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Permalink Reply by Jeff Sheltry on October 14, 2008 at 7:31pm

Hey, my name is Jeff Sheltry, I live in Tilton, New Hampshire and am desperately looking to get a firefighting job overseas, if you have any creditable information please send it to me on here, or get back to me for my e-mail.

Thank you very much

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Permalink Reply by John Whisenant on November 29, 2008 at 6:33pm

I was with WSI in Iraq for 1 yr 06-07. All I have read on here talk about taxes and such. Let me clear it up. YES the tax law states like 84K tax free. But you are an independant contractor. You can write shit off like crazy. Everyone I know including myself get moeny back in taxes. See WSI gives you the option of taking tax out or not. If you choose not to they tax anything over a certain ammount every check because it puts you over 84K in the end. But you can get all of it back if you just write off different things keep ur reciepts. Its not hard to get on with WSI either. They may slow down now days but when i got on it was bing bam boom I mean resume to on the ground in iraq was just over a month that included getting my passport. It certainly isnt your stateside FD call wise or work wise. Your days depending where you are include station clean up, morning meeting, eat, do inspections/"work" eat, maybe train, workout, eat, chill for the evening. Some bases you do more chilling than "working" and at no base i was at or heard about from co workers was there ever "WORK" really to do. You sit and wait for any small fire to happen even smoking light fixtures get your insides all worked up after while of not doing anything. The chance for Rank there is at your will. You want to play paper chief you can certainly do so. I worked for a 25yr old man who became CHIEF. making 150K per yr at that rank. If thats your style the certs are there to get and the more company you are the more paper certs you can get. My thought was do your job dont say anything and get your pay check its all the same if I say something or not. The pay for travel is also $860 toward your 2 R&R's and full trip home after 6 months of service. So if you stay 6 months free plane ride home if you leave then or end of year. You can push your R&R's as early as near 2 months on the ground in Iraq, or as late as near 6months on ground. The 120 day mark is not held to fastly. It just depends on how many people are wanting that same date. It is hot like has been said, I dont know now but when I was there bases were getting hit with In direct fire sometimes daily. Bigger the base less noticable it is, the smaller well you get the idea. I was at a small base that took Rockets serious we wore our Battle Rattle all day everyday every place we went. I also worked at the largest base in country and there my battle rattle was in a storage attic til i left. And we ran to the rocket attacks. I more believe in being cautious but I did what I was told and got my paycheck all the same. The biggest thing I gained was knowlege from around the US. Working with men and women from around the US from every type of FD gained the most knowlege and training. Seeing different ideas and ways things are done across the US makes a big difference in how you look at what you already know.

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Permalink Reply by Annda on January 6, 2009 at 12:16pm

Hello All,
I just wanted to add something here, i dont work for WSI, i do work for KBR and i am currently in Iraq, Baghdad, the Fire department is WSI , we also have KBR Fire Fighters, but as you guys are talking about WSI i will tell you what i know, i have my best friend he works for WSI and he used to be a recruiter in Houston but now they transferred him to IRAQ as a Captain,he is also on the training department, the WSI here they live on the same quarters that KBR people live, also they have almost everything on the station, they have it like home, one thing you dont have to worry about is that you dont have to worry about your clothes, they have uniform :) wich is the best for this dusty place, anyways they eat for free (as the KBR does too), there is not much risk in here at all, i've been over a year in here and i cant remember the last time i had to go in a bunker, but as one of you said depends on what base you'll be selected at, some of them might be dangerous but i cant say nothing, so dont worry about risk,:) i hope nothing happens here.
also if you are looking for an EMS job, check with KBR www.kbrjobs.com is not bad, you can do the EMS job with KBR as paramedic or medic or whatever you are. the best thing about this job is that you dont get to go OUT POST to do a mission, all you have to take care is people inside the base. so the base is safe.
I hope i helped a bit.

take care and good luck all of you.
Annda

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Permalink Reply by Justin on February 4, 2009 at 11:20am

Hey if by any chance you look at this thread again I'd love to get those contacts abroad. I'm looking into work in Kuwait if possible. Thanks justindhill@gmail.com

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Permalink Reply by eric heidrich on March 10, 2009 at 5:52pm

Hey Matt, Just joined this forum and read your story about overseas firefighting. Can you send me info about some companies that work there? I am looking more for EMS work but will take firefighting just as well. You can e-mail me direct at tandecycles@bikerider.com. Thanks for any help you can give me.

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Permalink Reply by Josh on March 16, 2009 at 12:12am

I will be in the green zone in little over a week with kbr fire. I think I am confused with your posting? The kbr firefighters work in the WSI fire houses?

What else can you tell me about the kbr fire dept. in the green zone?

thanks

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Permalink Reply by Seabron on September 11, 2009 at 4:14pm

My cousin just completed a three year contract as a Fire Chief and just landed a big chief job with Lockheed Martin due to his military and overseas certification in ARFF.

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Permalink Reply by Blair MacDowell on July 28, 2010 at 12:21pm

Thanks for that great information i have 7 years of experiance at a midsize dept 250+ but am going to be 44 soon do they still hire old dudes like myself?

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Permalink Reply by Brian Dumser on July 28, 2010 at 6:09pm

Yeah good question. I've got 16 years on but I'm turning 44 in November.

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Permalink Reply by Christopher Plumley on August 26, 2010 at 8:00am

Hi, I'm 30 and just now getting my firefighter I and II. I want to certify as an EMT after and then do whatever I can to get overseas and contract. Do you have any advice on any other special courses or training that I can get that will help me out or give me a leg up? My little brother is an EMT and I'm getting whatever help I can from him, but he's still pretty new in it so any advice you may be able to give me would be a big help!

Thanks,
Chris

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Permalink Reply by Chris Moore on August 26, 2010 at 7:10pm

I worked in Iraq With KBR for 13 months at 3 different bases it was not too bad but we did get wat they called incoming which is mortars and rockets into the base but its a really good job with loads for cash my job was runway repair when the runways would get blown up or cracked we would go out and fix them wsi had fire departments there i talked with alot of them they said they love it all they really do is go around and check fire extinguishers they had one fire the hole 13 months i was there and it was a dumpster fire soo kinda laid bak job

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Permalink Reply by Blair MacDowell on August 26, 2010 at 8:45pm

thanks dude!

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