Become a Firefighter – My Reccomendations

by owner on February 19, 2011

To Become a Firefighter, Avoid These Problem Spots

I have gone through the process to become a firefighter, i have also heard from thousands of other who were also going through the same process and I noticed that there are certain aspects of the process which stumps a lot of hopeful firefighters. The big problem spots that most people have problems are with when they want to become a firefighter are:

  1. Knowledge testing
  2. Physical testing.

I wanted to point these two problem spots out, prolonging the process to become a firefighter for thousands because I want you to become a firefighter in the shortest time possible. There are ways to prepare and i want to give you 2 of the best ways i know to prepare yourself.

To become a firefighter you must be physically fit!

become a firefighter recommendationThe nature of a firefighting job requires the individual to be physically fit for a number of reasons: You are given the responsibility to save civilian lives and your abilities directly effect the safety of other firefighters. As you can see there is a lot of responsibility and new physical demands are constantly being placed on you every day. To save yourself a lot of headaches and disappointments during your process to become a firefighter it is essential you are physically fit. The first aspect to become physically fit to become a firefighter is strength training. In addition to strength training  it it also vital to live a healthy lifestyle as this will help you in more ways than one to become a firefighter. Finally you wont be fully prepared unless you also practice firefighter specific physical tasks which you’re going to be testing on when you go through the testing process to become a firefighter. Once your able to understand what is required and take action today you will most likely perform 100 times better than your competition during the testing process, get the position and avoid waiting another year to get accepted.

You need to start a training/workout program as soon as possible will help you build up the strength and conditioning necessary to be prepared for all the physical requirements thrown your way during your process to become a firefighter. Your training program should combine a combination of power and conditioning, be careful not to focus only on one aspect such as strength and neglect the conditioning aspect. I found the key to a successful training/workout program to become a firefighter is structure as it provides you with a detailed plan laid out for you and takes all the guessing out of what do i have to do on day X. Another important aspect of a successful training/workout program to become a firefighter is consistency, you have to do the training on a consistent basis because if you don’t your gains will be greatly reduced. With that being said, a great workout program that addresses the structure and consistency aspect, that i have recommended to hundreds of individuals is Turbulence Training.

Now that you understand the importance of being fit during the process to become a firefighter, it is time to discuss the knowledge testing component.

You need some book smarts to become a firefighter

Most candidates make the mistake of not taking the knowledge testing component of the process to become a firefighter serious enough. With this being said, knowledge testing is an essential component in the recruitment process which you have to pass. To do well in the knowledge testing, it is vital that you prepare for the testing before hand. It is also important that you compose yourself well during the examination to make sure all those hours preparing don’t go to waste. If you use some of the following tips, you will be able to have more confidence and have a higher chance of passing the exam & become a firefighter.

The written exam is an essential component of the process to become a firefighter. Every state and fire department has a certain variation of a knowledge test which all share the same common elements. The exam is used as a tool to weed out candidates and give the opportunity to those who really want to become a firefighter. It can also be used as a tool to rank the candidates only only choose the “cream of the crop” depending on the fire departments needs. Now that you realize the importance of the written exam, i will show you some ways you can prepare for the written exam to ensure your chances to become a firefighter increase.

Preparation for the written exam is one of the most crucial factors when determining the success of a candidate and for them to become a firefighter. As you will soon see, preparation is everything in firefighting and it is no different on the written exam. One of the best way to prepare hands down is to purchase a study guide from Amazon… I recommend Exam Prep: Fire Fighter I and II, Second Edition and it also has good reviews on Amazon. To add, it is vital you don’t start studying too late and just cram for the exam. Make sure you start studying the exam questions long before the exam date, just take is slow and learn a few questions each day.

Now that you understand the importance of preparation to become a firefighter, I hope you approach it with more intention and seriousness. Just to recap, make sure you start some type of workout training program or get started on living a healthy lifestyle. Make sure you have all the proper tools and resources to help you prepare and succeed on your journey to become a firefighter.

Take this information to heart and get out there and start your workout program…. as you need to start your preparation to become a firefighter today.

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Become a Firefighter

by owner on February 4, 2011

become a firefighterCongratulations on your decision to venture on your journey to become a firefighter!

Lots of people want to become a firefighter!

If you want to become a firefighter, you are entering a field that is in high demand and suppose to grow faster than average compared to all US occupations (19% over 2008-2018). Many people want to become a firefighter because:

  • It provides you a challenge and opportunity to provide an essential public service
  • A high school education is usually enough to become a firefighter
  • You are usually guaranteed a pension after 25 years of service

We’re here to make the process of becoming a firefighter as seamless and easy as possible for you. We know that there is a tons of information available on the internet about how to become a firefighter but the information is usually not well organized and easy to understand. We try to break down the process in a easy, step-by-step process so you can get started right away and become a firefighter.

How to Become a Firefighter

If you want to become a firefighter you off to go through various steps to get there. The steps vary from state to state but generally follow a specific pattern or structure. The pattern typically involves 1) getting the credentials/training/certificates to meet the minimum requirements 2) applying for the job 3) The written exam 4)The oral exam 5) The physical ability test 6) Background checks

These are typically the steps that every new firefighter has to go through to become a firefighter, fire stations in each region/State might have different minimum requirements or processes for the application but they all go through the same sequence of events listed above. I will go through each of the steps to give you an idea of what you have to go through to become a firefighter.

Step 1 to become a firefighter -- Meet minimum requirements

the first step of the process to become a firefighter (meeting the minimum requirements) is typically the longest part of the process. To meet the minimum requirements you first have to figure out what they are. Your best approach for this step would be to go down to the fire station of where you would want to work and ask them “what are you looking for in a new recruit” or “what courses/training should I take you have a good chance at the job”. You will find out exactly what they are looking for and this information is not listed in the application all of the time.

After you find out what is required of you to become a firefighter, you have to go out and get the necessary training/certificates/courses to meet the requirements if you want any chance to become a firefighter.

Step 2 to become a firefighter -- Apply for the job

Once you obtain the necessary credentials to meet the minimum requirements to become a firefighter in that particular state/region your next step is to apply for the job. I would simply call the fire station and ask where would I be able to find the job postings and get an application to become a firefighter. Fill out the application and submit it….. now you wait for the next step to become a firefighter. WARNING: please take the time to read and follow the instructions on the application to the “t”! print clearly! I’ve seen people would really wanted to become a firefighter never get a call back because of this.

Step 3 to become a firefighter -- The written exam

After it is deemed that you have met the minimum requirements you will be contacted to come in and participate in a written exam as the next step to become a firefighter. The written exam is a mechanism to weed out candidates who aren’t serious to become a firefighter so it is important you take it seriously. The best way to prepare for the written exam is to purchase a prep study guide or course and go through it/study it.

Thousands of current firefighters and myself recommend you check out this firefighter study program if you are serious about passing and getting in front of the competition.

Step 4 to become a firefighter -- The Oral Exam

Another element of the process to become a firefighter is the oral exam. This oral exam is feared by the majority of candidates who want to become a firefighter and anybody looking for a job. If you really want to become a firefighter and ace the oral interview, follow this advice: don’t stress out and over prepare for the oral interview, they typically want to see you relax, be yourself and hear your story. Before the interview I would create a storyline of all the major events that happened in your life and write out the takeaways or lessons learned from those events. During the interview I would want to highlight and go through your story, everyone has a story to tell so tell yours and tell they why you want to become a firefighter.

Step 5 to become a firefighter - The Physical Ability Test

If you seriously wants to become a firefighter you should be starting to prepare for the physical exam right now! If you want a structured workout program to help you become a firefighter and get you in great shape for the physical test, I recommend you try the Turbulence Training Program.

The Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) is part of the process to become a firefighter and consists of 8 events or stations:

1) Stair Climb

2) Hose Drag

3) Equipment Carry

4) Ladder Raise & Extension

5) Forcible Entry

6) Search

7) Rescue

8) Ceiling Breach & Pull

Step 6 to become a firefighter - Background Checks

One of the final steps of the firefighting recruitment process is to undergo a background check. This is something all fire departments perform which means you should start thinking about your actions and make sure you stay out of trouble. You can’t control anything to do with the background check but I just wanted to make sure you are aware that it’s part of the process to become a firefighter.

Become a Firefighter

Now that you know the basic steps to become a firefighter it is time for you to take action!

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