You’ve worked your tail off to acquire your dream profession as a career firefighter! Or maybe you’ve enrolled in a private fire academy, Either way Congratulations! Your endless hours working out, studying, taking classes as well as time away from family have paid off. After all this time and commitment now is not the time to fail during your recruit firefighter academy. Because of this commitment it is important to focus on these 9 reason why recruit firefighters fail the fire academy.
As the Battalion Chief of the training division for our department I was tasked with reviewing all discipline and written reprimands on academy recruits.Because this was my responsibility I was also tasked with deciding I on the consequences for the recruit for these poor evaluations. This was one of the most difficult tasks of my position. It was also one of the most important. We need firefighters that will perform well and provided quality service to our customers. Hiring a 25 year “problem” is not in the best interest of the department.
You did it! Every last bit of time and effort has paid off, you’ve made it, your new title of Recruit Firefighter has come true. You report to your fire training academy and you are shocked into the reality that this is much more demanding than you expected. You start to struggle with the compressed timeline and academic studies while you friends and family are constantly pulling you away from your studies. Your body starts to complain as well. Your tired of being tired. Then what seems like out nowhere you are told you have been put on review for poor performance and being late! You struggle to catch up, to make up for poor grades and lackluster performance but its too late. your done, terminated! It’s over, your career has ended before it really has even started. You’re crushed! Your entire world has smashed down on you!
Allow me to start by saying this article isn’t intended to be negative. It is intended to be a shocker for you. This is intended to help you to gain an understanding of how to avoid these common mistakes and challenges that all too often put recruits in this situation. use this information to be well prepared and ready. Set goals for success in your fire academy and your career. I have several articles to help you prepared and succeed.
The following are nine situations why individuals leave, quit, get recycled into the next academy, or get terminated from the fire training academy.
Top 9 reasons why firefighter recruits fail the fire academy.
1. Poor Fitness Level
If you are not in very good physical shape the day you start the fire academy, don’t expect to be successful. The reason this is os important is fire academy is very physically demanding. There is a high expectation that a new recruit is physically ready. The physical fitness testing process for hiring was tough and you were prepared for that. Keep this same level of commitment in your physical fitness for the fire academy.
The instructors will expect you to be ready from day one to handle the physical and mental demands. Make no mistake, the focus will be to improve your fitness level during the academy, however, this is not the time to start from scratch. Coming in physically fit will make the challenge less mentally stressful as well.
2. Immaturity
This is not a fraternity pledge or locker room setting. This is an intense and demanding environment that you could compare to military basic training. Horse play, joking, hazing, etc will not be tolerated. Also Whining, complaining and making excuses will also not be tolerated. You need to arrive ready to learn, keeping your mouth closed and your ears open. The instructors don’t want to hear how you did something from where you came from or suggesting on how you think something should be done.
3. Background issues
When you complete a firefighter job application as well as the background packet, there is usually a spot at the bottom where you have to sign it and date it. Most applications and background packets also have wording to the effect of “any falsifications or misrepresentations are grounds for being removed from the hiring process and/or termination once hired.” Be honest! I have seen recruits removed for not disclosing past medical issues, expired or revoked driver’s license, and criminal issues such as not disclosing a DUI from another state.
4. Injury
If you experience a physical injury (particularly one that makes you miss any time from the academy) don’t expect that you will be retained in the current academy or rolled into the next academy. If the injury happened during the academy they may consider moving you to a future academy, however, if the injury was sustained outside of the academy and you will miss time from the academy there is little chance you will be retained.
In many fire departments, the probation period doesn’t begin until you have completed the academy. For the reason, getting injured outside of the fire academy could get you removed for the academy and terminated. Choose your actions and hobbies wisely during the academy. Even a minor injury that has you missing training time in the academy can find you being rolled back or terminated.
5. Not following orders
The fire service is still a paramilitary organization and will probably continue being one for many years to come. As a recruit you may not think of your company officer as giving you an order when you are asked to clean the bathrooms, however, in reality it is. Do what your asked to do without questioning the order and do it in a timely matter. The instructors will not respond will to having to tell you a second time to complete a take or assignment.
6. Off duty conduct
(including Alcohol and Drug usage, Arrest and/or convictions) – I know of a recruit police office that had just finished their academy midterm and went out drinking with some classmates. They didn’t make it home that night because they had the privilege of spending the night in the county jail after getting pulled over for driving under the influence.
This person did not make it back to finish the academy because the department decided they were going to cut their losses and let them go. Even if the person was off of probation, their career might still have been in jeopardy. Most fire departments require all members to have in their possession a current driver’s license. A DUI conviction can jeopardize retaining a driver license.
If you make a foolish mistake during your academy that causes law enforcement to get involved you need to inform your Instructors immediately. The only chance of surviving the situations is to be honest.
7. Poor grades
Most academies require a recruit to keep an 80% average on the written examinations that are administered almost daily and to pass the final written examination with a score of at least 80%. For this reason it is important to develop good study habits. Set aside time daily to study. Another great way to keep your grades up is to build study groups with fellow recruits.
As a firefighter, you will be taking written examinations throughout your career. Just a few of them are, promotional examinations, EMT continuing education, and annual training classes / mandates. This is why it’s important to develop good study skills now ands throughout your fire service career.
8. Poor academy performance
As would be expected, a recruit fire academy is designed to make the recruit a proficient, safe, and effective firefighter. With this being said, there is also a focus to make sure the recruit is a good fit for the department as well. To evaluate this all firefighter recruits go through weekly skills evaluations and testing. These evaluations are vital for the evaluation process. The are also one of the top reasons new recruits fail and are terminated. For the new recruit I can’t stress enough, take these skills evaluations seriously. Practice your firefighter skills every chance you get and ask for help in areas you’re struggling in.
In line with performance is how the recruits work as a team. If you a loner that doesn’t help other recruits and work well in the team environment this will be noted and will impact your evaluations. Be the first to help out other and always support and cheer on the team and fellow recruits.
9. Lying or cheating
This again seems to go without saying but it seems to happen every recruit academy. Lying to an instructor or getting caught cheating will have your terminated immediately. With that being said, this isn’t always as straight forward as it may seem. For example, take home quizzes or open book quizzes does not mean you can get together as a group and complete them together. It is still expected that you work on your academic testing and quizzes on your own. I had a situation where one of our Paramedics was removed from his class for this very reason and did not graduate for his required Paramedic program. Know the rules for your academy and make sure you understand and follow them.
While fire academies teach the fundamentals and technical skills of firefighting, “life as a rookie” is an area that is mostly overlooked. Three fire service veterans wrote The Station-Ready Rookie to help new firefighters know and understand what will be expected of them during their first assignment to a fire station and throughout their probationary period.
Summary
I hope this hasn’t caused fear or concern for you as a new or future recruit firefighter. My hope is that this has instilled the importance of taking everyday in the academy seriously and to preform at your best throughout your recruit fire training academy.
Good luck to you and enjoy your academy. Congratulations!