Balancing work and school, staying physically fit, keeping afloat financially and staying engaged with family and friends are some of the many things you need to consider on your path to becoming a Firefighter/Medic.  Below are some general guidelines and other considerations you’ll want to be aware of during your journey.

Fitness

One of the best things about a job within the field of EMS or Fire is that you are constantly moving – keeping equipment ready, operating tools, cooking, cleaning, working out and most importantly, responding to emergencies.  When preparing for a career in these fields, you will want to know as early as possible if you are physically fit for duty.  One of the best things you can do is arrange for a ride-along with a Fire department or ambulance company as soon as possible, as this will allow you to see for yourself the physical demands of the job.

Do you have any significant health problems?

Any significant health issues such as heart problems, epilepsy or narcolepsy may keep you from a career in emergency services.  If you have any questions, check with your doctor immediately.

Need a physical?

Visit our Resources page for a list of facilities that can help you.

Are you physically fit?

EMS and Fire jobs will require you to lift, move and manipulate people and/or equipment on a daily basis. Staying strong, fit and healthy is not a choice – it is MANDATORY. For those individuals that do not take their health and wellness seriously, it’s only a matter of time before they hurt themselves on the job, get sick, or worse yet – are forced out on an early retirement because of a serious health issue.

Need help getting in shape?

Visit our Resources page to find fitness professionals who understand the demands of your profession. FirefighterMedic.com has worked with these local resources to tailor workouts specifically to meet your needs.

Finances

The career path to become a Firefighter/Medic can take a minimum of 3 years, with an average that is closer to 5 years.  With that in mind, you must take the costs of school, travel, uniforms and living expenses all into account when considering this path. If you are just starting out, you don’t need to plan 3 years out to every last penny, but you should have a job that pays the bills and is flexible enough to accommodate your school schedule, a school and a job that are relatively close to home, and friends and family that understand your goals.

Can you afford the cost of school?

This includes tuition, fees, parking permits, books, school supplies, and possibly uniform items as well (pants, polo shirt, belt, boots, etc)

Need help paying for school costs?

Visit your school counseling office for more information about student grants and loans.  We’ve also consolidated a few good Resources for you here.

Do you have a job that is flexible enough to accommodate your school schedule?

Classes on often offered in series.  For example, Monday-Wednesday-Friday, or Tuesday-Thursday. Saturday classes are also common and can run the whole day long. When considering if your current job is flexible enough to accommodate your proposed school schedule, make sure to consider what kind of study time you’ll need as well. A good rule of thumb is to set aside 1 hour of study time for every 3 hours of class.

Do you have a job that will allow you time to attend each session of class?

One sure way to perform poorly on exams is to miss class time. It doesn’t matter if you have a good excuse or not – EMS and Fire Science/Fire Technology classes are not the type of training you can just breeze through or show up when it’s convenient for you. Every class will be important, every class will teach you things that could someday be the difference between life or death – your life, your crew’s life, or the patient’s life. You don’t want to be the person who shows up to the scene of an emergency only to realize “Shoot, I missed that topic during class”! Make sure your current job will allow you ample time to study for and attend each and every class session.

Will the pay of a typical EMT job or Reserve Firefighter position be enough to support you?

Prepare yourself financially for the life that awaits you as you begin working in the field of EMS and Fire.  The jobs that you will be qualified for in the beginning of your journey typically do not have a high hourly wage and very rarely offer health benefits.

Need help with financial planning?

Visit our Resources page to find local experts who will help you prepare for the journey ahead.

Family

One of the most important things to consider is how your career journey will affect your friends and family.  As you progress in the field of EMS and Fire, you will find that a lot of time must be dedicated to attending classes, studying, and working in the field that you have chosen.  This means that you will very likely be spending long hours away from home in some capacity or another.  This can potentially change the dynamics within your family significantly, so you would be wise to prepare those close to you for what lies ahead.

As you start school, you may have to balance a full-time job and a full load of classes.  This will cut down significantly on your free time with a significant other or kids. If you are unable to work full-time during school, you may need to depend on others to financially support you.

EMT class
5 unit, semester long course
5-10 hours per week study time
Approximately 230 hours over 3.5 months

Paramedic school
12 units, 2 semesters
25-30 hours per week study time
Approximately 1000 hours over 9 months

Firefighter I Academy
Up to 12 units, 13 weeks
40 hours per week training time
15-20 hours per week study time
Approximately 780 hours over 3 months

Ride-alongs
8, 12 or 24 hour shifts
2-5 ride-alongs per month

Volunteer or Reserve Firefighter shifts
12 or 24 hour shifts
2-5 shifts per month

Other things to consider

If you can keep your important information organized throughout the course of your career, you will reduce or eliminate time searching for documents at the last minute when submitting job applications.

Start compiling a record of your employment history
This includes the name of the business, address, phone number, direct supervisor, duties, reason for leaving.

Keep a list of references that are not family members
This can include a co-worker or supervisor, a coach, or someone you know who already works in EMS or a fire department.

Prepare for a background investigation
Keep a detailed employment and reference history  – the importance of this cannot be understated.
Separate yourself from situations and people that include drug use, excessive drinking,  and inappropriate or illegal behavior.

Ensure a clean driving record
Obtain a printout of your driving history from the DMV, and examine it for any errors or violations

Stay out of debt
If at all possible, try to avoid debt and keep a clean credit history – this can and will be examined by a background investigator.