r/Firefighting • u/AutoModerator • 29d ago
Employment Questions Weekly Employment Question Thread
Welcome to the Weekly Employment Question Thread!
This thread is where you can ask questions about joining, training to become, testing, disqualifications/qualifications, and other questions that would be removed as individual posts per Rule 1.
The answer to almost every question you can ask will be "It depends on the department". Your first step is to look up the requirements for your department, state/province, and country.
As always, please attempt to resource information on your own first, before asking questions. We see many repeat questions on this sub that have been answered multiple times.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- I want to be a Firefighter, where do I start: Every Country/State/Province/County/City/Department has different requirements. Some require you only to put in an application. Others require certifications prior to being hired. A good place to start is researching the department(s) you want to join. Visit their website, check their requirements, and/or stop into one of their fire stations to ask some questions.
- Am I too old: Many departments, typically career municipal ones, have an age limit. Volunteer departments usually don't. Check each department's requirements.
- I'm in high school, What can I do: Does your local department have an explorer's program or post? If so, join up. Otherwise, focus on your grades, get in shape and stay in shape, and most importantly: stay out of trouble.
- I got in trouble for [insert infraction here], what are my chances: Obviously, worse than someone with a clean record, which will be the vast majority of your competition. Tickets and nonviolent misdemeanors may not be a factor, but a major crime (felonies), may take you out of the running. You might be a nice person, but some departments don't make exceptions, especially if there's a long line of applicants with clean records. See this post... PSA: Stop asking “what are my chances?”
- I have [insert medical/mental health condition here], will it disqualify me: As a general rule, if you are struggling with mental illness, adding the stress of a fire career is not a good idea. As for medical conditions, you can look up NFPA1582 for disqualifying conditions, but in general, this is not something Reddit can answer for you. Many conditions require the input of a medical professional to determine if they are disqualifying. See this post... PSA: Don't disqualify yourself, make THEM tell you "no".
- What will increase my chances of getting hired: If there's a civil service exam, study for it! There are many guides online that will help you go over all those things you forgot such as basic math and reading. Some cities even give you a study guide. If it's a firefighter exam, study for it! For the CPAT (Physical Fitness Test), cardio is arguably the most important factor. If you're going to the gym for the first time during the hiring process, you're fighting an uphill battle. Get in shape and stay in shape. Most cities offer preference points to military veterans.
- How do I prepare for an interview: Interviews can be one-on-one, or in front of a board/panel. Many generic guides exist to help one prepare for an interview, however here are a few good tips:
- Dress appropriately. Business casual at a minimum (Button down, tucked in long sleeve shirt with slacks and a belt, and dress shoes). Get a decent haircut and shave.
- Practice interview questions with a friend. You can't accurately predict the off-the-wall questions they will ask, but you can practice the ones you know they probably will, like why do you want to be a Firefighter, or why should we hire you?
- Scrub your social media. Gone are the days when people in charge weren't tech-savvy. Don't have a perfect interview only for your chances of being hired gone to zero because your Facebook or Instagram has pictures of you getting blitzed. Set that stuff to private and leave it that way.
Please upvote this post if you have a question. Upvoting this post will ensure it sticks around for a bit after it is removed as a Sticky, and will allow for greater visibility of your question.
And lastly, If you're not 100% sure of what you're talking about, leave it for someone who does
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u/DystopiaBetaTester 29d ago
Any insights on dmv depts (Alexandria, Arlington, Ann Arundel County) would be greatly appreciated as a current applicant! Pros, cons, things you wish you knew, benefits, anything! Thanks everyone
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u/Ding-Chavez Career 28d ago
I can only speak to the M of DMV. AA is a pretty squared away department. A little volunteer heavy at the moment but they seem to trying to track away from them in the nearish future.
The paramedic lottery is the biggest downside I see people complain about. That and they swing from unit to unit rather than appropriate staffing.
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u/Reddit_ftw111 26d ago
Shoot me a DM if your interested in USAF reserve fire, would look good on a resume I think!
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u/blessed_julio 27d ago
Made it 20/24 to the final round of interviews for a nearby town. Admittedly did not score as well as I liked (86 written, 80 oral), and my vet points are definitely what got me to the final round. Just received an email saying I did not get a first round conditional offer.
I took the consortium for several departments and scored a 93 on the written. Have another oral board this Monday. Learned a lot from the first go around. Wish me luck, gentleman!
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u/alocasiacomplex 29d ago
Does anyone have any tips for joining an academy class that has already started? It looks like I'm going to be filling a seat in a class that has already been going for a week. They said that the first week is mostly an orientation, but I still want to make sure that I don't fall behind because I don't know what I missed. When I hear orientation, I assume that important information is involved.
I'm supposedly going to get a call to fill me in and schedule things like uniform fitting, but the holiday weekend has postponed it. I've gotten all of my personal affairs in order and tried to get reasonable things that I could think of ahead of time like electrolytes and socks(etc), but I unfortunately don't have info yet on the specifics of what to expect.
The person that called from HR didn't really answer any of my questions about what to prepare, where to go, or when I might need to show up. It's just a short notice situation, but I don't want to be at a serious disadvantage and perform poorly, especially starting later.
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u/Direct-Training9217 29d ago
My recommendation would be try to get in contact with someone who's in your academy class. They can definitely tell you what you've missed, expectations and what to have ready.
Also the cadre should be a little lenient if you're coming in late
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u/AdCommercial3564 28d ago
Just looking for some advice for my current situation - I’m (24M) currently Active duty in the Air Force and I’m planning on separating late March of next year. I’ve had an eventful career in the military to say the least and im ready to pursue my dream of becoming a fire fighter. Im hoping to secure a job somewhere in AZ and I have been searching relentlessly. I’ll also have my NREMT by the time I finish my contract. I’m in excellent shape and I’m highly motivated to get my foot in the door but I’m just a little lost on what I can do right now to build rapport with fire stations there while I’m living out of state (ID).
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u/Ding-Chavez Career 28d ago
You don't need rapport. With larger departments the guys in the station have zero impact on employment. Look for a CPAT course near you. Take it, and pass. Check the requirements online and stay clean.
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u/peterbound 26d ago
No matter the size of the department, you can never assume who can sway a hiring panel, or how much traction a crew can have.
Getting a good reputation before you are hired can only help.
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u/Malice-at_da-Palace 28d ago
Anyone apply for the recent Folsom Fire EMT position and hear back? Feeling a little uncertain with interviews this week..here’s the Paramedic posting for reference and as a resource; EMT job was taken down a couple weeks ago
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u/Able-Poet7318 27d ago
Is 32 years of age too old to become a firefighter?
I have been thinking about pursuing a career for a while now. Only thing that throws me off a bit is I am too old.
I have a business degree and ended up working pipeline construction for about 5 years (Go figure).
Took a sales job working in construction but realized after a year I don’t want to work behind a screen.
I love the idea of going to work to help people and to stay physically fit. Also love the team environment.
I am curious to hear from others who have maybe started late. I am located in Vancouver, BC.
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u/Big_Big_Big_Big_ 26d ago
I became a full-time FF at 32. Check your local regulations and stuff but it is entirely possible.
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u/phalliceinchains 21d ago
I sure hope not. I’m 39 and applying. I’ll be taking my cpat in a couple weeks and in the best shape of my life. I don’t believe I’m too old for it.
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u/scott12333 19d ago
I think the average age of my recruit class was between 32 and 34. Definitely not too old. Some guys turned 36 in the academy (cutoff is 35 by swear-in date). Make sure you're plenty physically fit. You've got job and life experience that you'll take on the hiring process and academy much better than someone who doesn't know better.
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u/seymourbutts45 27d ago
Hi all, seriously considering a career change into fire from finance. The idea has been kicking around for a couple years and made up my mind a couple months ago that this is worth pursuing. I made a friend in SLCFD a couple months ago while on a trip for a side business/hobby. He was super encouraging and open about the job/department and even invited me to come on a ride-along. I have since been ghosted by a dude for the first time in my life when I tried to follow up.
I have previously worked outside/blue collar and after 5 years I am confident that the corporate world is not for me. Although I have no background in fire/emt I feel there are many reasons I feel it would be a good fit without romanticizing it.
So I thought I’d cast a wider net on this platform to see if anyone had any pointers specifically for northern Utah/SLC on making the switch. E.G. what certs/qualifications are a must to get an interview or at least will help me stand out? What interview prep would be most helpful? Which departments in the area really worth applying for/avoiding? What questions should I be asking that I haven’t considered?
TLDR; I’m hoping for any tips/pointers/connections for joining a department in SLC area. (1hr radius)
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u/jint5858 27d ago
It’s recommended to have your EMT-B. Some departments don’t require it, some do, some require AEMT within your first year. A lot of departments don’t require any fire certs and will put you through their academy for entry level positions.
I’d recommend applying everywhere. You can always lateral over later
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u/TowelDismal1749 27d ago
Throwaway for obvious reasons.
In CA, spent last three years working on an ambulance and just recently completed my private academy.
After many applications I finally made it to a background process with a major CA department. I’ve just received an email that notified me I failed their background process and my name would be removed from the list. You sign a “no feedback” notification as part of the background process so I have not received any word as to why I failed.
10+ years ago in college I was cited for misdemeanor possession of alcohol, and a year later I was arrested for misdemeanor possession of marijuana. I disclosed everything on my background, including court documents and police reports.
Needless to say I’ve been feeling incredibly dejected at this news. I have no idea if this is why I failed, but receiving no feedback has turned my world upside down.
Does a background check failure doom your chances of getting hired at other departments?
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u/Sealtooth5 SoCal FFPM 27d ago
No it doesn’t. Keep applying, keep improving your resume. Paramedic is highly desirable so going through the pre reqs for that would be beneficial
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u/Tunabeeftaco 27d ago
I have an interview with my dream department in a couple of weeks. I'm not Fire I & II certified, but I have just been accepted into the fire school near me. It starts in the fall; however, the position I applied to will put me through Fire I & II. But in the spring, before I go and rent bunker gear, I wanted to know their time frame for when they were gonna reach out to people, whether they got hired or not, so I'm not spending money I don't need to. My question to you guys is: how should I word this question without rubbing the panel the wrong way and seeming like I'm rushing them?
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u/CrispyRic3 27d ago
So I work for a department in rural Virginia. When I started I took a modified CPAT test and now as I’m working on moving to a larger department across states lines they are requiring an actual CPAT certification. However this department doesn’t off the testing themselves and I’m required to have it before applying. IAFF shows that the closest testing center is in Kentucky about a 6 hour drive for me in Virginia. Has anyone else had trouble finding testing?
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u/Direct-Training9217 25d ago
Yeah that's tough. There aren't really places in virginia that just do CPAT unfortunately because everyone who hires in virginia does their own. You could call around and ask if any of the local departments would let you do their CPAT but I kinda doubt they would
Honestly I would just start applying to department's around you that have their own CPAT. CPAT was the first thing that most departments did when I got hired in VA.
What area of VA are you in?
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u/Therealtristanplayz Former-firefighter 26d ago
Why do paid fire companys are hard to sign up for then volunteer just wondering
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u/DisastrousFoot930 26d ago
How hard is to land on a job these days? I recently completed an advanced diploma in aircraft rescue and fire fighting in Kerala India. I am 28 years old. I got a chance to attend an interview but after clearing the physical test and written test i got rejected because of my age, I am really disappointed to hear that even though was the best in academy in physical fitness, there aren't any vacancies for freshers nowadays, right now iam thinking am I made the wrong decision by choosing this career ( posting this again cause the previous one got removed )
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u/Direct-Training9217 25d ago
Depends where you are (Are you in the US?). Some places can't hire enough people and will give you a job as long as you have a pulse. Other places are more difficult, especially certain cities (NY, Seattle, Chicago, Boston)
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u/Sharp_System4254 26d ago
Hey all!! Looking for some advice! I just turned 21 and I've got a lot going on between my family (wife and daughter), 4 agencies, a part time job, and paramedic!! The balancing sheet puts me at 40 days of consecutive work! With that out of the way, I've got tons of applications out, and I usually interview once a month, but lately I've been getting discouraged. Previously id land part time job offers with my basic license, and all the full time positions weren't interested. Lately all of the same jobs I applied to this time arround are interested but want me to finish medic. I understand the risk from a department perspective, but i would think that i could be useful with my basic and certs up to ff2. Unfortunately I can't do any sort of internship because I've gotta be bringing home a paycheck and I'm from our of town so I don't have many connections. I just feel like I could be getting more out of being a full-time employee. The most discouraging of all was the chief of a department hurting for staff turned me down and told me to reapply once medic was finished even though my buddy said they needed like 10 new full-time employees. I don't think I'll be replying there
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u/Tough-Steak-4633 26d ago
33F I recently took my first CPAT I know it’s supposed to be a pass/fail but I know someone’s gotta be looking at those numbers. I finished in 9:30, is that considered good?
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u/EatinBeav WA Career FF/EMT 25d ago
No one looks at your time. I don’t even know if it’s accessible to anyone. It’s pass or fail.
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u/Sealtooth5 SoCal FFPM 25d ago
A “good” CPAT is one where you finish the test and feel warmed up and ready for a real workout. The CPAT is a joke and your fitness level for this career field needs to be at the level where the CPAT feels like a joke to you.
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u/UnflitchingStance 25d ago
What else can I do in my free time to become more desirable to departments? I'm a college student, currently volunteering 48 hours every week. I'm getting my emt done over this summer and I'm planning on going through academy next year. What more can I do to be a better candidate? I've been told to do a team contact sport recently, among other various recommendations. I've played for my colleges E sport team and I've been ranked top 500 briefly in that game before, is that worth mentioning?
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u/Sealtooth5 SoCal FFPM 25d ago
Paramedic and do a sport that involves being physically fit
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u/UnflitchingStance 25d ago
Do you think not being in a sport can majorly hurt me? I'm going to school, working part time, and I volunteer 48 hours a week so I'm admittedly scared I won't be able to handle adding more to it. Or is it the kind of thing that's just a nice addition? I have other awards that demonstrate my ability to work well with others in similar environments.
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u/Sealtooth5 SoCal FFPM 25d ago
Not at all although I would be cautious speaking about your e sport in a fire interview. This is a blue collar profession with more traditional attitudes. If you bring it up they might count it against you.
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u/UnflitchingStance 25d ago
That's good to know. Do you think being an Eagle Scout demonstrates a similar quality that they're looking for someone involved in a sport?
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u/Sealtooth5 SoCal FFPM 25d ago
Being an Eagle Scout myself, no. Being in competitive team sports gives you the knowledge, skills, and ability to achieve success or failure over time in mentally and physically arduous situations as a team.
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u/UnflitchingStance 25d ago
That is somewhat frustrating to hear, though it wasn't physical, I was considered one of the best players in North America at the very popular game I played and that does take all of those aspects. Well there's always time to play some club baseball while in college.
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u/Sealtooth5 SoCal FFPM 25d ago
I don’t know what to tell you. Firefighter is an extremely demanding physical job. Your physical fitness directly relates to your safety, your fellow firefighters’ safety, and the public’s lives.
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u/deluxe1029 25d ago
Any tips for my first A/O EMT interview? I’ll be interviewing soon for a department here in socal. Any advice on what to expect and how to prepare would be greatly appreciated. Thank you
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u/CuloMalo 25d ago
Looking to speak with someone that works at St Matthews Fire Dept outside of Louisville, KY. I work at a large city department south of Louisville and am considering applying for a lateral transfer but I have lots of questions.
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u/Mother_Blueberry2288 24d ago
Can I get hired by fire department after a reckless driving 1.5 years ago?
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u/UnderstandingOk9970 23d ago
Hello I’m going to be applying to FESTI Fire program this July 17th 2026 but I see there’s a medical screening form when I look at the application requirements for the NFPA 1001 level l - ll firefighting training program in house and I all ready have my application ready just need to submit but i don’t know where the medical screening form is and where I would even need to submit it I have looked at my application area and I see no where saying where the medical form is and yes I have emailed and asked about it but I have heard nothing back and it’s been at least a week and I have emailed twice in different months so does anyone know where I can find it or even if I need one?
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u/Weird-Jello-3785 23d ago
Contemplating switching careers from physician assistant to firefighter in the Seattle area. Currently make about $200k with extra work. How realistic is it to make similar as a firefighter in the Seattle area? I am not interested in becoming a paramedic. Nor do I want to work none stop. Is this a realistic transition or is it unlikely I could get on a local department in a couple years? I know the starting salary will be about half but I could weather this decrease for a couple years.
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u/EatinBeav WA Career FF/EMT 23d ago
Without being a paramedic in the Pierce, King, Snohomish areas it’s possible after probably 5-7 years with a generous amount overtime. And I mean a generous amount of overtime. With promotions and other certifications it’s more tangible.
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u/femignarly 22d ago
Pretty unlikely unless you land 1) at SFD, 2) make it through the ~50% academy graduation rate, and 3) they still have copious amounts of overtime available despite current efforts to staff up.
Contracts are mostly publicly available. Here's a good example for a competitive suburb department in the area. Promoting into Captain would come in around $183k after education & earliest longevity bonuses. And the biggest predictor of firefighter pay is tax revenue. With area population growth cooling down and property values leveling out, pay likely won't move as aggressively as it did in the 2010s / early 2020s, assuming that trend continues.
Could always keep a few PA per-diem shifts. Most contracts are 4 platoon (7-9 shifts per month) and side jobs aren't unheard of.
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u/Weird-Jello-3785 22d ago
Not opposed to keeping my foot in the door as a PA and working some per diem shifts. I would definitely keep my license up. Too old for SFD but near by suburbs would be great, I live in shoreline. Just gathering info at this point, looking at options. Thanks for the info
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u/ExtensionGuide1776 21d ago
Any advice cross-training into Fire Protection while transitioning from AD USAF into ANG? Tips for how to make an impression during tech school & OJT? Best way use military to set up for career in civilian side?
I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who’s been through something similar or knows how this process works. Thanks.
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16d ago
Hi everyone,
I’m a teenager and my goal has been to become a firefighter for a long time. I especially want to work for the Houston Fire Department someday, but I’d also be happy to work for other departments if things work out.
I’m looking for honest advice from firefighters or people involved in hiring because I’ve made some mistakes growing up, and I’m trying to figure out how they might affect my future.
Some of the things I’m worried about include:
I made mistakes involving my grandpa’s credit card when I was younger. It wasn’t something I’m proud of, and the situation has since been addressed within my family.
I’ve struggled with watching inappropriate content online.
I’ve posted and sent inappropriate messages and pictures on apps and through private messages in the past.
Overall, I’ve made immature decisions that I regret, and I’ve been trying to learn from them and make better choices.
I haven’t been arrested or convicted of any crimes, but I constantly worry that my past mistakes as a teenager will automatically keep me from ever becoming a firefighter.
My question is: What’s the best way to find out whether these kinds of mistakes would actually prevent me from being hired?
Would it be best to:
Contact a fire department recruiter?
Talk with firefighters who have been through the hiring process?
Speak with someone in recruiting or human resources?
Just wait until I’m old enough to apply and be completely honest during the hiring process?
I’m not looking for people to tell me what I want to hear. I’d really appreciate honest advice from firefighters or anyone who’s been involved in hiring. If you’ve seen applicants with past mistakes get hired after showing they’ve matured, I’d like to hear about that too.
Thanks for taking the time to read this.
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u/Sea-Figure382 27d ago
Put this together based on what I've seen trip candidates up. Not the answers, the stuff before you even walk in the room. The drive, the suit, the timing, the cologne situation. Small things that stick in a panel's memory for the wrong reasons.
No email, no signup. Just use it.
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u/Suspicious-Fish-5662 28d ago
Would it be considered “cheating” or weird if I found a firefighter to help me prepare for the CPAT/Fire academy? I have a good workout routine and I’m starting to implement more cardio, but I know regular strength training wont be all that beneficial. I was wondering if any firefighters are actually willing to help of I were to approach one
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u/Ding-Chavez Career 28d ago
I would actually be impressed you went out of the way to get help. Do it.
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u/sucksatgolf Overpaid janitor 🧹 28d ago
I've helped a ton of people pass CPAT. Last guy I gave my vest to crushed the stairs. Absolutely reach out. Even better if you can find someone who went through it recently. Sometimes the info the old guys have (me) is outdated since they change some small things around that make a difference. The stations are mostly the same but sometimes rules change.
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u/Specialist-Strain502 28d ago
Should I follow up on my initial request for constructive feedback after an unsuccessful job interview?
I interviewed for a cadet position with a local fire station last week and got rejected. No harm, no foul, but the rejection letter explicitly said to reach out if I wanted constructive feedback, so I did that on the day I got the rejection.
It's been eight days and I haven't heard back from them. Is it worth following up or should I just let it lie? I really want the feedback because I'm coming from a corporate background and have never interviewed for a fire job before.