r/firefighter

Took and passed my cpat a month ago, have to retake the written to get higher scores, should I sign up for volunteer FF? Does this increase my chances of getting hired? I work a full time job, my plan is to get hired at any department but i don’t know how long i’ll have to wait, should I start volunteering in the meantime? Some people also recommend getting EMT cert but it’s not necessary because you get certified at the academy

Hello! I am moving along in the hiring process of a department on the east coast. I filled out my polygraph packet asserting that I have never been arrested because I had believed the arrest was expunged and there was no record of it. I also answered a few more questions untruthfully on the polygraph packet (the last time I smoked weed, drank alcohol, etc.) I completed my background check with the FBI and I was reading the results it turns out I have an underage drinking charge from 2015. Will this automatically disqualify me from employment with this department? It’s not a dui or anything just a party getting busted in high school. What should I say when they bring this up to me? Also, how should I go about answering other questions on the polygraph that I may have not filled out truthfully in my packet? Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated

Can anyone share any info on Santa Barbara County Fire? They are hiring and first round interviews are coming up. I’ve found a lot of great information online but can’t find any sort of first hand information or details. Would love to know more about the culture, strengths, challenges, etc. I’d also appreciate knowing what the process looks like after the first round of interviews, as I haven’t seen any of it posted anywhere.

If anyone can share anything, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Hey y'all. Been a firefighter for about a year now in the Phoenix, AZ area. Me and the wife are considering a move to the Pacific Northwest and are heavily considering Seattle.

The pay seems great, the schedule seems great, the lack of heat seems great, etc. However, my department has a pretty good culture that I really click with. We're pretty relaxed, but definitely not too relaxed if you can catch my drift...I am mainly just curious what others' experiences with Seattle Fire has been, especially surrounding probation, general culture, levels of professionalism, egos, and really just the overall atmosphere that the department has.

Not trying to lateral, happy to start all over with academy and probation.

Thanks for any comments.

I just started applying to places in Maryland and I’m kinda in a dilemma. I’m currently in college and starting an emt course in a week and I also am in the early stages of the hiring process with a department. Part of me is worried with me being so young and some of the dumb choices I’ve made, I might not be a competitive candidate yet.
For example I’ve drank underage and smoked weed (twice) about 2 years ago when I was 17 which I’m not too worried about. I’m more concerned with the fact I used a fake id a year ago to get into a college bar but since then I’ve destroyed it and I have no record or traffic citations.
I’m curious if these are enough to dq me even with a spotless record and good grades in college. If they are, I was thinking of enlisting and wondering what would be the best mos to help me in the future with getting this career.

Any advice is helpful.

Hey everyone,
I’m looking for some advice on getting started with CPAT/physical prep. I’m a 25 year old woman who has been lifting relatively consistently for about two years, but I have a lot to improve on when it comes to conditioning. Cardio is rough for me right now, and I can’t really do a full push up yet.
I recently visited my local fire station and heard a lot about how cardio, stairs, and overall conditioning are what tend to mess people up in the beginning. I’ve done some research on CPAT prep, but I’d love to hear from people who have actually gone through it and know what helped.
What kind of training would you recommend for someone starting from where I am? Are there certain exercises or areas of fitness I should really focus on as I build up?
I’d especially love to hear from other women about how you physically prepared and what you’ve found important to keep working on. Are there any areas you think I should put extra focus on?
I know I have a lot of work to do, but I’d rather start now and give myself plenty of time to get stronger and build my endurance instead of waiting until I’m forced to.
Any advice is appreciated. Thanks, and stay safe.

Hey everyone,

I’m preparing to apply for the fire service, but my most recent work history is a bit of a mess, and I need some advice on how background investigators and medical staff will look at it. Long story short: I went into HVAC thinking it would be my career. I did 7 months of trade school, bought thousands of dollars in tools, and landed my first job. Unfortunately, the company completely lied about the position. Instead of field training, they used me for low skilled manual labor like mowing lawns, cleaning vans, and hauling trash.

Three months in, I suffered a major accident. I fell 13 to 16 feet off a commercial ladder straight onto a concrete floor. When I called my manager to report the fall, he tried to pressure me into committing insurance fraud for the company. I obviously refused.

Miraculously, I walked away with just a severe bone bruise on my right heel. After refusing the fraud, the work environment became incredibly hostile and toxic. I ended up quitting after 4 months total because of the toxicity and lack of actual field training.

I’ve been unemployed for a couple of weeks, feeling pretty drained and lost, but I really want to pivot toward firefighting. I've accumulated mechanical skills and tools, but I have a few specific questions for active members or investigators here.

The Background Check: I know fire departments call every single past employer. Since I quit due to ethical reasons and a hostile environment, how should I list my reason for leaving on my personal history packet? How do investigators handle corrupt bosses who might try to badmouth a former employee?

The Medical Evaluation: The bone bruise on my heel is 100% fully healed now with zero pain or mobility issues. Since it was a 16 foot fall, what kind of medical clearance/discharge paperwork should I have ready for the department physical?

The Pivot: Has anyone else made the jump from a brutal trade experience to the fire service? Did your tool/mechanical background give you a good competitive edge during the hiring process?

Thanks in advance for any insight or advice. I appreciate you guys.

Who’s all in the running for the Chiefs interviews next month?

After 2 tries i passed my CPAT, took the written with both NTN and PST, I scored low/middle (tanked human relations surprisingly) with NTN, not enough to get a call that’s for sure. Yesterday got my score with PST and it was 62% (not enough) I don’t know what to do, i studied so much and bought their test prep packages. I still applied to multiple agencies. I don’t plan on giving up but I don’t want to go through the cpat again i just want to start the academy. I keep hearing it’s really competitive and you need 90%++ to be competitive, i don’t think im at that level at all.

Im 18 and recently applied for my local cadet program, I used be a big stoner, but slowed down for school. I filled this application out back in April or may I want to say, and about a month ago, I went on vacation and ended up buying some weed and smoked everyday I was there. I saw that I got an email for the Cadet program to come and join, but I'm very worried Ill be disqualified if i'm tested. Im an honest month sober and I have zero intentions of doing it again, will I be given a chance to test clean again or will they ask me to leave?

I'm looking for input from career firefighters or anyone with experience seen in other probationary firefighters and discipline.

I'm trying to understand how a department would realistically view this situation. I'm not asking anyone to decide whether someone is guilty based on my side of the story yet an honest answer is welcomed. Assume for purposes of this question that the factual events described below are supported by police reports and video.

The main issue is that a probationary firefighter became personally involved in a civilian custody-exchange situation by going to the police and involving police in the matter. The firefighter drove to the police station in advance to speak with officers at the exact time of the father's scheduled custody exchange and began telling officers random complaints and wanted the officers to talk to the father, and the father was subsequently approached and questioned by police. This is particularly concerning because, according to the father, there is a significant history of conflict surrounding the custody exchanges, including incidents that the mother has previously attempted to seriously harm and kill him, made false firearm-related allegations during custody exchanges, and used third parties to harass or involve law enforcement against him all during custody exchanges. The firefighter was already familiar with all the history between the parties, including being present during related DV court proceedings. The firefighter also knew there was significant prior history between the people involved.

The issue isn't necessarily whether he intended to “harass” the father. The question I'm really interested in is whether a department could view this as poor judgment, inappropriate off-duty conduct, misuse of police involvement, dishonesty/misrepresentation if anything inaccurate was told to police, or conduct unbecoming a firefighter.

The father then filed a police report for violation of custody order and they accepted it, and he made a compliant to the department.

How seriously would your department take something like this? Would this realistically be enough to get a probationary firefighter terminated?

Hey folks, I have questions specific for the San Diego firefighters on working towards SDFD in my current circumstance.

Age: 32
Background: Scientist in the healthcare development sector, along with engineering in the field for healthcare

For reasons of my own, I have committed to working towards SDFD. I understand SDFD is the lowest paying department, but to me money isn’t the primary reason for why I am trying to become a firefighter. I know SDFD has their own academy and paramedic program. I am currently applying for EMT school while working my full time job.

1. Is it true SDFD reliably hires EMTs without a paramedic license? What if the person has and EMT-B but very little experience as an EMT under their belt?

2. What do you think is the best route: roll the dice with an EMT-B with little experience (while still working full time job), or go straight for paramedic school?

3. What can I do to make myself competitive and be the best candidate possible?

4. People have suggested to me to visit a station to ask questions directly. Can I bring some donuts as payment to ask you guys some question?

I will of course be emailing the hiring department directly to ask these questions as well, but I wanted some input from you guys as well.

hello, the summer fire season in my country has been really rough this year so me and my friends came 2 the idea of making something (probably cookies or sth like that) and then giving it 2 our local firefighters as tribute.. the thing is im not sure if this will bother them, since im technically taking away their time when they might be doing something important .. (we're teens btw 4 reference) how would you react in this situation if your team received a gift like this?

Anybody got any sock recommendations for turnout gear and please be specific, “darn tough” is quite broad. I’ve heard Over The Calf is recommended for height and mainly light cushion but just searching for something that is going to last and be breathable while at the academy. Thanks in advance!

Im about to start my long journey into EMS and then eventually Fire in SoCal, but I’m a 26 year old woman who feels that my biological clock is ticking.

I’m married and we do want kids, so I’m hoping to hear from any women in Fire who started their journey getting ready/hired around the same time they wanted to get pregnant, or soon after giving birth. What kind of limitations did you find? What worked best for you that you’d recommend to another aspiring firefighter?

I applied to the MFP the other day and I’m just curious if anyone has any idea how long it usually takes to hear back. I know wait times can be long but I was hoping for an estimate.

How significantly do career departments consider letters of recommendations? I received a LOR + job reference from a high up in my states marshal office, and attached it to my application.

Do departments read them when screening applicants?

I’m unable to attend the workshop that Calgary Fire Recruitment puts on due to being out of province. Does anyone else have any other recommendations for interview prep with Calgary Fire?

Hello! I'm wondering if there’s any fire fighter out here that know when and how i can apply to be a firefighter! Specially in Cleveland OH.