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Commission approves updates to firefighter, engineer and captain job descriptions; battalion chief language amended
Summary
The commission approved clarifying updates to fire department job descriptions and added a stipulation to the battalion chief qualifications to explicitly allow an associate degree in fire science or a comparable credential.
National City — The National City Civil Service Commission on May 14 approved revisions to job descriptions for firefighter, fire engineer and fire captain, and separately approved an amended battalion chief classification that adds explicit "comparable" language for associate degrees in fire science.
Department presenters said the revisions clean up outdated language, reflect current state and county licensing requirements, and make minimum qualifications and typical duties clearer for recruitment. Presenters described the changes as mostly technical edits — revising duties, removing references to superseded certificate names, and aligning driver-license and EMS certification language with current California and San Diego County requirements.
Why it matters The updates affect recruitment and internal promotion pathways in the fire department. Presenters told the commission the changes reduce confusion for applicants (for example by clarifying how national registry EMT certification and county licensing interact) and ensure job descriptions match current training and incident-management expectations.
What was changed - Duties and typical responsibilities were rewritten in bullet form to reflect modern fire operations and training requirements. - EMT/paramedic certification language was clarified so applicants may apply with national registry credentials but must obtain county EMS licensing prior to beginning work in San Diego County. - Driver-license language was updated to reflect a state change that moved certain requirements from a full Class B commercial license to a Class C with endorsement in relevant circumstances. - The battalion chief qualification was amended to explicitly treat an associate's degree in fire science (or a comparable degree such as an associate in paramedicine or related field) as equivalent for qualification purposes; legacy certifications held by candidates already on promotion lists were retained as valid.
Commission discussion and outcome Commissioners asked for structural context (where the positions sit in the department hierarchy) and noted they were not being asked to change salaries. The commission voted to approve the firefighter, fire engineer and fire captain revisions and to approve the battalion chief revision with the added "comparable" degree language.
Implementation Human Resources will publish the updated job descriptions and the fire department will implement recruitment and certification verification measures to ensure candidates meet county licensing requirements before starting field duties.
