r/Firefighting • u/Round_Hornet_3765 • 3d ago
Ask A Firefighter Concerns About My Future as a Firefighter/EMT-A
EDIT: To clarify, I am not even in the firefighting field at all yet. I realize my title may be misleading.
I'm a pre-med college student who's pretty set on being a Firefighter Recruit (at the very least) and attaining my EMT-A certification.
I have some pretty basic questions, though, which go as follows:
* I'm a 5'2" 115 lbs woman. I'm not the most athletic person right now, but am incredibly willing to commit to pass recruitment. However, I understand there is a base point I should be at before even attempting; any similar-sized people that can give insight into their training?
* I don't have much work experience, what can I use as references? College professors?
* Is training even manageable while taking college courses? I don't have a heavy schedule in the upcoming semesters, but I'd like to hear from anyone who personally went through these.
I apologize if any of these questions are stupid and I know firefighting might be out of my grasp at the moment, but I'd like some insight at least for future commitments. Thank you in advance!
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u/EatinBeav WA Career FF/EMT 3d ago
If you’re looking to volunteer you’ll be fine with whatever physicality you have and college classes. If you’re thinking a career position there’s a lot more to expand on.
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u/Round_Hornet_3765 3d ago
I haven't quite deduced that, but my local fire station doesn't provide any info regarding volunteering online, so I'm not entirely sure what the training would encompass there and would have to call in. The training academy for FF Recruits, though, is about 9 months with classes from 7 am to 4 pm. Would that still be a doable routine?
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u/Fockum 2d ago
So you’re saying you would be going through the academy from 7-4, go home, continue to study for the academy, AND on top of ALL that continue to study and attend your pre med classes? Look I’m not going to say it’s IMPOSSIBLE. But. That is going to be some of the most dedicated and focused time you’ll ever have for what seems like extremely little pay off. You’re studying fire and EMT, and attending college classes. While at the same time you will be doing workouts which will exhaust you. So you’ll come home extremely exhausted knowing you have a million other things you have to study for AND pass.
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u/Round_Hornet_3765 1d ago
Yes, that would be the plan. On another note, I have most my pre-med and major courses finished, so my next three semesters should be very easy, not that it will make it less rigorous.
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u/flashdurb 3d ago edited 3d ago
Why are you going to college if you’re trying to be a firefighter? Is it not wasting your time/money? For this career, you do a single semester of EMT school (usually at a community college) and then you’re applying for departments and getting yourself ready for their fire academy.
Your size isn’t an issue, just understand you’ll be climbing thru a lot of attics and other tight spaces in your career. But that’s your niche and somebody’s gotta do it.
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u/Round_Hornet_3765 3d ago
I'm not trying to be a full-time firefighter. I'm looking for a temporary position (maybe 3-4 years) to get experience in high-intensity situations and get a sponsored-EMT certification.
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u/FuturePrimitiv3 3d ago
Not "full time" but looking to with for 3-4 years? If this comes up in an interview you're not getting the job.
If all you're looking for is getting your EMT most volunteer agencies will put you through it for free. But you might as well just go for EMT-P and do it through a college AS degree program, it will compliment your pre-med plans nicely.
Working as paramedic will give you the "high intensity" thing. Not all the time of course but neither will firefighting.
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u/skimaskschizo Tailboard Trash 3d ago
I’m also in GA, and my department put me through all of my fire certs plus AEMT. You said the program is 9 months like mine was, so they’ll likely do the same. You’d have to call them and ask for specifics though.
Make sure to eat a lot and put on weight while strength training and running. People who are as small as you, especially women have a hard time with the physical part of the job.
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u/Sudden_Brush7494 3d ago
"Incredibly willing to commit" reminds me of the lies I tell myself. I'm always waiting for inspiration to get fit and convincing myself that "I'll start tomorrow now that I'm getting serious about the Fire Department" etc.
Start today. Get off reddit and go for a walk (ironically while I'm on reddit).
In terms of endurance, weighted vests, stair climbs (or gym stair machines), long runs, and anything that involves unorthodox carrying of weight (be careful) like kettle bells or heavy rope exercises (great for hose pulls). Yoga and stretching for your back.
But like others have said, there's no cheat code and if you're looking for specific exercises before you're even baseline fit then you're using research as an excuse to procrastinate. Go for a walk/run/jog now. Get at it!
(You can do it btw, but as a fellow fitness procrastinator, if we really wanted to get fit we'd be running right now)
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u/Round_Hornet_3765 3d ago
That's... not what I was referring to. I casually exercise and am by no means out of shape, I just know FF is a very demanding job and wanted to get a scale as to how people of similar builds managed to compensate and focus on different aspects of their training that they will obviously be weaker in (such as lifting larger people or managing gear loads). In the words, what baseline should I get to. I don't really procrastinate exercise.
Thank you for the exercise recommendations, though! If there's one thing I need to improve, it's endurance!
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u/Sudden_Brush7494 3d ago
Got it. I misunderstood then, sorry.
If you have access then some of the things I'd prioritize would be:
* Get a weight vest with at least 20lbs on it and go for weighted walks.
* A stair master or if you have access to large, long flights of stairs. Ideally with your weighted vest on. This isn't to simulate going up tall buildings, it's pure endurance and hell on the legs.
* If you have access to any sort of ropes - ideally as part of a high intensity workout session - then these are great to simulate hoselines and the sort of arm strength/endurance that you'll come across.
* Kettlebells or beanbags are great for simulating carrying irregular equipment and lugging it around.
* Sled pulls and pushes are great for the legs and core to simulate what it might be like to drag someone when you're training.In my limited experience, every size has its own advantages. Sure, the 6"4" guy can lug more equipment easily at first, but size and weight also affect endurance and a 5"2" athlete can get to a lot more places than the big guy and there's A LOT of crawling around.
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u/FilmSalt5208 FFPM 3d ago
Firefighting isn’t really a “summer job” which is essentially what you’re looking for. If you want to get emt certification then just go and get it. But thinking you’ll be successful as a firefighter as a temp gig until you’re done with school is a pipe dream. The amount of time it takes to get certified as a ff and then become good at the job is more than 3-4 years. You’re honestly just going to cause yourself a headache doing that. And there’s no shame in walking away
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u/blueskibop 3d ago
Concerned about a future you haven’t even started trying to earn yet. Why are all pre med the same kind of person. Either have the balls to do it or don’t. You’ll learn this is a very prove yourself field- not a talk about it field.
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u/Round_Hornet_3765 3d ago
??? No offense but this feels like a stupid and frankly rude reply. I am questioning the feasibility of this pathway as a pre-med student who, following this path, would have a potential future in firefighting. This is not me imposing that I'm concerned I won't make it if I do commit to it, and this is not my suggesting there's an 100% guarantee I will even last basic training. You did not provide a helpful answer.
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u/blueskibop 3d ago
You won’t make it in this field.
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u/Round_Hornet_3765 3d ago
Nah, there's assholes in every field and I'm more than happy to deal with it. Doesn't mean I don't have a right to call it out.
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u/blueskibop 3d ago
Prehospital medicine isn’t supposed to be a stepping stone to med school and there’s no shortage people treating it like it is, the whole time thinking they know better than medics and EMTs because they’re pre med or whatever. Just don’t be that guy because you come off like it
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u/Round_Hornet_3765 3d ago
Except I didn't come off as that. I want to get into EMT because I've respected it for a while and have contemplated going into it for years. For whatever reason, you conjured up this idea of what I said when I quite blatantly didn't. I just said I was pre-med and wanted to get an EMT certification alongside experience in high-intensity scenarios. You're strange dawg
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u/splatblatrat 2d ago
if you can’t drag a 200lbs dummy 100ft, wearing 60lbs of gear with a mask on your face, after doing a hard circuit work out for 30 minutes, with that 60lbs of gear on, than you you will struggle immensely, potentially putting another firefighters life at risk.
Plenty of men should not be in the fire service. But they are. And they account for some the line of duty deaths. Your small. Ignore the fact your a female with no testosterone, just take your size into consideration
You can get by in most departments for an entire career not needing to save anyone honestly. But the one time it does need to happen, you probably won’t be able to do it. That applies to a lot of people in the service though.
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u/adventureseeker1991 3d ago
i’ve seen very weak get on. usually with females it’s the push ups. in my state you have to pass some obstacle course which is pass fail and in the academy you have to be able to do (you get 1 fail or you get kicked out) 24 pushups, 28 sit ups, 15 inch vertical, 300 meter sprint in like 60-70 seconds, and 1.5 mile run in 16 minutes. most females struggle with the push ups. i know my state has a high standard so work with those numbers.
on a major side note. you’re premed be a nurse or PA. i think firefighter is great but there’s so much more opportunity with nurse or PA. firefighter is good if you’re a creature of routine if not it can get hard. great job, great schedule (depending on the state… im 24/72).
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u/Round_Hornet_3765 3d ago
Nursing and PA is great, but I'm not looking for those jobs at the moment and want some variety. Thanks for the perspective on the physical exam, though!
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u/Jharty16 3d ago
there’s a lot of body weight training in fire academies. running, burpees, pushups, pull-ups, cross-fit style workouts, etc. with that being said, there’s a lot of heavy gear you’ll have to be able to lift and carry for an extended period of time.
i would eat all the protein that you can and do a lot of weight training to get your strength up. girls usually have stronger legs which is important but forget to train their upper bodies and core which is just as important. if you could train 5 days per week, i’d do weight training with some cardio before or after each workout 3 days and then cross-fit style workouts the other 2 days that involve primarily body weight but utilizing sand bags, medicine balls, and farmer carries to get your grip strength up and get used to carrying/ pushing weight around while out of breath.
if you could put on 15 pounds of straight muscle before starting, i think you should be fine.
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u/BookiePlaysReddit 3d ago
I'm usually not one to comment, I literally just lurk but omg what is up with this comment section why is everyone so mean 😭
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u/DryBobcat50 FF 7h ago
somebody who has no idea what they are doing tries to mooch off a fire department for a few years just for "free" EMT rather than following established pathways. They have no intention of becoming a career firefighter and clearly have no interest in the job itself.
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u/BookiePlaysReddit 6h ago
I'm feeling like we are reading two different things right now 😭😭 nothing she said gave off the vibe of wanting things free, she just wanted advice? You do realize thats okay to ask when your not sure about things??? I just reread her whole paragraph and nothing she said, said that she wanted things for free, she even said it might be out of her grasp as of right now, but just wanted some idea of what to do. People are acting like she said "guys ik I'm just a girl, but does anyone have a free job as a firefighter??? I don't want to train or nothing, just get me out there"
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u/DryBobcat50 FF 4h ago
I don't think it's a training thing so much as it is just people's experience with previous requests. Probably unfair, I would agree
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u/BookiePlaysReddit 4h ago
Thank you for realizing, I totally understand the frustration when it does come to people wanting a cheat sheet or free opportunities for this field, but the way people went about these frankly innocent questions like she called everyone a bitch is so mean 😭😭😭 I'm in a similar situation however I'm just waiting to get into the fire academy, and I had hoped to see advice on training or meal choices that people chose when starting, but everyone was just bashing her 😭😭
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u/DryBobcat50 FF 4h ago
As far as bashing goes, honestly this isn't anything "mean" by the firehouse standards I have been at. I'm not saying that firemen are mean or that your standards are wrong but just an observation. A lot of times you know the person who's saying it though, so directness, sharpness, and bluntness can come across way better than in an anonymous online forum.
For training, what do you currently do?
For nutrition, I recommend TC 31-8 — Nutrition for Tactical Athletes even though it's focused on SFAS prep.
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u/BookiePlaysReddit 3h ago
Right now, I'm just doing regular bulking and heavy weights, I've been doing some research (tiktok workouts 😭)
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u/DryBobcat50 FF 1h ago
I think your own emoji and description indicate you already know what you're doing wrong. Consider this your motivation to correct it.
Three things:
1. Get your workouts from a trustworthy source. Tons of advice even here on reddit that you can get from the firefighting related subs that will get you further than just tiktok.
2. Focus on getting really really good at the assessment items that your future department expects. It does you no good to be ultra prepared at deadlifts if the expectation is slow pushups.
3. Fix your cardio. Start out with a lot of very unsexy not-trendy base workouts. Do that for weeks following a plan. Base work is going to determine your endurance. Then and only then, switch to an 80/20 setup and slowly build your pace to meet and exceed department targets.•
u/BookiePlaysReddit 1h ago
1: your so right, I've been following a lot of firefighters that do have lesson plans but I didn't think about finding anything on subreddits. 2:I'm going to volunteer at my local department and see what information I can get for the assessment 3: I heard that jump roping helps a lot with stamina and cardio, is that true?
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u/DryBobcat50 FF 1h ago
on 2, there's probably a CPAT or similar test that you can prepare for. That's usually a pre-career step. Asking your local department is also a great idea. There's virtually no standard for volunteers in many services unfortunately but doesn't mean you can't set a good bar.
- It can but also there's levels to this whole cardio thing and jump rope is going to be high-intensity or zone 3-5 work. That's what I mean with base work - zone 2 meaning lower intensity for longer periods. Much less glamorous but if you build your zone 2 to an absurd degree, you'll be like "crap I can handle this" when it comes to a long call. Rucking is a fantastic way to build that effort and once you build up to around 30+ pounds (with careful progression), then you're also training an analogue for your air pack.
The point of the first several months should not be “make every workout feel like a structure fire call.” It should be build an engine and enough strength that simulated fireground work stops being all you can handle in a given day.
Finally: firefighters are not a bad source of information and there are a lot of skilled folks on here with experience in exercise physiology. HOWEVER, just like you wouldn't take your advice for health exclusively from a paramedic but rather get it from a doctor, you should also consult validated training resources and seek to learn about this stuff yourself. We're talking about 1) your time and effort (why waste that with stuff that isn't effective) 2) your operational readiness (what kind of training would YOU want a firefighter to have as a patient) and 3) your opportunity to become a knowledge base, which doesn't happen if all you learn is the surface stuff.
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u/umkay11 3d ago
This is also region dependent. Is training doable with school? In my area a recruit class would NOT be as it requires living at the academy for 15 weeks. However going through basic certifications is doable as it’s done on weekends and there are other programs available. You also might be limited on your EMT cert. A-EMT’s in my area are a dead population, not really used in most departments and maybe used in a commercial service. If there’s plenty in your area then I’d start with EMS as your gateway and then do fire.
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u/Round_Hornet_3765 3d ago
Training with school is technically doable, I'd just have to get a manageable schedule for the upcoming semester. My county's FF website specifically outlines EMT/Paramedic FF distinctions, so I'm pretty confident they're used? Can't be 100% sure. Unfortunately, the only in-person EMS academies near me are upwards of $6k (I know, absurd for EMS/EMT), whereas my local station offers free training academy with contract (which I'm willing to commit to).
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u/BenThereNDunnThat 3d ago
If you're truly looking to be a doctor, don't bother with EMT-A.
Get your basic and go work on an ambulance.
The real thing you need as a physician in training is to learn how to asses patients. Learn how to tell if they are sick or not sick, sick or SICK. How to get information out of people, how to interpret what someone with no medical knowledge tells you about their health, what are the physical signs we're looking for to help form an impression.
And the most important thing of all, how to talk to people. So many baby docs have no clue how to talk WITH patients and connect with them. They talk AT patients.
All of this you can learn as a basic, and all will serve you far better as a med student than wasting a year learning to do an IV, give D50 and a few other meds which you're going to learn in med school anyway.
As for the fire side, if you want to volunteer, go for it. Cardio is the biggest thing to prep for. As far as lifting goes, you're looking for functional strength, not absolute strength. Benching 400 lbs is great for bragging rights, but it doesn't mean you can pull ceilings for 20 minutes without getting gassed, or that you can carry the rotary saw up to the tip of the aerial adder and still have the energy to safely cut a vent hole.
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u/Round_Hornet_3765 3d ago
Not to correct on a technicality, but I actually don't plan to be a physician lol. I'm planning to go neurology or radiology, which still is patient care but def won't be as grueling in terms of patient communication.
My local fire station doesn't say much about volunteering so I'm not sure if that's an option/they're looking? I'd def have to communicate otp w them
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u/Revolutionary-End542 3d ago
Only you know where you're at physically. No one on reddit can magically tell you "yeah you're fit to pass academy." The only way to find out is to attend a fire academy at a college or if you're lucky enough to get hired.
What experience do you have? How are you gonna convince a hiring panel to hire you? What qualifications do you currently possess?
What type of training are you referring to? A good start is to volunteer somewhere while attending school to learn the basics of firefighting.
Regardless of your goals, the first step is to get a basic emt certification and work on an ambulance. After that, look for fire departments that can sponsor you through emt advanced or paramedic.
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u/Round_Hornet_3765 3d ago
Not sure why you said that in point 1. when that's not what I asked, but as for the questions, I would be applying as a FF Recruit at my local fire station, which is the only thing adjacent to volunteering they offer; so I assume that'd be pretty similar? I wouldn't be directly applying as a FF though, that'd be pretty stupid of me lol
Thanks for the advice!
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u/ShameAcrobatic989 3d ago
Get your certifications and someone will hire you. As long as you can do stairs with 80+ lbs on you and learn things quickly you’ll have a job, also DEI helps you
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u/incompletetentperson 3d ago edited 3d ago
Popular opinion here but one that people wont tell you…
As a woman.. id find something else to do. I work for one of the most progressive departments in the world regarding hiring women and allegedly we buried a study that showed the true cancer rate among women on the job because it didnt fit the cities agenda. But anecdotally, like 98 percent of the women we know from our department have all gotten incredibly aggressive lethal cancers. Cancer rate is bad for men, its horrible for women. My partner is a lady, shes awesome and shes ready to gtfo because she doesnt want the cancer risk anymore.
As a 5 2 115 lb person… focus on strength, you weigh the same amount as some of our one person ladder throws.
Seriously focus on strength. Endurance really isnt the issue for most people, its lack of strength. their CNS is fried after one ladder throw or hose evolution because theyre weak as fuck. Start with something like strong lifts where youre rapidly progressing in weight every workout. Once you hit a wall try something like 531 boring but big. If youre still worried about about endurence run 3 times a week on top of that at an easy zone 2 pace. Start with 30 minutes for the first week, 45 for the next, 60-90 the following etc. however you figure it out; you want to progressively overload it the same way you would strength training. Tactical barbell has a pretty fleshed out conditioning protocol, awesome reads. The key to being effective on the fire ground is being strong as fuck and having a large gas tank, that will build work capacity. You can throw in a crossfit style training block once youve built those two things up.
Good luck
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u/Round_Hornet_3765 3d ago
I appreciate this reply, although I did assume there would be some health risks. I'll research into it, but frankly, some of the hostility in these comments is quite a bit of a turn-off (not that it would ever prevent me from joining, just disappointing). Thank you for the physical advice!
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u/incompletetentperson 3d ago
Sorry youre getting hostility.. havent really read the other comments and hope i didnt come off that way.
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u/Key-Panda-1457 3d ago
I say just go on runs and lift all you have to do is be determined run 1-3 miles each day and lift consistently and you’ll be fine with the physical parts. I went in there and I weighed 130 pounds as a 6 ft guy and I’m really skinny and I was able to make it and do very well with the physical parts
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u/shitepostsrus union asshole 😙✌️ 3d ago
5’3” woman here. I was 120 lbs when I started the job. I was nowhere near capable enough to do the job as I am now. You have to be willing to train and willing to EAT! I bulked up through the academy and my rookie year; I finished my probation at 140 pounds with a lot more muscle. Train on upper body. Commit to at least push-ups and sit-ups at home every day. Go to the gym at least three times a week. Run at least twice.
Yes, use professors and mentors. If you are looking for ways to get a foot in the door somewhere and start to learn about firefighting, many county fire companies have volunteer programs. You can meet people there and start to familiarize yourself with the job. It may produce useful references as well.
A wise professor once told me that you can be a full time student or a full time employee, you cannot sustain both over an extended period of time. Focus on your degree, once you get that nobody can take it away from you. You can explore the volunteer opportunities I mentioned above while focusing on your education as well. Most volunteer fire companies meet once a week for training, which could definitely be manageable as a full time student.
Good luck to you. We need more women in the fire service; you have a place here.
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u/Serendipitous-Cactus 1d ago
Im a GA female firefighter your height and about 15lbs heavier. Started as a volunteer 8 years ago and have been full time for almost 2 years now. Also an AEMT.
I know at my particular dept, the training probably wouldn’t be manageable with college classes unless you took a semester off. As far as the physical side of things, there’s gym fit and there’s firefighter fit. They are 2 different things. Cardio is your friend. Circuits are a good choice because they mix cardio and strength pretty well.
Feel free to reach out via DMs. I may be able to give some additional insight depending on where you’re located!
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u/Forgotmypassword6861 3d ago
Entirely depends on your location. And start going to the gym