Displaced Firefighters List Provides Help for Laid Off FFs

When firefighter David Wills received his pink slip from Alameda Fire Department in June, he was added to the Displaced Firefighters List.

Two weeks later, on his termination date, he received a call from Moraga-Orinda Fire District, letting him know they were hiring. The very next day, he went for an oral interview and a paramedics skills assessment. The day after that, he received a conditional job offer from Moraga-Orinda.

It was that quick.

"The list is great. It really helps people. It offered me hope right off the bat and the security of knowing that I would continue to have a future with the fire service," Wills said.

The California Fire Fighter Joint Apprenticeship Committee (CFFJAC) has been directed through Government Code §53270 to maintain a list of qualified state and local firefighters who have been or will be laid off in California as a result of job elimination. Fire departments can then hire experienced career firefighters from the Displaced Firefighter List.

"It's a great program that has helped professional firefighters get connected with hiring fire departments. It's a win-win for both parties," said CFFJAC Program Director Yvonne de la Peña.

How does it work? Participating fire departments alert CFFJAC when positions are open and receive a copy of the list. The department may then hire directly from the list or ask candidates to submit to usual pre-hiring criteria such as medical exams, physical ability and written tests as well as an oral interview.

To qualify, the firefighter:

• Must be/have been a permanent career firefighter in good standing in a California state or local fire department. Civilian federal firefighters whose job was eliminated may also qualify.

• Must be terminated, or slated for termination, because your job was eliminated.

• Must have completed all required training as a full-time paid firefighter.

Firefighters on the Displaced Firefighters List are not obliged to take any position offered. If a firefighter doesn't accept a particular job, their name will return to the list without penalty.

In the end, David Wills passed on the job offer with Moraga-Orinda and was later rehired by Alameda Fire Department. However, both Wills and Moraga-Orinda Battalion Chief Stephen Healy, who was key in the hiring process, found the experience very positive. Healy said he would definitely use the Displaced Firefighter List again the next time that they have open positions.

"The chief and I made a commitment to help out through the list," Healy said. "It's a wonderful service that is providing."

For more information about the Displaced Firefighters List or to receive an application form, please click here.