Richmond Fire Department

Richmond Fire Department covers roughly 56 square miles along the East Bay shoreline, running seven engine companies, a truck company, a cross-staffed truck, two rescue units, a hazmat unit, a breathing-support unit, and the fireboat Victory out of seven fire stations. The department's stated mission is "to protect life and preserve property," and its 89 sworn firefighters (94 total allocated positions) handle everything from structure fires and vehicle collisions to hazardous-materials incidents and marine rescues on the bay.

New firefighters join through a structured pipeline: a written exam and Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) administered through the Firefighter Candidate Testing Center, followed by department and chief interviews, a background investigation, and a medical exam before entering the 16-week Recruit Academy and an 18-month probationary period. Firefighters work the traditional 48/96 schedule — 48 hours on duty followed by 96 hours off — and can advance through Engineer, Captain, Battalion Chief, Deputy Chief, and Fire Chief on the operations side, or Fire Inspector, Deputy Fire Marshal, and Fire Marshal on the prevention side.

Firefighter Trainee candidates must hold a current EMT certification, a valid California Class C driver's license, and a high school diploma or equivalent before applying. The hiring path runs through a Cal-JAC written exam and CPAT physical test administered by the Firefighter Candidate Testing Center (FCTC), followed by department interviews, a chief's interview, background investigation, and medical exam, then the 16-week Recruit Academy and an 18-month probationary period with 9-month and 18-month evaluations.