Don’t Be a Statistic
To become a firefighter, you need to be strong. Not just physically, but also emotionally and mentally. Competition for jobs is fierce. The physical exam is strenuous and the written exam challenging. Many fail in the process – up to 70%. Those who stick with it go on to have a rewarding career. Before you make the decision to embark on the journey, it is important to know these five steps to becoming a firefighter.… Read the rest
What Are Your Goals?
As you complete the necessary requirements to fulfill your goal of becoming a firefighter it’s time to find the best job for your specific skills. It is important in the job search process to establish realistic and meaningful goals for your future. If you dream of being chief one day, setting goals helps you take the first step in this journey.
Make sure to list on your resume specific talents that you bring to the table, … Read the rest
It takes intense training and strong commitment, but the rewards of learning how to be a firefighter far outweigh the hard work required. Many of those who start out in firefighting quit/fail out before completing training, the ones who persevere will tell you that despite the hard work, the rewards are endless.
Steps to Learning How to Be a Firefighter
There are simple steps that will help you in your path to learning to be a firefighter. Most fire departments … Read the rest
It’s Test Time
School’s out and fire departments are testing – the only thing standing between you and a job as a Firefighter is applying and participating in the recruitment. A multi test process, usually a written test, physical agility or CPAT, Oral Interview, polygraph, background, medical, Chiefs oral and other steps to which the fire department will establish an eligibility list and hire firefighters usually by ranking..
What to Expect on the Written Portion of the Exam
The test … Read the rest
Last year the FireCareersBus traveled across the United States visiting Firefighter 1 Academies and discussing important information about the hiring of firefighters in today economy.
We are now scheduling a local Spring Tour that will visit Firefighter 1 Academy programs here in California. We would like to schedule an hour of classroom time to present new information about the Work Styles Inventory written tests that are starting to be used across the Country for entry level testing.
Just recently I … Read the rest
I am up in Northern California at the Las Positas college workshop on how to become a firefighter. What a great event put on by BC’s Helmick and Atlas. The cost was $12 to the students and included lunch. I even got to hang out with my old pal Craig Freema. What a fun day. It reminds me of why I got into the fie biz to begin with……… Read the rest
My visit to Colonia New Jersey FD
So as a kid I never got the writing assignment, “What did you do over summer vacation?” So I thought I would write about my experiences while visiting friends, made while teaching at an academy for fire cadets. Mike Sherron and I teach at the Ohio Youth Fire and EMS Academy (OYFETA) which is where we met explorers and instructors from the Colonia FD. We hit it off immediately and converse regularly even … Read the rest
We all eat, all day every day, and we all know the saying, “we are what we eat.” But for some reason no one knows what to eat. Should we eat more grapes or drink more red wine? Are eggs a good source of protein or a source of bad cholesterol? Do dairy foods help us gain weight or lose weight?
Nutrition is a funny science. It’s the only field where people can scientifically prove opposing theories and still be … Read the rest
Have you ever wondered how to be successful in the entry level Firefighter hiring process?
Looking back 16 years ago we had no idea how to approach the task of becoming a career firefighter. However, it is now very clear that, if we had the information and experience that the Becoming a Firefighter Workshop provides we would have been significantly more prepared and definitely got hired sooner. The combination of the instructors, the material they present and the partnership with … Read the rest
In today’s daily Firehouse Magazine email (a great, free resource to keep you informed of fire service news stories), there was a great article that ALL current and future firefighters can learn from that is based on the actions of a small number of firefighters that are causing a black eye for the majority of firefighters who are trying to do the right thing.
It is a piece on the “Firefighter Code of Ethics,” and here are the opening comments:… Read the rest
True life is lived when tiny changes occur.
-Leo Tolstoy
Cholesterol, Need to lower it? Try Green Tea for starters…
Looking for a simple resolution to improve your overall health? Start drinking green tea. My beverage of choice, green tea is a potent source of catechins – healthy antioxidants that can inhibit cancer cell activity and help boost immunity. Here are a few more reasons to drink Green tea.
It can also:
Generate natural body heat on cold days by increasing your protein-rich dishes and warm beverages.
While adding on the layers is one way to keep the winter chill away, there are certain foods that help warm us from the inside. Warm soups and hot beverages are a natural, but some foods actually stimulate heat production more than others.
As temperatures drop, appetites perk up. The cold, dark days of winter often bring on cravings for those good old fashioned comfort … Read the rest
I recently
spent four days with several other chief officers pouring through over 1,000 entry
level firefighter applications with a team of chief officers. Overall the
applications were very disappointing. The standout ones were awesome, but in
general the quality was pretty lackluster. Here are some of the things that we
as a group would like to pass along to aspiring firefighters.
Let’s start
with the basics. READ THE INSTRUCTIONS. Often times a department will provide specific
instructions. This may … Read the rest
This is somefollow up info taken from a pdf flier. All California Forest Service areas are in this text and how to make application, Good Luck
U.S. FOREST SERVICE – Region 5 (California)
Forestry Aid and Forestry
Technicians
Temporary Wildland Firefighter
2012 Fire Season
Apply Now – Contact Captains ASAP – Job Offers may be made in
January and February
Updated12/05/11
The Forest Service requires talented people working safely together to be successful. Wildland firefighters work in
a variety of … Read the rest
recently, we went over four appetizers to steer clear of this holiday season – today we serve up healthy options for your cocktail plates!
4 Worst Holiday Appetizers
Holiday parties are notorious for finger foods filled with high-glycemic carbohydrates and unhealthy fats. See a few of the worst below and stay tuned for some of the better choices. Knowledge is power, so being aware of what you are eating makes all the difference –
Now that the holiday season is officialy in full swing I wanted to take a moment to
wish you and your family a Happy and Safe Holiday Season. We all have much to be
thankful for at this time of year, the least of which is our family and friends. It
is with this thought that I say thank you to each of you for your friendship over
the years. For me it has been both an honor and a … Read the rest
Oils and Fats
Not all oils and fats are created equal. Heavily processed, hydrogenated, “trans” fats and oils that are used in prepared, packaged foods can be extremely damaging to the body. However, fats and oils from whole foods and other high-quality sources can steady our metabolism, keep hormone levels even, nourish our skin, hair and nails and provide lubrication to keep the body functioning fluidly. Our bodies also need fat for insulation and to protect and hold our organs … Read the rest
1) Reduce or eliminate caffeine.
2) Drink water.
3) Eat dark leafy green vegetables.
In today’s Sunday paper, I noticed a timely article titled “6 ways to stall your job search,” by Larry Buhl, and I wanted to share it since I think it really provides a lot of guidance for future firefighters. Now before we go any further, I’ve heard more and more people say they don’t read the daily newspaper because they don’t have time or they don’t think it’s relevant. I believe it’s critical for fire service professionals to be in-tune … Read the rest
How to Become a Firefighter . Many theories exist on the right path to follow to be successful at becoming a career firefighter. Career firefighter jobs require an individual approach; the journey that works for one person may not be the same for another.
Generally speaking fire jobs require a unique set of pre-requisites and skills to be successful.
1) The candidate (you) must have a clean record free of chronic drug use, traffic issues, or felonies.
2) Usually an … Read the rest
The Building of a Vision Statement
By
Bob Atlas, Battalion Chief
Your personal vision statement will guide your life. It will assist you in following your goals and give you the direction needed to follow the course of your days and the choices you make about your career. Your personal vision statement is the lighthouse that shines in the darkness which guides you and directs you in which way to turn on the way to success. Your personal vision statement … Read the rest
The Building of a Personal Mission Statement
By
Bob Atlas, Battalion Chief
You have a purpose in life. You know in your heart what’s most important to you. In fact, your mission and values are expressed every day, by how you live–you just may not realize it ! In this segment we are going to work on how to build a Personal Mission Statement. A Personal Mission Statement is critical to your success. With one you can continue to be … Read the rest
This is a problem many candidates “don’t get” today, and was something I didn’t get when I was testing to become a firefighter. When I was testing to become a firefighter in the early 1990’s – (come on, that wasn’t too long ago – and things really haven’t changed that much, at least in my area) – I tried too hard to have the “best resume.”
It didn’t dawn on me until I was actually hired, that “best resume” is … Read the rest
EMS personnel are constantly exposed to all sorts of germs and ill folks. With Cold and Flu season starting, people are apt to get the flu 2 and 3 times this season. There are several natural alternatives that are not widely known. Let’s take some time to discuss some of the ways patients in my practice strengthen their immune system to ward off all the bugs flying around this time of year. Try one or all of these suggestions, and … Read the rest
Anyone that has survived their rookie year working at a firehouse will tell you that there are some important social & cultural expectations they had to meet every day on the job – and that many of them weren’t spelled out in a textbook or manual. In fact, I’d venture to say that a large part of what makes someone fun to work with/around is when you feel like they not only take their job seriously, but also understand these … Read the rest
Make an excellent, long standing first impression; show that you are serious and set the bar higher for others to reach!
As someone taking either an entry level or promotional level oral interview, there should be no “trick” or “surprise” questions if you have done your research/homework.
Meaning, there are many websites and books that have sample oral board questions that pretty much cover the majority of the types of questions you’ll be asked
One of the most important things I believe a firefighter should both embrace and embody is the concept of “kaizen”, or “continuous improvement”. Above all traits – physical, mental, emotional – the desire to improve yourself each day has the potential to make you a top notch firefighter candidate and a welcome addition to any fire department. Once on the job, the concept of continuous improvement is what separates average firefighters from exceptional ones; mediocre commanding officers from those that … Read the rest
Please Help me Welcome our new FCBlog team member Josh Sanders. This is a re-print of Josh’s bio page for your review.
Josh Sanders is a Firefighter/Paramedic with the Chula Vista Fire Department, where he was hired in 2004. He is currently assigned to an OES Type I Heavy Rescue and has been involved with the CVFD rescue program since it’s inception in the spring of 2006.
Josh is a California state registered rescue instructor in several disciplines and is … Read the rest
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