Firefighter Paramedic (Lateral and Entry Level)

City of La Mesa; La Mesa (CA); On-site; USD 101,000 - 136,000; Full time

Job summary

The Cities of El Cajon, La Mesa, and Lemon Grove are seeking qualified lateral and entry-level firefighter paramedics. The recruitment consolidates three agencies under HEARTLAND FIRE & RESCUE, offering competitive annual salaries and comprehensive benefits.

Applicants from across the country are encouraged to apply with a clear onboarding process for region relocation. Examination components include CPAT, and eligibility lists will be established by each agency.

Qualifications

• Experience: One year of full time experience as a regular Paramedic Firefighter (non-probationary). Active, seasonal time will count towards experience.
• Reserve time is not qualifying.

Job description

Position Summary

THE CITIES OF EL CAJON, LA MESA, AND LEMON GROVE ARE SEEKING QUALIFIED LATERAL AND ENTRY-LEVEL FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDICS.

Annual Salary Range

City of El Cajon: $97,260.80 - $118,227.20

City of La Mesa: $101,308.48 - $135,757.44

City of Lemon Grove: $83,947.76 - $123,992.44

Lateral entry salary will be based on prior years of paid Firefighter Paramedic work experience.

All three cities participate in the CalPERS retirement system and offer comprehensive benefits. Please refer to each city's Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for details regarding benefits and eligibility for Educational Incentive Pay.

• Out-of-state applicants are encouraged to apply! *** The Cities of El Cajon, La Mesa, and Lemon Grove welcome qualified candidates from across the country and provide a clear, well-organized onboarding process to support a smooth transition into the region. This area offers an exceptional quality of life, a strong and supportive fire service community, and the opportunity to gain broad operational experience within a cooperative agency structure. Applicants must provide documentation demonstrating equivalency for all required certifications, qualifications, and physical ability standards as outlined in the posting.

Recruitment Process

The Cities of El Cajon, La Mesa, and Lemon Grove will conduct a joint application and examination process. Each agency will establish its own eligibility list, and candidates may be placed on multiple lists.

Examination Components

• CPAT Requirement.

About HEARTLAND FIRE & RESCUE

The Cities of El Cajon, La Mesa, and Lemon Grove operate under a cooperative cost-sharing agreement known as HEARTLAND FIRE & RESCUE (HFR), serving a regional population of nearly 200,000. HFR responds to approximately 34,000 calls annually across eight stations and provides advanced life support services in conjunction with a contracted ambulance provider. The Cities maintain deployable OES engines and participate in the regional US&R task force. More information is available at www.heartlandfire.org.

Key Responsibilities

To obtain each agency's Firefighter/Paramedic class specification, please click on the following links:

• City of El Cajon - Paramedic/Firefighter Classification Specification
• City of La Mesa - Firefighter/Paramedic Classification Specification
• City of Lemon Grove - Firefighter/Paramedic Classification Specification

Minimum Qualifications

Please refer to each agency's class specification for Education and Experience Guidelines. Minimum qualifications vary amongst the three agencies.

• Experience: One year of full time experience as a regular Paramedic Firefighter (non-probationary). Active, seasonal time will count towards experience. Reserve time is not qualifying.

Examination Process

The 2026-2027 County of San Diego EMS protocols will be used during the Appraisal Interview and Paramedic Skills Assessment. For reference, candidates may access the County of San Diego EMS protocols at Emergency Medical Services Treatment Protocols/Policies.

Candidates who advance to the pre-employment stage may be required to undergo a comprehensive background investigation, which can include a polygraph examination, psychological evaluation, and pre-employment medical assessment.