Reserve applications online

Reserve applications online

Contact: Cal HendrieCAL FIRE IRE -
2249 Jamacha Rd.
El Cajon Ca. 92019
(619) 590-3112 Office
chendrie@fire.ca.gov

Duty Requirements:

CA EMT, B

DFIB combitube

(3), 24 hour shifts a month

The Job: It is important that you have a complete picture of what a Fire Fighter's job involves, including the less desirable aspects. The information presented below will help you make a realistic comparison of the job duties to your personal skills, abilities and interest.

Firefighting is physically demanding work. The tools and equipment used on the job are heavy the Fire Fighter must be capable of repeatedly handing and operating them over prolonged periods of time.

Fire Spreads rapidly so firefighters must work quickly. This urgency places a considerable burden on a Fire Fighter's endurance.

Fire Fighting is always conducted while wearing heavy protective clothing and a self contained breathing apparatus (total weight is approximately 50 pounds)

Protective clothing greatly retards the body's ability to cool itself. Physical fitness (principally cardio respiratory fitness in this case) greatly influences how well and how safely a Fire Fighter can cope with the potentially dangerous heat stress.

Fire Fighters are sometimes exposed to extremely hot and toxic environments. This greatly increases the physical and mental stress associated with performing otherwise routine firefighting tasks. The weight of the protective gear itself can increase the difficulty of "routine" tasks by about 33%, which again underscores the importance of strength and stamina.

Fire Fighters must operate and maintain a wide variety of tools and equipment. In order to properly and safely operate these tools and equipment, a knowledge of the underlying mechanical principles is essential (e.g., parts of machines, names and purposes of tools, gear / lever action, parallel forces, weight distribution, etc.).

The majority of incidents to which you will respond to as a Fire Fighter will include the treatment of medical aid victims, involving minor to sever trauma and potential exposure to communicable diseases. State law requires that all Fire Fighters be certified as Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT). Additionally, Fire Fighters must be recertified as an emt and in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) every two years.