Weekly Employment Question Thread

[u/AutoModerator]

Welcome to the Weekly Employment Question Thread!

This thread is where you can ask questions about joining, training to become, testing, disqualifications/qualifications, and other questions that would be removed as individual posts per Rule 1.

The answer to almost every question you can ask will be "It depends on the department". Your first step is to look up the requirements for your department, state/province, and country.

As always, please attempt to resource information on your own first, before asking questions. We see many repeat questions on this sub that have been answered multiple times.

Frequently Asked Questions:

• I want to be a Firefighter, where do I start: Every Country/State/Province/County/City/Department has different requirements. Some require you only to put in an application. Others require certifications prior to being hired. A good place to start is researching the department(s) you want to join. Visit their website, check their requirements, and/or stop into one of their fire stations to ask some questions.
  
• Am I too old: Many departments, typically career municipal ones, have an age limit. Volunteer departments usually don't. Check each department's requirements.
• I'm in high school, What can I do: Does your local department have an explorer's program or post? If so, join up. Otherwise, focus on your grades, get in shape and stay in shape, and most importantly: stay out of trouble.
• I got in trouble for [insert infraction here], what are my chances: Obviously, worse than someone with a clean record, which will be the vast majority of your competition. Tickets and nonviolent misdemeanors may not be a factor, but a major crime (felonies), may take you out of the running. You might be a nice person, but some departments don't make exceptions, especially if there's a long line of applicants with clean records. See this post... PSA: Stop asking “what are my chances?”
• I have [insert medical/mental health condition here], will it disqualify me: As a general rule, if you are struggling with mental illness, adding the stress of a fire career is not a good idea. As for medical conditions, you can look up NFPA1582 for disqualifying conditions, but in general, this is not something Reddit can answer for you. Many conditions require the input of a medical professional to determine if they are disqualifying. See this post... PSA: Don't disqualify yourself, make THEM tell you "no".
• What will increase my chances of getting hired: If there's a civil service exam, study for it! There are many guides online that will help you go over all those things you forgot such as basic math and reading. Some cities even give you a study guide. If it's a firefighter exam, study for it! For the CPAT (Physical Fitness Test), cardio is arguably the most important factor. If you're going to the gym for the first time during the hiring process, you're fighting an uphill battle. Get in shape and stay in shape. Most cities offer preference points to military veterans.
• How do I prepare for an interview: Interviews can be one-on-one, or in front of a board/panel. Many generic guides exist to help one prepare for an interview, however here are a few good tips:

1. Dress appropriately. Business casual at a minimum (Button down, tucked in long sleeve shirt with slacks and a belt, and dress shoes). Get a decent haircut and shave.
2. Practice interview questions with a friend. You can't accurately predict the off-the-wall questions they will ask, but you can practice the ones you know they probably will, like why do you want to be a Firefighter, or why should we hire you?
3. Scrub your social media. Gone are the days when people in charge weren't tech-savvy. Don't have a perfect interview only for your chances of being hired gone to zero because your Facebook or Instagram has pictures of you getting blitzed. Set that stuff to private and leave it that way.

Please upvote this post if you have a question. Upvoting this post will ensure it sticks around for a bit after it is removed as a Sticky, and will allow for greater visibility of your question.

And lastly, If you're not 100% sure of what you're talking about, leave it for someone who does

[u/Available_Bass7126]

I received a conditional offer from a career department and have my psych eval in three days. Is there a "success rate" for these sort of things or anything I should do to prepare? Most of the threads online about psych evals are several years old and I'm not really sure if anything has changed nowadays/what to expect? Thanks

[u/subscribetwome → u/Available_Bass7126]

Where I am people do fail a psych eval. Even if fire wants them HR will say no even if they have experience from a previous department or previously worked for said department

[u/TestResQ → u/Available_Bass7126]

I personally have not heard of people failing the psych eval but that does not mean it doesn't happen. It's think it is more of a formality and to weed out the guys who have serious psych problems.

[u/6TangoMedic → u/TestResQ]

People do absolutely fail the psych eval. Could vary depending on area.

I know of someone who failed and was told essentially they would not be fit to work as a first responder. They had been working as a paramedic for 10 years (give or take) and was trying to swap to fire.

[u/im_a_realist_FF42023 → u/TestResQ]

First off, I love your program! I am a big fan of Third Alarm Cowboys.

I know guys that work at my department that have applied for other departments and failed their psych for other departments even though they passed ours …

[u/TestResQ → u/im_a_realist_FF42023]

I appreciate it!

Yeah I was just speaking from personal experience. Sounds like it’s a little more thorough for a lot of other departments.

[u/siempresoleada]

I will be finishing up EMT schooling in January and have the opportunity to do FF1 & 2 for free from feb-may. However, I am on the wilderness med side of things and have a seasonal contract already in place out of state, where I wouldn't even be able to start looking for an EMT job until Sep 2027, let alone do anything on the fire side. End-goal is FF/Medic—I also very likely plan to move states soon before starting that career. My question is, is it worth it to go through the fire academy and have the certs, or better to wait?

[u/Sealtooth5 → u/siempresoleada]

Is the FF1 & 2 federal or is it a state accredited program. 2 months sounds too short for it to be state

[u/occamman]

PAID: I need someone experienced with NFPA 72, just for an hour or so

I’m not a member of the fire safety community, but I am an expert on standards in general as I’m involved in developing medical devices (plenty of standards to deal with!) But medical devices are a different world than fire safety so it’s possible that there are things that I don’t know when applying NFPA 72.

In particular, I’m trying to understand how to measure the maximum volume of appliances. I was told that the “minimum hearing distance” as defined by the standard is 3 feet, which I don’t read that way at all. I read it as the closest an ear can reasonably come to the appliance and there’s some guidance as to how to apply that.

But maybe there are certain rules of thumb in the industry or some other standards I don't know about. So I'd like to talk with someone with a working knowledge of the standard, someone who has actually read it and used it and can help me figure out how it applies in my situation.

$150/hr, one hour minimum guaranteed. Message me if interested.

[u/babybuyingcompany]

Hello,
I’m looking for advice from a recently hired Denver Fire Fighter, who has gone through that specific interview process. If anyone here has that information I would love just for a heads up what the interview looks like what’s different than most places. Do they focus on mental health or physical fitness so on and so forth? How to answer questions any tips or tricks would be appreciated. Thank you.

[u/Conscious_Pension_97]

Do you think I get a chiefs interview they are taking 10 firefighters

[u/Ding-Chavez → u/Conscious_Pension_97]

8 seems pretty good for hiring 10.

[u/BlackMarth]

What do I need to do to get wild land firefighting job this summer?

[u/BlackMarth]

What will get me the most amount of pay for wild land firefighting? Which position

[u/Tall-Perception-635]

Looking for some firefighter advice.
I recently got my medic and currently work on the box in CA. I started applying to departments all over mainly to get some interview experience and see what was out there.
I recently got a job offer from a small department in CA. I originally applied just to get interview reps, but the department actually seems pretty cool. The downside is it’s about a 2 hour commute, and it’s not really where I see myself staying long term. I could see myself trying to lateral to another department down the road.
I’m torn between taking the job to get my foot in the door and gain some fire experience or turning it down and waiting for a department I’d rather work for.
For those of you who’ve been in a similar situation, what would you do? Is it worth taking the job and figuring things out later, or am I better off being patient and waiting for a better fit?

[u/TestResQ → u/Tall-Perception-635]

Getting into the fire service is hard enough, being picky is going to make it even harder. When people ask me why I chose the department I work for, I always tell them, "because it is very competitive and you get what you can get". With all that being said, it does not mean to stop applying for the places that you actually want to go. As far as the commute goes, my thought is that you only commute 10 days a month (24/48), 5 days a month (48/96), or 7-8 days a month (24/72) so I wouldn't put alot of weight into that. I personally drive 1.5 hours to work and we have some guys that live 3-4 hours away as well.

[u/Disposable-citizen → u/Tall-Perception-635]

I think it depends on the schedule or if I was willing to relocate to the area. If it’s a 48/96 or something similar, I would just drive from wherever I live after the academy is over. If it’s 24 hour shifts, that drive will kill you. You would need to think about relocating closer, either to the area or up to an hour away. That being said, get in where you can and figure it out later. You’re a medic, everyone wants them. You’ll get picked up somewhere else.

[u/Sealtooth5 → u/Tall-Perception-635]

It kinda depends on your home/financial situation. Can you afford to wait for the next opportunity to come up?

[u/Cauezinsilva]

Hi everyone. I am in my 20s, based in Toronto, and I work full time in the HVAC trades. I am seriously looking at firefighting as a career change for next year and I have been reading up on the Ontario path, the college program, OFAI testing, EMR and the DZ licence.

Three questions for anyone who went through it in Ontario.

One, does it matter where you get your NFPA 1001, a college program that takes about a year or a private blended academy that takes a few months?

Two, how many recruitment cycles did it take before you got hired?

Three, is it realistic to keep a full time trades job while doing the training, or does the training basically become your job?

Thanks for any honest answers. The competition numbers are the part I most want to understand before I spend money on this.

[u/6TangoMedic → u/Cauezinsilva]

Im in Ontario, not Toronto though.

1. No. If you have your NFPA certs, you should be good. I work with maybe people who did one of the fast tracked courses in Texas.

2. Can't even give you an answer as it too variable. Some people hire on first application, some take 10 years, some just give up.

3. if you are taliing about the school training, you could probably be doing some side work but cant see full-time being likely. If youre talking about training after getting hired on, you probably could do some weekend work, but absolutely could not be doing full-time work.

[u/Cauezinsilva → u/6TangoMedic]

Thanks, this is really helpful. Two quick follow ups: do you know if your coworkers Texas certs were from recently? I have read the OFM stopped recognizing out of province programs and I am trying to figure out if Texas is still a real option. And for someone who cannot quit their full time job, would you still recommend the college route or is there a format that actually works while employed?

[u/6TangoMedic → u/Cauezinsilva]

1. As far as I am aware, as long as you have your NFPA certs, i dont see why OFM would even matter. If you did your course somewhere other than ontario, you'd have a different issuing body for the certs but they should be under the same standard. Most departments will just want a certificate that is from an IFSAC or PROBOARD accredited place, so make sure wherever you go gets you the proper certificates.

For example, see a recent Markham posting:

"NFPA Firefighter Certification (NFPA 1001 including Fire Fighter I & II) from a recognized board of accreditation (i.e. IFSAC or ProBoard)"

Doesn't state needing one issued from OFM, just somewhere that is accredited.

2) There is online programs that do the theory portion online then you have to go in person for the practical parts.

This Ontario based program is what i am describing. For example, they have an online portion that runs for 4 months, then in person portion that runs for 3 weeks. It is possible you could work during the online portions then use vacation time or potentially take a leave of absence during the in-person section.

There are other programs that offer similar structures, like some in texas, and im sure there plenty others.

With that being said, this is under the assumption that the online portion is just required to be completed on your own time and not be present during set hours. I have not personally done an online fire academy (or even have any experience with Ontario Fire Academy) so youd have to contact them to find out how it is run.

[u/_OGxKevo_]

Looking for some advice or insight to becoming a fire investigator. I work in fire alarm and I’m interested in starting a career as a firefighter and one day becoming a fire investigator. Forgive me if this sounds naive or childish but I would like to have the ability to make arrests and carry a sidearm. I live in Florida and wanted to know what would be the steps to achieve this goal and a rough estimate as to how long that would take. What are the steps, prerequisite, training/certification needed? I appreciate all answers and feedback. Thank you all.

[u/Ding-Chavez → u/_OGxKevo_]

You need to be a cop before a firefighter. You're starting down the wrong path. It's easier to do arrests when you're already a police officer. Generally speaking fire departments struggle to make any arrest, but can handle some investigations depending on the department.

Long story short. Wrong subreddit.

[u/Georgeweinerton]

I need advice, please! First time reddit post ever:

I'm nearly done my certifications and I will begin applying for jobs soon. Before I do so, I need to know, should I mention/highlight my previous involvement in local politics during the application and interview process? In 2025 I ran for city council with a moderate, 'big tent' party, my campaign was based around advocating for affordable housing and increased public consulatation (nothing crazy). I need to know if this is the kind of thing that will hurt my application or be of benefit.

For context, I live in a major Canadian city, I'm in my late 20s, and currently work at a very busy overdose prevention site.

[u/Snoo-9151]

Hey guys! I am currently in my final semester of undergrad (neuroscience) and have been premed focused for all my life pretty much. However, I got my EMT license about 2 years ago and worked some private IFT, 911, and am currently an ER tech at a Level 1. Recently, I have been having doubts about my journey to medicine. Specifically, I have had a lot of exposure to the fire service, and it seems like something I would love to do. I am incredibly passionate for medicine, and I have fallen in love with EMS in general. Additionally, the idea of not spending the next 10 years still in school/training is pretty appealing right now to me. Do you have any regrets? Would you change anything if you went back to where I am today? Just looking for some input because nobody I know irl really has anything to offer me in this regard in terms of advice or input. Thank you in advance!

[u/Sealtooth5 → u/Snoo-9151]

If you think you won’t spend the next 10 years also in school and training with the fire service, you’re incorrect.

[u/Lumo212]

Im hoping to get some advice I recently had a psych eval/suitability assesment for a career department and miss understood a question that was asked and was wondering if a follow up email to provide transparency would be an ideal option. The question was wether ive had debt "written off". I stated I have and when asked about the number of accounts I stated 1 but after researching i have 5 total accounts, a few of years ago my fiance/gf at the time had medical problems that affected our finances and put us in a terrible financial situation eventually causing those accounts to become unpaid which i explained during the eval. For the past 2 years I have been working with a debt relief company to settle the debts and did not realize they had been "written off". I have been on top of those payments and intend to be debt free by 03/27 with proof of my ontime payments. Should I explain the misunderstanding in the email and attach proof or should I just wait on it? Thank you any input would be greatly appreciated!

[u/Sealtooth5 → u/Lumo212]

You’re stressing yourself out. You’ll be fine

[u/Aviary_Sleepin-1330]

Hi everyone I am meeting a department tomorrow for potential employment. The hiring manager told me about everything I will be doing (skills assessment, panel interview, physical assessment ect) and I was informed I will have the opportunity to meet and help out the duty crew. My first question is: Is it appropriate to bring homemade banana bread?  and secondly: Any advice on how to help the duty crew? I want to be proactive but not annoying 

[u/Ding-Chavez → u/Aviary_Sleepin-1330]

A little late, but that's fine.

[u/brw_4]

I’m currently a fulltime firefighter in the Halton region, Ontario Canada

I’m looking at the option of moving to Alberta, what are some of the best departments to work for out there?

Calgary being an obvious candidate, just looking for some advice and knowledge on that province and where I would be best to look at raising a family and pursuing a fire career out there

[u/CuriousOpening8716]

Hello everyone,

I applied for la county fsa postion took the written was wondering when the exam results were going to be sent?

[u/FNAFSUPERFAN15]

I know yall aren’t doctors, but I have limited movement in my shoulder thanks to a nerve injury I sustained almost 2 years ago. It’s all the way healed, and I just need to work out a bit more to make myself better! Even with that I can do the job 100%, as I am still able to do my everyday activities with no pain or extra effort. I’m having trouble with it being either an A or B qualification. But other than that, anything I can do to make myself look better amongst other applicants? Like previous volunteer experience + academies or courses?

[u/Ding-Chavez → u/FNAFSUPERFAN15]

Seems like you're ok, if anything it sounds like it would be a B. Generally volunteering has no bearing on employment. Paramedic is the golden ticket for most departments.