Fire Department · Combination
Crescent Fire Protection District
Crescent City, CA · Del Norte County
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Department careers page ↗Crescent Fire Protection District was formed in 1949 to serve the growing emergency needs of the unincorporated areas surrounding Crescent City, in Del Norte County on California's far north coast. The District operates independently of, but in close partnership with, the City of Crescent City Fire Department (established in 1900); since 2015 the two agencies' volunteer forces have operated together under the combined banner "Crescent City Fire and Rescue," sharing a Fire Chief, training program, and response protocols so crews respond to the closest incident regardless of jurisdiction.
Today the District covers roughly 26 square miles and about 13,000 residents from three stations — Washington Station (its administrative headquarters and the busiest house), Cooper Station, and the Bertsch-Oceanview Station — staffed almost entirely by volunteer members supplemented by a small shared administrative and chief staff. Crews handle structure and wildland fire, EMS, basic and technical rescue, hazardous materials response, and disaster preparedness across a service area that ranges from wildland-urban interface to mobile home parks, care facilities, and the downtown commercial core.
Call volume has climbed steadily over the past several years, and the department continues to lean on its volunteer tradition — members range from correctional officers to college students — to keep pace, with a defined path from recruit through Driver/Operator, Engineer, Captain, and Battalion Chief.
MissionIt is the mission of Crescent City Fire and Rescue to preserve life and property, promote public safety, and provide community service with efficiency, pride and professionalism.
Crescent Fire Protection District recruits volunteer firefighters year-round as part of the combined Crescent City Fire and Rescue organization. Interested applicants complete the department's employment application and deliver it in a sealed envelope to Washington Station headquarters; volunteers then go through the district's basic firefighter academy and ongoing weekly training before responding to calls.
Requirements
- Valid driver's license
- Eligible to work in the United States
- Complete and sign the employment application (unsigned or incomplete applications are disqualified)
- Pass a criminal convictions background check
- Pass fingerprinting, a medical examination, and a drug screening
- Provide a DMV printout
Hiring process
- Submit a completed, signed application in a sealed envelope to Washington Station (255 W. Washington Blvd.)
- Meet minimum qualifications for the position
- Background/criminal history check
- Fingerprinting, medical exam, and drug screening
- Complete the basic firefighter academy
- Begin weekly training (minimum 2 hours/week) and start responding to calls
Benefits
Volunteer members receive a small per-call and training stipend (roughly $5–$15 depending on call type and qualification), with additional stipends for members covering the Duty Officer role. The district equips and trains every volunteer at significant cost (turnout gear, radio, and academy training can exceed $10,000 per member) and offers a defined promotional path from Driver/Operator through Engineer, Captain, and Battalion Chief; many volunteers go on to career firefighter jobs elsewhere in Del Norte County and beyond.
Every firefighter must complete a comprehensive basic firefighter academy before responding to calls, followed by ongoing weekly department training and periodic specialized courses (rescue, extrication, EMS, hazmat, wildland, driver/operator).
How do I become a firefighter with Crescent Fire Protection District?
Download and complete the district's employment application, then deliver the signed, sealed application to Washington Station at 255 W. Washington Blvd. in Crescent City. Selected applicants complete a background check, fingerprinting, medical exam, and drug screening before starting the basic firefighter academy.
Is Crescent Fire Protection District a volunteer department?
Yes. CFPD is staffed by about 50 volunteer members, supplemented by a small full- and part-time administrative and chief staff shared with the City of Crescent City under the combined Crescent City Fire and Rescue organization.
What training do CFPD volunteer firefighters need?
New members complete a basic firefighter academy and must meet state and federally mandated training requirements, plus a minimum of 2 hours of training per week and periodic specialized courses in areas like hazmat, wildland fire, and technical rescue.
What area does Crescent Fire Protection District cover?
The District covers about 26 square miles of unincorporated Del Norte County surrounding Crescent City, CA, serving roughly 13,000 residents from three stations: Washington Station (headquarters), Cooper Station, and Bertsch-Oceanview Station.
Does CFPD hire paid, career firefighters?
The District's firefighting force is volunteer-based, with per-call stipends; a small number of full- and part-time positions (Fire Chief, Deputy Chief, administrative and maintenance staff) are shared, paid positions employed through the City of Crescent City.