Congrats to Oceanside Firefighter/Paramedic Recruit Jose Sanchez Mendez! Jose recently completed his citizenship requirements and was sworn in as a United States citizen on the morning of February 22. He was subsequently honored by the staff and his fellow recruits of the Oceanside Fire Department Academy in a congratulatory ceremony that afternoon.
Recruit Sanchez Mendez, 28 years old, is originally from San Luis Potosí, Mexico. When he was eight years old, he moved with his parents and siblings to Escondido. While working in a senior community, he watched the fire department paramedics regularly respond to assist the facility residents, and he became interested in a career in the fire service.
Recruit Sanchez Mendez was hired in 2019 by the Oceanside Fire Department as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), a program funded through Oceanside’s Measure X 1/2 cent sales tax.
Over the past few years, Jose completed his basic fire academy and paramedic licensure courses through Palomar College and transitioned from an EMT to a Firefighter/Paramedic with the Oceanside Fire Department on February 13, 2023. His graduation from the OFD Academy is scheduled for March 31 when he will be assigned to a field unit in one of Oceanside’s eight fire stations.
