I've been following a few posts in here (FFN) and it seems that there are some problems or at least questions about what it should take to not only become a firefighter, but an officer as well. So what do we think.

I've read a lot about screening and testing et all. But what do YOU think? I worked for a vollie company here in California. In order to work there you had to be a fire academy graduate from a State of California approved (Fire Marshal) academy and at minimum an EMT-Basic. To be an officer however...you just had to be there have done somewhat of a good job and want to be promoted. Same with engineer. I was promoted to both positions within three years. In my (and the departments defense) before I became an enginer I had attended a 80 hour driver-operator class and before i made captain I had taken 9 of the 12 officer classes for a total of about 300 more hours of training and had been on about 200 medical aid calls and about 40 fires including strike team assignments on major wildfires. But that was just me. Others were driving the engine with only OTJ training, no class B license and no pump class. Officers were promoted because their former officer put in a recommendation. So what should we do in all theses cases? I know for the most part we are talking about small departments or vollie companies...but it's YOUR department for christakes...what would/should/can u do to change it?