City of Davis

Employment/Volunteer Program

How can I become a career firefighter?

Firefighter academies are located at Solano Community College in Fairfield, Yuba College, American River College and Shasta College.

Where can I take EMT classes?

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) classes are offered at local community colleges.

Do you accept Interest Cards?

The department does not accept interest cards, we suggest you check the city's employment web page (http://www.city.davis.ca.us/jobs/) periodically or call the fire department at (530)757-5684 to check on current recruitments.

How do I become a volunteer firefighter?

Any questions about the program can be directed to Training Chief Armando Jaramillo at (530)757-5684.

Commercial Fire Safety Inspections

Why do the firefighters inspect some buildings and not others?

The Davis Fire Department does not have the authority to inspect buildings owned or leased by the State of California or the Federal Government or single family dwellings. A courtesy inspection may be performed, although no compliance can be mandated. The Davis Fire Department inspects all commercial buildings not owned or leased by the State of California or by the Federal Government.

Where are fire extinguishers placed in a commercial building?

The California Fire Code, regulating fire extinguisher requirements varies with the different type of hazard classification of the building. A general rule for a commercial building, with no special hazard classification, is an extinguisher with a 2A:10BC rating placed within 75 feet travel distance to all areas.

How can I get my business' fire extinguisher serviced?

Businesses may contact a fire extinguisher maintenance company to make arrangements for servicing.

Home Fire Safety

Where should smoke detectors be placed in my home?

Residential smoke detectors are early warning devices to wake a sleeping person or persons. Smoke detectors should be placed in each bedroom (sleeping area) and in the hallway leading to the bedrooms.

Should I put a smoke detector in my garage?

No, a residential smoke detector is an early warning device to wake sleeping people.

When are residential fire sprinklers installed in houses?

Residential sprinkler systems are only mandatory for flag lots within the City of Davis limits. Flag lots are lot shapes that limit or prevent fire department access. Residential fire sprinklers are required within Yolo County unincorporated areas for all new construction. There are provisions that mandate automatic fire sprinkler systems in residential houses when additions are being made and/or a house is moved into the areas mandating residential fire sprinklers.

Where should fire extinguishers be placed in the home?

Having a fire extinguisher in the home is a good idea, but not mandated by the Davis Fire Department. If you have an extinguisher, it should be placed where it is easily accessible. The kitchen and garage are good sites for an extinguisher. However, do not place an extinguisher over the stove or buried in storage in the garage, but rather hang it on the wall between 4 inches and five feet from the ground.

How often should a fire extinguisher be serviced?

There are no regulations mandating the servicing of fire extinguishers placed in single family residences. In apartments and all commercial buildings, fire extinguishers are required to be serviced once a year. Additional Information

How often should a fire extinguisher be serviced?

There are no regulations mandating the servicing of fire extinguishers placed in single family residences. In apartments and all commercial buildings, fire extinguishers are required to be serviced once a year. Additional Information.

Incident / Medical Reports

How do I get a copy of a fire report?

Call the fire department at (530)757-5684 or drop by the business office at 530 Fifth Street between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.. Reports can usually be picked up or mailed. There is a $21.00 fee.

How do I obtain a copy of a medical patient report?

Call the fire department at (530)757-5684 or drop by the business office at 530 Fifth Street between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.. Medical reports are confidential and can only be provided to the patient with proper ID or to a representative of the patient with a signed release. There is a $21.00 fee.

Miscellaneous

Where can I get my blood pressure taken?

You can get it checked at any station by on-duty personnel between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m..

Does the Fire Department offer CPR classes?

The department does not offer CPR classes. We suggest you contact the Yolo County Red Cross (http://www.yc-arc.org), Sutter Davis Hospital (search for a CPR class) or a local community college.

Are fireworks legal to use in the city?

Use of any fireworks within the City of Davis is prohibited unless authorized by resolution of the city council. (Davis Municipal Code Chapter 26/01)

Operating Procedure

Do you rescue cats from trees?

We are called to assist the public with many different situations. These include but are not restricted to assisting with flooding, helping the elderly or infirm back into bed, and investigating unusual situations (electrical/smoke/possible hazardous conditions). We typically do not rescue cats from trees.

When I call 9-1-1 for a medical emergency, why does the fire department show up?

The firefighters are the first responders for all medical emergencies. The three fire stations are strategically located throughout Davis, so our response times can have a positive effect on medical emergencies. All of the firefighters in Davis are certified Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) and EMT-D (defibrillation certified to help those who have cardiac related emergencies that should be defibrillated as soon as possible). The ambulance you see in Davis is operated by a private company.

When responding to a call in the "middle of the night" do the firefighters have to sound the fire engine sirens even though traffic is probably light?

Yes, state vehicle code mandates that while responding Code Three, an emergency response vehicle must have all emergency lights on and the siren sounding. A Code Three response is initiated when life, property or the environment is in immediate jeopardy (ie. bleeding, breathing problems, fire, hazardous materials going down a storm drain).

Why are there are so many firefighters at medical emergencies and at fire safety inspections?

Everything that we do requires us to work as a team, whatever the emergency. To arrive very quickly, we must stay together and close to our fire apparatus (vehicles). Your safety and ours depends on the team being together and ready to respond to aggressively mitigate the emergency to which we have been called.

What is the work schedule for firefighters?

There are firefighters on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in Davis. We work 24 hour shifts from 8 a.m. to 8 a.m. the next morning. This means that we work 16 hours one day and 8 hours the next. We have three different shifts each working 56 hours a week.

Firefighters wear a lot of gear; is it fireproof and how much does it weigh?

The gear we wear weighs about 56 pounds. The clothes are called "turn-outs" or "bunker" gear as they originally were turned inside out and kept next to bunks to facilitate a quick change at night. The turnouts are made of a material called Nomex which is fire retardant but not fireproof, so it will burn. We must be able to put our turnouts on in less than a minute. And yes, it does get rather warm in the summer as we must wear these clothes when we respond to structure fires, hazardous materials incidents, and traffic accidents. Online Protective Clothing Tour.

Do firefighters pay for their food when you see them in stores and restaurants or does the city pay for their meals?

Each firefighter pays for his or her own food. The firefighters are also encouraged by the Fire Chief to buy any materials, supplies, or food at Davis businesses.

Tours / Ride-Along Program

How do I schedule a station tour or a presentation to my group?

Call the fire department business office at (530)757-5684 to schedule tours of the fire stations or to schedule a presentation at your facility.

Ride-Along Program

The department's Ride-Along Program allows citizens to observe the day-to-day operations of the department and accompany firefighters on calls. The ride-along averages about four hours. If the rider is under 18 years of age a release form signed by a parent or guardian is required. Phone the business office for more information and to schedule a ride-along.