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What can I do to become a firefighter.
I'm about to go to the 11th grade and I'd like to become a firefighter. Is there anything I should really know? #firefighting #sports
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Ryan’s Answer
Hi Britney!
Firefighting is an amazing career for many reasons. There are also many things you should know before getting into it though.
1) Not every fire department is the same. The culture can vary dramatically from one to the next. So if you start volunteering at one, or apply to one, or even work at one for a few years and don't like the attitude or mentality of the people you work with, don't write-off the entire profession! Schedule ride-alongs and talk to the firefighters and ask them about their culture. They'll usually be very honest with you - they want someone that will fit in too, so there is no incentive for them to lie to you.
2) Firefighting is not for everyone. You must be willing to sacrifice A LOT. If you're the kind of person that expects a full-night sleep every single night and doesn't think you should ever be required to work on a holiday - it's not for you. You will have to get up and work in the middle of night - and not whine about it. You will miss the occasional birthday, Christmas, anniversary, etc. That's just the way it goes when your job is to be ready to serve 24/7/365.
3) Not every day is sunshine and roses. Yes, just about all of us say its the best job in the world. I love it. I even quit a better paying career after 8 years to restart at zero as a firefighter because it's such a great job. But there are still days that I don't want to be at work. It's still a job. One of the things that make it a hard job is something nobody used to talk about - the emotional impact of it. Some of the worst days of my life have been at the fire station. You will see people die. If you work where you live, eventually it will be someone you know. Have a support network and don't be afraid to ask for help.
4) Firefighting requires life-long learning. Don't think you can just become a firefighter because you aren't a great student and/or don't want to go to college. Firefighters need to understand basic physics, math, engineering, construction, chemistry, law, anatomy, physiology, etc. Once you graduate fire academy, you still need to study for dozens of certifications and promotions. You will never know everything there is to know about firefighting! There is always more you can learn, more you can study, and more you can do to prepare.
There is of course much more, but I think those are the biggest things you "should know" before getting into the profession. Job descriptions will tell you what you need to do to get hired. The fire academy will teach you the basic skills you need to be successful. But the things I listed above are the things that no job description can tell you, and are things that are difficult to teach. If you aren't deterred by the fact that firefighting is a hard job that will require much more of you - physically, emotionally, and intellectually - than any other job, then it might just be for you!
If you have more questions, please don't hesitate to ask!
Firefighting is an amazing career for many reasons. There are also many things you should know before getting into it though.
1) Not every fire department is the same. The culture can vary dramatically from one to the next. So if you start volunteering at one, or apply to one, or even work at one for a few years and don't like the attitude or mentality of the people you work with, don't write-off the entire profession! Schedule ride-alongs and talk to the firefighters and ask them about their culture. They'll usually be very honest with you - they want someone that will fit in too, so there is no incentive for them to lie to you.
2) Firefighting is not for everyone. You must be willing to sacrifice A LOT. If you're the kind of person that expects a full-night sleep every single night and doesn't think you should ever be required to work on a holiday - it's not for you. You will have to get up and work in the middle of night - and not whine about it. You will miss the occasional birthday, Christmas, anniversary, etc. That's just the way it goes when your job is to be ready to serve 24/7/365.
3) Not every day is sunshine and roses. Yes, just about all of us say its the best job in the world. I love it. I even quit a better paying career after 8 years to restart at zero as a firefighter because it's such a great job. But there are still days that I don't want to be at work. It's still a job. One of the things that make it a hard job is something nobody used to talk about - the emotional impact of it. Some of the worst days of my life have been at the fire station. You will see people die. If you work where you live, eventually it will be someone you know. Have a support network and don't be afraid to ask for help.
4) Firefighting requires life-long learning. Don't think you can just become a firefighter because you aren't a great student and/or don't want to go to college. Firefighters need to understand basic physics, math, engineering, construction, chemistry, law, anatomy, physiology, etc. Once you graduate fire academy, you still need to study for dozens of certifications and promotions. You will never know everything there is to know about firefighting! There is always more you can learn, more you can study, and more you can do to prepare.
There is of course much more, but I think those are the biggest things you "should know" before getting into the profession. Job descriptions will tell you what you need to do to get hired. The fire academy will teach you the basic skills you need to be successful. But the things I listed above are the things that no job description can tell you, and are things that are difficult to teach. If you aren't deterred by the fact that firefighting is a hard job that will require much more of you - physically, emotionally, and intellectually - than any other job, then it might just be for you!
If you have more questions, please don't hesitate to ask!
Updated
Amanda’s Answer
One of the first things you want to do is be sure that you graduate! Study hard and maintain great grades! Next, you'll want to become physically fit, and this can be done be entering a weight training class in high school. It would be great if you could get a part time job so you can start saving money, and make sure that you are keeping your social media clean. You don't want anything embarrassing out there! Also, start volunteering with the American Red Cross or Habitat for Humanity.
There is a written exam that you will need to take, so make sure that you study well for that. Maybe you can start researching, or see if you'd qualify to get into college early and take courses directly related to firefighting.
There is also a psychological evaluation. They look at your mental and emotional stability to withstand stress, so there's nothing you can really do to study for that.
Graduate from a fire academy! You know, there might even be a fire academy you can participate in as an 11th grader! I remember being in fire camp as a youth and it was such a great experience.
There is a written exam that you will need to take, so make sure that you study well for that. Maybe you can start researching, or see if you'd qualify to get into college early and take courses directly related to firefighting.
There is also a psychological evaluation. They look at your mental and emotional stability to withstand stress, so there's nothing you can really do to study for that.
Graduate from a fire academy! You know, there might even be a fire academy you can participate in as an 11th grader! I remember being in fire camp as a youth and it was such a great experience.