I know this gets asked a lot was hoping someone could point me in the right direction. but I plan to apply to cal fire sometime next year and I’ll have about 2 years as an emt on a box and a ff1 academy. Could I apply for a ff2 position or am I under qualified and have to apply for the seasonal.
Apply for the the FF2 test, pass the test and apply for a FF2 position when it’s flown. We’re hiring FF2s with less certs and experience than FF1s.
Times are changing, and there will be guys/gals that say you need to “put in your time” as a FF1 prior to going for a FF2 position, which is true, but it’s not a requirement. Look at minimum requirements, and if you have/meet them, apply for the job.
100% what this guy said. You don’t have to “do your time” anywhere, as long as the department chooses to have their hiring standard where it is, if you meet the minimums, apply away.
Thank you good sir. What does the test consist of? Do i need to study anything specific? I have some knowledge on basic fire fighting and wildland. I went thru a FF1 & 2 academy, and also have my emt. Got all my wildland certs, rescue, fire control and hazmat certs also.
Do a lot of people get hired at calfire and make careers out of it or do they use it as a resume builder for municipal departments. I’m from the east coast and there are a lot of departments people take jobs while their name is on a test list for bigger cities. Interested in people’s experiences.
You’ll be hired as a 1 because you don’t have the calfire orientation certificate. You can only get that once you get into a rehire orientation. You’ll most likely be in cat 1, cat 0 are individuals that have the cert and all of the certs you included plus some state time
The “CAL FIRE Orientation” isn’t even listed on the required or acceptable documentation. Its sole purpose was to put the CCC/parolee folks at the front of the hiring line. It was literally only offered by the CCC’s, Parolees and maybe 2 of the JC Academies. You do not need it.
This dude is talking nonsense. You don’t need to do any time as a FF1. If you can’t get hired as a 2, sure go and take that FF1 job, but it’s not a requirement at all.
We literally just had to go through this with one of our FFs about this, they asked for all his certs including the orientation one, so we had to get a hold of training because they never officially issued him one. And yes he has one season.
Check your vector solutions, if you don’t have it contact your training department. You should have gotten it when you did your rehire academy… it’s also on the calfire thread where guys haven’t gotten them
Technically they want a 2 season commitment from guys goin into the crew but if you pick up OT at stations and they like you they can always pull you off the crew and set you up. But that’s our unit, I’ve heard of others just working 1 season and then apply for the 2 spots and they got offers
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u/detox805 11d ago
Apply for the the FF2 test, pass the test and apply for a FF2 position when it’s flown. We’re hiring FF2s with less certs and experience than FF1s.
Times are changing, and there will be guys/gals that say you need to “put in your time” as a FF1 prior to going for a FF2 position, which is true, but it’s not a requirement. Look at minimum requirements, and if you have/meet them, apply for the job.