Captain - Emergency Medical Services - Fire Department (H033)

Company Description

Application Opening: January 26, 2026
Application Deadline: February 9, 2026

Compensation Range: $201,578/yearly
Recruitment ID: C00360

Established in 1866, the San Francisco Fire Department is rich in tradition and history. From the Great Earthquake and Fire of 1906 to the Loma Prieta Earthquake of 1989, the Department has grown to meet the many challenges along the way. Today, the San Francisco Fire Department serves an estimated 1.5 million people, providing fire suppression, fire prevention and emergency medical services to the residents, visitors and workers within San Francisco's 49 square miles.

Job Description

The H033 EMS Captain is a management position in the San Francisco Fire Department Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Division. Under general direction of the EMS Section Chief of Operations or other higher-ranking officers in the Department, the H033 EMS Captain directs and supervises the activities of EMTs, Paramedics, Firefighter Paramedic staff, and other auxiliary personnel in an assigned area. An EMS Captain may be assigned to Field Operations, Emergency Communications, Station 49, Division of Training, Airport, Quality Assurance, Administration, or other positions assigned. Based on assignment, an EMS Captain’s duties may include, but are not limited to: manages and assesses clinical performance of paramedic and EMT staff; identifies, evaluates and reduces opportunities of injury to the public or department members; manages system operations; provides education and training to department members; counsels staff engaged in EMS activities; evaluates and improves quality assurance; investigates critical incidents and unusual occurrences; coordinates activities with fire officers and chiefs at scenes of medical or fire emergencies and disasters; participates in special projects as assigned. The H033 EMS Captain may also be required to perform related duties as required.

Qualifications

Experience:

1. Successful completion of probationary period in class H003 Level 2 Paramedic or class H003 Level 3 Firefighter Paramedic.
2. Five (5) years of experience as a sworn permanent appointee in the San Francisco Fire Department including three (3) years of experience as a paramedic in the San Francisco Fire Department.

License and Certification:

1. Possession and maintenance of a valid Paramedic license issued by the State of California EMS Authority.
2. Current paramedic accreditation from the San Francisco EMS Agency.
3. Possession and maintenance of a valid California Driver license.

Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications by final filling date unless otherwise noted.

Verification: 

Candidates who are under consideration for appointment will be contacted by the Fire Department for verification of knowledge and skills competence. Candidates who do not meet the standards set by the San Francisco Fire Department EMS Medical Director will be placed under waiver on the eligible list and will not be available for appointment until such time as they are able to meet those standards.

Note: Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco.

Selection Procedures: 

The selection process will consist of the following components: Multiple-choice Written Exam and Performance Exam. Weights for each exercise will be announced via preparation guide, which will be issued approximately 30 days prior to the administration of the respective test components.

Qualified applicants will be notified by email of the exact dates, times, and locations of the exercises. Both components are tentatively scheduled for the week of May 4-8, 2026.

A passing score will be established with respect to the final scores. Only those candidates who attain a final score at or above the pass point will have their names included on the eligible list.  Test scores will be standardized.

Test Preparation Guides:

A description of the test components, including component weights, will be included in the Preparation Guides. The Preparation Guides will also list the job-related task clusters from which Test tasks will be simulated. They will also identify knowledge and abilities that may be evaluated by each test component. The Preparation Guides will be available approximately 30 days prior to the administration of the respective test components. Qualified applicants will be notified via email when the Preparation Guides become available.

Certification:

In accordance with Civil Service Rule 313.3.4, the certification rule to be used for the eligible list wil