9 must Know Skills For Becoming A firefighter

The firefighter recruitment process can be extremely frustrating and difficult to be successful. Over 70% of the people that are on their quest to becoming a firefighter quit their pursuit due to frustration and no guidance on how to be successful. These 9 must Know Skills For Becoming A firefighter will make the difference.

The method and process for becoming a firefighter is difficult, but it’s not impossible. In Fact, once you understand the process and work on your skills you will find yourself at the top of most hiring lists in no time.

Understanding the Firefighter hiring process and the preparing for each step of the process is critical for your success. This list is a great starting point, however, you also need to apply yourself toward excelling in each hiring step. This starts with a strong resume, learn about writing a good firefighter resume by reading my post, Writing a Great Firefighter Resume. After your resume makes the cut then the testing process begins. This includes a written test, a physical ability test such as the Candidate Physical ability Test, commonly know as the CPAT and a series of interviews.

The following are 10 must-do things each aspiring firefighter ought to do to expand their chances of getting employed.

1. Become an Emergency Medical Technician, EMT

The vast majority of Fire Departments are requiring an EMT certification to apply, and over 90% will require this certification after you employ. Since most career firefighters run between 70% and 90% medical related emergencies, it only make sense that they would require this as an essential requirement.

To learn more about Emergency Medical training and what you will need to apply check out, my article, Do I need to be a Paramedic or EMT to be a Firefighter?

Today, you will see more Departments searching for paramedics as well. Nonetheless, before you can normally apply to paramedic school, you will first need to effectively pass an EMT program. Previous work as an EMT with an ambulance service or other rescue agency is additionally valuable. This is also regularly needed for most paramedic programs. If you are set on the fire service, strongly consider an EMT class and consider paramedic school provided that you have a certifiable interest in EMS and a desire to function as a paramedic. Try not to do it to just expand your chances.

2. Volunteer Your Time

It doesn’t make any difference in this case if it is fire-or non-fire-related volunteer time. Departments are searching for those with the longing and capacity to give to their local area and nothing demonstrates this more than doing local volunteer work. It is additionally is an awesome way of building your resume.

There are numerous chances out there, so search them out and discover something that intrigues you. The American Red Cross is continually searching for volunteers and CPR teachers. Habitat for Humanity, Big Brother Big Sister and other programs are where you can have an effect on your local area. This is what is going on with the fire department and these are the sorts of individuals we are hoping to join our group and address our specializations and calling.

3. Take Firefighting Technology Classes

Despite the fact that this is normally not a prerequisite for a firefighter position, it sure looks great on your resume and sets you up for the profession. It shows devotion, responsibility, and drive toward your profession as a career firefighter.

Help yourself out and take a semester-long class at your nearby junior college where you will be showing your commitment to a fire service career. If you’re really serious attend a Public Firefighter Training Academy and work toward a fire service degree.

4. Keep a Clean Background and Lifestyle

Regardless of whether you apply, it doesn’t make any difference. The best indicator of future conduct is past conduct.

Having a history of issues such as, traffic tickets, aggressive behavior at home, and so on, will just make it harder for you to appear in a positive manner with a poor history in these areas. You can’t change the past, yet you can show how you have learned by this mistakes by not repeating them. If you have past issues such as a DUI, show that you have learned from your mistakes by time away for these issues.

5. Understand all Phases of the Firefighter Hiring Process

If you’re not sure what areas of testing you should effectively pass, and pass well, to become a firefighter, how are you truly going to succeed? The selection process will shift in various areas and even from one department to another, however there are some fundamental similarities in all cases.

You really want to get comfortable with each part of the hiring and testing process. Begin doing some exploration on how departments test in your area. Do they test annual or every 2 years? Are any parts of there testing steps administered by an outside agency? These are just a few questions to research.

6. Begin Taking Firefighter Tests

What better way of seeing each step of the firefighter recruiting process than taking firefighter tests. Each test will build your strength and knowledge in the testing process. Who cares on the off chance that you bomb a piece of the test; what makes a difference is that you are learning and growing in the process.  

7. Stop by a Fire Station

Make an effort to visit your neighborhood fire station, particularly those that are with the local departments you are applying for. Conversing with firefighter is an incredible way of discovering more with regards to the profession and that department.

Your neighborhood firefighter is an incredible asset for you to gain information on the department and the hiring process. These firefighters clearly had what it took to be successful in the recruiting process, and they might have sat on oral boards or have been associated with the hiring process.

Discover what they like about their career. Ask them their recommendation on what you need to do to become a firefighter and what they did. Try not to accept all that you hear, yet attempt to pay attention to everybody and attempt to perceive what the normal topics are.

You might to ask questions on your visit, like what do you think about the department?

8. Prepare for Your Background Investigation

I have seen many candidates prepare for all the other phases of the testing process, pass with flying colors, but then fail the background. This is often due to issues such as lying, or having something in their background that was enough to disqualify them. It can also be something as simple as not have the necessary information to complete the background. A background investigation packet is often lengthy, and is going to ask you for some intimate and specific details such as:

• Information from every employer you have worked for including dates, duties, title, supervisor name and salary.
• Information from every school you have attended – high school and later, including degrees received, dates attended and grade point average.
• Information about certificates, licenses or other key documents you may possess and will be required to show proof of by way of a photocopy.
• Information about your family members and friends so the background investigator can meet with them and ask about you.
• Information about your credit history, including accounts at different banking institutions and amount of debt. Yes, bad credit can hurt you in a background check.
• Information about your driving record, including dates, locations and outcomes of tickets and accidents.
• Information about your military experiences, if any.

It is common for this packet to be given to a candidate with the expectation to return it complete, within a week or less. Some of the above items can take months or longer to obtain; thinking you’re going to get the background packet on Monday, request transcripts or military records and expect to get the needed information back to the fire department by Friday is quite unrealistic.

Have this information ready in advance. You will need to submit to a background and provide this information once you make it through the process, so don’t wait until then to do it. Many candidates wash out in the background. Don’t be one of them.

9. Learn as much as you can about the fire service.

The fire service should not be a just a job, it should be a career and you should be passionate about the career and all that goes along with it. Besides the above-mentioned items, take the time to subscribe to fire service publications.

It is common for fire departments to ask you such questions as, “Where is the fire service going to be in five years?” or “What are the three biggest issues facing the fire service today?” Having your thumb on the pulse of the fire service, will help you to stand out from your competition and prepare you for the career.

Know the history of the fire service is very important to understanding the career as well.

Unlike many other careers, the educational course and pathway into the fire service is rather vague. It is going to be up to you to educate yourself and seek out the opportunities that are available. You must be aggressively proactive in your quest for knowledge and information.

By completing the above suggestions will not guarantee a career. However, your odds should increase greatly since you will be making yourself more marketable, more informed and the best overall candidate you can be.

Do not try and rush things and do not expect it to happen overnight. Patience, hard work, dedication and perseverance are the keys to success in any field.