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Employment Opportunities
Central Fire District Mission
To improve quality of life by protecting the community from the risks and consequences of fire, medical, rescue, hazardous material, and natural disaster incidents.
Our Values
Safety - Service - Professionalism
Central Fire District serves the communities of Capitola, Live Oak, Soquel, Aptos, Rio Del Mar and La Selva Beach, and covers an area of 55 square miles. The District responds to requests for service for fire, water rescue, emergency medical services, hazardous materials calls, and assorted alarms.
When you join Central Fire District, you join a select group of courageous and dedicated individuals that serve their community with honor and integrity. You’ll build trust and friendship with your co-workers, as together you respond to emergencies and other challenging situations. We provide employees with a variety of career choices and opportunities, and a comprehensive benefits package for you and your family. Fire Station staffing is on a two-days on, four-days off schedule, providing ample time for weekday activities with friends and family. We hope that you will consider an exciting and valuable career with Central Fire District!
For questions regarding the application and hiring process, please email our recruitment division.
Employment Opportunities Mailing List
Notify Me of Current Job Openings & Recruitment Events.
Non-Safety & Management Positions
If you are interested in learning about positions in Fire Administration, Community Risk Reduction or Fleet Services, we have information available on our Non-Safety Employment Opportunities Page.
In addition to these Non-Safety Positions, we also have a Fire Chief, Assistant Chief, Division Chiefs and Battalion Chiefs. Their current Salaries & Benefits and Job Descriptions are also available on our website.
Minimum Requirements
Below are the minimum requirements for entry-level positions as a Paid Call Firefighter, Firefighter/EMT or Firefighter/Paramedic. For information on requirements for other positions, or to view the full job descriptions for each position, visit our Job Descriptions page.
- Be 18 years of age.
- Possess a high school diploma or GED.
- Possess a valid California Class C Drivers License and pass an "insurability check" by the District's insurance carrier.
- Successfully complete a District-approved Fire Academy
- Must live within Santa Cruz County
- Provide Proof of eligibility to work in the United States.
- Current Certified First Responder (or equivalent).
- Possess a valid Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Card.
- Be at least 18 years of age at the time of appointment.
- Possess a valid high school diploma or GED.
- Provide proof of eligibility to work in the United States.
- Possess a valid California Drivers License, and have the ability to attain any specialized license to drive departmental apparatus within 6 months of request by the Fire Chief.
- Have ability to maintain required Drivers License requirements as established by the Fire Chief, and pass an "insurability" check by the District's insurance carrier.
- Possess a valid Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certification.
- Have ability to meet and maintain standards of physical conditions as prescribed in NFPA 1582-1992.
- Upon completion of probation period, possess Hazardous Materials First Responder (Operations) and ICS 200 Certification, and State Driver/Operator 1A and 1B Certifications.
- Be at least 18 years of age.
- Possess a high school diploma or GED.
- Provide proof of eligibility to work in the United States.
- Possess a valid California Drivers License, and have the ability to attain any specialized license to drive departmental apparatus within 6 months of request by the Fire Chief.
- Have ability to maintain required drivers license requirements as established by the Fire Chief and pass an "insurability check" by the District's insurance carrier.
- Possess a valid Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certification.
- Have ability to meet and maintain standards of physical conditions as prescribed in NFPA 1582-1992.
- Upon completion of probation period, possess Hazardous Materials First Responder (Operations) and ICS 200 Certification, and State Driver/Operator 1A and 1B Certifications.
- Possess and maintain a valid State of California Paramedic License and accreditation from Santa Cruz County.
- Possess and maintain a valid Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) Certification card.
Salary & Benefits
Below is information on our salary range for each Safety position (Firefighter through Battalion Chief), as well as our comprehensive benefits package for healthcare, dental, retirement and more. For a more detailed list of benefits for each position, you can view the MOU's listed on our Salary and Benefits page. Note: Paid Call Firefighters are paid hourly, and as such are not included in the Local 3535 Bargaining Unit MOU.
Base Salary Range By Position:
Firefighters and Paramedics are paid in 4 different salary steps. Fire Captains and Battalion Chiefs have three steps for each position. Below are the lowest to highest base salary pay for each of these positions.
| Position | Hourly Range | Monthly Range | Annual Range |
| Firefighter | $31.19 - $41.93 | $7,589.38 - $10,204.01 | $91,072.54 - $122,488.13 |
| Firefighter/Paramedic | $34.31 - $46.13 | $8,348.62 - $11,224.41 | $100,179.80 - $134,932.95 |
| 56-Hour Fire Captain | $47.81 - $52.71 | $11,632.57 - $12,824.91 | $139,590.87 - $153,898.94 |
| 40-Hour Fire Captain | $70.47 - $77.69 | $12,214.20 - $13,466.16 | $146,570.42 - $161,593.89 |
| 56-Hour Battalion Chief | $59.03 - $65.08 | $14,363.90 - $15,836.20 | $172,366.81 - $190,034.42 |
| 40-Hour Battalion Chief | $82.87 - $91.36 | $14,363.90 - $15,836.20 | $172,366.81 - $190,034.42 |
Scheduled Cost of Living Increases:
5% COLA for Pay Period including 1/1/2024, and another 5% for Pay Period including 1/1/2025.
Specialty Pay & Educational Incentive Pay:
As detailed in MOU - Must meet certain eligibility requirements or be assigned to certain specialties.
Longevity Pay:
2.50% for >20 yrs
Health Benefits
Employees may choose any health plan offered by CalPERS.
For the 2023 medical insurance plan year, the District's contribution to the monthly premium will be as follows:
- Employee only: $1,059
- Employee +1 Dependent: $2,118
- Employee + 2 or more Dependents: $2,753
For the 2024 medical insurance plan year, the contributions increase to:
- Employee only: $1,112
- Employee +1 Dependent: $2,224
- Employee + 2 or more Dependents: $2,891
For the 2025 medical insurance plan year, the contributions increase to:
- Employee only: $1,168
- Employee +1 Dependent: $2,335
- Employee + 2 or more Dependents: $3,035
Dental Insurance
Central FD provides dental insurance to employees and their dependents, and pays the monthly premium for dental insurance coverage. The District pays the monthly premium for a plan equal to the Delta plan level of coverage, providing $2,000 maximum per year for all active employees and dependents.
Vision Insurance
Central FD provides vision insurance to employees and their dependents. The District pays the monthly premiums for all active employees and dependents.
Central Fire District pays the premium in full for current employees on the District-offered life insurance plan. For full-time employees, the life insurance plan provides a death benefit of $10,000 for a spouse and $5,000 per child.
The following life insurance benefit is provided for our employees:
- All employees to age 64 - $100,000
- Employees aged 65-69 - $65,000
- Employees aged 70+ - $50,000
Retirement Plans
Membership in the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) is included for all employees.
District Employees may choose any health plan offered by CalPERS. The District will make the following contributions to the monthly premiums, for these plans (any remaining balance is paid by the employee).
| Calendar Year | Individual | Employee +1 dependent | Employee +2 or more |
| 2023 | $1,059 | $2,118 | $2,753 |
| 2024 | $1,112 | $2,224 | $2,891 |
| 2025 | $1,168 | $2,335 | $3,035 |
Holidays
In-lieu holiday compensation is equivalent to 13 holidays per year, paid to employees at the rate of 12 hours per pay period at the employees base hourly rate. In addition, Battalion Chiefs receive five administrative holidays, which may be taken off any time during the calendar year with approval of the BC's supervisor.
Sick Leave
56-hour employees accrue sick leave at the rate of 11.08 hours per pay period. At the end of each calendar year, a maximum of 144 hours of the annual accumulated sick leave (in excess of 2400 hours) may be paid at the member's regular hourly rate of pay in effect on December 31st. Employees may accumulate an unlimited amount of sick leave hours. Upon retirement, employees shall have the option of converting the entire balance of accumulated sick leave to service credit, or receive compensation for up to a maximum of 750 hours, plus one half of the employees current calendar year accrual (converting the remaining sick leave balance to service credit).
Vacation Leave
Employees are entitled to at least 16 consecutive calendar days of vacation per year. The rate at which an employee accrues vacation hours and the maximum amount of vacation hours that may be accrued is determined by the employee's length of service, ranging from 192 hours annually for employees with 1-5 years of service, to 384 hours annually for those with 17 or more years with the District. Employees in the Local 3535 bargaining group also have the option to cash out accrued vacation leave four times per calendar year.
Prepare Ahead - EMT Programs
EMT Classes are offered by many community colleges, universities and private companies. Most courses last a semester long, and some accelerated courses can be as short as two weeks. Below is a list of some EMT programs available in the Bay Area.
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Firefighter Candidate Testing Center (FCTC) Written Test
The FCTC Written Test was developed by the California Firefighter Joint Apprenticeship Committee (Cal-JAC). It is a 100-question exam, administered at a minimum quarterly. Visit the FCTC Website to obtain more information on the test process, get a schedule of upcoming test dates, and prepare for the written test with their Free Study Guide.
The California Fire Foundation (CFF) FCTC offers Financial Aid Awards that cover the following:
(2) CPAT Practices @ $30 each
(1) CPAT Test and (2) Orientations @ $160
(2) FCTC Written Test Preparation Courses @ $25
(1) FCTC Written Test @ $50
To apply for financial aid, visit the FCTC website.
Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT)
The Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) is the recognized standard for measuring an individual’s ability to handle the physical demands of being a firefighter. Visit Job Step Prep for more information on the CPAT testing process. You can also watch this video showing the CPAT testing process.
For more information and to schedule your CPAT visit the Firefighter Candidate Testing Center’s website.
Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County is an equal opportunity employer, providing equal opportunity to all regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, disability, religious or political affiliation, age or sexual orientation. We offer well-paying, fulfilling careers and opportunities for advancement.
Every effort is made to keep the information on this page current. Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County Firefighters are represented by Central Firefighters, International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) Local 3535.