Me and a Fellow Fireman were haveing a discussion and i was just wondering is it possible to join a paid fire company with just a G.E.D and certain qualifications from the fre department, (E.x, FF1 FF2 and some others or is just a couple ok) or would you need a highscool diploma?

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If you have a certain fire department you're interested in joining then call them and ask them what their minimum requirements are. If this is just a general question then I'd say it's probably going to vary from department to department.

I fully understand that sometimes life gets in the way and things happen that make finishing regular schooling impossible or sometimes being a dumb kid gets in the way and you make a really bad choice (Like I did).

Assuming that you or he are the ones with the GED, here's my advice and this comes from someone who got their GED and after realizing their folly went back and got an associates degree.
Regardless of the career field you choose DON'T let the GED be the end of your formal education, talk to local community colleges about financial aid and admissions requirements, you can still go to college. Even if you can get on a department now with a GED, a few years down the road when it comes time for the department to promote you will almost always be up against a fire fighter with similar experience and skills. The difference may be that the other firefighter has some college under his belt. Given that scenario, they'll almost always choose the guy with the education.

Don't think about next month or next year when you get ON the department think about where you'd like to be in 25 or 30 years when you retire from the department. A formal education will make a difference in the end.

Thanks
Eric
Educationally yes, it says you have the basic knowledge that has been defined as what's expected of a high school grad. Many people may look at a GED as "The easy way out" and call into question your willing to put in the hard work and discipline required to finish a project. If the guy interviewing you is one of the people who views it as such then in their eyes, No a GED is not the same as a diploma.
Also look at the top of this page on the right - FFN Jobs tab - look at what people have posted for job eligibility requirements... and yes, like Eric says - look up the specific departments and cities you want to work with.

Check their websites
Call them
Or make friends with one of their FFs
Or wander by their station and ask
To answer your question, yes you can.
However what Eric Gregory stated is true.
I got my GED while going through EMT class and then on to Fire Science, I however did not finish collage yet because i was hired after my first year but i will finish.
thank you all for taking the time to answer it, and yes the subject in question was me, i contacted a couple of local paid and they just beat around the bush instead of giving me a forward answer im hoping they will take me
beating around the bush MAY mean - yes, they do accept GED ... BUT they PREFER MORE !
see this job posting from the FFN job listing at the top of this page

they seem more concerned about age, than education

________________________
Firefighter
City of Springfield,IL (Springfield, Illinois) Posted:May 2, 2011
Address:300 S. 7th Street, MCW Room 309, Springfield, IL
Springfield, IL 62701

Occu:firefighter Type:Full-time Description:
Under direct supervision performs work in preventing, suppressing and extinguishment of fires, protection of life and property of citizens of Springfield, Fire Protections Districts, Mutual Aid Districts and assigned Districts, hazardous materials mitigation, emergency medical service, vehicle and other rescue areas and ongoing training programs.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
*U. S. Citizenship
*Minimum age is 20 years old on the date of the written examination. (born on or before June 18, 1991)
*Maximum age is 34 years old (unless previously employed as a Springfield Firefighter) on the date of the written examination (born on after June 18, 1976)
*Birth Certificate
*High School Diploma, GED (General Education Diploma), or Official High School Transcript that shows a graduation date in a sealed envelope
*Valid drivers license and must be able to obtain an Illinois Drivers License
*Vision correctable to 20/20 with no color blindness


Salary:$45,789.19
Apply by
Website:http://www.springfield.il.us
Possible, yes, likely, no.

Even a HS diploma may not open very many doors. The fire service today is very competitive, education and certs are more prevalent today than in the past. You are seeing candidates getting hired with an associate degree minimum and even fire certs as well as paramedic, that is how you stand out.

Yes, it is possible to get hired on a dept looking for the bare minimum quals, but there are also hundreds to thousands of candidates looking for that same job. In order to stand out, you need to ace the written and physical and hope you qualify for bonus points like residency, etc. Those who do qualify for points, be it residency, education, or veterans, will stand out more than one meeting the bare minimum.
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