(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); You must login or register to view this content.

Becoming a firefighter has always been a passion of mine. I've looked into it since I was a freshman in high school. My senior year I took an ROP class in fire tech that truly convinced me that firefighting is what I want to do. I'm going to give you (the readers) some good advice if firefighting is something you would like to look into.

First off, you have to know that firefighting isn't anything like the shows you see on TV. In fact, those shows are BS. There's a lot of rules and regulations you have to know and certain steps to take in order to do specific objectives. Now that that's out of the way I'm going to give you some steps to take if you haven't already gotten started.

1. Knowing your fire departments and firefighters.
Its always good knowing the people who you plan on working for in the future. Just call up or ring the door to your local fire department and tell them that you're interested in becoming a firefighter and ask if they can answer any questions you have like, "where do I get started?" or "what is the fire business like?"

2. Getting your classes
That classes required for starting off as a resident firefighter include fire tech. 1, EMT, and fire academy. These classes will help get you started, but if you want to get further into becoming a fire engineer, fire paramedic, or fire captain then more classes are required to take.
a.Fire tech 1
This classes teaches the very basics of firefighting from the dalmatian dog to the what a fire engine is.
b.EMT
This class teaches the medical side of firefighting, since firefighting is 70% medical calls and firefighters are usually first responders to a call. This class also weeds out the people who cant stand blood, decapitation, decomposition, or anything to do with bodily harm.
c.Fire academy
This class shows all the techniques required to know in the fire business. It takes up an entire semester of school and wile taking it you are living, eating, breathing, and sleeping fire. You will have no life, unless it includes fire. But the class is really fun and challenging. So for people who like a challenge, you will really like this class.

3. Knowing your limits
One of the key things in firefighting is knowing when you need help. Whether its physical or mental, knowing when you've reached your limit is always a good thing; otherwise injury can occur or even death.
a.physical limits
This obviously includes any physical attributes. A fire captain isn't gong to pair up a 110lb woman with a 260lb man, but it's always good to know your strength. So to keep you physical attributes up, you should run a lot and be at the gym keeping yourself physically active. This job is very physically demanding.
b.mental limits
This has to do with your mental state. You need to be able to keep a professional mind when your on the job. Keep your feelings to yourself and never let your anger show. There will be people who will spit in your face and hit you, but if you fight back you will put a bad reputation on your department and can get fired and sued. There also involves a lot of body dismemberment, blood, and other bodily liquids that you will have to deal with. It can smell bad enough that you will want to throw up on the spot, but you have to learn to deal with that stuff.

4. ALWAYS be professional
You will hear this a lot throughout the fire business. You cant show up on scene wearing Levis with a tank-top and sandals. You have to keep a professional appearance on scene and at your workplace. You also have to have a professional state of mind. Don't show up on scene cursing and flipping the bird to people you don't like. Be professional and you will be treated like one.

5. Get experience
One of the most important things starting out new is getting experience. Become a volunteer at a department or even use your EMT skill to work on an ambulance as a volunteer or even at a baseball stadium as the on site EMT. Wherever you can get experience, work there. It can make getting a job as a firefighter a lot easier having experience under the belt. Even being in the Armed forces gets you great experience and is looked as something a fire department likes. There are a lot of people trying to become firefighters so competition is tough, but work to be the best you can and you should have no problem.


I hope my advice can help you one day become a firefighter. :smile:

Nice thread

That was before the surgery

Thank you and to answer your question, yes, I'm working on it right now, so within a year I'll either be a volunteer or working for a department.

Tl;dr.
.....

I was interested in becoming one.But i think im going to become a doctor instead.Nice thread

Nothing is like how you see it in films. In the police you don't get in 10 car chases in one day and get to use nearly every weapon known to man and kill like 50 people in one shoot out. I'd like to say that being a spy isn't like James Bond, but then I can't cos I have no idea. But I'm guessing it isn't. Anyway, good thread. I wanted to be a fireman in high school, now it's the RAF. But if I don't get into that for whatever reason, I will deffo be looking back into fire fighting, providing that the reason on not passing the RAF was due to a medical reason. Fitness can be dealt with and so can tests, but I would have to wait another 6 months to apply with no guarantee I would get in again.

Where I live in Newfoundland, Canada, you need to do a 25 week course, and then wait for a firefighter to either die or retire