Description

This classification will receive the following base wage increases:

4.5% effective March 19, 2027
4.5% effective March 17, 2028
4.5% effective March 16, 2029
4.5% effective March 15, 2030
4.5% effective March 14, 2031

The Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) is currently accepting applications for the position of Hand Crew Firefighter. Please review the entire recruitment bulletin for important information before applying.

For more information about the Orange County Fire Authority Hand Crew Firefighter please visit www.joinocfa.org.

Class Summary

Under supervision, to perform a full range of strenuous physical tasks relative to fire suppression, fire line construction, improvement, and rehabilitation to fire lines and burn areas; mop up fire hotspots using hand tools to stop the fire spread; and related support functions.

Distinguishing Characteristics

The Hand Crew Firefighter is distinguished from a Firefighter, which has a full range of firefighting responsibilities. In addition to the performance of hand crew firefighting duties, incumbents may serve on as needed basis in technical assignments performing one of the following: fire suppression and prevention, training, and communications.

Essential Functions

To view the comprehensive class specification, please click on the following link: Hand Crew Firefighter.

Minimum Qualifications

An equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of this job such as those listed in the Essential Functions section of the classification specification for Hand Crew Firefighter.

EDUCATION (position requirement at entry)

High School Diploma or General Equivalency Diploma (GED)

EXPERIENCE (position Requirement At Entry)

Experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of this job

OTHER REQUIREMENTS (position Requirement At Entry)

Applicants must be at least 18 years of age

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS (position Requirements At Entry)

Possession of a valid California Class C Driver License at time of appointment. This classification is subject to enrollment in the California DMV Pull Notice Program, which periodically provides Risk Management with the incumbent's Driver License record and status.

Highly Desired Qualifications

Possession of an S-130 Firefighter Training Certificate
Possession of an S-190 Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior Certificate
Possession of L-180 Human Factors in the Wildland Fire Service Certificate
Possession of a CA/S-212 Wildland Fire Chainsaws Certificate or NWCG S-112: Introduction to Chainsaw Operations
Possession of an NWCG Firefighter Type 1
Possession of a valid California Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) License or Paramedic License
Completion of a State Certified Basic Firefighter 1 Academy
Possession of a valid Incident Qualification Card / Firefighter Red Card or Incident Qualifications and Certifications System (IQCS) Master Record

NOTE: Applicants who possess some or all of the highly desired certificates listed above MUST attach a scanned PDF copy at time of application submission.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Last Day to Apply: Sunday, August 9, 2026 at 11:59 PM
Written Examination: Week of August 31, 2026
Arduous Pack Test: Week of October 5, 2026
Oral Interviews: October 26, 2026 – November 6, 2026
Fire Chief Interviews: January 2027
Eligibility List Established: TBD
Background Investigation Orientation: TBD
Expected Start Date: June 2027

Please note, all dates are subject to change based on organizational need. Should a change occur, Human Resources will notify all affected candidates via email.

ONLINE APPLICATION

An applicant must submit, during the application filing period, an online application and attach any supplemental information as required in the job announcement, which may include submitting responses to a supplemental questionnaire and PDF copies of certificates. To apply for this position, please visit www.ocfa.org and submit your online application and all relevant supplemental documentation.

Online resumes and other unsolicited materials may be attached but will not be considered in lieu of the required online application. The OCFA reserves the right to limit the number of online applications when necessary. Applicants are responsible for maintaining/updating their contact information through the online application system.

Human Resources will screen all applications for minimum qualifications, however, the OCFA reserves the right to refer only the better qualified applicants.

WRITTEN EXAMINATION

The minimum passing score is 80%. The written exam will have a weight of 25% of the candidates' overall score. All candidates that achieve a score of 80% or above on the written examination will be invited to the arduous pack test.

ARDUOUS PACK TEST

Candidates must pass the arduous pack test exam in a time of 45:00 minutes or less. The arduous pack test consists of a three (3) mile hike with a 45-pound pack over level terrain. The arduous pack test will be coordinated by the OCFA at a nearby facility. Candidates may substitute an IQCS Master Record showing their current fitness level status as Arduous as a substitute for completing this portion of the recruitment process. All candidates who successfully complete the arduous pack test will be invited to the oral interview.

PANEL INTERVIEW

The minimum passing score is 80%. The panel interview will have a weight of 75% of the candidates' overall score. The panel interview will be arranged by Human Resources. Human Resources will notify referred candidates by email of the scheduled dates, times, and locations.

CHIEF'S INTERVIEW

Candidates who successfully complete the Chief's interview may be invited to begin the pre-employment background process. The Chief's interview will be arranged by Human Resources. Human Resources will notify candidates by email of the scheduled dates, times, and locations for their assigned interview.

ELIGIBILITY LIST

Placement on the eligibility list will be established based on a combination of the written examination score (25%) and the panel interview score (75%). The arduous pack test is pass/fail. The eligibility list will remain in effect for a period of one (1) year from the date of establishment or until all the names on the list are exhausted. The eligibility list may be extended or abolished at the discretion of the Assistant Chief/Human Resources Director.

SELECTION

Tentative selections will be completed after the Fire Chief interviews. Final selections are based on vacancies and successful completion of:

Pre-employment background check
Pre-employment medical examination

PRE-EMPLOYMENT MEDICAL EXAMINATION

Candidate must successfully complete a comprehensive pre-employment medical exam including a drug screen through the OCFA's designated physician.

PRE-EMPLOYMENT BACKGROUND

Candidate must successfully complete a comprehensive pre-employment background investigation including, but not limited to fingerprinting, current and previous employment history check, reference check, DMV check, criminal history check, and licensure/certification check.

POST EMPLOYMENT OFFERS

All job offers are contingent upon the successful completion / clearance of a comprehensive pre-employment medical exam and drug screen through the OCFA's designated health care providers, and completion of a comprehensive background investigation.

Physical Requirements

Positions in this class typically require climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, reaching, standing, walking, driving, pushing, pulling, lifting, grasping, feeling, talking, hearing, seeing and repetitive motions.

TOBACCO PRODUCTS

Employees represented by the Orange County Professional Firefighters Association (OCPFA) hired after September 1, 2016, are not permitted to use tobacco products on or off duty.

LOYALTY OATH

All new employees must take an oath of allegiance to the United States of America and the State of California.

Americans With Disabilities Act (ada) Accommodation

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, anyone who needs an ADA accommodation for the purposes of employment testing should contact Julie Kwak, Human Resources Analyst II at (714) 573-6828 or juliekwak@ocfa.org within 72 hours prior to the need for the accommodation.

QUESTIONS

All questions regarding this position should be directed to Julie Kwak, Human Resources Analyst II at (714) 573-6828 or juliekwak@ocfa.org.

NOTE

The provisions of this publication do not constitute an express or implied contract. Any provision in this publication may be modified or revoked without notice.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Orange County Fire Authority is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.

Please note: This summary reflects the benefits for shift employees assigned to a 56-hour average duty week. For benefits information related to staff assignments (40-hour workweek), please refer to the OCPFA Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

Orange County Professional Firefighters Association (OCPFA) Local 3631: This classification is represented by the OCPFA Local 3631. Please visit http://www.ocfirefighters.org for more information.

Merit Salary Increases

Employees are eligible for an initial merit salary increase (1 to 4 steps) on the first day of the pay period following completion of fifty-two (52) weeks of service, and thereafter annually based on their work performance and until they reach the top of their 12-step salary range.

Health Benefits

Pursuant to a Health Plan Agreement, the Authority contributes to the OCPFA medical benefit trust fund for health insurance and other related benefits. Brown Insurance Services (BIS) is the administrator for these benefits. The current contribution to the medical benefit trust fund will continue through 3/1/2028 in the amount of $2,199.49/month for "actively employed" enrollee members of the unit.

Retirement

All regular OCFA employees are members of the Orange County Employees Retirement System (OCERS) - a defined benefit retirement program. Employees are enrolled in one of the following retirement formulas based on date of hire.

Legacy Safety Members: Employees hired on or after January 1, 2013 who establish reciprocity with OCERS are enrolled in the 3% at age 55 retirement formula (Plan R). Please visit OCERS to view compensation and benefit limits. https://www.ocers.org/post/compensation-and-benefit-limits

New Safety Members: Employees hired on or after January 1, 2013 without reciprocity are enrolled in the 2.7% at age 57 retirement formula (Plan V). Please visit OCERS to view compensation and benefit limits. https://www.ocers.org/post/compensation-and-benefit-limits

For more information about OCERS retirement, please visit OCERS, or view the Retirement Plan HERE.

Deferred Compensation

Employees may voluntarily participate in the Authority’s deferred compensation plan. This plan is provided by Nationwide Retirement Services and allows for pre- and post-tax deferrals. This plan is 100% employee funded.

Retiree Medical Savings Plan

Employees participate in an employer sponsored retirement Healthcare Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) with a contribution of 3.0% of base salary. Firefighter Trainees and Handcrew Firefighters do not participate in this benefit.

OCPFA Supplemental Retiree Medical Plan

Employees contribute 1.0% of their base salary towards the Orange County Professional Firefighters Association (OCPFA) Supplemental Retiree Medical Plan Trust Fund.

Social Security

Orange County Fire Authority employees are not covered under the provisions of Federal Social Security (OASDI); therefore, they are not required to contribute 6.2% of salary towards Social Security.

Medicare

Employees contribute 1.45% to Medicare. Employees whose wages exceed $200,000 in a calendar year shall contribute an additional 0.9%.

Educational Incentive Pay

Employees with college-level semester units or a bachelor’s degree are eligible for educational incentive pay as follows:

60+ college-level semester units - 2.5% of base salary per month; or
90+ college-level semester units - 5% of base salary per month; or
Baccalaureate Degree - 7.5% of base salary per month

The maximum educational incentive pay an employee shall receive is 7.5% of base salary. To receive educational incentive pay, the employee must submit a written request to receive the educational incentive pay and submit satisfactory proof of qualification (for example, grade cards, transcripts, and/or other verification from an accredited, college-level educational institution). Employees must provide official transcripts for verification.

Hand Crew Firefighters are not eligible for educational incentive Pay.

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Pay

Employees (other than Firefighter Trainees) who maintain an active State of California EMT certification will receive, in addition to their regular salary, seven (9%) percent of each employee’s base salary per month, prorated on an hourly basis for regular hours paid.

Other Specialty Pays

Employees who move into special assignments at OCFA, or who possess specialized skills, may be eligible for other specialty pays. Please refer to the OCPFA MOU and Side Letter Agreements for further details.

Tuition Reimbursement

Tuition reimbursement is $2,000 per fiscal year to cover certain expenses associated with academic pursuits.

Holidays

Employees in the Firefighters Unit observe 13 holidays within the calendar year:

New Year's Day
Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday
Lincoln's Birthday
President's Day
Memorial Day
Independence Day
Labor Day
Indigenous Peoples' Day/Columbus Day
Veteran's Day
Thanksgiving Day
Day after Thanksgiving
Christmas Eve
Christmas Day

Shift employees receive 11.2 hours holiday pay of which 0.7 hours is designated to a Union Time Bank for Union release time.

Vacation

Vacation accrual is based on hours of completed continuous service (regular hours) exclusive of overtime. For shift employees:

After 1 year but less than 3 years: Approx 112 hours per year;
After 3 years but less than 10 years: Approx 168 hours per year;
After 10 years: Approx 224 hours per year.

Sick Leave

Sick leave is is based on hours of completed continuous service (regular hours) exclusive of overtime. For shift employees:

Date of employment but less than 3 years: Approx 101 hours per year;
After 3 years: Approx 144 hours per year.

Uniforms

The Authority provides uniforms to employees.

Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

The OCFA offers regular, limited-term, and probationary employees both a Medical and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), which allows you to contribute pre-tax dollars into an account that can be used throughout the year on qualified medical or dependent care expenses. Participants pay fewer taxes and take home more money. For 2022, the maximum employee contribution is $2,750 for eligible medical expenses. The maximum employee contribution is $5,000 for eligible dependent care expenses.

WEFIT Program

The WEFIT Program is mandatory/non-punitive. The OCFA shall provide all five (5) of the following aspects of the WEFIT Program:

Medical
Fitness
Medical/Fitness/Injury Rehabilitation
Behavioral Health
Data Collection and Reporting

Pet Discount Program

OCFA has partnered with United Pet Care to offer a pet healthcare program. This program helps employees reduce the cost of escalating veterinary bills at an affordable rate. All pets are eligible regardless of their age or medical condition.

Benevolent Association

Employees have the option to join OCFA’s Benevolent Association which was created to “Take Care of Their Own.” Included in your $8.00 per pay period cost is $10,000 Member Death Benefit, $4,000 Dependent Death Benefit, $30,000 Annual Scholarships for Members and Dependents, Hardship Grants/Loans, Annual Picnic for Members, Holiday Ball, and Retiree Tribute. In addition, Discount Offers- Recreation/Amusement Parks, fitness 19 and 24-Hour Fitness gym membership, discount movie tickets, Angels Baseball game with tailgate party, etc. Membership also allows access to very good supplemental insurances of many types, including, Long Term Disability, Long Term Care, various AFLAC (ICU, Cancer, Accident Injury, CSFA membership, Living Trusts and more. The Family Auxiliary and KIDS Fund (provides monetary assistance only to kids of members), both operate under the Benevolent Association.

Updated 07/2026

This benefit summary is intended to provide an easy way for current and prospective employees to access fringe benefit information, including voluntary options. This summary is intended to be accurate, but it is not an official plan document, and has no legal or binding effect as an expressed or implied contract, or otherwise, and does not alter or amend any provision of the Memoranda of Understanding, Personnel and Salary Resolution, retirement contract, insurance policy contract, or any other official document of the Orange County Fire Authority, including Standard Operating Procedures and General Orders. All insurance benefits described in the summary are subject to the terms and limitations of the Orange County Fire Authority's insurance contracts with individual insurance providers. Should you have any questions pertaining to information in this summary, please contact the Human Resources Department at (714) 573-6800.

01

The Orange County Fire Authority uses e-mail to notify applicants of important information relating to the status and processing of applications. We do so as part of our ongoing efforts to increase efficiency, conserve resources, and minimize delays and costs. Therefore, as an applicant, please ensure that the e-mail address you provide is current, secure, and readily accessible to you. We recommend that you do not share e-mail addresses with other individuals who may inadvertently delete important communications sent to you. Spam or other filters should be adjusted to accept e-mails from ocfa.org and governmentjobs.com. Please read each e-mail notice carefully and in a timely manner. Follow further instructions, if any. Please acknowledge that I have read, understand, and agree to the above.

02

Are you a current OCFA employee?

03

THIS IS A MINIMUM REQUIREMENT. You must be at least 18 years of age on or before June 2027. On June 2027, will you be at least 18 years of age?

04

As of today (date of application submittal), do you possess or have you earned one of the following: a high school diploma, high school diploma equivalency certificate, or California High School Certificate of Proficiency?

05

Education

As of today (date of application submittal), please select the highest level of education you have completed from the choices below:

Less than high school diploma or GED
High school diploma or GED
Some college credits completed
Associate’s Degree
Bachelor’s Degree or higher

06

Do you possess a valid Class C California Driver’s License or equivalent?

07

Please provide a scanned PDF copy of the certificate(s) you possess. Check the items below which you have attached to your online application.

Class C California Driver’s License or equivalent
S-130 Firefighter Training Certificate
S-190 Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior Certificate
L-180 Human Factors in the Wildland
S-212 Wildland Fire Chainsaws Certificate
S-112 Introduction to Chainsaw Operations
NWCG Firefighter Type 1 Certificate
State Certified Basic Firefighter 1 Academy
Valid Incident Qualification Card / Firefighter Red Card or Incident Qualifications or Certifications System (IQCS) Master Record
I do not possess any of the certificates listed above

08

As of today (date of application submittal), do you possess one of the following: a valid, current California or National Registry EMT License OR California or National Registry Paramedic License?

09

Please provide your California or National Registry EMT OR California or National Registry Paramedic License number. If you do not possess a California or National Registry EMT or Paramedic License, please write “N/A.”

Required Question

Orange County Fire Authority

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