The San Bernardino County Fire Protection District is a community-based, all-hazard emergency services provider dedicated to the protection of the public we serve, organizational sustainability, performance excellence, and safety. We accomplish this through a balance of regionalized service delivery and accountability to our local communities.
At 20,160 square miles, San Bernardino County is the largest county in the continental United States. Our jurisdiction encompasses approximately 19,200 square miles of extremely diverse environments that stretch from the Los Angeles County line on the west, to the Colorado River on the east, to the Nevada State line and Kern and Inyo counties on the north. We provide services to more than 60 communities/cities and all unincorporated areas of the county.
Our jurisdiction encounters hazards that include floods, fires, earthquakes, and train derailments, among others, that can impact highly urbanized metropolitan areas, industrial centers, and major portions of the most vital interstate highway and railroad transportation corridors that serve Southern California. We are also home to major entertainment venues such as the Glen Helen Amphitheater and the California Speedway. Our mountain resort areas, the Colorado River and vast high-use recreational desert lands underscore our diverse geography.
No place is perfect and there is always room to better yourself, with that being said I couldn’t be happier working here. Sure, we have staffing issues, who doesn’t. Sure, everyone won’t agree with decisions, that’s human. However, whatever you want to do in the fire service, we do it here, and strive to do it great. Amazing people work here across all the ranks who have passion and dedication to their brothers and sisters, the community and the organization. This isn’t Country Fire anymore.
Your options are to work 6 days in a row or to work 3 on 1 off, 4 on 1 off. Get used to working 20+ days a month and never seeing your family. Lots of cool people but also lots of unnecessary egos.
Let’s start by saying what the other reviews are saying is true – the job gets done in our county especially in San Bernardino city, that being said there’s a lot more to county fire than what meets the eye. The history of past present and most likely the future – is terrible staffing , basically it’s known you either work your overtime or let the staffing desk **** you up, the department is made up of several divisions where you can do a wide variety of things- Div 1, Fontana this is a decent division with some rare but good fires and lots of medical aid calls however if you’re in Fontana make sure you’re fire application is updated because Fontana city fire is in the works. Stations are nice but like I said it’s because Fontana owns them, many captains don’t get out of the rigs on medical aids and try and make the squad do all the work in and out of the station. Div 2 , San Bernardino , this is a great place to work , there is no shortage of calls and a lot of fire. You will run 30 or 40 medical aids , also average response time to a call varies 4-5 mins in some stations, once you have run enough med aids you get a fire, and you forget about all the bull**** and have fun for a minute before going back to your run down station to get 15 more homeless calls, can’t forget about the cities large population of left behind ‘SB city boys’ guys who didn’t leave when their agency folded, and when they came over they took over – which was mostly a positive thing because county fire was country fire for a long time. This comes at a cost – you will hear them talk about the glory days around the kitchen table to no end. The other divisions are ok , the mountains are for retirement and the desert is for guys who live up that way and dont want to drive the pass. Our training tower is a joke and is in desperate need of remodel, no toilets, running water and everything is in trailers. Morale varies from station to station but overall I’d say it’s negative but getting better, the firemen get worked a lot, forced a lot, and god forbid there is a strike team sent out then you will never go home. Overall it’s a good place to work if you live here , pay is ok and a getting better, and if you’re a commuter it’s a good place to work until you get your paramedic license from the l county and leave to your next agency.
So the past reviews are somewhat accurate.
– Staffing is controlled by a station with AOs and firefighters who are paid to screw over their brothers. They will pay shenanigans and help themselves out. But the regular guys will be forced. (Forces range between 5-8 forces)
– Our Administration is a joke and forgot where they came from. They don’t know the struggle these younger firefighters go through. “Oh if I did it, you can do it” Yes Chief work your 20 shifts of month. Work as a paramedic, clean the station and cook and have your probationary classes ready. And never go home
– Our stations suck. They highlight the good ones but rest fall apart. No proper gym equipment. Black mold in several stations.
– We have new engines in the Valley. But in our other areas, we are running 2001 engines. And we definitely don’t clean or polish these rigs
– our mechanics shop is being ran to the ground and overworked. We get a new engine and they are “fitted” at the shop. It takes a year.
– training is a joke. Our tower is a joke. Porty potties and a run down portable for class rooms. It definitely shows you “you’re in the ghetto”
– It’s a big county. So it’s all over the place. We cover from Upland to Havasu.
– We got alot of old guys who need to retire and stop taking about the old days. No one cares because they need to focus on what’s happening and how this department is being ran to the ground by leadership and poor morale
– The good thing here: the people make this place. Good firefighters work here and good people come from this place. If people usually leave, they are successful there. Unless they were dunders here.
– You do the job (fires, EMS, extrication)
– The culture here is good (meaning people won’t jam you up for no reason. Intensity is given in certain division due to the area). T shirts and shorts all day if you want. You can mess around and have fun with your friends here.
– Money here is decent. And getting better. You will be able to make a very good living and comfortable. Benefits are hard to beat now.
Admin, staffing, coverage area and management are 1 star.
Firefighters here are good people. Sucks to see people suffer
Pick and choose your poison. But the firefighters here can function and work hard. Probably why other departments want to hand pick our guys.
Rating Breakdown
2.9/5
4/5
3.9/5
2.7/5
7 Reviews on “San Bernardino County Fire Protection District”
Best job I ever had
Leadership issues & Staffing issues
But still an amazing place packed with opportunity to do the job with some of the best people in the trade to do it with.
Best department if you want to be a firefighter. So many opportunities to get involved and make an impact.
No place is perfect and there is always room to better yourself, with that being said I couldn’t be happier working here. Sure, we have staffing issues, who doesn’t. Sure, everyone won’t agree with decisions, that’s human. However, whatever you want to do in the fire service, we do it here, and strive to do it great. Amazing people work here across all the ranks who have passion and dedication to their brothers and sisters, the community and the organization. This isn’t Country Fire anymore.
Your options are to work 6 days in a row or to work 3 on 1 off, 4 on 1 off. Get used to working 20+ days a month and never seeing your family. Lots of cool people but also lots of unnecessary egos.
Let’s start by saying what the other reviews are saying is true – the job gets done in our county especially in San Bernardino city, that being said there’s a lot more to county fire than what meets the eye. The history of past present and most likely the future – is terrible staffing , basically it’s known you either work your overtime or let the staffing desk **** you up, the department is made up of several divisions where you can do a wide variety of things- Div 1, Fontana this is a decent division with some rare but good fires and lots of medical aid calls however if you’re in Fontana make sure you’re fire application is updated because Fontana city fire is in the works. Stations are nice but like I said it’s because Fontana owns them, many captains don’t get out of the rigs on medical aids and try and make the squad do all the work in and out of the station. Div 2 , San Bernardino , this is a great place to work , there is no shortage of calls and a lot of fire. You will run 30 or 40 medical aids , also average response time to a call varies 4-5 mins in some stations, once you have run enough med aids you get a fire, and you forget about all the bull**** and have fun for a minute before going back to your run down station to get 15 more homeless calls, can’t forget about the cities large population of left behind ‘SB city boys’ guys who didn’t leave when their agency folded, and when they came over they took over – which was mostly a positive thing because county fire was country fire for a long time. This comes at a cost – you will hear them talk about the glory days around the kitchen table to no end. The other divisions are ok , the mountains are for retirement and the desert is for guys who live up that way and dont want to drive the pass. Our training tower is a joke and is in desperate need of remodel, no toilets, running water and everything is in trailers. Morale varies from station to station but overall I’d say it’s negative but getting better, the firemen get worked a lot, forced a lot, and god forbid there is a strike team sent out then you will never go home. Overall it’s a good place to work if you live here , pay is ok and a getting better, and if you’re a commuter it’s a good place to work until you get your paramedic license from the l county and leave to your next agency.
So the past reviews are somewhat accurate.
– Staffing is controlled by a station with AOs and firefighters who are paid to screw over their brothers. They will pay shenanigans and help themselves out. But the regular guys will be forced. (Forces range between 5-8 forces)
– Our Administration is a joke and forgot where they came from. They don’t know the struggle these younger firefighters go through. “Oh if I did it, you can do it” Yes Chief work your 20 shifts of month. Work as a paramedic, clean the station and cook and have your probationary classes ready. And never go home
– Our stations suck. They highlight the good ones but rest fall apart. No proper gym equipment. Black mold in several stations.
– We have new engines in the Valley. But in our other areas, we are running 2001 engines. And we definitely don’t clean or polish these rigs
– our mechanics shop is being ran to the ground and overworked. We get a new engine and they are “fitted” at the shop. It takes a year.
– training is a joke. Our tower is a joke. Porty potties and a run down portable for class rooms. It definitely shows you “you’re in the ghetto”
– It’s a big county. So it’s all over the place. We cover from Upland to Havasu.
– We got alot of old guys who need to retire and stop taking about the old days. No one cares because they need to focus on what’s happening and how this department is being ran to the ground by leadership and poor morale
– The good thing here: the people make this place. Good firefighters work here and good people come from this place. If people usually leave, they are successful there. Unless they were dunders here.
– You do the job (fires, EMS, extrication)
– The culture here is good (meaning people won’t jam you up for no reason. Intensity is given in certain division due to the area). T shirts and shorts all day if you want. You can mess around and have fun with your friends here.
– Money here is decent. And getting better. You will be able to make a very good living and comfortable. Benefits are hard to beat now.
Admin, staffing, coverage area and management are 1 star.
Firefighters here are good people. Sucks to see people suffer
Pick and choose your poison. But the firefighters here can function and work hard. Probably why other departments want to hand pick our guys.