Fire department in Stanislaus County goes on hiring spree to fill vacant positions
Turlock has hired seven firefighters to fill Fire Department vacancies.
The new recruits began a 14-week academy training Tuesday, Sept. 27, and are expected to start working shifts in January, said Capt. Jason Bernard, department spokesman.
“We have been aggressive in our hiring practices to try to fill these positions,” he said.
The Turlock City Council in January approved an agreement with the Modesto Fire Department for command services. A master plan study by the Citygate consulting firm, which recommended the agreement, found that staffing vacancies were a nagging problem for the Turlock department.
Bernard said the seven newly hired firefighters are Turlock employees. They include Christian Cavazos, Johnathan Converse, Joseph Holden, Carlos Jaurequi, Steven Langley, Luke Mensonides and William Renfort.
Applicants for firefighting positions in Turlock have to show they meet the hiring criteria and produce a card showing they passed a test for physical agility.
The application process includes an oral board interview. Another requirement for Turlock is certification as an emergency medical technician.
Bernard said there’s no requirement for Turlock firefighters to double as paramedics for emergency medical calls, but it could be a requirement one day.
