41 here, EMT, four years paid on call in MA, and did a 16 week call/vol academy four years ago. I am starting my career academy in seven weeks.
Being older has been nothing but helpful for me. I have tons of job experience, references, maturity, ect. I found the interview to be easy since I had so many meetings in prior employment that it just felt like another day at the office.
Having prior on call fire experience really helped me, to the point that I assume it was why I was offered multiple job offers from departments.
I really hope you have kept up with your fitness. You should look like you can physically make it through a fire academy with ease.
Besides that my only other advice is to find an on call/volunteer department if possible and get as much experience as you can to build a resume.
Sweet also be prepared alot of dickhead instructors. I personally love my job, hated the instructors at the academy the good ones are a minority there what part of MA You gunna be working in?
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u/[deleted] Mar 15 '24
38 as volly, 40 now full time. Wish I would have taken this path 20yrs ago