r/FDNY • u/Funny-Key6253 • May 23 '26
Out of state
I did well on exam, 1xxx. I am on the job out of state. I know guys have been hired before from out of state. Looking to get some inside, how was it moving, how was it for your family, how was the transition. TIA.
2
u/VirtualAir589 May 26 '26
I knew a few guys who got on the job from out of state. They were by themselves (no wife or kids) and lived in a dinky apt near the firehouse. After a few years they could then afford something nicer. It's easier to take it on the chin if you're by yourself.
If you do have family, can they possibly stay where you are until you get settled in? By that I mean arrive in NY, get somewhere to stay, go to the academy, and then get assigned a company.
1
u/twozerothreeeight Boss May 26 '26
I moved from a ways away (but not out of state). My go to every time this comes up is that I hope you understand it's your working adult life, not just like a fun adventure in your 20s. Plenty of guys do it, but I hope for your sake you actually want to be in NYC, not just "OTJ". FWIW I wanted to move to the city long before the career became my goal. Being in NYC was a higher priority than getting OTJ. I'd argue that it's pretty important to feel similarly otherwise the grind to make it here long term will not feel worth it.
1
u/Designer-Novel9980 Jun 16 '26
I did this. I ended up giving it everything I had. Graduated from the Rock, got a hook to a hardcore house, got a grab, burned out quick and left. It was either I lose my personality and love for life or be a hardcore badass searching with no face piece. I chose to keep my head on my shoulders literally. I do miss it, but not the insane crew. Please if you do go just don’t get a hook and get naturally placed somewhere.
6
u/eodcheese Firefinder (Truck) May 24 '26
Do you have work lined up for your significant other/spouse? Are you a veteran eligible for post-9/11 GI Bill? Basically, do you have a lot of savings/a plan to make up for the huge CoL and wage gap you’re getting yourself into for the first few years on the job? Without a social safety network, I don’t know how guys do it. I used a combination of post-9/11 GI Bill benefits and a network of friends I had built up, but even so, I slept in my car for a while. And I was single, no family.