any firefighters out there?

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grizzlymaze
grizzlymaze Posts: 185 Member
in Chit-Chat
Hey any firefighters around? I'm interested in becoming a full time firefighter, but am curious on the life style that you have. Also, what is your schedule?

Thanks.

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  • crise40g
    crise40g Posts: 60 Member
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    What specifically do you want to know? I'll try and answer them.
  • grizzlymaze
    grizzlymaze Posts: 185 Member
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    Well...How did you become a firefighter, what is your day like at the station (when not on calls), how do you balance work and family (if your away for 24 hours), What's your fitness level? Just random stuff like that...
  • crise40g
    crise40g Posts: 60 Member
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    Here in Hawaii, the City has a entrance exam every two years. Roughly 5000 people take the test with only a couple hundred actually getting hired. You have to score at least in the 90's. Mid 90's would be better. They rank you according to your score and take people to take the next step which is the physical agility test(CPAT) and a swim. If you past that, then you go to an oral interview. If they like you, you go to the training academy for around 5 months. If you don't get called right away, you should take some fire science classes at the university/college until the next test.

    We work 24 hour shifts. Start at 8am and go home at 8am the next day. The day usually starts with the morning mtg where we go over the plans for the day and to decide who has the cooking duty. After that we do station clean up (scrub toilets/sinks, mop, etc.). Mornings are then spent inspecting establishments, drills, classes. Afternoons are usually spent with some light drills in the station and studying. Maybe the occasional cigar smoking sesh. After 4 is when we can do our own thing. Usually some form of cardio (Insanity, P90, Greek Hoplite, elliptical). Then a couple of hours playing volleyball and finally a weight lifting sesh. Pretty beat after that and I usually hit the rack around midnight.

    My wife is the best. She raised 3 kids and kept the family running while I'm gone 10 days out of the month. When I'm off, I try and do stuff around then house to give my wife a break to do what she wants to do. I always try to have one night out of the week for just me and her.

    This is the BEST job in the world! If you get in, I guarantee you're gonna love it.

    If you got any more ???'s, just ask.
  • grizzlymaze
    grizzlymaze Posts: 185 Member
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    Thank you, this sounds like an awesome job. Can you tell me a bit about the written and physical test? What kind of knowledge do you need to know about the test? Do I need to go to the local tech college first to learn for the test? I'm asking because if they send me to an academy for training I don't know if it would be smart to pay for college on stuff that they will teach me for free/pay.
  • crise40g
    crise40g Posts: 60 Member
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    I don't know what certificates, if any, you will need BEFORE you apply for the test where you live. You should check to see what you need. I just encourage people to take some classes. Here in Hawaii, if you don't get into the Honolulu Fire Dept, you can get into the Federal Fire Department through the co-op at the comm college. I think you have to have like 50 credits before you can get into the co-op.

    Taking classes shows the interviewers that you are serious about making this a career. Not some whim. Also, if you have a AA degree in Fire Science or a 4 year degree in anything, you get extra points for promotional exams.

    Entrance exam here consists of reading comprehension, math and mechanical reasoning. Physical agility is the CPAT( http://www.cffjac.org/go/jac/cpat/ ) and a 100m swim in a certain time.

    Like I said, this is for HFD. You should really check your local department pre-reqs.
  • Coramae09
    Coramae09 Posts: 60 Member
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    Or you could look into moving to Hawaii ;)
  • grizzlymaze
    grizzlymaze Posts: 185 Member
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    Or you could look into moving to Hawaii ;)

    NAH. I want to stay up here where the winters are colder than cold and the summers are just as bruttal.
  • bcfd392
    bcfd392 Posts: 1
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    Being a firefighter is the best job I have ever had. In my neck of the woods, the departments usually hire persons who allready have a fire academy under their belt as well as state EMT certification. The local community college offers a 5-6 month academy almost every year. Most recruits who complete the academy then test with one of the local departments for a reserve firefighter possition. Once accepted as a reserve, you can sign up to work shifts with the regular crews. As a reserve, you are given a packet with skills you are expected to practice and eventually master. As the need arises, the departments will then offer the reserves to test for a full-time possition. Our testing consists of the CPAT, written test, FF skills test (raising ladders, dragging the dummy, tying knots, hoisting tools, etc.), an EMS skills station (similar to NREMT trauma or medical station), and finally an oral board.


    Our department works a 48/96 hour schedule. We start the day by getting the previous shifts pass-ons and then check in our apparatus/equipment. Breakfast. Then company training. Lunch. After lunch we usually PT and occasionally have EMS training. Dinner. In the evening the station duties are done (trash, dishes, cleaning the kitchen/bathrooms) and then relax, which usually means a movie, some XBox, or studying. The second day usually repeats the first. We run our own ambulances, so we keep pretty busy running medical calls day and night as well as fire/rescue calls.

    If you find the opportunity to test for a department/academy, it would be wise to have a good cardio and strength routine going before testing. An academy will whip you into shape for sure, but you need to be able to get through the initial testing first!

    Good luck, and best wishes.

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