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It’s a profession filled with danger, excitement and reward. Being a firefighter with CAL FIRE
can be one of the most challenging and exhilarating careers in the world. And for many, it’s
a career that begins as a seasonal firefighter.
Seasonal firefighter is an entry-level, fulltime firefighting position.
CAL FIRE seasonal firefighters respond to an array of emergency and public assistance
calls. The job is demanding and fast paced.
You learn the basic firefighting skills, you go to traffic accidents, you extinguish wildland
fires, you extinguish structure fires, you do rescues. You work as a part of a team.
You do firefighting work.
To be successful in the job, seasonal firefighters must be in good physical shape. The job often
requires long hours, heavy lifting and hiking in steep terrain.
The minimum requirements for a seasonal job with CAL FIRE is 18 years old, high school
diploma or equivalent and the physical ability to do the job. But you won’t get a job with
just the minimum requirements in today’s job market.
Each year, CAL FIRE receives thousands of applications from firefighter hopefuls looking
to start a career in the fire service. To help stand out from the crowd, CAL FIRE officials
recommend additional experience and training prior to applying for a seasonal position.
Get your EMT I certification; get any type of firefighting experience you can get, whether
it’s through an ROP program, through a volunteer program; get fire science classes at your
local community college behind you; get public service experience any place where you can
volunteer and help out.
For those who are ready to step up to an exciting career, applications for seasonal Firefighter
I positions are available online or at a local CAL FIRE station. Applying is as simple as
filing out the application form and sending it to each Unit you are interested in being
considered for. But be aware, the deadline for the 2010 season closes on January 29th.
For many children, seeing a fire engine like this or becoming a firefighter is only a dream.
But for those who have what it takes, a career with CAL FIRE is very rewarding.
It’s exciting. It’s a very exciting job. And it’s a very rewarding job. Getting out
there and helping people protect the environment. It’s all very, very rewarding. It’s a
great job.