Firefighter Career Information

The Eligibility List

Most fire departments, or the city personnel departments that handle the selection process for them, establish a list of eligible candidates; many such lists rank candidates from highest to lowest. How ranks are determined varies from place to place; sometimes the rank is based solely on the written exam score, sometimes on the physical ability test, and sometimes on a combination of factors. Many municipalities are now combining scores on all the steps to develop an overall rating based on all aspects of the selection process. The point is, even if you make it through the entire selection process, the likelihood that you will be hired as a firefighter often depends on the quality of your performance in one or more parts of the selection process.

Make a commitment now: You need to work hard, in advance, to do well on the written exam, the physical ability test, and the oral interview (if there is one), so that your name will stand out at the top of your agency's eligibility list.

First, though, you need information. You need to know about the selection process for firefighters. This chapter outlines the basic process in its many steps. Not every fire department includes all of the steps discussed. The particulars of the process in the city where you are applying are usually available from the city human resources department or the fire department itself.

Basic Qualifications

The basic qualifications you need to even think about becoming a firefighter vary from city to city. It's worthwhile to find out what those qualifications are in the agency you want to serve. Some qualifications are pretty standard:

• A minimum age—sometimes this can be as low as 18, but 21 is the age that seems to be most common today. In some departments, there is a maximum age, but for the most part, these have been replaced by the requirements of physical ability tests and health.
• A high school diploma, or its equivalent, but now many departments require some college, and a few are looking for an associate's degree or perhaps a professional certification.
• A clean criminal record
• Excellent physical and mental health
• A valid driver's license and a satisfactory driving record

Many jurisdictions, but not all, require that you live nearby or in the jurisdiction. Some fire departments give preference to otherwise qualified veterans over civilians. This may take the form of a policy, sometimes called a "Veteran's Preference" policy, whereby points are automatically added to the written exam. Is this unfair? No. Fire companies are a lot like military units. They follow a strict chain of command, and firefighters on the line work as a team, knowing that their lives are in each other's hands. Military personnel have learned the discipline and teamwork that are vital to firefighting and emergency services, making them very well qualified.

Increasingly, fire departments are also giving preference to applicants with fire and emergency medical certifications, such as National Board on Fire Professional Qualifications or ProBoard Accreditation Fire- fighter I, National Registry Emergency Medical Technician, or Paramedic or other fire service certifications, such as vehicle and technical rescue. Some fire departments have successfully used these to screen candidates or as entry requirements. As fire departments continue to shift to all-hazards response agencies, these certifications and higher levels of education will be important for service.

The Exam or Position Announcement

Applying to be a firefighter differs from applying for most other jobs. The differences begin with the exam or position announcement. You rarely see fire department openings advertised in the Help Wanted ads. Instead, the city usually starts looking for potential fire-fighters by means of a special announcement. This announcement will outline the basic qualifications for the position as well as the steps you will have to go through in the selection process. It often tells you some of the duties you will be expected to perform. It may give the date and place of the written exam, which for most positions is the first step in the selection process. Search the Web, looking for the area where you desire to be a firefighter, and determine if the fire department or department of public safety has a Website. Very often these sites will post calendars stating when the hiring process will begin and if and when they are hiring.

Get a copy of this announcement. Often your public library will have a copy, or you can get one directly from the fire department, city human resources department, or from the Internet. If exams are held irregularly, the fire or personnel department may maintain a mailing list so that you can receive an exam announcement the next time an exam is scheduled. If exams are held frequently, you will sometimes be told to simply show up at the exam site on a given day of the week or month. In those cases you usually get more information about the job and the selection process if you pass the written exam. Study the exam announcement, as well as any other material, such as brochures, that the department sends you. You need to be prepared for the whole selection process to be successful.

One very useful exercise is to create a table with two columns—one column should contain each individual requirement of the announcement in its own box; in the second column, you should fill in your qualifications at the time of application. This will give you a graphic view of how well you fulfill the job requirements contained in the announcement.

Sample Job Description

City of Newburg Fire Department Firefighter Job Description

General Definition of the Classification:

The firefighter performs responsible work in service to our city protecting citizens and their property against fire and other life safety risks. This title is engaged in life safety response that includes, but is not limited to, fire suppression, emergency medical responses, rescue, hazardous materials, and artificial and natural hazard mitigation or other related work as assigned. The work required by this classification is performed under the supervision of officers and managers appointed by the common council.

Examples of the Tasks and Work Performed by This Class:

• Responds to alarms for the purpose of fire suppression, rescue, advancing hose lines, performing entry into hazardous conditions, ventilation, laddering a structure, salvage of property, extrication of trapped individuals, providing emergency medical care and emergency hazard mitigation.
• Performs clean-up and overhaul work on emergency scenes.
• Conducts required water supply tests, including, but not limited to, hydrants and installed systems in structures and on apparatus.
• Responds to all emergency and non-emergency calls as dispatched, including service calls.
• Assists in the maintenance and repair of fire apparatus and equipment.
• Assists in the maintenance and cleaning of fire stations and grounds.
• Under the supervision of the company officers and other supervisors, conducts code inspections of residences and businesses to enforce fire codes and to develop prefire plans.
• Participates in continuing technical education and training programs both as an individual and through attendance at scheduled drills and classes.
• Conducts fire and life safety training classes, demonstrations, and station tours for public, school and community individuals, and groups.
• Backs up dispatchers and communications personnel when needed.
• Performs related tasks as assigned by supervisors.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

All candidates for this position must:

• Be at least 18 years of age.
• Be a resident of this city or Kings County.
• Have the ability to understand and follow written and oral instructions.
• Be able to establish and maintain cooperative relationships with fellow employees and the public.
• Be able to write reports and prepare records.
• Possess a strong mechanical aptitude.
• Be able to perform heavy manual labor and have skill in operating heavy equipment.

Required Medical Qualifications, Education, and Licenses for Appointment:

Upon appointment, the candidate must:

• Possess a valid driver's license.
• Be a high school graduate or hold an equivalent certificate.

Medical Qualifications:

Candidates must be in excellent health and have no conditions that would restrict their ability to safely do fire suppression and rescue work. Weight (body fat content) must be proportionate to height for men and women. Uncorrected distance visual acuity of at least 20/100 in the poorer eye and 20/40 in the better eye, correctable to at least 20/40 in one eye and 20/20 in the other eye, is required. Regarding refractive surgery, most persons who have had these procedures will be passed. However, some may be deferred for several months or disqualified based on an individualized assessment of the surgical outcome. Color vision: Candidates must be able to accurately and quickly name colors and must be free of other visual impairments that would restrict the ability to perform firefighter duties.

Firefighters are required to be nonsmokers throughout their employment with the Newburg Fire Department.

Sample Table for This Announcement

Job Announcement for Newburg FD Required to Take the Written Examination	Me
Be at least 18 years of age	_____
Be a resident of this city or Kings County	_____
Have the ability to understand and follow written and oral instructions	_____
Be able to establish and maintain cooperative relationships with fellow employees and the public	_____
Be able to write reports and prepare records	_____
Possess a strong mechanical aptitude	_____
Be able to perform heavy manual labor and have	_____
skill in operating heavy equipment	_____
Required for Appointment
Possess a valid driver's license	_____
Be a high school graduate or hold an equivalent certificate	_____
Candidates must be in excellent health and have no conditions that would restrict their ability to safely do fire suppression and rescue work	_____
Weight (body fat content) must be proportionate to height for men and women	_____
Uncorrected distance visual acuity of at least 20/100 in the poorer eye and 20/40 in the better eye, correctable to at least 20/40 in one eye and 20/20 in the other eye is required	_____
Regarding refractive surgery, most persons who have had these procedures will be passed. However, some may be deferred for several months or disqualified based on an individualized assessment of the surgical outcome	_____
Color vision: Candidates must be able to accurately and quickly name colors and must be free of other visual impairments that would restrict the ability to perform firefighter duties	_____
Firefighters are required to be nonsmokers throughout their employment with the Newburg Fire Department	_____

Application Tips

• Neatness and accuracy count. Filling in your apartment number in the blank labeled "city" reflects poorly on your ability to follow directions.
• Most agencies don't want your resume. Save your time and energy for filling out the application form the agency gives you.
• Verify all information you put on the form. Don't guess or estimate; if you are not sure of, for instance, the exact address of the company you used to work for, look it up.
• If you are mailing your application, take care to submit it to the proper address. It might go to the personnel department rather than to the fire department. Follow the directions on the exam announcement.

The Application

Often the first step in the process of becoming a fire-fighter is filling out an application. Sometimes this is a complete application, asking about your education, employment experience, personal data, and so on. Sometimes there is just an application to take the written or physical test, with a fuller application coming later. In any case, at some point, you will probably be asked some questions you wouldn't expect to see on a regular job application. You might be asked things such as whether you have ever received any speeding tickets or been in trouble with the law, whether you've used illegal drugs, or even whether any relatives work for the city or for the fire department. Your answers to these questions, as well as the more conventional ones, will serve as the starting point if the department conducts an investigation of your background, so it is important to answer all questions accurately and honestly. If you don't remember what year you worked for XYZ Company or your exact address your sophomore year of high school, don't guess; look it up.

The Written Exam

In most jurisdictions, taking a written exam is the next step in the application process, though in some cases the physical ability test comes first.

The written exam is your first opportunity to show that you have what it takes to be a firefighter. As such, it is extremely important. Candidates who don't pass the written exam don't go any farther in the selection process. Furthermore, the written exam score often figures into applicants' rank on the eligibility list; in some cases, this score by itself determines your rank, whereas in others it is combined with other scores, such as physical ability or oral board scores. In those places, a person who merely passes the written exam with a score of, say, 70, is unlikely to be hired when there are plenty of applicants with scores in the 90s. The exam bulletin may specify what your rank will be based on.

What the Written Exam Is Like

Most written exams simply test basic skills and aptitudes: how well you understand what you read, your ability to follow directions, your judgment and reasoning skills, your ability to read and understand maps and floor plans, and sometimes your memory or your math skills. In this preliminary written exam, you may not be tested on your knowledge of fire behavior, fire- fighting procedures, or any other specific body of knowledge. This test is often designed only to see how well you can read, reason, and do basic math.

In some places, taking the exam involves studying written materials in advance and then answering questions about them on the exam. These written materials generally have to do with fire and firefighting—but all you have to do is study the guide you are given. You are still being tested on just your reading skills and memory, and there are good reasons for this.

Firefighters have to be able to read, understand, and act on complex written materials—not only fire law and fire procedures, but also scientific materials about fire, combustible materials, and chemicals. They have to be able to think clearly and independently because lives depend on decisions they make in a split second. They have to be able to do enough math to read and understand pressure gauges, or estimate the height of a building and the amount of hose needed to reach the third floor. They have to be able to read maps and floor plans so they can get to the emergency site quickly or find their way to an exit even in a smoke-filled building.

Most exams are multiple-choice tests of the sort you have often encountered in school. You get an exam book and an answer sheet where you have to fill in little circles (bubbles) or squares with a number 2 pencil.

Written Exam Tips

• Ask for and use any material the fire department or personnel department puts out about the written test. Some agencies have study guides; some even conduct study sessions. Why let others get a vital advantage while you don't?
• Practice, practice, practice. And then practice some more.
• Try to find some people who have taken the exam recently, and ask them what was on the exam. Their hindsight—" I wish I had studied…"—can be your foresight.

How to Prepare for the Written Exam

Pay close attention to any material the fire department or city human resources department puts out about the exam. If there is a study guide, study it. Pay close attention to what you are going to be tested on, and then practice with similar materials.

That's where this book comes in. There are four practice exams here that include the skills most commonly tested. There are also chapters on each kind of question you are most likely to encounter. Each chapter includes not only sample questions but also tips and hints on how to prepare for that kind of question and how to do well on the exam itself. You should also check out Chapter 3,"The LearningExpress Test Preparation System," which tells you all you need to know about preparing for and taking standardized tests.

Finding Out How You Did

Some municipalities will send you information that shows you the questions you answered incorrectly or the areas where you were weaker than the other candidates. In other jurisdictions, the examination results list may be posted in order of the rank of the candidates with no grades shown. Most municipalities will send a letter with the test results and instructions on what to do next or how to appeal.

Physical Ability Tips

• Take advantage of any training sessions or test-course walk-throughs the fire department offers. The whole purpose of such sessions is to help you pass the physical test.
• Start exercising now. Yes, today. Work up to a 45-minute workout at least five times a week.
• Exercises that increase your upper-body strength are particularly useful. Consider lifting weights several times a week.
• If you smoke, stop.
• If you are overweight, eat a healthier diet along with your exercise.
• Exercise with a friend. Listen to tunes while you work out. Give yourself rewards for reaching milestones like shaving a minute off your mile-run time or bench pressing ten more pounds. Find out what will motivate you to work hard and do it.

The Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT)

The Candidate Physical Ability Test is the next step in the process for many fire departments; some put this step first. You should expect to have a medical clearance, or at the very least sign a medical waiver stating that you are in good enough shape to undertake this stressful test, before you will be allowed to participate. The fire department wants to make sure that no one has a heart attack in the middle of the test. So, you can expect the test to be tough.

Firefighting is, after all, physically demanding work. Once again, lives depend on whether your strength, stamina, and overall fitness allow you to carry out the necessary tasks during an emergency. If you make it to the academy and later into a fire company, you can expect to continue physical training and exercises throughout your career. In fact, in some cities all firefighters are required to retake the Candidate Physical Ability Test every year.

Chapter 15 will give you a very detailed explanation of the Candidate Physical Ability Test.

What the Candidate Physical Ability Test Is Like

The exact events that make up the Candidate Physical Ability Test vary from place to place, but the tasks you have to perform are almost always job-related—they are a lot like the physical tasks you will actually have to perform as a firefighter. Some tests are set up as obstacle courses; others consist of a group of stations. In some, you are timed from start to finish with no breaks; others allow a break period between stations. The tests are timed. Your performance on the test is scored depending on that time. Often you have to wear full (heavy) protective gear, including an air pack, throughout these events. Here is an example of the events in a test that you would typically have ten minutes, 20 seconds to complete:

• Stair climb with weighted vest
• Hose drag
• Equipment carry
• Ladder raise and extension
• Forcible entry
• Search
• Rescue dummy drag
• Ceiling breach and pull

In an obstacle-course setup like this one, you might be given the opportunity to walk the course before you actually have to take the test. During the test itself, you would be timed as you went through the events, and you would have to complete the events within a set time limit to pass. In departments where the Candidate Physical Ability Test figures into your rank on the eligibility list, merely meeting the maximum time to pass isn't good enough; people who have lower times will be hired before you are.

Different departments have different policies on retesting if you fail. Some allow you to retest on the same day after a rest period. Some allow you to come back another time and try again—usually up to a set maximum number of tries. And in some departments, your first try is the only chance you get; if you fail, you are out, at least until the next testing period. Few departments will allow you to retest, if you have already passed, simply to improve your time.

You can usually find out just what tasks are included in the Candidate Physical Ability Test from the exam announcement or related materials.

How to Prepare for the Candidate Physical Ability Test

Many urban fire departments report that the Candidate Physical Ability Test is the one step of the process that most applicants fail. People come in unprepared, and they are simply not strong enough or fast enough to do all the events, while wearing heavy gear, in the time allotted. Female applicants, in particular, have high failure rates on physical ability tests because some of the events require a lot of upper-body strength. Improved techniques, not just improved strength, can help applicants pass this part of the exam.

The Candidate Physical Ability Test is one area where advance preparation is almost guaranteed to pay off. No matter how good the shape you are in, start an exercise program now. You can design your program around the requirements listed in the exam announcement if you want, but any exercise that will increase your strength and stamina will help. Because sheer brute force is required to drag a 150-pound dummy or to lift a 50-foot ladder, exercises that increase your strength are particularly important. But you will also want to include some aerobic exercise such as running or swimming to improve your stamina and overall fitness as well.

If you are not prepared, the stress of the test can lead to heat stress, which is a serious medical condition. If you are not in great shape, consult a doctor before you begin. Start slow and easy and increase your activity as you go. As you gain strength, start wearing weights on your ankles and wrists, and later add a heavy backpack. And remember that you don't have to do all this work alone. Working out with a friend is not only more fun, it also helps guard against the temptation to cheat by skipping a day or doing fewer repetitions.

Many fire departments conduct training sessions for would-be applicants to help them get up to the required level of fitness. Some allow you to walk through the course ahead of time. If any of these opportunities are available to you, be sure to use them.

For more information on the physical ability test and how to prepare for it, see Chapter 15, "The Candidate Physical Ability Test."

The Background Investigation

Most fire departments conduct background investigations of applicants who pass the written and physical tests. Some departments prescreen applicants and may reject an applicant who has a criminal record. Fire-fighters have to be honest, upright citizens who can get along with both their company and the people they serve. You may not even know such an investigation is going on—until someone at the oral interview asks you why you wrote on your application that you never used drugs when your high school friends all say you regularly smoked marijuana on weekends. (That's why it is important to answer honestly on your application.)

What the Background Investigation Is Like

The rigorousness with which your background will be checked depends on the policies of your department. Some conduct a fairly superficial check, calling your former employers and schools simply to verify that you were there when you say you were there and didn't have any problems during that time.

Other departments will investigate you in a great deal more depth, asking their contacts how long and how well they knew you and what kind of person they found you to be.Did you meet your obligations? How did you deal with problems? Did they find you to be an honest person? Do they know of anything that might affect your fitness to be a firefighter? The references you provided will lead the investigator to other people who knew you, and when the investigator is finished, he or she will have a pretty complete picture of what kind of person you are.

A few fire departments include a polygraph, or lie detector test, as part of the background investigation. As long as you have been honest in what you have said when your stress reactions weren't being monitored by a polygraph machine, a lie detector test is nothing to worry about.

How to Prepare for the Background Investigation

The best way you can improve your chances of getting through a background investigation with flying colors is by working on any problems in your background. You can't change the past, but you can use the present to improve your chances in the future. You can address problems that might give a background investigator pause: Pay your old traffic tickets, document your full recovery from a serious illness, or establish your drug-free status since high school.

You can also take steps to make yourself a more attractive candidate by getting related experience. Join a local volunteer fire department to get training in the basics of firefighting skills and emergency medical services. Many local fire departments pay for emergency services training and some training is free to fire department members who reside in the county for which they volunteer. Most, if not all, career fire departments now require at a minimum certification as a Nationally Registered Emergency Medical Technician. Candidates who possess this certification will place higher on the eligibility list than those who do not.

Oral Interviews and Boards

The selection process in your fire department is likely to include one or more oral interviews. There may be an individual interview with the chief or deputy chief, or there may be an oral board, in which you would meet with several people—or you may face both. Whether it is an individual interview or an oral board, the interviewers are interested in your interpersonal skills—how well you communicate with them—as well as in your qualifications to be a firefighter.

What the Oral Interview Is Like

In some cities, applicants who get this far in the process meet with the chief or deputy chief, who may conduct something like a typical job interview. The chief or deputy chief might describe in detail what the job is like, ask you how well you think you can do a job like that, and ask you why you want to be a firefighter in the first place. In the process, the chief will also be assessing your interpersonal skills, whether you seem honest and relatively comfortable in talking to him or her. You may also be asked questions about your background and experience.

This interview can be a make-or-break part of the process, with the chief approving or rejecting your candidacy, or the chief may rank you against other applicants, in which case the chief 's assessment of you is likely to figure into your place on the eligibility list.

The chief 's interview may also include situational questions like those typically asked by an oral board, or you may be facing an oral board in addition to your interview with the chief.

Oral Board Interview Tips

• Dress neatly and conservatively, as you would for a business interview.
• Be polite; say "please" and "thank you," "sir" and "ma'am."
• Remember, one-half of communication is listening. Look at board members or interviewers as they speak to you, and listen carefully to what they say.
• Think before you speak. Nod or say "OK" to indicate that you understand the question, and then pause a moment to collect your thoughts before speaking.
• If you start to feel nervous, take a deep breath, relax, and just do your best.
• Prepare by having a friend or family member ask you questions.

What the Oral Board Is Like

The oral board typically assesses such qualities as interpersonal skills, communication skills, judgment and decision-making abilities, respect for diversity, and adaptability. The board itself consists of two to five people, who may be firefighters or civilian personnel or interview specialists. There is usually some variety in the makeup of the board: It usually consists of officers of various ranks and/or civilians from the personnel department or from the community.

The way the interview is conducted depends on the practices of the individual department. You may be asked a few questions similar to those you would be asked at a normal employment interview: Why do you want to be a firefighter? What qualities do you have that would make you good at this job? You may be asked questions about your background, especially if your application or background investigation raised any questions in the board members' minds. Have answers prepared for such questions in advance.

In addition to such questions, you may be presented with hypothetical situations that you will be asked to respond to. A board member may say something like this: "A coworker on your shift is posting derogatory, racially based jokes in his gear rack and his locker. Another coworker on your shift finds the jokes tasteless and offensive. What would you do?" You would then have to come up with an appropriate response to this situation.

Increasingly, cities have standardized the oral board questions. The same questions are asked of every candidate, and when the interview is over, the board rates each candidate on a standard scale. This procedure helps the interviewers reach a somewhat more objective conclusion about the candidates they have interviewed and may result in a score that is included in the factors used to rank candidates in the eligibility list.

How to Prepare for the Oral Board or Interview

If the agency you are applying to puts out any material about the oral board, study it carefully. It may tell you what the board is looking for. It may even give you some sample questions you can use for practice.

Whether you are facing an oral board or an individual interview, think about your answers to questions you might be asked. You might even try to write your own oral board questions and situations. Write down your answers if you want. Practice saying them in front of a mirror until you feel comfortable, but don't memorize them. You don't want to sound like you are reciting from a book. Your answers should sound conversational even though you've prepared in advance.

After practicing on your own, enlist friends or family to serve as a mock oral board or interviewer. If you know a speech teacher, get him or her to help. Give them your questions, tell them about what you have learned, and then have a practice oral board or interview. Start from the moment you walk into the room. Go through the entire session as if it were the real thing, and then ask your mock board or interviewer for feedback on your performance. It may even help to videotape your mock board session. The camera can reveal things about your body language or habits that you don't even know about.

For more information about the oral board or interview and how to prepare for it, see Chapter 16, "The Oral Interview."

The Psychological Evaluation

Some cities, though not all, include a psychological evaluation as part of the firefighter selection process. The fire department wants to make sure that you are emotionally and mentally stable before putting you in a high-stress job in which you have to interact with peers, superiors, and the public. Don't worry, though; the psychological evaluation is not designed to uncover your deep dark secrets. Its only purpose is to make sure you have the mental and emotional health to do the job.

What the Psychological Evaluation Is Like

If your fire department has a psychological evaluation, most likely that means you will be taking one or two written tests. A few cities have candidates interviewed by a psychologist or psychiatrist.

If you have to take a written psychological test, it is likely to be a standardized multiple-choice or true–false test licensed from a psychological testing company. The Minnesota Multi-phasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) is one commonly used test. Such tests typically ask you about your interests, attitudes, and background. They may take one hour or several to complete; the hiring agency will let you know approximately how much time to allot.

If your process includes an oral psychological assessment, you will meet with a psychologist or psychiatrist, who may be either on the hiring agency's staff or an independent contractor. The psychologist may ask you questions about your schooling and jobs, your relationships with family and friends, your habits, and your hobbies. The psychologist may be as interested in the way you answer—whether you come across as open, forthright, and honest—as in the answers themselves.

How to Prepare for the Psychological Evaluation

There is only one piece of advice we can offer you for dealing with a psychological evaluation, whether written or oral: Don't try to psych out the assessment. The psychologists who designed the written test set it up so that one answer checks against another to find out whether test takers are lying. Just answer honestly, and don't worry about whether your answers to some of the questions seem to you to indicate that you might be nuts after all. They probably don't.

Similarly, if you are having an oral interview, there is no point in playing psychological games with someone who is better trained at it than you are. Just answer openly and honestly, and try to relax. The psychologist isn't really interested in your feelings about your mother, unless they are so extreme that they are likely to make you unfit to be a firefighter.

The Medical Examination

Before passage of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), many fire departments conducted a medical examination early in the process, before the physical ability test. Now, the ADA says it is illegal to do any examinations or ask any questions that could reveal an applicant's disability until after a conditional offer of employment has been made. That means that in most jurisdictions you will get such a conditional offer before you are asked to submit to a medical exam.

You should know, however, that almost any disability can prevent you from becoming a firefighter, even under the protections provided by ADA. Fire-fighting requires a high level of physical and mental fitness, and a host of disabilities that would not prevent a candidate from doing some other job would prevent a firefighter from fulfilling essential job functions. For example, a skin condition that requires a man to wear facial hair would disqualify that man from being a fire- fighter because facial hair interferes with proper operation of the breathing apparatus.

Drug Testing

Note, however, that a test for use of illegal drugs can be administered before a conditional offer of employment. Because firefighters have to be in tiptop physical shape, and because they are in a position of public trust, the fire department expects them to be drug-free. You may have to undergo drug testing periodically throughout your career as a firefighter.

What the Medical Exam Is Like

The medical exam itself is nothing to be afraid of. It will be just like any other thorough physical exam. The doctor may be on the staff of the hiring agency or someone outside the department with his or her own practice, just like your own doctor. Your blood pressure, temperature, weight, and so on will be measured; your heart and lungs will be listened to and your limbs examined. The doctor will probably peer into your eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. You will also have to donate some blood and urine. Because of those tests, you won't know the results of the physical exam right away. You will probably be notified in writing in a few weeks, after the test results come in.

If at First You Don't Succeed, Part One

The selection process for firefighters is a rigorous one. If you fail one of the steps, take the time for some serious self-evaluation.

The most common problem is that many candidates try to take too many examinations too close together. Not only is that stressful, it means that you will not be fully prepared for any. Try to avoid taking several examinations in a short period—pick those you really want and prepare specifically for them. You will have a better chance of passing.

If you fail the written test, look at the reasons you didn't do well. Was it just that the format was unfamiliar? Well, now you know what to expect.

Do you need to brush up on some of the skills tested? There are lots of books to help people with basic skills. You might start with the LearningExpress Skill Builders, a set of four books that help improve your practical math, writing, vocabulary and spelling, and reading comprehension. Enlist a teacher or a friend to help you, or check out the inexpensive courses offered by local high schools and community colleges.

Some fire departments allow you to retest after a waiting period—a period you should use to improve your skills. If the exam isn't being offered again for years, consider trying some other jurisdiction.

If you fail the Candidate Physical Ability Test, your course of action is clear. Increase your daily physical exercise until you know you can do what is required, and then retest or try another jurisdiction.

If you fail the oral board or interview, try to figure out what the problem was. Do you think your answers were good but perhaps you didn't express them well? Then you need some practice in oral communication. You can take courses or enlist your friends to help you practice.

Did the questions and situations throw you for a loop, so you gave what now seem like inappropriate answers? Then try to bone up for the next time. Talk to candidates who were successful and ask them what they said. Talk with firefighters you know about what might have been good answers for the questions you were asked. Even if your department doesn't allow you to redo the oral board, you can use what you learn in applying to another department.

If the medical exam eliminates you, you will usually be notified as to what condition caused the problem. Is the condition one that can be corrected? See your doctor for advice.

If you don't make the list and aren't told why, the problem might have been the oral board or, more likely, the psychological evaluation or the background investigation. Now, you really have to do some hard thinking.

Make sure your credit score is above 600 according to the FICO scale, one of the major credit bureaus that measure credit ratings. Nowadays, more often than not, career departments are requesting credit scores of applicants to ensure the candidate they are hiring is not overly in debt, which may equate to a higher potential risk of employee problems.

Can you think of anything in your past that might lead to questions about your fitness to be a firefighter? Could any of your personal traits or attitudes raise such questions? And then the hard question: Is there anything you can do to change these aspects of your past or your personality? If so, you might have a chance when you reapply or apply to another department. If not, it's time to think about another field.

If you feel you were wrongly excluded on the basis of a psychological evaluation or background check, most departments have appeals procedures. However, that word wrongly is very important. The psychologist or background investigator almost certainly had to supply a rationale in recommending against you. Do you have solid factual evidence that you can use in an administrative hearing to counter such a rationale? If not, you would be wasting your time and money, as well as the hiring agency's, by making an appeal. Move carefully and get legal advice before you take such a step.

The Waiting Game

You went through the whole long process, passed all the tests, did the best you could, made the eligibility list—and now you wait. You could just sit on your hands. Or you could decide to do something with this time to prepare for what you hope is your new career. Do some networking. Talk to firefighters about what the job is really like. Find out if your fire department offers volunteer opportunities or a cadet program. Take a course in first aid or enroll in an Emergency Medical Technician program. Even if you don't get called, even if your rank on the score doesn't get you a job this time, you will be better qualified for the next try.

Here's one thing you don't want to do while you are waiting: Don't call to find out what your chances are or how far down on the list they have gotten or when they might call you. You probably won't get to talk to the people making those decisions, so you will just annoy some poor receptionist. If you did get through to the decision-makers, you'd be in even worse shape: You'd be annoying them.

If at First You Don't Succeed, Part Two

If you make the list, go through the waiting game, and finally aren't selected, don't despair. Think through all the steps of the selection process, and use them to do a critical self-evaluation.

Maybe your written, physical, or oral board score was high enough to pass but not high enough to put you near the top of the list. At the next testing, make sure you are better prepared.

Maybe you had an excellent score that should have put you at the top of the list, and you suspect that you were passed over for someone lower down. That means someone less well qualified was selected while you were not, right? Maybe, maybe not.

There were probably a lot of people on the list, and a lot of them may have scored high. One more point on the test might have made the difference, or maybe the department had the freedom to pick and choose on the basis of other qualifications. Maybe, in comparison with you, a lot of people on your list had more education or experience. Maybe there were plenty of certified Emergency Medical Technicians on the list, and they got first crack at the available jobs.

What can you do? You may have heard or read about suits being brought against cities by people who thought their selection process was unfair. That's a last resort, a step you would take only after getting excellent legal advice and thinking through the costs of time, money, and energy. You would also have to think about whether you would want to occupy a position you got as the result of a lawsuit and whether you would be hurting your chances of being hired somewhere else.

Most people are better off simply trying again. And don't limit your options. There are lots of fire departments all over the country; there are volunteer and part-time positions available, particularly in smaller towns; and there are a growing number of private fire protection service agencies. Do your research. This book is a good start. Find out what's available. Find out who is hiring. Being turned down by one department need not be the end of your fire- fighting career.

There are many related careers that will open up in years to come, especially in the growing field of emergency management. Many of these require the same knowledge and qualifications, but require higher education. Do not give up, and keep researching employment opportunities in the emergency response field. You never know what will open up!

And When You Do Succeed…

Congratulations! The end of the waiting game for you is notification to attend the fire service academy. You are on the road to your career as a firefighter.

The road is hardly over, though. First, you have to make it through the academy, where you can expect physical training as well as training in fire and emergency services. You will also have a lot of learning to do in your first year or so on the job. Throughout your career, you will need to keep up with new techniques, new equipment, and new procedures. And if you decide to go for a promotion, there will be more steps, more tests, and more evaluations. But you can do it, if you are determined and committed. You have already made a good start.

Never forget that fire service is no longer a part-time career. The new hazards and risks facing our communities will challenge firefighters to gain new skills and new knowledge. Lifelong learning is a commitment you will have to make to remain useful. New challenges mean new opportunities. The future is bright for those who are prepared today.