The Riverside County Fire Department, operating under CAL FIRE, provides emergency services including firefighting, emergency medical services (EMS), and hazmat response to all unincorporated areas and 20 partner cities within Riverside County. The department utilizes various resources, from specialized engines and tenders to incident command vehicles and a helicopter, and emphasizes comprehensive training for its personnel through facilities like the Ben Clark Training Center. Its mission is to protect life, property, and the environment through progressive, all-hazard emergency services and public education.
I can only speak for the County side, not CAL FIRE’s. Let’s start with the absurdity of the CAL FIRE / Riverside County arrangement. CAL FIRE is responsible for suppression staff, yet oversees all County personnel—including dispatch, fleet, IT, the Fire Marshal’s Office, and all non-suppression staff. Essentially, you have two agencies tangled together, which makes things like accessing the County intranet or other services unnecessarily difficult—especially if you’re assigned to a contract city.
Leadership & Administration
CAL FIRE chiefs dictate the direction for each city or department. Leadership quality varies widely, but the overall philosophy seems to be: “get the most work out of you for the least amount of money.” The OSFM leadership in particular has been a long-running joke. Most fire marshals are either absent, caught up in political games to win favor with CAL FIRE chiefs, or simply incompetent—but have been around long enough to get promoted anyway. Incompetence and toxicity seem to be the most valued traits among much of the leadership. Training and education are largely dismissed in favor of a “good ol’ boys” culture. To be fair, there are a few solid leaders—but they are the exception, not the rule.
Work Environment & Morale
Working here is pretty demoralizing. Instead of focusing on the quality of work, management obsesses over quotas and inspection numbers. If supervisors were held to the same standards, you’d likely find little of real substance being accomplished. Cliques are not only tolerated but seem encouraged, and it’s common to hear management badmouthing employees in other divisions. Pay and benefits are embarrassingly low—it honestly feels like you’re paying the County to work here. Rather than supporting staff who seek growth or new opportunities, some supervisors tear others down out of insecurity or ego.
Resources & Equipment
There’s no consistency when it comes to vehicles or equipment across the County. Training is virtually non-existent. Employees are told to be “self-motivated” and pay for classes themselves—a convenient excuse to avoid investing in their workforce. There’s little to no interest in developing employees into stronger assets for the organization.
Staffing, Scheduling & Advancement
This is one of the few areas that’s not terrible. Most places should move to 4/10s or alternative schedules. For those who complain, shorten your lunch and start half an hour earlier—it works just fine. That said, the department would benefit greatly from hiring better-qualified staff and promoting those who actually work hard, show integrity, and do their jobs well—instead of rewarding people who play politics. Until that changes, the culture and morale will stay exactly where they are: stagnant.
Rating Breakdown
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1 Review on “Riverside County Fire Department”
Maybe not the worst, but definitely not the best.
I can only speak for the County side, not CAL FIRE’s. Let’s start with the absurdity of the CAL FIRE / Riverside County arrangement. CAL FIRE is responsible for suppression staff, yet oversees all County personnel—including dispatch, fleet, IT, the Fire Marshal’s Office, and all non-suppression staff. Essentially, you have two agencies tangled together, which makes things like accessing the County intranet or other services unnecessarily difficult—especially if you’re assigned to a contract city.
Leadership & Administration
CAL FIRE chiefs dictate the direction for each city or department. Leadership quality varies widely, but the overall philosophy seems to be: “get the most work out of you for the least amount of money.” The OSFM leadership in particular has been a long-running joke. Most fire marshals are either absent, caught up in political games to win favor with CAL FIRE chiefs, or simply incompetent—but have been around long enough to get promoted anyway. Incompetence and toxicity seem to be the most valued traits among much of the leadership. Training and education are largely dismissed in favor of a “good ol’ boys” culture. To be fair, there are a few solid leaders—but they are the exception, not the rule.
Work Environment & Morale
Working here is pretty demoralizing. Instead of focusing on the quality of work, management obsesses over quotas and inspection numbers. If supervisors were held to the same standards, you’d likely find little of real substance being accomplished. Cliques are not only tolerated but seem encouraged, and it’s common to hear management badmouthing employees in other divisions. Pay and benefits are embarrassingly low—it honestly feels like you’re paying the County to work here. Rather than supporting staff who seek growth or new opportunities, some supervisors tear others down out of insecurity or ego.
Resources & Equipment
There’s no consistency when it comes to vehicles or equipment across the County. Training is virtually non-existent. Employees are told to be “self-motivated” and pay for classes themselves—a convenient excuse to avoid investing in their workforce. There’s little to no interest in developing employees into stronger assets for the organization.
Staffing, Scheduling & Advancement
This is one of the few areas that’s not terrible. Most places should move to 4/10s or alternative schedules. For those who complain, shorten your lunch and start half an hour earlier—it works just fine. That said, the department would benefit greatly from hiring better-qualified staff and promoting those who actually work hard, show integrity, and do their jobs well—instead of rewarding people who play politics. Until that changes, the culture and morale will stay exactly where they are: stagnant.