Fire Captain, Sacramento County Airport Fire

Job Description

The Position

This is a continuous filing exam. Next filing cut-offs are at 5:00 pm on:
9/2/26, 9/16/26 (final)

Under direction, the Fire Captain, Sacramento County Airport Fire supervises, assigns, reviews, and participates in the work of staff responsible for preventing, controlling, and extinguishing fires; rescuing persons endangered by aircraft crash and fire or structural fire; responds to and provides assistance for medical aid calls, vehicle accidents, and Hazmat incidents. While providing supervision to a single crew, incumbents ensure work quality and adherence to established policies and procedures, and performs the more technical and complex tasks relative to the assigned area of responsibility.

Examples of Knowledge and Abilities

Knowledge of

• Principles and practices of supervision, discipline, leadership, mentoring, and training
• Team dynamics and team building
• Applicable federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations
• Operational characteristics, services, and activities of assigned programs and functions
• Office procedures, methods, and equipment including computers and applicable software applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, databases, and other specialized applications related to area of assignment
• English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation
• Principles, practices, and procedures of aircraft rescue and firefighting operations
• Principles of structural, wildland and aircraft firefighting
• Principles, practices, and procedures of fire prevention and fire investigation
• Training standards necessary to comply with all federal, state, and local aircraft rescue and firefighting requirements
• Operation and maintenance of equipment and vehicles used in firefighting activities
• Concepts, components, and procedures of the Incident Command System
• Hazardous materials incident response and management
• Fire investigation procedures and techniques
• Fire and life safety codes
• Basic life support principles and techniques

In addition, when assigned to a paramedic position:

• Advanced Life Support (ALS) techniques including but not limited to IV therapy, cardiac monitoring, advanced airway control and a variety of medication therapies, as a Paramedic
• Standing orders provided by off-line medical director
• Medical terminology

Ability to

• Select, supervise, train and evaluate staff
• Plan, organize, and provide direction at an emergency scene
• Plan, coordinate, assign, and review the work of subordinate staff
• Investigate and resolve disciplinary issues
• Develop and maintain cooperative, effective working relationships with others
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both verbally and in writing
• Interpret and apply applicable federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations
• Collect and compile a variety of data and information
• Direct subordinates in firefighting or other emergency situations
• Evaluate an aircraft fire and rescue situation and determine appropriate action
• Respond to vehicle accidents and medical aid calls
• Operate aircraft firefighting and rescue equipment
• Conduct and participate in SCAF training
• Enforce federal, state, and local fire protection and prevention codes
• Conduct emergency drills
• Respond to fires and alarms and effectively perform fire suppression and rescue work
• Conduct preliminary fact-finding inspections and investigations of fire scenes, including evidence gathering
• Prepare and maintain accurate and complete records
• Prepare clear and concise reports
• Operate communication equipment
• Work safely under hazardous conditions
• Operate and maintain fire testing equipment i.e., foam testing, defibrillators, air monitoring meters, radiological detectors, etc.
• Review and interpret maps, diagrams, and mechanical drawings
• Deal courteously and effectively with the general public

In addition, when assigned to a paramedic position:

• Perform ALS procedures
• Maintain accurate records of medical treatments, including equipment and medication use
• Understand and apply medical directives

Employment Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

1. Possession of a current and valid Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) or Paramedic certificate/license issued by either the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians or the California State Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA);

AND

2. Four years of full-time paid experience performing firefighting duties;

AND

3. Possession of a valid California Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) Driver
Operator 1A and 1B Certificate.

AND

Either:
4a. Possession of a valid California Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) Fire Officer Certificate, Company Officer Certificate or equivalent.

4b. Completion of current Company Officer curriculum courses as outlined by California Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM).

NOTE applicable to 3, 4a, and 4b:
Possession of valid equivalent certification(s) from an outside entity, including the Department of Defense, the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC), or National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualification (Pro Board) may substitute for Driver Operator and/or Company Officer curriculum or Certification requirements.

Note: A valid class A or B driver’s license may substitute for the firefighter endorsement.

Note: If the word “experience” is referenced in the minimum qualifications, it means full-time paid experience unless the minimum qualification states that volunteer experience is acceptable. Part-time paid experience may be accumulated and pro-rated to meet the total experience requirements.

Note: If the minimum qualifications include an educational or certificate/license requirement, applicants must submit proof of requirements with the application. Failure to submit proof of requirements may result in disqualification from the examination. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable. For guidelines on submitting acceptable proof of educational requirements, please click here or speak to someone in our office before the cut-off date listed in this notice.

General Qualifications

Criminal History and Background Checks: The County may access criminal history information on candidates who have accepted a conditional offer of appointment for this class consistent with the provisions of Board of Supervisors Resolution No. 82-602, Personnel Policies, and applicable federal and state laws. The County shall not consider for employment any candidate who has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor that relates to or impacts the candidate’s ability to perform the job duties of this class unless it is determined that mitigating circumstances exist. For purposes of accessing criminal history information, the candidate will be fingerprinted. A subsequent arrest notification may be obtained.

The County may also conduct a background check on the candidate prior to appointment to a position within this class. The background check may include personal and professional reference checks, credit history checks where authorized by Labor Code section 1024.5, Social Security Number verification, professional license/registration verification, military service information and driving history. Information obtained in the course of this background check will be considered by the appointing authority in the selection process. In obtaining such information, the County will comply with applicable consent and disclosure practices in the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the California Investigative Consumer Reporting Agencies Act.

License Requirement: A valid California Driver License, Class C or higher with firefighter endorsement, shall be required at the time of appointment. Failure to obtain or maintain the appropriate California Driver License and endorsement, or comply with state and federal requirements for utilization, may constitute cause for personnel action in accordance with Civil Service Rules or applicable bargaining agreement. Individuals who do not meet this requirement due to disability will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Incumbents must acquire and maintain an Air Operations Area driver permit issued by the Department of Airports within two (2) weeks of appointment. Failure to obtain or keep current the required permit may constitute cause for personnel action in accordance with Civil Service Rules or applicable bargaining agreement.

Certificate Requirement: Incumbents must acquire and maintain a valid EMT certificate issued by the California State Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA), within one year from the date of appointment. Incumbents must acquire and maintain accreditation as an EMT by the County of Sacramento within 90 days of state licensure, or appointment to the class if state licensure has already been obtained at the time of appointment. Failure to obtain or keep current the required certificate may constitute cause for personnel action in accordance with Civil Service Rules or applicable bargaining agreement.

Paramedic License: Some positions in this class may be designated to operate as a Firefighter/Paramedic and require a valid EMT-Paramedic license issued by the California State Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA). Incumbents in these positions must acquire and maintain accreditation as an EMT-Paramedic by the County of Sacramento within 90 days of appointment. Failure to maintain the required license may constitute cause for personnel action in accordance with Civil Service Rules or applicable bargaining agreement.

Training Requirements: Incumbents in this class must complete an initial 40 hour Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting training program in accordance with FAR Part 139 within 6 months of appointment to the class and complete annual training in accordance with FAR 139.319, and Advisory Circular 150/5210-17, including other state and local requirements as a condition of continued employment.

Uniform Requirement: Incumbents are required to wear a designated uniform and personal protective equipment.

Special Access: Prior to appointment, incumbents in this class must acquire and maintain an airport security badge allowing access to secure County airport locations. Failure to maintain an airport security badge may constitute cause for personnel action in accordance with Civil Service Rules or applicable bargaining agreement.

Physical Requirements: Positions in this class require the incumbents to be able to:

• Physically perform the duties of this class while wearing personal protective equipment.
• Demonstrate physical endurance, agility, strength, and stamina in the performance of hazardous tasks under emergency conditions.

Individuals who do not meet these requirements due to disability will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Working Conditions: Positions in this class require the incumbents to:

• Work various shift, overtime, weekends, holidays, non-routine hours, and be subject to “on-call” status 24 hours a day.
• Work outside in all types of climatic conditions including inclement and very hot weather.
• Work at various locations within Sacramento County.

Probationary Period
The probationary period for this classification is six (6) months.

Application and Testing Information

APPLICATION

Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply immediately. All applicants must complete and submit an online County of Sacramento employment application by 5:00 PM on the posted cut-off date. Click here to apply.

County of Sacramento
Department of Personnel Services
Employment Services Division
700 H Street, Room 4667
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone (916) 874-5593; 7-1-1 California Relay Service
Email EmployOffice@Saccounty.net
Inter-Office Mail Code: 09-4667
www.saccountyjobs.net

• Employment applications and all documentation requested in this announcement must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on the cut-off date.
• Employment Services is not responsible for any issues or delays caused by an applicant's computer or web browser. Applicants will be automatically logged out if they have not submitted their applications and all documentation prior to 5:00 p.m. on the cut-off date.
• Your application should highlight all relevant education, training, and experience, and clearly indicate how you meet the minimum qualifications for the position as of the cut-off date.
• Application information must be current, concise and related to the requirements in this job announcement. You may only apply for this recruitment once. Duplicate and incomplete applications will be disqualified.
• A resume may be included with your application, however it will not substitute for the information requested on the application.

SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE

Applicants are required to provide a full and complete response to each supplemental question. The Supplemental Questionnaire is located in the tab marked "Supplemental Questions". Please be descriptive in your response.

Note: Responses of "See Resume" or "See Application", or copy and paste of work experience are not qualifying responses and will not be considered.

• Supplemental Questionnaires must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on the final filing date. Employment Services is not responsible for any issues or delays caused by an applicant's computer or web browser. Applicants will be automatically logged out if they have not submitted their applications and all documentation prior to 5:00 p.m. on the final filing date.
• The supplemental questions are designed to elicit specific information regarding a candidate's experience, education, and training. Responses should be consistent with the information on your application and are subject to verification.
• Please provide place of employment, pertinent dates, and concise, descriptive and detailed information for each question.
• If a job included responsibilities applicable to several questions, separate the different functions of the job to answer all the questions completely.
• Resumes or referral to the application or other questionnaire responses will not be accepted in lieu of completing each question.
• If you have no experience, write "no experience" for the appropriate question.
• For many individuals, it is more efficient to develop responses to the supplemental questions in a word processing document and then paste them into the final document to be submitted. Changes or corrections to your Supplemental Questionnaire cannot be made once your application packet has been submitted.
• If the Supplemental Questionnaire is used in the Formula Rate exam, failure to complete all of the questions or incomplete responses will result in a lower score. While scoring the Supplemental Questionnaire, the candidate's application and/or attachments will not be reviewed , therefore, a candidate's responses to the questions should be accurate, thorough, detailed, and complete.

FORMULA RATE EXAMINATION (Weighted 100%)

All candidates meeting the minimum qualifications by the final filing date will have their Supplemental Questionnaire scored in the Formula Rate Examination.

This examination will evaluate the relevance, level, recency, progression and quality of candidate's education, training and experience. The candidate's application or other materials will not be included in this examination. Therefore, the candidate's responses to the supplemental questionnaire should be thorough, detailed and complete. The score from the Formula Rate Examination will determine the ranking on the eligible/employment list for this job.

All candidates competing in the testing process will receive written notice of their examination results by email. Notices can also be accessed in their governmentjobs.com inbox. Applicants achieving a passing score will be placed on the eligible list in rank order. The rank is determined by the test score attained from the examination.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Click here for Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
For information regarding County jobs:

• www.saccountyjobs.net

Sacramento County is about enriching communities to thrive. We strive to create inclusive workplaces that reflect the communities we serve. We value and celebrate the unique perspectives, backgrounds, abilities, and diverse dimensions of our employees and residents. Through transparency, courage, innovation, and trust we are committed to advance equity and transformational change.

We are a proud equal opportunity employer. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability for any phase of the hiring process, please contact our Disability Compliance Office at dco@saccounty.gov or 916-874-7642, CA Relay 711 . For more information, visit: Reasonable Accommodation Requests - Job Applicant Instructions .

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

At Sacramento County, we strive to provide benefit programs designed to meet our employees’ current and future needs and help them as they balance their careers and personal life. County of Sacramento employees have a variety of benefits available. These benefits include:

• Dental Insurance
• Vision Benefits
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Health Insurance
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Life Insurance
• Critical Illness
• Retiree Health Savings Plan (RHSP)
• Deferred Compensation

More information can be found on the Benefits website

TEMPORARY POSITIONS:
Most benefits do not apply to temporary positions.

VACATION:
Generally, vacation with pay begins at 10 days annually. With increase over a period of years, the maximum annual vacation with pay is 25 days.

HOLIDAYS:
14.5 holidays per year as recognized by the Board of Supervisors.

SICK LEAVE:
Equivalent to 15 days annually, unlimited accumulation.

TUITION REIMBURSEMENT:
Regular County employees may be eligible to receive Tuition Reimbursement. The costs for course tuition/registration fees and required books/supplies may be eligible for reimbursement. Tuition reimbursement amounts may vary depending upon union agreement.

RETIREMENT:
The County’s defined-benefit pension plan is provided by the County Employees’ Retirement Law of 1937 and is managed by the Sacramento County Employees' Retirement System (SCERS) Board of Retirement. For more information, visit the SCERS website, http://www.scers.org

DENTAL INSURANCE:
For more information, visit the Benefits website

LIFE INSURANCE:
The County of Sacramento provides a basic life insurance benefit to all eligible employees at no cost. Additional coverage may be purchased through payroll deduction.

For more information, visit the Benefits website

DEFERRED COMPENSATION:
A deferred compensation program is available through the County 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan. For more information, visit the Benefits website

EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM:
The County of Sacramento provides an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for employees and their eligible dependents. The EAP offers confidential, professional counseling services in areas such as:

• Legal Advice/Difficult Decisions
• Marriage or Family Relationships
• Financial or Credit Worries/Elder Care
• Alcohol and Drug Abuse

More information can be found on the Benefits website

WELLNESS INCENTIVE PROGRAM:
The County will recognize and award time off to eligible employees who maintain an excellent attendance record.

FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNT:
The County offers regular employees two separate Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA's). These accounts allow employees to set money aside, on a pre-tax basis via payroll deduction, to pay for medical, dental or dependent care expenses.

DEPENDENT CARE REIMBURSEMENT ACCOUNT:
Employees may set aside pre-tax dollars to pay for qualified childcare or dependent care expenses that are necessary for the employee and/or spouse to continue working.

MEDICAL REIMBURSEMENT ACCOUNT:
The Medical Reimbursement Account allows pre-tax dollars to be set aside to pay for out-of-pocket expenses that are not paid by insurance or reimbursed by any other benefit plan.

WORKERS' COMPENSATION:
In case of injury while on the job, each employee is protected under the Workers' Compensation laws of California.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT OUR FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: FAQs

VETERAN'S PREFERENCE:
Military veterans who have served during wartime shall be given preference in initial appointment to County service. Such preference shall apply, provided the veteran has first achieved a minimum passing score in the examination. The passing score of a veteran shall be annotated to indicate the veteran's score shall be regarded as 5 points or higher, OR 10 points higher for disabled veterans, only for the purpose of determining the three ranks along with which the veteran's name shall be certified. No score shall actually be changed and no new rank shall be created as a result of application of veteran's preference for certification purposes.

"Disabled Veteran" means any veteran who has served during wartime and, who, as of the final filing date for an examination is declared by the United States Veterans Administration or military service department to be 10% or more disabled as a result of his/her military service. Persons claiming eligibility for disabled veteran's preference must submit to the employment office, on or before the application deadline date, a certification from the United States Veterans Administration or a military service department, dated within 1 year, which certifies the present existence of a service related disability of 10% or more, or other acceptable proof of such disability as a result of his/her military service.
Persons claiming eligibility for veterans preference must submit a copy of Form DD 214 or other acceptable proof of veteran's status on or before the final filing date for the examination. For purpose of this rule "reserve" status does not constitute active duty.

SPECIAL SKILL QUALIFICATIONS (WHEN SPECIFIED ON THE JOB ANNOUNCEMENT):
Persons who have special skills required by some (but not all) positions in a class may be certified ahead of others provided that:
Such special skills are based on the duties and requirements of the positions and are in conformance with merit system and equal opportunity principles, and
The certification of eligibles who possess special skills have been approved by the Civil Service Commission.

Closing Date/Time: 9/16/2026 5:00 PM Pacific