Firefighters, looking for advice

I am strongly considering changing careers and am looking into firefighting. I'm not sure if I'm too old so start into this career but I'm looking for guidance on what to start looking at. I'm 33 and in pretty good physical condition. Mechanically inclined and want to start helping people rather than dealing with crazy ass customers at my current job. I do have a bachelors degree in Business but no certifications for CRP etc.

What programs/curriculum is best to look into? What are the chances of actually getting a job? I live in the Denver, CO area and really don't want to relocate unless its up north near Ft Collins/Loveland.

 

a lot but not all departments have an age cut off of 35. typically you can get hired at a professional department with little to no training because they would rather teach you 'their' way rather than correct a lot of bad habits picked up in the volunteer world. no offense intended to any volunteers in any way! i would suggest checking out departments close to you and find out when and where you can apply. be forewarned though, the application process is usually a long one. it was about two years from the time i first applied until my first on duty shift. i also applied at 4 different departments and was only offered a position at two of them. i opted for the department closest to my family.

the application process at my department goes like this:

application testing opens. applicants are invited to submit applications.
applicants are then invited at a later date to take a written civil service test. if you score over the required score, you advance.
remaining applicants are then invited to take a Candidate Physical Agility Test. you can google this as it's a standardized test. looks easy in the video, but you should certainly prepare for it. the stairs are first and make the rest of the test difficult.
if/when you pass the CPAT, you are invited to an interview with our city manager, and a few other city personnel not directly related to the FD. they will score you on your interview.

the cumulative score will place you on an eligibility list. once there is an opening, they start at the top and invite candidates in for a final interview with the fire chief, city manager, and city finance director. if all goes well, you are sent a letter of offer for probationary firefighter. probation lasts a year and if you make it through that, you are offered a full time position as firefighter. three years in you take a test to be promoted to firefighter first class. and can test later in your career for Lt. and Capt., etc.

it is important to score high when you can, as it will make your life easier. i scored the highest in the room on my written, finished the CPAT with over 2 minutes to spare, and did well in my preliminary interview putting me first on my particular eligibility list. when they were ready to hire, i was the first called.

i took college classes and worked on an ambulance while i waited those two years. that's just how my dept works and they all do things a little differently, but most have web pages and you can always call their main stations and inquire. BEST DAMN JOB IN THE WORLD. go for it, and if you have any questions, i'll be glad to tell you anything i know. good luck!

 

Not sure about Colorado. In California it has gotten pretty tough. Most departments require you have the college courses and many are even going so far as to require Paramedic Cert. As to age...if there is a will, there is a way, my buddy got hired by Meeks Bay FD (Lake Tahoe) in his mid forties. But he had done all of the classes, volunteered and even worked free shifts and such for two years before he got the job. Then again he is in great shape, has done ski patrol and such for years, and proved he wanted the job more than the young guns he was going up against. I was a Captain / EMT1 A with El Dorado County for 20 years until I got hurt in 93 on a fire...much tougher to get into now than it was 30 years ago, but definitely worth it if you can get on....good luck!

 

also, those larger departments may have a probie class or apprenticeship type training before you even get on shift. i'm in a smaller department, and our apprenticeship takes place during the first three years on the job. constant training and testing until you make firefighter first class. every city will be a little bit different.

 

I am not a fireman, but my dad was for 27yrs. This is about the same process here in Denison Tx. Here you ride the bus for 10yrs once you finish Paramedic/EMT training.

 

What else should I be doing while waiting for the county to post a job vacancy allowing me to start the application process?


http://www.mauicounty.gov/index.aspx?nid=1468

 

You may have a better chance if you have EMT or Paramedic before trying. I know that's true around here. Besides even if you don't get on with FD you still have a career as a medic.

 

The Honolulu FD has no age limit. All you need is a high school diploma. All your training is done during the recruit training process. I've been with HFD for 12 years and wouldn't trade it for anything.

 

Yup, what this guy said!! Here by me the Chicago metro area it all rolls like this. Most bigger metro areas are all like this. I'm sure the Denver area is the same. But yes, call the bigger depts or look online to see when they are testing. I do my departments backgrounds starting with an interview and then digging into your personal background. Reference checks, talking to your neighbors, credit and criminal checks, etc. eventually setting you up with a polygraph and psych tests. When you get to this point, I can give you some pointers on what I look for or expect to see. Good luck. And yes......it's the best dam job in the world!!!! I tell everyone it's the best kept secret. Once people find out all the perks this job has to offer, I get the same response......."I shoulda been a firefighter"

Juan

 

I'm a volunteer firefighter..past four years.. 27 now.. but as a volunteer the county I'm in pays for all the courses I want to take.. .. dunno if you are near a volunteer department.. but I would recommend starting there.. I have two more classes and ill have my firefighter II.. also see if your nearest department will allow you to do ride alongs

 

I know you don't want to relocate but if you would consider it our department is hiring like crazy right now, we have 5 to 10 retiring a year it's not going to last. We make decent pay for FD starting is around $52k and cost of living here is pretty moderate. Academy is 6 months and EMT is like 2 if you take the summer class. Cutoff is 35 years old though, I think most civil service departments are, so make up your mind quick. I love what I do and really couldn't see myself doing anything else.

 

Just don't kid yourself, you will be dealing with lots of "crazy ass customers" on this job. Probably see more of those than you do now. Just wanted you to be fully aware. It's a great job, but its not as glamorous as its portrayed in movies and TV. You definitely have an opportunity to help folks, you just have to be be willing to put up with a lot of folks that don't share the same idea of what constitutes an emergency as you might think. Again just want you to be realistic. Go to a local department and see if they would let you do a ride along to get an idea of what it really entails.

 

I just moved back out to Maui from Hockley on the west side of Houston. I wish I would have gone to the Firefighter Academy at Lonestar college before coming out here.