H3 EMT/Paramedic Recruitment - Prospective Candidates

Step 1: Apply Online

All candidates interested in the H3 Level 1 EMT and H3 Level 2 Paramedic position must apply by going through the City and County of San Francisco’s Department of Human Resources website.

Step 2: Schedule the Written Exam and Submit Proof of EMT Certification

  • The SFFD is currently using a multiple choice exam.
  • There is no clinical skills testing in this portion of the hiring process.
  • No NTN exam required.
  • H3 Level 2 Paramedics: If you pass the initial H3 Level 1 EMT exam, you also must take a multiple-choice paramedic level written exam to be considered as a H3 Level 2 Paramedic (Paramedic) candidate.

Step 3: Pass the Physical Ability Test

Candidates must complete and pass the SFFD EMS physical ability test [PAT] to be considered for hire. The test will consist of job task simulation components designed to measure a candidate’s ability to lift and carry 70 pounds of equipment up and down six flights of stairs, drag a 165-pound mannequin 15 feet, and unload/reload a 165-pound gurney in and out of an ambulance. Candidates on the eligible list will be placed under waiver until they have passed this PAT. The time limit is 4 minutes 30 seconds.

A CPAT card will not be accepted in lieu of a PAT.

Step 4: First Interview

Once a candidate has completed and passed the written exam and PAT, they may be offered an interview. Panel members from the SFFD EMS Division will ask several questions. The topics of the questions may include, but are not limited to, the following: critical thinking, interpersonal skills, and clinical scenarios.

Step 5: Chiefs Interview

If a candidate is recommended to proceed in the process, the candidate will be offered an interview with EMS Chiefs.

If candidates are offered a provisional job offer, candidates will proceed to a background investigation and medical examination by SFFD personnel. 

Step 6: Provisional Offer of Employment 

Applicants who are extended provisional offers of employment as an H-3 Level 1 EMT will be required to submit the following documents on the first day of the EMS Academy:

  • California State Emergency Medical Technician License (EMT)
  • California State Driver's License with Ambulance Driver Certificate
  • Current CPR card (American Red Cross Healthcare Provider or American Health Association Health Care Provider
  • FEMA ICS 100, 200 and 700 Course Completion Certificates.

Applicants who are extended provisional offers of employment as an H-3 Level 2 Paramedic will be required to submit the following documents on the first day of the EMS Academy:

  • California State Emergency Medical Technician Paramedic (EMT-P) License.
  • California State Driver's License with Ambulance Driver Certificate
  • Current CPR card (American Red Cross Healthcare Provider or American Health Association Health Care Provider.
  • Advance Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) Card.
  • Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) or Pediatric Education for Prehospital Care Professionals (PEPP) or Emergency Pediatric Care (EPC) Card.
  • Prehospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS) or International Trauma Life Support (ITLS) Card.
  • FEMA ICS 100, 200 and 700 Course Completion Certificates

Background Verification to include DOJ criminal history check and DMV driving record review. The candidate will submit to Livescan fingerprinting and provide a recent DMV driving record printout.

Medical Exam/Toxicology Screening

Candidates must successfully complete a San Francisco Fire Department medical examination, which includes the following components:

  • Medical history questionnaire
  • Drug and alcohol screening
  • Physical examination
  • Blood and urine tests
  • Hearing assessment
  • Electrocardiogram (ECG)
  • Vision and color vision screening
  • Tuberculosis (TB) blood test
  • Verification of vaccination status for Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, MMR, varicella, and documentation of a tetanus vaccine within the past 10 years

Note: If any test results are abnormal, you will need to follow up with your personal healthcare provider for further testing. To avoid delays in your application process, please make sure to inform your Primary Care Provider about your application or establish care with one in advance.

Each applicant’s medical condition will be assessed individually by the Office of Employee Health to determine suitability for employment. Candidates advancing to the Medical Examination stage will be required to complete a Medical History Statement. Any false statements or omissions on this form, as determined by the Chief of the Fire Department, will result in disqualification.

Step 7: Final Offer of Employment

If a candidate successfully completes the requirements within the Provisional Offer of employment, the candidate will receive a Final Offer.

An Academy Orientation will take place a week before the EMS Academy begins. Attendance is not mandatory, but highly recommended.

Step 8: EMS Academy

The EMS Academy is eight weeks. Recruits will work 40-hour weeks during the Academy. The Academy is a combination of physical training, lectures, and skills. Each week, recruits will be tested on EMS skills; geographic knowledge; San Francisco EMS Policy and Protocols; and SFFD Rules, Regulations, and policies.

  • Written Testing
    • Recruits will be given a weekly multiple-choice exam which consists of 100 questions. A minimum 80% score is required.
  • Skills Testing
    • Recruits will be tested on EMS skills weekly. A minimum 80% score is required. 
  • Physical Fitness
    • Recruits will perform daily physical training.
      • Daily physical training involves a combination of cardiovascular, strength and core training which consistent with daily EMS duties.
      • In preparation for the EMS Academy, recruits should be able to perform the following:
        • Recruits should be able to perform thirty (30) pushups in one (1) minute.
        • Recruits should be able to run one and a half miles in fourteen (14) minutes.
        • Recruits should be able to perform thirty (30) sit-ups in one (1) minute.
  • Field Evaluations
    • The Field Evaluation phase is three weeks, 108 hours total (36 hours per week) of training and evaluation on a 12-hour shift schedule. Recruits will work 12-hour day, swing, or night shifts depending upon the Evaluator’s current shift schedule.
  • Final Testing
    • Final testing consists of a multiple-choice written exam, a geography exam, and multiple manipulative exams. Recruits MUST pass the final written exam with a minimum score of 80% to graduate from the Academy.