The views of this article are the perspective of the author and may not be reflective of Confessions of the Professions.
Becoming a firefighter is a highly worthwhile career goal. Before starting your career path, get to know the requirements and the hiring process for the role. Learning all this puts you on the right track to a rewarding career. Here’s the critical info you need to know before becoming a firefighter.
Start Volunteering as a Firefighter
Volunteer firefighting gives you a headstart in learning what a firefighter does daily. Every day is a new adventure of getting to do what makes you excited about the profession. Get the volunteer experience, and learn what you can. Each day you volunteer, you learn new things, such as why PPE gear is essential and how to use different pieces of equipment on the job.
Keep Your Background Report Clean
Like any profession, there are sometimes limitations on what jobs you can get if you commit a serious felony. Misdemeanors, assault, murder, and other crimes can disqualify you indefinitely or within a specific timeframe. Even if you committed the offense a long time ago, you could face elimination from the hiring process. So do your best to keep yourself clear of serious crimes.
The most serious piece of info you need to become a firefighter is how the hiring process will look. Depending on location, it could take a while until a fire department fully employs you. You have several phases to get through before calling yourself a firefighter. For one, you must go through a fire science program. Community colleges offer fire science courses, and the classes typically run for about six months.
Contact local fire departments to learn how their recruitment process goes. Some might recruit based on agility tests and oral interviews, while others might include more, such as a written examination. Begin prepping and researching fire stations near you so that you can learn their recruitment process.
