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Wanting to Become a Firefighter
I am a Junior in High School, and want to become a firefighter. Planning on getting a Bachelor's in Fire Science but haven't looked into colleges yet (recommend any?). I have 8 credits in science right now, and valid CPR/AED (adult, child, and infant) and Basic First Aid licenses. However, I am a little confused with the hiring process. When does the academy come into play? What do departments look for in applicants? What are my chances of getting hired onto a bigger department such as Indianapolis right out of college?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jay Nicholson on
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Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on
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The link supplied is pretty standard for departments and are pretty similar. Some depts will require more in certifications and education to apply, but those will be spelled out by specific dept. Right now, what you are asking for is quite general.
Education is good and it is smart to be looking towards such a goal while still in HS. A bachelor's degree is not required, but there are universities that do offer programs, I know one being Southern Illinios University. I have had a few friends who went through that. Easier to find though are community or technical colleges which offer an Associates in Fire Science. Such programs gear you more towards the certifications that you will need to get hired. With such schools being a 2 year program, you can also obtain a paramedic certification, which depts are viewing more and more favorably upon. There are also schools offering a bridge type of course for those with associates, looking to go bachelors. As it is now in the fire service a bachelor's looks good, especially if you intend to move up in promotion to say that of a chief position, but associates are common. It all depends upon what you really want to do. If looking to get a foot in the door quicker and be a FF, I recommend the associates route. If you want a higher education and don't mind waiting, then go for the bachelor's.
As for academies, those depend upon what you are looking for. Again some community or technical schools do have academies where one can obtain their FF certifications for the state. These are conducted for volunteers or those affiliated in some way with a dept. A person can do this on their own too, but sometimes FF turnout gear is required and not all schools supply, but just something to look into. When a person does get hired by a career dept, that dept will still do some type of academy or training, despite the certifications you have. They teach you their way and how they want things done.
What a dept looks for in applicants does vary, but the more you bring to the table the better you look. Education helps, having EMT or paramedic can help, having some experience can help, keeping your nose clean and staying out of trouble really helps. High test scores on the written and physical agility will get you further along in a process.Depts will hire those they feel can represent their dept best and who they think will make a good FF. It really varies. Your chances of getting hired will vary as much as the next. Not all depts do a formal interview and rely upon test scores etc, some do a BPAD, so it does vary. A dept will also conduct hiring every so often and may not do a hiring process for a couple years. Coming right out of college and onto a big dept will really vary. If looking for such a dept like Indy, your best bet may be to test when they next do a hiring process, get on the hiring list, because the hiring process can take a long time. The hiring process typically goes months before a list is created and a person could be on a list for a couple years before getting hired, if they do at all.
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Permalink Reply by iGamer on
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Thanks for the reply. I am wanting to study administration in college so I can be more than just a firefighter/paramedic later in my career.
What kind of classes should I be taking in High School? I have taken Biology, Chemistry, and Anatomy, and am currently taking Earth/Space science, pre-calculus, and a handful of other general courses. Hoping to get Chemistry II next year.
Is it worth getting my CPR/AED and First Aid certifications renewed at my age?
Anyways, from what I've heard, getting hired is pretty tough - want to make sure I stand out.
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Permalink Reply by DUST on
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"I am wanting to study administration in college so I can be more than just a firefighter/paramedic later in my career."
Nice!
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Permalink Reply by Dustin J. Millis on
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Sounds like your on the right track so far. First off, Definatly renew your certifications, even at your age, its just good habit. If you plan to become a ff/paramedic, you will have plenty of continuing education your entire life so you might as well get used to it.
As far as the degree in fire science, sure they are nice to have; but every professional FF I have ever spoken to that has one says it was a waste of time. Dont get me wrong, I'm not saying dont get one because they will make you stand out but concentrate more on your paramedic cert. The future of the fire service is EMS!!! Most FD's are only hiring guys with at least an EMT cert, alot of dept's now are requiring that you be a full paramedic or at least enrolled in medic school.
I'm guessing that since you mentioned IFD, you must live close around Indianapolis. IFD is a great dept. and has a tremendous fire academy. IFD is actually one of the few dept's that does not require their applicants to have an EMT cert. This is because their fire academy includes a six week EMS training that will provide you with an EMT cert. As far as the timeline, IFD only hires every few years. You have to fill out a "notice of interest" card with the dept. It basically lets them know that you are thinking of becoming a ff for their dept. When it comes hiring time, people will be chosen from that list to take an entrance exam testing your knowledge. After that, interviews begin (keep in mind that not all individuals who pass the test will recieve an interview, sucks, but thats how it goes). If you get past that interview you are scheduled for the CPAT which I'm sure you know about by know. A few more interviews take place and finally after all that , a group is selected to attend the IFD fire academy. Once you pass the academy, your in.
Yup, sounds difficult and time-consuming and yeah it is.
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If looking at a bachelor's degree, I would suggest taking any HS course that may offer some college level credits, if you can. That way it reduces your classload a bit more when you do decide on a school.
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Kind of off topic, but what are the general hair regulations? Do you have to shave your head?
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Depends upon the dept. For ours the hair has to be off the collar.
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Working towards a BS degree online is fine, as long as the college conducting it is accredited. However, only so much can be learned from a book and at some point hands on training is a must. Basically, if you find a college you can obtain a BS online that is accredited, fine, be wary of online fire ACADEMIES though.
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If you look at most depts., only a HS diploma or GED is required. In actuality, the HS grad is competing with the college grad. The HS grad is not going to get hired.
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Pretty competitive here in the states as well, that is why there are such qualifications and degrees, they help to make one stand out more.
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