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Military Training
Does military firefighter training give you everything you need to be competitive for a civilian job? Also, which branch provides the best training and experience?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Bill Brierton on
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It all depends on where you end up. Some states accept military fire fighting others do not. You'll have to do a bit more exploring to find an answer to your question. Good Luck and Stay Safe.
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Permalink Reply by Ben on
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just about every branch goes to the same academy. The something Garland Fire Academy in San Angelo Texas, on the Goodfellow Air Force Base. Also not if you join the military you will NOT be a structural firefighter, only on the airfield ( who RARELY see action). All structural and wrecks n such on base are handled by civilians that are hired by the government. So if u were thinking of joining up, just remember all branches go to the same place and u wont see much fire.
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Permalink Reply by Chris on
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Well, Military firefighters do fight structural fires but don't see much action. But almost every branch now requires you to be precertified IFSAC FFII before joining. Military fire training is IFSAC though so it would be accepted in most states. There are civilian firefighters in the military but there are also military structural Firefighters as well. I am one in the air force reserves.
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Permalink Reply by Greenman on
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Get NPSQ (Pro Board) certified while you're in, becuase that will certainly transfer to civilian emplyment.
Depending on wher eyou're stationed, you may need to be a certified FF in the state you're stationed in, so that means the same number of hours and types of training as required for civilian FFs. The Services have all federalized local laws regarding both FF and LEO certifications. The biggest reason they've done is for Mutual Aid responses, if you're not certified in the state, you cannot help local FFs in off-post fires.
GM
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Permalink Reply by AAAAAA on
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I am a Army firefighter station at Fort Lewis Wa. All branches of the military go to the same school at Goodfellow AFB in Texas. You do not need any experience to become a firefighter in the military even thou experience dose help. While you are there you will get IFSAC certs in Firefighter 1 & 2, Hazmat Awareness and Operations, and Airport Firefighter. Once you are at your duty station you can work on your driver, officer certs and ect. that are also IFSAC. Here at Fort Lewis we do a little bit of every thing here. We stay busy here. And we do get some good house fires here also. If you have any more questions I will be glad to answer them.
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Permalink Reply by Ronald Williams II on
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The military sends you through the Department of Defense fire academy, which is the Louis F. Garland fire academy. The academy is at Goodfellow Air force base, San Angelo, Texas. The academy's certifications are IFSAC certs. which is transferrable pretty much anywere in the states. All branches go through that same academy, but your civilian job, the military helps w/ the civil service point system cause you get free points from being prior service. the Air force firefighters run everything, structural, arff, and medical at most bases. marines just do flight line along w/ the navy
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Permalink Reply by Robbs Huus on
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I am an Army Reservist from Billings MT. Where do you guys do your BNCOC? tell me everything. This is a process we've been struggling with for some time.
Thanks
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Permalink Reply by Chief Dino on
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The Navy, to the best of my knowledge does not send active duty members(with the posible exception of aviation FF assigned to Naval Air Stations, but again not sure) to the DOD fire academy. I was a shipboard FF for twenty years and never had a single class on structural FF. That being said, the theory is the same, many of the tools we use are the same and some of the tactics we use are the same. Navy firefighters also perform shoring, de-watering, and are primary Chemical Biological Radiological team members. Here's where I think you'll best get a little nod over non-vets. The greatest advantage you'll have is the experience of having a large amount of responsiblility at an early age. Mult-million dollar pieces of equipment are maintained by 19-21 year olds. The ability to work in a stressful environment, the GI bill and Tuition Assistance, the ability to work with people from many different cultural, socio-economic, and ethnic backgrounds. By the time I finish my BA in fire science management, I'll have spent $250 out of pocket, my masters will cost about another $500 and I'll still have some GI bill left.
TCSS
Shawn
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Permalink Reply by Jim Owens on
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The best place for a young firefighter is the US Air Force, they provide full service firefighting and EMS at most locations. The Air Force, Army and Marines all train at the DOD academy. You will not get much firefighting experience at most locations but there are a few that are somehat busy. The best route to be a full time guy is to get the military training, get your associate degree while your on active duty, it's free,get your paramedic certificate and you will be in at the top of the recruting list for many departments. Te larger cities wont really care about your certs, they will still send you to thier academy, but smaller departments will want the certs and the paramedic license. Good luck, you are taking the right route by going military and you are giving something back to your country.
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Permalink Reply by Kyle Rose on
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Was it hard for you to get station at fort lewis or was that where you were sent. And are you from washington. Im in the process of getting enlisted and would like to get stationed at fort lewis at the end of everything cause i want to do firefighting and all my family is here in washington so it would be great if i could be stationed there.
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Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on
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Kyle,
You get sent to where the military needs you. One can wish and hope for a certain duty station but, it boils down to what the military needs.
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Permalink Reply by lang on
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Hey man how ya doin? I'm active duty air force everything said here minus the fact that USAF only does airport is true. USAF firefighters do everything from crash to strucual to medical to hazmat to rescues. More and more bases are getting mutual aid agreements with the local communities, like Peterson afb and Colorado springs Regional airport share a flightline and Peterson afb is first due for the airport. USAFA is responsible for like a 20 mile strech of I-25 here in the springs. Davis monthen afb in phenoex Arizona acts as a couple more stations for the pheoneox fire dept. Military fire dept are starting to play a bigger roll nowadays. You have to have no prior training to become a firefighter. You will be certified in ifsac certs and to get pro boards and what not you just have to send a copy of the cert into the state with a small fee and a week or two later you'll have the other cert too. I hope this helps let me know if you have any other question SSgt Lang Gillen lead fire fighter USAF
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