Firefighter Lateral - Paramedic

Introduction

THIS IS A NEW ASSEMBLED EXAMINATION. The eligible list resulting from this examination will cancel any existing list and may last approximately one year but can be extended.

Supplemental Questionnaire: A properly completed Supplemental Questionnaire must be submitted with each application. Failure to submit the Supplemental Questionnaire will result in disqualification.

Applicants are required to attach the following documents to their application:

• Current and valid California Driver's License
• Applicable certifications and/or class completions listed in the Minimum Qualifications.

Please upload all required documents under the OTHER tab. Additional instructions may be referenced under the "OTHER" tab. Please DO NOT upload more certifications than what is required. Failure to follow instructions may result in disqualification.



Applications, Supplemental Questionnaires, and required documentation must be in the possession of the Human Resource Services Department by 5:00 p.m. on the last day for filing.

Applications, Supplemental Questionnaires, and required documentation will only be accepted on-line.

DESCRIPTION

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT

THE ALAMEDA COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT (ACFD) provides all-risk emergency services to the unincorporated areas of Alameda County (excluding Fairview), the cities of San Leandro, Dublin, Newark, Union City and Emeryville, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. With 28 fire stations and 34 companies serving a population of 394,000, the ACFD serves densely populated urban areas, waterways, industrialized centers, extensive urban interface, agricultural and wildland regions. Over 400 personnel and 100 Reserve Firefighters provide a wide variety of services to an ever expanding, dynamic and diverse community of roughly 508 square miles. These services include:

• Advanced Life Support
  
• Fire Suppression
  
• Hazardous Materials Response
  
• Urban Search & Rescue
  
• Water Rescue
  
• Community Outreach & Education
  
• Disaster Preparedness
  
• Fire Prevention and Code Compliance
  
• Regional Dispatch
  

The Alameda County Fire Department (ACFD) was formed on July 1, 1993, as a dependent special district with the Alameda County Board of Supervisors as its governing body. This consolidation brought together into a single jurisdiction the Castro Valley Fire Department, Eden Consolidated Fire Protection District and County Fire Patrol. Subsequently, the following communities have contracted with the ACFD:

• July 1, 1995 City of San Leandro
  
• July 1, 1997 City of Dublin
  
• August 1, 2002 Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
  
• October 1, 2007 Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
  
• May 1, 2010 City of Newark
  
• July 1, 2010 City of Union City
  
• July 1, 2012 City of Emeryville
  

On January 20, 2008, the ACFD became responsible for the administration and operation of the Alameda County Regional Emergency Communications Center (ACRECC). The dispatch center provides dispatch and regional communication center services for the ACFD, the Alameda County Emergency Medical Services Agency, Camp Parks Combat Support Training Center, and the cities of Alameda, Fremont, Livermore and Pleasanton. ACRECC is also the Dispatch/System Status Management Center for Falck ambulance service.

For more information about the agency, please visit: Alameda County Fire Department .

THE POSITION

Under general supervision, to respond to fire alarms and other emergency (or non-emergency) calls involving the suppression, extinguishment, and prevention of fires (structural and wildlands); to protect life, property, and environment, including rescue and salvage operations and mitigation of hazardous materials incidents; to clean, maintain and repair (when possible) fire station property and environment; to train and drill for emergency preparedness; to use computers to log calls, log training data, and communicate with co-workers, supervisors, and the public; and to perform related duties as required.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES

This is a safety classification within the Alameda County Fire Department. This classification is distinguished from the classification of Firefighter in that the classification requires the successful completion of the Alameda County Fire Department Lateral Firefighter Academy in order to flexibly promote to the Firefighter classification. It is also distinguished from the lower classifications of Firefighter Recruit - EMT and Firefighter Recruit - Paramedic as the latter classifications are required to successfully complete the Alameda County Fire Department Firefighter Recruit Training Program to flexibly promote to the Firefighter classification. This classification is further distinguished from the classification of Firefighter Lateral - EMT in that incumbents in this classification are required to maintain a California paramedic license.

Upon successful completion of the training requirements, it is expected that incumbents successfully obtain Alameda County Paramedic accreditation and promote to the class of Firefighter. Incumbents will serve a combined probationary period of fourteen (14) months in the Firefighter Lateral - Paramedic and Firefighter classifications.

For detailed information about the classification, please click the following: Firefighter Lateral - Paramedic (#8222).

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education :
Graduation from high school, possession of an acceptable equivalency certificate, such as the General Educational Development Certificate (State of California), or any higher-level degree from an accredited college or university.

AND

Experience :

The equivalent of two (2) years of professional full-time experience working as a firefighter in a municipal fire agency and or fire district.

Substitution :

Two (2) seasons of professional firefighting experience with a seasonal fire agency may be substituted for one (1) year of the required experience.

License :

Valid California Paramedic License; active and unrestricted by the last day for filing of the application. Possession of a valid California Motor Vehicle Operator’s license. State Fire Marshall Certification:

• • Firefighter 1
  • Firefighter 2

The following State Fire Marshall classes are highly desirable:

• Fire Apparatus Driver Operator 1 A
• Vehicle Extrication
• Low Angle Rope Rescue Operational
• Fire Control 3
• Hazardous Materials First Responder Operations
• Confined Space Rescue Awareness
• S-190: Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior

Special Requirements :

Ability to successfully pass a thorough background investigation, medical examination (NFPA 1582) and psychological examinations. Must be eligible to obtain a Department of Energy security clearance (requires U.S. citizenship). Must be able to successfully obtain Alameda County Paramedic accreditation (EMSA Policy 2000).
NOTE : The Civil Service Commission may modify the above Minimum Qualifications in the announcement of an examination.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

The most suitably qualified candidates will possess the following competencies:

Knowledge of :

• Basic building construction, fire chemistry, physics and automotive mechanics.
• Common office practices, including copying, typing, and basic computer operations.

Ability to :

• Follow oral and written instruction.
• Deal effectively with the public and co-workers under adverse circumstances requiring presence of mind, sensitivity, interest, and understanding.
• Adapt to changes in work assignments and duties.
• Write clear, concise, and complete reports.
• Perform physical tasks that require coordination, strength, dexterity, and stamina.
• Learn the proper operation and use of department equipment.
• Use a variety of hand and power tools (axes, porta-power, chainsaw, and most common hand tools.)
• Perform minor maintenance on tools and mechanical equipment.
• Use a computer for preparing reports, records, and correspondence.
• Perform strenuous physical tasks such as carrying equipment up hills, pulling hoses, carrying injured persons, raising ladders, and operating a hose line.
• Conduct tours, fire demonstrations, first-aid demonstrations, and other public relations duties.
• Read blueprints, construction drawings, and maps.
• Draw building layouts to scale.
• Work at various heights and confined areas.
• Use radio communications equipment and speak clearly.
• Remain calm and work effectively in stressful situations.
• Use initiative and independent judgment when necessary.
• Function as a member of a team.
• Use good judgment in emergency or critical situations.
• Adapt to changing work assignments and duties.
• Climb ladders and fences.
• Reference and utilize training materials (manuals, fire codes, journals, etc.)
• Write legibly.
• Keep accurate records.

EXAMINATION COMPONENTS

The examination will consist of the following steps:
A review of applicants' applications to verify possession of minimum requirements. Those candidates who possess the minimum requirements for the class will move on to the next step in the examination process. An oral examination which will be weighted as 100% of the candidate’s final examination score. The oral examination may contain situational exercises.
Candidates must attain a qualifying rating of each portion of this examination.

WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE ANNOUNCED EXAMINATION STEPS.

Alameda County utilizes a Civil Service Selection System founded on merit. Such a system is competitive and based on broad recruitment efforts and equal opportunity for qualified applicants to test in an examination process designed to determine the qualifications, fitness and ability of competitors to perform duties of the vacant position. Many of our recruitments are targeted and specific to the needs of a current vacant position, in which case, the eligible list may be exclusively used for that current vacant position. Other recruitments may be more broadly used for both current and future vacancies, or for other alternate jobs with comparable scopes of work.

For more information on the Civil Service Selection process, please visit the “What You Need to Know” section of our website, https://hrs.alamedacountyca.gov/.

RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION PLAN

The County will inform applicants, via email and with reasonable notice in advance, of any examination process that will require their attendance. The following dates are tentative and subject to change based on operational needs.

RECRUITMENT PLAN

Deadline for Filing

5:00 p.m., Thursday, March 12, 2026

Review of Applications for Minimum Qualifications

March 18, 2026

Civil Service Oral Interview Examination:

Week of April 20, 2026

Notification of Results:

Week of April 27, 2026

SELECTION PLAN

Department Hiring Interviews

Week of May 11, 2026

WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE ANNOUNCED RECRUITMENT & SELECTION PLAN

Alameda County and the Human Resource Services Department will make reasonable efforts in the examination and/or selection process to accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities and/or medical conditions in accordance/compliance with the State Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), Federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Alameda County’s Reasonable Accommodation Policy and applicable statues. To request an accommodation due to a disability/medical condition during this or other phases of the examination/selection process, please contact the assigned Human Resources Representative listed on the job announcement before the last date of filing. Alameda County requires applicants to provide supporting documentation to substantiate a request for reasonable accommodation. In order to qualify for a reasonable accommodation, applicants must have a disability/medical condition pursuant to the ADA, FEHA and applicable statues.

For more information regarding our Reasonable Accommodation procedures, please visit our website, https://hrs.alamedacountyca.gov/ .

BENEFITS

*** For benefit information, please contact Fire Administration at allbenefits@acgov.org . ***

Conclusion

All notices related to County recruitments for which you have applied will be sent/delivered via email. Please add @acgov.org, @jobaps.com, NoReply@jobaps.com, and NoReplyAlamedaCountyHR@acgov.org as accepted addresses to any email blocking or spam filtering program you may use. If you do not do this, your email blocking or spam filtering program may block receipt of the notices regarding your application for recruitments. You are also strongly advised to regularly log into your County of Alameda online application account to check for notices that may have been sent to you. All email notices that will be sent to you will also be kept in your personal online application account. You will be able to view all of your notices in your online application account by clicking on the 'My applications' button on the Current Job Openings page.

Please take the steps recommended above to ensure you do not miss any notices about a recruitment for which you have applied. The County of Alameda is not responsible for notices that are not read, received or accessed by any applicant for a County recruitment.

NOTE: All notices are generated through an automated email notification system. Replies to the email boxes Noreply@acgov.org and NoReplyAlamedaCountyHR@acgov.org are routed to unmonitored mailboxes. All notices are generated through an automated email notification system. Replies to the email box are routed to an unmonitored mailbox. If you have questions, please go to our website at https://hrs.alamedacountyca.gov/ . You may also contact the Human Resources Analyst listed on the job announcement for the recruitment for which you have applied.

Maria Tabora | Human Resources Analyst

Human Resource Services, County of Alameda

(510) 272-6463 | Maria.Tabora@acgov.org

https://hrs.alamedacountyca.gov/

DISASTER SERVICE WORKER

All Alameda County employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law. Employment with the County requires the affirmation of a loyalty oath to this effect. Employees are required to report to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Alameda County has a diverse workforce, that is representative of the communities we serve and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance and business need. Alameda County does not discriminate in employment on the basis of, race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factors protected under federal, state and local law. Alameda County celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive, and welcoming workplace environment.

Closing Date/Time: 3/12/2026 5:00:00 PM

• 

• County of Alameda

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