Carlsbad Fire Department

Starting Wages

Benefits & Incentives

• Leave: Paid vacation and sick leave.

• Health & Future: Health insurance and retirement plans.

• Pay Incentives: Additional pay for education, specialties, and bilingual skills.

Fire Department Testing: Dates & Logistics

When & Where: Carlsbad Fire periodically has openings for recruit and certified positions. These positions depend on city allotment and department needs. Carlsbad Fire likes to keep an eligibility list for future hiring opportunities. An annual testing process will be done to keep this list updated, and it will be accepted for 24 months.

Applications & Resources

• CFD Employment Interest Form
• Firefighter Combat Challenge
• Annual Carlsbad Fire Department Report
•  Emergency Preparation Resources
• Additional Resources

Instructions for Applicants:

If you submit a job interest form Carlsbad Fire will keep your information for one year. If we have a hiring within that year Carlsbad Fire will use the information to notify you of any upcoming Hiring dates or open positions.

• Applications will be accepted and used for consideration of any possible openings.

• FireFighter Combat Challenge: Arrive in workout attire and bring a water source.

• Written Exam: Carlsbad Fire uses the National Testing Network (NTN) testing process once successful completion of the physical exam you will be scheduled to test.

• NTN: Applicants from out of state may submit tests done from remote test sites, but will still need to complete the physical fitness exam.

• Required Documents: You must bring your state-issued Driver's License and Social Security Card on the day of scheduled testing.

• Study Tip: Applicants wishing to prepare can search online for https://ergopracticetests.com/FTB/.

Firefighter: Minimum Requirements

• Be a United States citizen and at least 18 years of age by date of hire.

• Hold a High School Diploma (or equivalent) and a valid Driver’s License.

• Criminal History: No felony convictions. Arrests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

• Recent Conduct: No convictions within the last 3 years for aggravated assault, theft, DWI, controlled substances, or crimes involving moral turpitude.

Firefighter: Selection Steps

1. Application: Must be submitted online.

2. Written Exam: Applicants must score a 70% or better on the tested categories in the NTN exam.

3. Physical Fitness Test: Must complete the Firefighter Combat Challenge exam within 7 minutes.

4. Oral Board Interview: A formal interview with agency representatives.

5. Medical Examination & Drug Screening.

6. Scoring: Testing is scored and categorized for ranking to be selected from.

Firefighter/EMT

Your application is not complete until the following document is received:

• Download & Print: Access the form via the link below.

1. Medical release form -Signed by your personal physician-

• Submit: Return completed copies via email to City HR or in person to the address below:

Carlsbad Fire Department Administrative Office 401 S. Halagueno St. Carlsbad, NM 88220 (Corner of W. Tansil and  S.Halagueno)

Application Documents

Fire Prevention and Community Risk Reduction

The Fire Prevention Division is the cornerstone of the Carlsbad Fire Department’s proactive approach to community safety. Our mission is to reduce the risk of fire and life-safety hazards through comprehensive code enforcement, detailed plan reviews, and community-wide education. As a growing city, we work closely with developers and business owners to ensure that all new construction and existing structures meet the highest safety standards. This process begins with meticulous fire plan reviews and continues through on-site inspections, ensuring that fire suppression systems, alarms, and emergency egress routes are fully functional and compliant with adopted International Fire Codes.

Beyond enforcement, the Division is dedicated to fostering a culture of safety through public outreach and education. We believe that preventing a fire is just as critical as our ability to suppress one. Our team provides various services to the community, including fire extinguisher training, home safety surveys, and educational programs for local schools. By identifying potential hazards before they lead to an emergency, the Fire Prevention Division plays a vital role in protecting the lives of our residents, the safety of our firefighters, and the economic stability of the City of Carlsbad.

Home and Fire Safety Survey Checklist

Understanding the New Mexico MOST Form: A Guide for Patients and Families

When dealing with a serious illness, having your healthcare wishes clearly understood and respected is incredibly important. In New Mexico, one of the most effective tools for ensuring your medical preferences are honored during an emergency is the MOST form.

What is the MOST Form?

MOST stands for Medical Orders for Scope of Treatment.

It is a specific, actionable medical document that translates your personal care preferences into a set of legally binding medical orders. First responders (EMS), emergency room staff, and hospital personnel are required to follow these instructions.

Rather than just offering general guidelines about your care, the MOST form provides medical professionals with explicit instructions on what life-sustaining treatments you want—and just as importantly, what treatments you do not want—if you suffer a medical emergency and cannot speak for yourself.

Who is the MOST Form For?

The MOST form is not for everyone.

While every adult should have a general health plan, the MOST form is specifically designed for:

• Patients who are seriously ill.

• Individuals who are medically frail or have a life-limiting illness.

• People whose health is rapidly declining, or who have had multiple hospitalizations over the past year.

What Does the MOST Form Cover?

The form is completed during a detailed conversation between you (or your legal healthcare decision-maker) and your healthcare provider. It covers specific emergency decisions, including:

• Resuscitation (CPR): Whether you want CPR attempted if your heart stops or you stop breathing, or if you prefer to be allowed to die naturally (Do Not Resuscitate/DNR).

• Medical Interventions: How aggressive you want your care to be if you are breathing and have a pulse, but are facing a medical crisis. Options range from full intensive care (including intubation and ventilators) to limited interventions, down to "comfort measures only" (using medications and oxygen solely to relieve pain and suffering).

• Artificial Nutrition and Hydration: Whether you want feeding tubes, time-limited trials of artificial nutrition, or no artificial nutrition at all.

How is it Different from an Advance Directive?

It is common to confuse the MOST form with an Advance Directive (like a Living Will or Medical Power of Attorney), but they work together to serve different purposes:

• Advance Directive: A legal document for any adult (healthy or ill) that outlines general healthcare wishes and appoints someone to make decisions for you if you cannot. However, emergency medical services (EMS) in the field generally cannot interpret or legally act on a standard Advance Directive during a crisis.

• MOST Form: A medical order signed by a recognized healthcare provider (Doctor, Nurse Practitioner, or Physician Assistant) and yourself. Because it is a standardized medical order, EMS paramedics can follow it immediately in your home or on the way to the hospital without having to wait for a doctor's permission.

Important Practical Details

• The "Green Paper": To maintain consistency across the state, the NM MOST form is traditionally printed on bright "Terra Green" heavy paper. This specific color is used so that arriving paramedics and first responders can easily spot it during a chaotic emergency. (Note: Photocopies and electronic versions are still legally valid).

• Where to Keep It: If you have a MOST form, it should never be locked away in a safe or filing cabinet. It must be kept in a highly visible location, such as pinned to your refrigerator or on the back of your front door. It should travel with you whenever you are transferred to a hospital, rehab center, or care facility.

• It Can Be Changed: The MOST form is entirely voluntary. You can update, change, or void it at any time if your medical condition improves or your personal preferences change.

Understanding the New Mexico EMS DNR Order: A Guide for Patients and Families

When facing an incurable illness or nearing the end of life, many people decide they do not want aggressive medical interventions if their heart or breathing stops. In New Mexico, the official document used to communicate this specific wish to first responders is the EMS Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) Order.

What is the EMS DNR Form?

The New Mexico Emergency Medical Services (EMS) DNR is a formal, legally binding medical order. It specifically instructs paramedics, EMT, and other healthcare professionals not to attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or advanced life support if you experience cardiac or respiratory arrest (your heart stops beating or you stop breathing).

Because EMS personnel are legally required to attempt resuscitation by default, they must have this official form in hand (or an approved medical ID bracelet) to legally withhold those aggressive, life-saving measures in an emergency.

Who is the DNR Form For?

The DNR form is generally intended for:

• Patients with terminal, incurable, or irreversible illnesses.

• Individuals at the natural end of their lives who wish to avoid the physical trauma of CPR.

• People who have decided that the burdens of resuscitation outweigh the potential benefits for their specific medical situation.

What Does "Do Not Resuscitate" Actually Mean?

It is a common misconception that a DNR order means "do not treat." This is completely false.

If you have a DNR, you will still receive medical care. The DNR only applies if your heart or breathing stops. If you are having a medical emergency but are still breathing and have a pulse, EMS will still treat you.

Under a DNR, EMS will NOT:

• Perform chest compressions.

• Insert breathing tubes (intubation) or use artificial ventilators.

• Use a defibrillator to shock your heart.

• Administer emergency cardiac resuscitation medications.

Under a DNR, EMS WILL STILL:

• Provide oxygen to help you breathe more comfortably.

• Administer pain medications and comfort care.

• Control bleeding and provide first aid.

• Treat you with dignity and respect, ensuring you are as comfortable as possible.

How is it Different from the MOST Form?

While both are medical orders recognized by New Mexico EMS, they have different scopes:

• The EMS DNR is a highly specific "Yes or No" order regarding one event: whether or not to perform CPR if your heart or breathing stops.

• The MOST Form (Medical Orders for Scope of Treatment) is much broader. It includes a DNR section, but also outlines your wishes for other types of medical care (like feeding tubes and hospital transfers) while you are still alive and breathing. Note: A MOST form can be used in place of, or alongside, a standard DNR form.

Important Practical Details

• Signatures Required: To be valid, the New Mexico EMS DNR form must be signed by you (or your authorized healthcare decision-maker) and a recognized healthcare provider (a Physician, Advanced Practice Nurse, or Physician Assistant).

• The White Envelope: The state recommends keeping your original, signed DNR form in a plain white envelope with an "EMS DNR Order Inside" cover sheet stapled to the outside.

• Where to Keep It: Just like the MOST form, it must be easily visible to arriving paramedics. Good locations include the refrigerator door, the back of the front door, or bedside.

• DNR Bracelets/Medallions: Carrying a paper form everywhere is difficult. Once you have a signed NM EMS DNR form, you can use it to order an official EMS DNR bracelet or neck medallion through the Medic Alert Foundation. EMS personnel in New Mexico are trained to look for and honor these specific medallions.

• It Can Be Canceled at Any Time: You or your healthcare decision-maker can revoke a DNR order at any time simply by tearing up the form, physically destroying the medallion, or telling the medical staff that you have changed your mind and now want resuscitation.