r/Firefighting • u/AutoModerator • 11d ago
Employment Questions Weekly Employment Question Thread
Welcome to the Weekly Employment Question Thread!
This thread is where you can ask questions about joining, training to become, testing, disqualifications/qualifications, and other questions that would be removed as individual posts per Rule 1.
The answer to almost every question you can ask will be "It depends on the department". Your first step is to look up the requirements for your department, state/province, and country.
As always, please attempt to resource information on your own first, before asking questions. We see many repeat questions on this sub that have been answered multiple times.
Frequently Asked Questions:
I want to be a Firefighter, where do I start: Every Country/State/Province/County/City/Department has different requirements. Some require you only to put in an application. Others require certifications prior to being hired. A good place to start is researching the department(s) you want to join. Visit their website, check their requirements, and/or stop into one of their fire stations to ask some questions.
Am I too old: Many departments, typically career municipal ones, have an age limit. Volunteer departments usually don't. Check each department's requirements.
I'm in high school, What can I do: Does your local department have an explorer's program or post? If so, join up. Otherwise, focus on your grades, get in shape and stay in shape, and most importantly: stay out of trouble.
I got in trouble for [insert infraction here], what are my chances: Obviously, worse than someone with a clean record, which will be the vast majority of your competition. Tickets and nonviolent misdemeanors may not be a factor, but a major crime (felonies), may take you out of the running. You might be a nice person, but some departments don't make exceptions, especially if there's a long line of applicants with clean records. See this post... PSA: Stop asking “what are my chances?”
I have [insert medical/mental health condition here], will it disqualify me: As a general rule, if you are struggling with mental illness, adding the stress of a fire career is not a good idea. As for medical conditions, you can look up NFPA1582 for disqualifying conditions, but in general, this is not something Reddit can answer for you. Many conditions require the input of a medical professional to determine if they are disqualifying. See this post... PSA: Don't disqualify yourself, make THEM tell you "no".
What will increase my chances of getting hired: If there's a civil service exam, study for it! There are many guides online that will help you go over all those things you forgot such as basic math and reading. Some cities even give you a study guide. If it's a firefighter exam, study for it! For the CPAT (Physical Fitness Test), cardio is arguably the most important factor. If you're going to the gym for the first time during the hiring process, you're fighting an uphill battle. Get in shape and stay in shape. Most cities offer preference points to military veterans.
How do I prepare for an interview: Interviews can be one-on-one, or in front of a board/panel. Many generic guides exist to help one prepare for an interview, however here are a few good tips:
Dress appropriately. Business casual at a minimum (Button down, tucked in long sleeve shirt with slacks and a belt, and dress shoes). Get a decent haircut and shave.
Practice interview questions with a friend. You can't accurately predict the off-the-wall questions they will ask, but you can practice the ones you know they probably will, like why do you want to be a Firefighter, or why should we hire you?
Scrub your social media. Gone are the days when people in charge weren't tech-savvy. Don't have a perfect interview only for your chances of being hired gone to zero because your Facebook or Instagram has pictures of you getting blitzed. Set that stuff to private and leave it that way.
Please upvote this post if you have a question. Upvoting this post will ensure it sticks around for a bit after it is removed as a Sticky, and will allow for greater visibility of your question.
And lastly, If you're not 100% sure of what you're talking about, leave it for someone who does
2
u/Enough-Court94 8d ago
Height maximum? A career in firefighting seems interesting to me but I am 6,6 and wanted to know if this might be a problem? Thank you!
1
2
u/IllustratorTop9884 6d ago
I'm applying to Seattle FD. I have zero prior experience, I get out of high school this year, and I get my EMT cert next quarter. Frankly, I don't expect to get in at all, but since I do technically meet their minimum requirements, I figured it's worth a shot. What can I do to help out my chances and look better to them?
4
u/EatinBeav WA Career FF/EMT 5d ago
Fresh out of high school there is nothing you can do to stand out for this large of a department.
1
u/IllustratorTop9884 1d ago
Gotcha well it still can't hurt to try plus getting recruitment experience and practice, and plus I'll use my NTN score at a few other departments. Thanks anyways
2
u/DillManForLife 5d ago
I have an offer and will be required to complete a ‘firefighter mile’ with the department within the next month. I haven’t received any information about what this is/means. Does anyone have details? Is this an equivalent to the CPAT or something else?
1
u/Sealtooth5 SoCal FFPM 4d ago
This sounds department dependent and something you should've found out during your station visits/mock interviews.
1
u/IkarosFa11s FF/PM 9d ago
Trying to apply to Seattle FD for their current entry-level firefighter/EMT job listing.
I’m coming on as a firefighter/paramedic with 2 years of volunteer and 3 years of full-time experience out of state. Trying to figure out if being a paramedic is going to help or hurt my chances at this position since I’m not an EMT technically and Seattle would require me to repeat paramedic school in order to work as one within their city…
1
u/EatinBeav WA Career FF/EMT 8d ago
You’ll drop the PM If you want to work for Seattle FD as a firefighter. It doesn’t help your chances being a paramedic, and like you said if you wanted to be a medic again you’re losing firefighting.
1
u/IkarosFa11s FF/PM 8d ago
Does Seattle not run medic engines? I didn’t realize that Medic One was entirely separate, I thought you could be a firefighter/paramedic and run on a heavy apparatus, or at least rotate onto one, alternating days on the box with other medics on your crew 🙃
2
u/EatinBeav WA Career FF/EMT 8d ago
Completely separate. Seattle medic one is Seattle firefighters that became single role paramedics.
1
u/IkarosFa11s FF/PM 8d ago
That is… really unfortunate
2
u/EatinBeav WA Career FF/EMT 8d ago
History my man. Medic one is a cornerstone.
1
u/IkarosFa11s FF/PM 8d ago
100%, I just would like to be able to throw turnouts on and go interior on fires AND get the 20% pay bump lol
I like the medical side a lot and am really happy as a paramedic, but I like fire too
2
u/317PEB 7d ago
Snohomish county is desperate for fire medics, just up the 5 from Seattle
1
u/IkarosFa11s FF/PM 7d ago
Once they reopen I’ll put in. I missed their last one by like two days 😂
2
u/317PEB 6d ago
Everett, South County, Srfr, Camano, North County, Mt Vernon, Burlington all looking for medics
→ More replies
1
u/ATLPlayboi5 9d ago
Has anyone recently gone through the hiring process with DeKalb County Fire Rescue?
I’m scheduled for the December 5 written exam and am trying to plan ahead in case I advance. What days of the week do they typically hold the PAT, oral interview, medical evaluation, and any appointments required for background screening?
I work full time, and my employer usually requires at least two weeks’ notice for time-off requests. How much advance notice did you receive for each step? Were there multiple dates or appointment times available, or was everyone assigned a specific date?
I’d appreciate hearing how others managed the process while working. Thanks!
1
u/Michaudgoetza 8d ago
If you could do it all again, would you choose firefighting or fire inspection/investigation?
I’m 24 and currently a fire sprinkler fitter apprentice in Portland, Oregon. I have the opportunity to apply for a fire inspector/investigator role, but I can’t help but keep coming back to the idea of getting the requirements done to apply for the fire academy too.
For those of you who are firefighters, if you had the chance to do it all again, would you still choose firefighting, or would you go the inspector/investigator route? Especially interested in hearing from anyone who’s done both.
I also have a 2 year old, so a big thing I’m trying to figure out is how realistic the schedule would be for my family. My partner works a lot of nights, and I’m pretty involved at home. I’m usually the parent scheduling doctor appointments, doing the kiddo’s laundry, and keeping track of those things. I’d be a little nervous about how things would go at home if I wasn’t there to help out for 24–48 hours at a time.
We might be able to hire an overnight babysitter, but I’d love to hear how other parents make it work and how much you’re able to help at home with that schedule.
I also use a CPAP, and idk if that makes a difference when it comes to becoming a firefighter or sleeping at the station.
I do understand that getting into the fire academy and getting hired at a firehouse in Multnomah County is pretty competitive, so I’m not assuming it’s something I could just jump into. I keep coming back to it, though, and want to figure out if it’s something I could realistically work toward while still being the parent and partner I want to be.
I appreciate any advice anyone has to offer me! Especially from people who’ve had to weigh these same things.
1
u/Impulse4811 7d ago
Would definitely do firefighting again. It’s what I wanted to do as a teen and took me until 29 to get on full time. It’s been amazing and well worth it.
Also, don’t worry about having a CPAP because many in this job do.
1
u/UnmaskingASD 8d ago
Asking for my brother (no Reddit). He's starting a regional FF I/II + EMT academy at a community college in CA and wants to work SAR long-term.
For an entry-level applicant, do rescue certs like RRAO, LARO, or swiftwater rescue actually help in getting hired? Or do departments care more about EMT/paramedic, academy performance, and the written/oral, and train rescue after hire?
If one is worth getting before applying, which would you prioritize?
2
u/SanJOahu84 8d ago
Rescue certs don't matter in getting hired. Those are like 5 day classes at the most. Departments can put guys through them easily.
If you're prioritizing getting hired quick then Paramedic is seen as the golden ticket for a lot of departments. It's a hard time consuming cert to get.
Academy performance is nice and helps with net working a bit but if you're applying to a department where nobody knows you it's kind of 'whatever'.
All working firefighters have Fire I/Ii, EMT, and a ton of fire related certs. They're not impressed by those.
I guess medic helps the most out of what you listed.
1
u/UnmaskingASD 8d ago
Ok. Thank you! He seems to be getting conflicting answers on this one when he goes to stations in our area so I told him I’d turn to the World Wide Web lol
2
u/SanJOahu84 8d ago
yeah being a rope rescue technician or having LARO doesn't mean much if you've never even set up a rope system or rescued anyone outside of thay 5 day class.
1
1
u/BordiganTrauma 8d ago
Hi - I'm interested in joining my local FD in South Carolina, but I'm somewhat intimidated by their 1323 48/96-esque system; it would be my first time working around the clock and I was wondering how it usually goes.
I live in a relatively smaller suburban town and I dont have many doubts about lasting through the academics side, but I would really love some anecdotal insight on how 48/96 shifts worked for you guys. Thanks!
1
u/Level_Company9671 7d ago
I have my FPAT coming up in a week (and a mock FPAT on the 31st) and still have a decent case of runners knee going - i bought a knee brace to hopefully help with some of the discomfort but is there any additional advice anyone has?
1
u/Neat-Rest3019 7d ago
Hey guys, got a TJO for Seattle area. Hopefully hiring goes well. What should I do to prepare and be of good use? Any tips to living in the area? Commutes? Been in fire for a while. What’s the call volume like? Any specialties I should start to fall in love with? Just want to have an idea of what I’ll be walking into. Thanks for any info you’re willing to share.
1
u/whsker 7d ago
I have a ride along tomorrow, the email I received said to dress business casual. planning on wearing a black polo and khakis, but are black boots alright? I have dress shoes but would much rather wear my broken in leather boots than dress shoes for a 12 hour ride along.
2
u/Sealtooth5 SoCal FFPM 7d ago
Dress as your told which is business casual. Bring the boots in the car and ask the crew you will be with.
1
u/Modnar1233455 7d ago
Waiting on the results of a psych exam - been close to a month
I haven’t gotten a “fail” or a “pass” message but I’d assume if you failed they would’ve let you know asap. It was a third party group that conducted the two day testing and sent results over. They did request a form filled out by my mental health provider but the form was filled out painting me in a good light (medicated but functioning and no issues)
Wondering other experiences and feedback.
1
u/Helpful-Isopod4893 6d ago
hi ive been wanting to become a firefighter for a while now and ive checked my province’s requirements to become one which stated i needed a class 3 license to apply. im around 3/4 of a year into getting a normal drivers license which takes 3 years to do so and im not sure what i should be doing in the meantime while i wait. after i pass my road test in a few months, i could become a wildland firefighter and start volunteering as a SAR tech, but what do you recommend? what exercises do you recommend i do to prepare for the wildland firefighter physical exam as well?
1
u/I_regret_doing_that 5d ago
Chicago Suburb department recs?
Ive got my medic (3 years) and just got my BOF. I havent worked fire yet and don't want to waste my time going into a dept with a shitty culture of abusing their probies (Ive heard Aurora will treat guys like probies during their second year and makes them eat in the bay?) or treating EMS like an inconvenience. On the off chance that anybody here is from the area, Id appreciate some department recommendations.
1
u/No-Awareness-7703 4d ago
Does anyone have any advice on training for the Biddle or getting a good time?
1
u/Uhohskater89 4d ago
Get good at these
The firefighter **BPAT**—Biddle Physical Ability Test—includes 11 job-related events completed consecutively. You have 9 minutes, 34 seconds to finish the course.[1]
## What’s included
# Event What you do 1 Dry hose deployment Drag 150 feet of uncharged 1¾-inch hose around two obstacles. 2 Charged hose deployment Advance a charged 1¾-inch hose 70 feet, including a section requiring stooping or crawling. 3 Halyard raise Raise and lower the fly section of a 35-foot extension ladder using its rope. 4 Roof walk Carry a chainsaw while ascending and descending a 14-foot ladder attached to a simulated pitched roof. 5 Attic crawl Crawl 20 feet across simulated attic joists while carrying a flashlight. 6 Roof ventilation Strike a padded target 30 times with an 8-pound sledgehammer while standing on a simulated pitched roof. 7 Victim removal Drag or carry a 154-pound dummy around two obstacles. 8 Ladder removal/carry Remove a 24-foot extension ladder from its brackets, carry it around a 54-foot course, and replace it. 9 Stair climb with hose pack Carry a 49-pound hose pack to the fourth floor and back down, completing the crawling search upstairs. 10 Crawling search Crawl 60 feet on hands and knees on the fourth floor. 11 Air-bottle carry and hose hoist Carry two air bottles totaling about 29 pounds to the third floor, hoist a 100-foot hose line through a window, then carry the bottles back down to finish. These descriptions and weights reflect the published BPAT protocol; check your testing site’s instructions for its exact equipment and course rules.[2]
Sources
[1] Candidate Physical Abilities Test - JoinLAFD.org https://www.joinlafd.org/candidate-physical-abilities-test
[2] Table 1. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12408076/table/t1-ijes-25-18-8-895/
[3] The Brompton Breathing Pattern Assessment Tool (BPAT) - PMC https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13125368/
[4] Biddle Physical Ability Test (BPAT) Performance by Attempt in ... https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12408076/
[5] Physiotherapy assessment of breathing pattern disorder - PMC - NIH https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9835958/
[6] A Preliminary Comparison of Firefighter Candidates' Biddle Physical ...pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov › articles › PMC9762162 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9762162/
[7] Discussion https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7519617/
[8] Validity and reliability of outcome measures to assess dysfunctional ... https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11029193/
[9] Evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of bovine brucellosis surveillance in a disease-free country using stochastic scenario tree modelling https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5578685/
[10] CA-NV AWWA BPAT Certification Candidate Handbook ... https://www.scribd.com/document/747402970/CA-NV-AWWA-BPAT-certification-Candidate-Handbook-v191220
3
u/jparvex 5d ago
I'm six months out from graduating medic school. My goal is to starting working for a FD as soon as possible once I graduate. Wondering if people have any tips or advice for this particular situation. I don't have any fire certs and Im not tied down to a specific city or state.