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Becoming A Firefighter
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This is an article written by a Miami-Dade Firefighter, about the hiring process, that appeared in Miami Herald Neighbors on March 17, 2005 and
can now be found on the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue web
site. Below the article is also a small section for additional information.
Most firefighters will tell you that the "hero" stuff is the easy part of firefighting. During a large disaster, an amazing chemical called adrenaline
kicks in, and then the sheer momentum of a true emergency propels rescue workers through unimaginable obstacles, making them capable of impossible feats.
Years of training and experience are translated into minutes of critical action. It is this handful of large-scale incidents that seem to define the job
of the firefighter. But in reality, this is only a fraction of the profession. The real challenge of fire-rescue workers and a big part of what makes
them true heroes is the daily run of small emergencies and the way they touch human lives on an individual basis every day. I once heard a fellow firefighter
tell a story about a little boy that brought him to tears at a Miami Heat basketball game. This paramedic firefighter was assigned to the game in case of
an emergency. The boy was in a group of children that were given an opportunity to come meet the basketball stars and get autographs. This small boy walked
away from the rest of the pack and came up to the firefighter with his autograph book. He said, "Excuse me, sir, would you please sign my book?" The
firefighter replied, "Oh no, I’m not a player, I’m just a firefighter." The boy said, "I know. Firefighters helped my grandmother when she was going to
die. I want to be like you when I grow up."
And so it goes, that little boys (and little girls too!) dream of growing up to be firefighters. Many will change their minds and pursue much more sane
methods of supporting themselves, but surprisingly, many hold on to that dream into adulthood and try to make that leap into professional firefighting.
Even if you are mentally and physically prepared for the challenge of firefighting, there is a good possibility that you are not at all prepared for the
difficulty of getting hired for the job.
While all fire departments in the state have their own individual system for hiring, there are some consistencies. First of all, expect large numbers of
hopefuls to compete for a relatively small number of positions. During the last hiring period, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue received over 7000 applications for
approximately 400 positions. Second, virtually all departments require applicants to be at least 18 years old at the time of application and have a high
school diploma or GED. Most will give a series of exams including a written civil service test, a physical agility test (prepare to sweat!), an oral
interview and a very thorough background check. The results of all these factors will be combined using a very complicated mathematical formula, probably
borrowed from NASA, to come up with something affectionately called, "the list." This list ranks applicants from number one down to whatever number the
employer chooses. A department will hire from this list in rank order until it is exhausted or until it expires, which can be anywhere from one year to
several years.
Some departments will require a Florida State firefighter certification to apply, while others will hire first and then train and certify applicants after
they are hired. Florida is one of several states that will not accept certifications from other states. If you have been certified in another state, you can
challenge the test in Florida to obtain the certification or retake the course at a Florida Fire Academy. Because all fire departments in South Florida
include Emergency Medical Services (EMS), fire departments will tend to favor applicants who have successfully completed the Emergency Medical Technician
(EMT) course. Some will even require an EMT certification to apply, and others will give hiring preference for it.
After all is said and done, the average time from the day you turn in your application to the day you are called in for duty, if you get hired, is about a
year and a half. However, it is not unusual to wait two or more years. While this seems like a very long time to wait for a job, it doesn’t have to be
wasted time. I always tell firefighter hopefuls to take advantage of this time to accrue more certifications. The basic EMT course takes about six months
to complete and the more advanced EMT-Paramedic course takes about another year. It is a very long and demanding hiring process, but if you are persistent
enough to stick it out, you probably have the kind of character and endurance it takes to be a firefighter!
Additional Information
The Fire Academy at Miami-Dade College, North Campus offers a two hour information lecture about the profession of firefighting. It covers information on
acquiring certifications in firefighting, fire inspections and Emergency Medical Services. It also offers advise on navigating the application and hiring
process. For more information on this session, contact Program Manager, Michael McCann at (305) 237-1360 or e-mail at: michael.mccann@mdc.edu
The U.S. Department of Labor website has a good overview of the firefighting profession as well as some other helpful links: http://stats.bls.gov/oco/ocos158.htm
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