So I've been thinkin of changing careers for about 6 months now. I've been a diesel mechanic since high school (i'm 25 now) and I have always wanted to be a firefighter. Almost went to school for it after high school but didn't for a personal reason at the time.

My questions for you are... How did you start out? Did you just apply to a dept or did you work volunteer for a while before getting a full time job as a firefighter? Also do you need any kind of training or certification before apply to be a firefighter? I changed jobs recently from one railroad to another. At first I thought I didn't like the new company, what it actually is, is that I am getting burned out from being a mechanic. I am looking for some change and a job that would keep me very active from time to time. Thanks for any help or info!

matt

 

Each dept. is different, I work for Tulsa and it requires only a ged to take the test....But to have a viable chance you really need some college and your EMT license. I was a vol. before, I started. Like I said each dept is different, so call the hr dept and find out what the req. are and, what direction the dept is trying to go. For instance Tulsa is hiring a lot of paramedics right now, and they seem to get prefered treatment.

 

Here, I think they are all required to be EMT's at a level that basically requires college.

I know what it's like to be burned out with a job, though, and wish you the best of luck.

 

It is different for most cities here. The bigger cities like Columbus and Cincy hire off of the street. I think you have to take an entrance exam then go through civil service. Some of the smaller outlying towns require you to have your certification already and most prefer you to be a medic not just an EMT. I am on a volunteer department, but have looked into it. In this area it is hard to get on full time anywhere. But a few of my friends are full time and love it. Either way if this is what you want you better get moving because some departments have age cutoffs.

 

I don't know how it is up in your neck of the woods, but down here in Texas it is one of the more involved jobs to get into. Most dept's have a drawn out hiring process due to large amounts of applicants. And they usually only pick the "cream of the crop," with near perfect credit scores, polygraph testing, psych evals, and more, but it's because they can afford to be "picky." But if you want to do it, I'd recommend you find out what departments in your area are hiring and find out what their process is like, and what they require, then go from there. I also know what it's like to get burned out on being a mechanic, I did it for 6 years and decided I wanted to be a paramedic (love it by they way), now I'm working on becoming a Physicians Assistant.

 

As was stated above,

Check with the city you are interested in's human resource dept. It will vary through out the country and more than likely your state. Some may have an entrance exam and physical agility to follow (wether it is the ff combat challenge or CPAT or something similar). Then a background check and Fire Training Academy to get your state certifications. Some require precertifications and this generally encompasses your smaller depts. The general trend now especially with smaller depts is to hire Pre-certs with a state or National Paramedic Cert. Many will give preference points for military service as well. Also check with your state. Do a search on state fire certifications, credential agency or structural Firefighter certification. Many will have links to departments that are currently hiring.

You'll never get rich but it is a **** rewarding career. Out of 20 plus years there have only been about 5 days I didn't want to go to work.

Garry Barney

IAFF L51

 

26 year vet volunteer/special state stuff/ federal agency now

please get with a volunteer department first to see if this is how much you can give of yourself, cause it is emotional both ways (good and bad).
every young volunteer has a lot of energy, but it takes the time on the job to be a good fireman/EMT. it is the day to day that makes it with your fellow workers, a memorable- love this job-team stuff.

go to a community college where they have fire science courses. FF 1 and 2 are the basics to a career job/test. think, move, and return alive. work on your cardio, vitamins, and stay hydrated, low stress.

professionally, an average of 116 ff die each year nationally. there are no more hero mentalities; come home alive. no call is worth being dead. 80 percent of ff who are 26 or less die from personal vehicle/department vehicle speed accidents. it is not worth it.

my goal is to see FF playing with their grandchildren. make it happen.
This message has been brought to you by old firefighters.

 

If you have always wanted to be a Firefighter then the best advice I can give is to start pursuing it NOW. You are young and if you have what it takes you can pursue one of the most rewarding jobs you will ever do. Take it from a 42 year old who is about to graduate in two weeks to become one. I have always embraced my age throughout my life without looking back except for ONE thing... I wish I had done this sooner.

Make sure you check your motives though... most of the Firefighters I have had the privilege of knowing/ training with do it because they love helping people and not just because it's something to do. I am presently only a rookie but even I notice the way the public treats all of us... it's like they know you are willing to risk anything to keep them from harms way. I am VERY proud to be a part of it.

Also be aware that it comes with a great amount of risk. There is a Captain that I train with who's father is an officer in an adjoining town... he was severely injured in the line of duty just the other day. He was clearing an accident off of an icy bridge when an oncoming car lost control... he had just moments to push a police officer out of the way before taking the hit himself and sustaining life threatening injuries. We are all praying he is going to be OK. If he is anything like his son I know he will recover and would do it all over again.

There are many firefighters who are members here that can share more with you than I can but I thought it important to give you a perspective from someone who is still "young" in his career. Different towns also have their own way of applying (full time city anyway). If you have a human resources department in your town then I would suggest you start there.

I hope that helps... please keep up with us should you pursue it further.

Good Luck-

 

Thanks for the replies tonight. I have been think of going to my local Vol FD and starting out there. I do believe this would be something I want to do, I know the pluses and minuses to the job. I know it can be very emotional too. But I also work in heavy industry and have seen some pretty bad things happen to people on the job. I think to being as young as I am I could make a good career out of it, I love to help out people. I know now all I do is help out neighbors, a random person stuck in the snow, or the old lady at the grocery store, it not saving someones life but it's still giving a person in need a hand. I am going to go to my local city FD soon andfind out what is required to be employed by them.

 

Does your shop have any positions to help get you started? A lot of industries have been creating their own in-house responders, training regular employees, to hold things down until the big boys get there. Firefighting, medical, hazmat, etc.

 

Also, if not, try to find a grant. There may be a homeland security grant out there that would help fund a program for your employer that you could head-up.

 

I have been a Heavy truck mechanic/ heavy tow operator for 27 years. I left the field 12 years ago to be a career ff in the city I grew up in. Financially it was not a good move due to the pay cut I took, but the on/off schedule afforded me the opportunity to stay on part time, (almost full time), at my old job. Morally, I found it to be the best move I have ever made, as previously stated, there are some major highs and lows in this profession. We are one of the busiest departments in the state of Mass. and constantly running to all kinds of crap, it does wear on you.

In my state most full time departments are Civil service and unionized. So to get hired you must take a Civil Service entry exam for the corresponding city. Usually being an emt or more preferably a medic will give you more added points on the exam and increase you chances of getting an interview. From there, the department will give you a prehiring drug screen, psych testing, a full back ground check with a polygraph, and the most comprehensive physical you will ever get.

Once hired the city will put you through the academy, (14 weeks). You will come out a nationally certified firefighter I and II.
I topped the civil service test and was an emt and a veteran, so I went to the top of the list. Got on at 33yo. (Should have done it sooner).


On a side note, you should know that you will miss out on a lot of family times, like all the holiday's, missed intimacies with you wife, and even kids graduations. All to deal with other peoples problems. We have always been a full time department, so when multiple alarms fires come in, you get called back in to work. I can't even tell you how many times this has happened to me. I had a surprise 40th birthday party for my wife, had about 50 guests at my house , then got called and ordered in for a 5 alarm fire. Another missed event with my family.

Weigh this decision heavily, it will alter every aspect of your life.

I wish you the best and if you have any questions, just ask.


Tim

 

I agree. I make good money during the summer working wildland fires. I am gone alot and miss alot of things with the kids and wife. This career causes alot of divorces, I was lucky when I met my wife. She grew up with a dad that was in the fire dept, she knew what it was all about.

 

Hey Blue I know what your talking about. I'm 24 and started taking all my fire science/EMT classes last year at a community college. Right now I'm working on a Ambulance waiting to get hired into a F.D. I have a couple of apps out now just waiting for a reply back.

 

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this is what you want to do....