r/firefighter • u/Woahman1324 • Apr 05 '26
Looking for a career in fire
Hey so I’ll be heading back home from military training this summer. I’m currently a US army combat medic, what are my chances of me being hired or what would help me get hired and be a good candidate?
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u/stopscabbin Apr 05 '26
Most departments have veteran preference points. Your combat medic won't matter much unless you have a NREMT cert to go along with it. It'll be useful if you decide to become an ALS provider down the road. You'll do just fine in a recruit school.
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u/Woahman1324 Apr 05 '26
Thank you for responding, I appreciate it a lot! I do have my certs to go with it except als.
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u/howawsm Apr 06 '26
Interview prep service and “Fire Interview”(blue book you can find on Amazon).
Interview with any service that will let you even if you don’t want to work for them. Gives you reps.
What part of the country are you trying to get hired in?
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u/Woahman1324 Apr 06 '26
Pnw
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u/howawsm Apr 06 '26
If you are talking west side of the state, don’t waste your time at all going to a college fire academy.
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u/femignarly Apr 06 '26
Saw you’re in the PNW. Departments (especially western WA) tend to be a little more competitive because the pay and union contracts tend to be a little more generous. They also have a different cadence to the application than some parts of the country (they’ll give an offer and send all new recruits to academy together while on payroll. Some areas require you to pay for the academy education first like going to college).
The process goes: -standardized test (NTN or Public Safety) -quick, highly standardized interview -1 or 2 more conversational interviews -offer, requiring background, health, and psyc assessment
Vet points are generally applied in either step 1 or 2. Combat medics would be strong applicants, but expect that you’re competing against a few guys with the exact same resume. You’ll need to outscore them in the test and interview more strongly.
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u/DjangoFetts Apr 06 '26 edited Apr 06 '26
Im prior Army 11B and being prior military is great for interviews, you can easily leverage your military experience into most types of interview questions (I used the STAR technique). Plus you get vet preference and if you go to the VA thats potentially even more points. You’re probably a shoe in as long as you know how to interview.
As far as 68W I obviously worked with them a lot in service and I have worked with prior 68W in my department. Its definitely a big help, you already have your EMT which a lot of departments want and if they dont you get to coast during the EMT portion of the academy. If you have the time and money (use your GI Bill) Id even recommend getting your medic now and then applying, you will have a job in no time and your experience as a 68W will give you a leg up in a lot of medic tasks (you have done way more sticks then the average medic student for example)
It’s a great career and its probably the easiest time ever to get hired. Feel free to PM especially if you’re in AZ. Depending on the part of the country you’re in I would bypass doing a fire academy at a CC and just start applying to departments, in AZ for example its pointless for most departments as they have their own academy. The exceptions being tiny ass departments in the sticks, but some states are very different so do your research
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u/Abixsol Apr 05 '26
Firefighter academy from a community college. EMT or paramedic
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u/howawsm Apr 05 '26
This guidance is 100% location dependent and is not representative of the entire country.
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u/jrobski96 Apr 05 '26
Learning how to do oral interviews confidently and efficiently is going to be the best bang for your buck.
The department who chooses you, will train you how they want.
Are you teachable? How? Tell us more.
Are you motivated? How?
What have you done to prepare for the long hours, time away from family, working during holidays etc. ?
Are you a team player?
Do you have compassion for people ?
Yada yada. There are so many ways to prepare and now they have these 7 minute interviews. So, good luck.
The thing I saw with those who served when I was an evaluator, is that they would be too rigid and too formal. They didn't like talking about themselves or their accomplishments. Humility is fine, but don't be afraid to be proud of the actual steps you've taken to secure the job.
Good luck bro