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Firefighting Age and Applying for a Firefighting Job...
My friend and I were talking the other day and he and I started discussing about having to be 21 in order to be on a paid/FT department. This is just driving me crazy! You can be 18 to vote, you can be 18 to enlist in the military, but you must be 21 to join a paid - FT department...why? Why is that? Is it insurance purposes? It cant be because of expirience...how else are you going to get expirience in the fire service unless your on a volunteer department?
Ive never been through the process of applying or "testing" for a department bc I am not yet 21, I am only 19. What is it like to test and or apply for a FF job? How do I prepare myself for either of the tests...I know working out, lifting weights, running, and all to stay in shape, but as for the written exam what should I study....I do know my FF stuff very well but should I go to a bookstore and buy one of the books to help prepare you??? Another thing, I am certified in IL for Basic EMT and FF2.....if I were to go to another state, what would I have to do...would I have to retake the exams...-if anyone knows that would be lovely!
So as a female, they cant discriminate against me either, I asked one department about the application n I was knocked down bc I was the opposite sex of them and their are no other females on that department...is that legal?
Any help is very appreciative! :)
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Robert Kelly Bostian on
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Hi Kayli , We use Delmars Firefighters Handbook , Essentials of Firefighting and Emergency Response Second Edition NFAAA.There are Firefighter physical tests in Fire Rescue Magazine. I agree, If you are old enough to be sent to war for the bankers , then you are old enough to save life and property for your community.Although that will be up to the individual stations. And you can check for reciprocity with your state EMS representative.
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Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on
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You can be 18 to vote, you can be 18 to enlist in the military, but you must be 21 to join a paid - FT department...why? Why is that?
First of all you don't join a paid dept, you are hired by such a dept. That means the dept can establish whatever criteria they want for applicants, even a minimum testing age of 21. The dept can require a degree if they want, they can require paramedic, they can require fire certs and so forth, and there are many that do require this stuff.
Just because you can vote and join the military at 18 (17 really for the military) it doesn't mean a fire dept has to subscribe to the same type of standards. In some cases requiring a minimum age of 21 also tends to get some more mature applicants and not just those walking out of HS and looking for a career job. In some cases the older applicants and those with military experience tend to be a better candidate choice because they have some real life experiences vs the kid straight out of HS or college. Requiring 21 for a minimum age should also mean the applicants have some type of extra work under their belt, be it a degree, work experience etc, not just some jr from a dept. One does NOT have to have firefighting experience to get on, but one CAN go to school for firefighting....no experience needed.
Now hope is not all lost for the newly turned "adult" who is not at that magic drinking age of 21. There are depts out there that the minimum age to apply is 18. They also don't require anything more than HS diploma/GED, and driver license, however, such depts also see many applicants and the hiring process can be tough. This doesn't mean people don't get hired, but the youngest I have ever seen hired was 20...and they also had a degree and fire certs from a school.
Now as for what to study and what to have etc....if the dept is only asking for 18, HS, and driver license, they can not ask FF specific type of questions, like what is the steam conversion of water, or what is a halligan tool used for. Instead the questions are general in nature, if there IS a firefighting specific question then there is a description along with the question...such as "A pike pole is used for pulling walls and ceilings to look for hidden fire, a halligan tool is used for forcible entry, etc" and then the question may be "What tool is used to locate fire behind a wall?" However, most questions are very general in nature like reading, math, spelling and grammar (weird how that is out there) where there is no FF experience necessary to test. Those depts requiring education or certs to test can ask more FF specific questions which, if you have the certs and education, then you should know the material.
Another thing, I am certified in IL for Basic EMT and FF2.....if I were to go to another state, what would I have to do...would I have to retake the exams.
Depends upon the state and if they will recognize the certs. For EMT, I would look at taking the National Registry exam because that will transfer much more easy than a state cert. In some cases a state may make you retake the exams. Fire certs tend to transfer better than EMS, because many times a dept trains you to their level anyway. EMS, the hands are tied though, so if you don't have National Registry, look into getting it.
So as a female, they cant discriminate against me either, I asked one department about the application n I was knocked down bc I was the opposite sex of them and their are no other females on that department...is that legal?
No, a dept can not discriminate based upon gender, race, religion, color, creed, etc. I don't understand what you mean by you were "knocked down" because you are female. Being able to apply has nothing to do with how you may be treated and you may be scrutinized more as a FF and it could be a tense feeling out time, but there are many women who went before you who have established themselves and made things easier for others.
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Come over to Pittsburgh, must be 18 at time of application.
http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/personnel/html/firefighter_recruit...
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Permalink Reply by lang on
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For the ff2 certs most states use either pro board or ifsta. There basicly the same cert with a different name on the paper. Most states send in a copy of your cert and like a 10 dollar sur charge a few weeks later you'll have that states cert. You'll have to do a lil research if you move to a different state on the process. For the EMT part of it like said before national registry is your best bet. Before you go to take that test get back in the books that test is no joke. Also a possibility is challanging the state your moving to EMT test. Also the state your moving to may accept your current EMT cert and give you a number for that state. I hope this helps and can understand this I don't have the best punctuation skills. Stay safe and good luck.
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Permalink Reply by Kayli Borell on
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Thanks Lindsay. I def need your inspirational words as a pick me up :) Yea that dept has a Nuclear Plant and its all the "good ole boys" I know a few people that live in Byron and they said they wont hire a female...its always been a male department and just bc they have the Nuclear Energy Plant, they get all the money in the world and lifes all good.
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Thanks lang. I have my FF2 textbook...gonna attempt to start going over that but its gonna get old n quick. Im thinking about going to the bookstore and going to get a few of those FF Exam prepare books. Uhhh just out of couriosty, who would I contact when transfering to a different state? Should I contact the Illinois Department Public Health....which is who I got my EMT cert from to see what I should do about contacting another state to see if I can get it transferred...
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First of all sorry for the delayed response. Second if your moving to a different state contact that states DOH to see if they accept Illinois EMT. The Illionois may help you out I'm not total sure on that. If you look online you should be able to find a number you can call. If your studing to take a city exam the study books are your best bet. Take a look at the CPAT exam which most dept's use for there physical exam. I hope this he
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Permalink Reply by Lani on
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Most insurances will not cover anyone under the age of 21 operating code....aka you have to be at least 21 years of age to be deemed responsible enough in the eyes of insurance agencies to drive with lights and sirens.
As for the female vs. male debate...unless they state they are an equal opportunity employer they can drop your application because they don't like the way your hair looks let alone any other reasons. However, I would inquire further as to why there are no other females in that department.
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Hi Lani
Am I to understand, that if the employer does not state they are an equal opportunity employer, they have the right to discriminate against.. well, dirty hair? or crooked teeth? or being female? or as you put it, any other reason? Just need to that to be clear. If that were the case, should they not be required to state they are "an unequal opportunity employer" Not sure how it is where you are, but I think it would stand a hope in hell here. just wondering is all.
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It's kind of a "legal loop hole" if you do not state "Equal Opportunity Employer" at least in the states I have lived/worked in...they don't have to give you a reason for not accepting your application...they might well not have liked your dirty hair or crooked teeth...and they would technically not be "wrong" in doing so, as they are not a stated Equal Opportunity Employer...however, that is becoming less and less common. Even our little "podunk" rural USA fire district is an Equal Opportunity.
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Such a "legal loophole" would apply more to the private business and not a part of a tax based entity such as a fire dept. It is one thing for Hooters restaurant to hire women based on looks to be a waitress, but another thing for a dept within a tax based entity to be able to discriminate. Basically, it doesn't matter if the fire dept says they are EEO or not, if the taxing entity, be it city, county, etc, is an EEO, then so is the fire dept.
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