Getting hired in the fire service as a paid firefighter is not the easiest task however, by following a few simple rules of thumb anybody with the mental drive can succeed and eventually go on to a long, safe career in the fire service. There are so many careers available, why the fire service? Well the fire service has been utilized by communities since the beginning on time. When there is any kind of emergency, the fire service and its personnel has always been there to help. Everyone is born into this world and most of do not know what we want to do career wise but, there are a few people across the American nation that feel that we were born part of this great career. Although we have a passion for saving lives, no fire department is just going to let you walk on and let you start working on driving a twenty thousand pound fire engine or allow you to throw a ladder against a burning building to save a child and its favorite stuffed animal from the burning building. This career keeps its high reputation by hiring quality people that have expertise in their field. If you are just getting out of high school and are over the age of 18, you are eligible to take different tests for fire departments all over the country. This career allows applications from men and women over the age of 18 to take a written exam which will allow them to, if they pass, get an oral interview with that department. The fire service has smaller fire departments that require the applicant to have different certifications and degrees to apply.
Larger fire service departments that are hiring have minimum requirements but, the fire departmentsthat are slightly smaller generally require you to obtain a state certified fire academy and degree from a college or paramedic license. These certifications will allow you to apply to more fire service departments than if you didn’t have them. These qualifications make you more attractive to get hired because that means the hiring fire department won’t have to teach you certain things which will save them money. Applying to a volunteer fire department is a great way to get fire related experience which is one of the three key areas that hiring fire departments are looking for. Quality skills and certifications can greatly increase your chances of getting hired in the fire service. Although most television shows and movies show firefighters saving lives and pulling babies out of burning buildings, the truth is most of the work a firefighter does is not as glorified and it’s the small things that the fire departments do that make the fire service such a great service career. Men and women trying to get hired should be going to a school that offers a fire technology degree and fire academy that will show them the basics and the lifestyle that working firefighters are exposed to on a daily basis.
