A few Fire Dept. Questions

Its simple. Paid Department. Vollys take pride in what they do and consider it a second career.

 

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Best of luck for you, take all the training you can, more you have better you will be. Volunteer department will be good experience.

 

I'm a volunteer been doing it for a year now and now that I'm 18 I'm gunna apply once I graduate highschool trying to get into wildland but being volunteer is a great experience so far I've learned a lot and meet a lot of people that's the best thing you can do introduce yourself to different people at the station you know them an they know you

 

ok so i reseached the volunteer program for city and its not an actual "volunteer firefighter" program like i thought (dont know how i missed this), but its "volunteer fire support tech" - more making sure equipment is all in check and providing other assistants to the firefighters.....im not sure if id be wasting my time doing this or if id be better off finding an independent volunteer station and going through the training and become and volunteer ems - i could also dump more money into the local community college for there ems program.

do you think the support tech sounds like a waste of time or a good step into the doorway?

 

Well me and my Captain have never hear of "support techs" and it doesnt make sense to us because the firefighters themselves should be checking over all their own equipment and apparatuses. But if there isnt anything else around, I guess that would be your best option to get your foot in the door. My Captain and I were just talking about the competition of career firefighter jobs and "Nationwide," it is 300-1. So 300 people going after 1 position. Just some info for yah.

 

yea the career dept has over 1500 applications for 40 position so they are cutting over 800 by lottery here. im taking the written test tuesday as i have nothing to lose.

as for the suppor tech heres the actual job discription and the interview is tonight for that.

Volunteer Support Technicians staff the Volunteer Fire Support truck and respond to incidents, providing the required air, lighting, and specialized equipment necessary to support firefighting and associated on-scene operations. Support Technicians also assist in hose packing, equipment placement, scene accountability, and other non-hazardous duties as assigned by the Incident Commander.


EDIT/UPDATE: Interview was rough, i didnt feel nervous going into it, but when it started my throat got really dry can could barley talk l;ajkflahjgflaghj

 

taking a polygraph to get in,,,,im nervous because ive smoked weed about 10 times awhile ago, but i dont smoke or drink anymore.....well my past disqualify me?

 

I didn't have to do this when I went through our process 23 years ago but things have changed. All of our new guys have had to do this and my understanding is that more than looking to see if you have smoked weed or done other things in your past, the tester is looking to see if you are a liar or not. The name of the particular test using the poly escapes me right now but it seems to me that it is called a "personal ethics evaluation" or something to that effect. Every employer knows that nobody is perfect and in our youth we make some bad decisions. What employers do NOT want however are people that don't tell the truth or are currently involved in undesireable activities.

Be honest and if the answers prevent you from being hired than so be it, just don't make being untruthful prevent you from a career.

Just my $.02 CAD.

 

If you can pass a piss test and can chalk up your past behavior to being a dumb kid I'd assume you're in ok shape.

The support technician is weird, departments around me have 'cadets' where highschool aged kids and kids of current department members help change bottles, get guy water and roll hose but never checking gear.

Good luck man.