Requirements: Firefighter

Fire department hiring is competitive and every department runs its own process. Here are two Los Angeles-area examples, so you can see what a typical process looks like. Use them as a guide and read the current job posting for any department you apply to.

City of Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD)

LAFD lists these minimum qualifications:

• At least 18 years old when you apply. There is no upper age limit.
• A high school diploma, GED or equivalent.
• A current EMT or paramedic license. California applicants need a California EMT license.
• A valid driver's license when you are appointed, and a California Class C (or firefighter) license after you are hired.
• A current physical agility test result (the Biddle Physical Agility Test, with 11 events and a time limit of 9 minutes and 34 seconds).

The hiring process has 8 steps:

1. Meet the minimum requirements.
2. Apply online and pass a 4-hour computer-based test.
3. Interview (a passing score of 70 puts you on an eligible list, valid for one year).
4. Pre-employment and fitness assessment.
5. Background investigation.
6. Review of your qualifications.
7. Medical and psychological evaluation.
8. Drug and alcohol screening.

Los Angeles County Fire Department

The 2023 job posting for Fire Fighter Trainee (Paramedic) listed:

• A current California paramedic license, and 12 months of full-time experience as a 9-1-1 paramedic.
• A valid CPAT (Candidate Physical Ability Test) certificate, good for 12 months.
• A written exam (reading, mechanical comprehension, report interpretation, writing, and work-style questions), where you need 70% overall to pass.
• A background check with fingerprints and a medical exam before you are hired.
• A paramedic bonus (17.9% of base pay) for firefighters assigned to paramedic positions.

Certain felony convictions, a dishonorable discharge, and a DUI in the past two years can disqualify you.

What this means for you

• Get your EMT early. LAFD asks for it before you are hired, and it often comes before the rest of the process.
• Plan for the fitness test. Departments use either the CPAT or a test like the BPAT, so find out which one your target department uses.
• Expect a long process. Eligible lists are valid for a year, and many candidates test more than once.
• Keep your record clean, including driving and background items.

These are two examples. Requirements, test names and bonuses change, so always use the department's current job posting. Academy length and starting pay are not listed here; check each department's posting.