ATCEMS was established as a third city service in 1976 and has operated successfully as such since that time.  Austin Fire Department and all other rural Fire Departments within Travis County operate as First Response organizations and functions under the same medical direction as we do.  We enjoy an excellent working relationship with all area Fire Departments and will continue to operate as a third city service well into the future.  

For out-of-state and National Registry certifications, contact the Texas Department of Health for reciprocity information and instructions.  512-834-6700  

Applicants must also provide a current driving record and criminal history from a state law enforcement agency.

You must request a state driving record from all states lived in over the last 3 years. You must contact the Department of Public Safety for each individual state that you have lived in. State certified driving records can take up to 4 to 6 weeks to reach you.

There are no residency requirements for employment however, operational policy requires that if you are required to report to an overtime shift you must arrive to your designated station within a two hour timeframe from the moment you are contacted by the department. 

The City of Austin has a comprehensive benefits package that includes health insurance, retirement, short-term disability, long-term disability, tuition reimbursement, vacation and sick leave, life insurance and alternative investments for retirement.

Applications for the Special Operations division are accepted periodically throughout the year for our internal employees and based on need.  Applicants for Special Operations must be cleared to independent duty and pass a written and physical assessment.  

Currently Flight Medic positions are awarded internally through a competitive process.  The selection is based on department performance history, written testing, physical agility testing and an interview process.  

There are a limited number of positions for tactical medic, and they are awarded internally as well.  Testing is similar to that of STAR Flight.  

You can view our newly updated Clinical Operating Guidelines online at our website for the Office of the Medical Director www.atcomd.org.  

Applicants should study paramedic textbooks (i.e. Brady, Mosby’s, etc.), National Registry curriculum, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Pre-hospital Trauma Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support, pharmacology, pathophysiology, rhythm recognition, etc.  You will not be tested on local clinical operating guidelines.  

The psychological evaluation is a battery of questions specific to public safety.  It is used to evaluate mental and emotional fitness for the Field Paramedic position.  Depending on each applicant, the written evaluation can take 2 – 4 hours complete.  A one-hour follow-up interview with the Austin/Travis County EMS staff psychologist is conducted to clarify the findings of the written evaluation.  The specific results of the evaluation and interview are confidential, and only general information regarding fitness for the position is shared with Austin/Travis County EMS Executive Staff.  

Interviews are conducted in a panel type forum.  Representatives will include a Commander, a Training Officer, and a Recruiter.  

Interview questions are used to establish an applicant’s understanding of the EMS industry as a whole as well as Austin/Travis County EMS.  In addition, there are questions related to judgment and values.  There will not be any oral medical scenarios during the inteview.  Professional or business casual attire is acceptable.  

Once an applicant completes the interview and psychological evaluation, it takes approximately two-weeks to be notified of your status in the process.  During that time, we will verify your work history and contact your references.  All information is presented to our Candidate Recommendation Review Board and Executive Staff for final decisions.