, incumbent must have a valid State of California Paramedic Certification / License, and will need to obtain San Mateo County Paramedic accreditation prior to completing probationary period.

The Fine Print

• Applications will be reviewed and those who best meet the qualifications for the position may be invited to continue in the selection process. • Prior to appointment, candidates will be required to pass a background check (at no cost to the candidate) including criminal, DMV, DOJ fingerprinting, psychological evaluation, drug screening, and a pre-employment physical. • Candidates with a disability which may require special assistance in any phase of the application or selection process should advise Human Resources prior to or upon submittal of application by contacting [e-mail] • Questions? Read hiring process FAQs , or reach out via email to [e-mail] • Provisions in this document may be modified or revoked without notice. • Redwood City is an Equal Opportunity Employer. •