San Diego County

 

Guide to Becoming a Firefighter

What is the job of a Firefighter?

 
Firefighters respond to a variety of emergencies. Naturally, fire suppression, prevention, and safety are a big part of the job. However, the fire service has evolved over time to include a very high level of emergency medical responses as well. Nearly every fire department in San Diego requires their firefighters to be trained at the Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) or the Paramedic level. Medical aids and fire response make up the bulk of the call volume at any given fire department. A typical day on the job as a Firefighter will include things such as: Keeping tools and equipment in a state of readiness, a workout to keep physically fit, training together as a crew, and of course, responding to emergencies. Because shifts typically run in 24 hour durations, it is common for firefighters to cook and eat meals together, clean the station and apparatus together, and other routine things to keep the fire station in good working order.

For the purposes of this website, we have decided that showing you how to become a Firefighter is a more valuable use of your time than simply describing the job to you. There have been outstanding books published lately that we would be happy to refer you to if you’d like to know more about the demands of the job. You can find a direct link to acquire these books, and find other valuable tools to help you during your career journey at our Resources page.
 

What it takes to become a Firefighter

 
In the simplest terms, to become a Firefighter you must develop a blend of education, training and experience that relates to the job you are seeking. Each component is equally important. It generally takes anywhere from 3-5 years to gain employment in a career-level fire department.

  • Education:
    Every class you take that is specific to the field (Fire or Emergency Medical Service (EMS)) in which you intend to work should be included when you consider this category. FOR EXAMPLE: In addition, if you have a college degree in any subject, this should also be included, as it shows a broader base of knowledge and your ability to persevere and conform when under stress.
  • Training:
    When you receive job-specific training, that training would fall under this category. Examples of this would be attending a Firefighter I Academy, or attending a course in Rescue Systems or Wildland firefighting. This is very similar to the “Education” category, and there is some overlap. However, the difference here is that you will walk away with hands-on experience in a given subject, as opposed to being only being exposed to the classroom-learning environment.
  • Experience:
    Any experience that you have as it relates to firefighting or EMS should be considered here. Again, there may be some categorical overlap, as you could reference the hands-on training that you receive in a Firefighter I Academy as “Experience” as well. In addition, you should include any experience that you have in dealing with the public in a customer service capacity, working with charitable organizations, or working as a member of a team. All of these experiences will make you an attractive candidate for any job.

Every class that you take, every job that you work, and every time that you volunteer your time, you should take away something from that experience to help you become a strong Firefighter candidate. This is important on two levels:  First, you become more valuable on the scene of an emergency incident when you have prepared yourself with the necessary training to mitigate that emergency situation safely and effectively. Secondly, each time you receive training or education, and each time you work in a job or a volunteer capacity, you gain experience interacting with people that come from all walks of life. Communication, team dynamics, and customer service are important skills for you to develop and grow over time – they serve as the foundation of what will make you a good Firefighter candidate.

From the day you start down your career path, to the day you sit down to interview for your dream job, you will want to be doing something that relates to your education, training, and experience in the field of emergency services.
 

How can I become a Firefighter?

 
Below is a series of recommended steps that you should take to become a Firefighter:

1.    Define your goal
2.    Take a CPR/First Responder course as soon as possible
3.    Outline the classes that you’ll take in the next 2 years
4.    Start looking for opportunities in your field of interest
5.    Attack your goal from all angles
6.    Create a well-balanced resume
7.    Begin preparing now for your background investigation
8.    Stay focused and maintain a positive attitude

1. Define your goal

Having a clearly defined goal could be the most important part of your journey. This will allow you to “map out” the classes that you want to take over the coming years. Your goals and path may change over time – and that’s okay!  However, to sign up for a random class without knowing if it serves your long-term goals is simply a waste of time. With each new development (such as getting a new job, gaining a new level of training, or even failing a class) take a moment to sit down and assess how that may change the way your original plan might look.

Your personal goal may be to become an EMT, a Paramedic, a Firefighter, or a Firefighter/Medic. The job of Firefighter/Medic is the most difficult to attain and it will take you at least 3 years to complete the necessary training in order to apply for a job in that capacity. You have the potential to gain employment in the other 3 jobs much sooner than that if you are able to execute a well-developed plan.

2. Take a CPR/First Responder course as soon as possible

An EMT certificate is now considered the minimum level of medical training needed to apply for nearly every firefighter job in San Diego County.

You must complete a CPR/First Responder course before you can enroll in an EMT class. The title of this pre-requisite course may vary depending on what school you attend. More info can be found at EMT Training.

For those that do not have a CPR/First Responder card yet, there are some volunteer firefighting opportunities that do exist. You can see a list of Volunteer Fire departments at our section titled Firefighter Jobs.

3. Outline the classes that you’ll take in the next 2 years

This is where you can put this website to work for you. Many of the early steps that you’ll take towards becoming a Firefighter are semester-long classes or training that falls within the time frame of a semester (example: Firefighter academy). Look at each semester as a chance to build towards your ultimate goal. 15-18 units per semester is considered a full schedule of classes.

You must first enroll in a CPR/First Responder class, followed by an EMT class as soon as possible. In order to start working towards a degree in Fire Science/  Technology, enroll in fire science classes as well. (Note: To earn a degree at a community college in Fire Science/Technology, you must take General Education classes as well. Consult your school counselor as soon as possible so that you can map out the classes that you’ll need.)

The key to this stage of planning is trying to map out your future 6 months, 12 months, and 18 months in advance, with provisions for a back-up plan should you deviate from your original path.  See Firefighter Example Plans for more details.
 

  • Which school is closest to you geographically?
  • What semester can you register in next?
  • Are you interested in becoming a Paramedic?You may want to consider the schools that offer EMT & Paramedic level classes so that you can become acclimated to the program offered there and get to know the staff.
  • What classes can you take concurrently?
  • Can you take an EMT class and a Fire Science class during the same semester?
  • If you take and pass each class you sign up for
  • …when will you be eligible for the next Fire Academy?
  • …the next session of Paramedic school?

4. Start looking for opportunities in your field of interest

As soon as you are eligible (and sometimes before you are eligible) you should apply for every job that looks attractive to you within a given field. The application & hiring process can be a long one—no matter what job you are applying for—and you want to provide yourself as many opportunities as possible for employment.  For example, when applying for an EMT job with an ambulance company or at a hospital, it would not be out of the ordinary for that process to take 1 month or longer. When applying for a job as a Firefighter within a municipal fire department, that process may take up to 12 months.

We mentioned that sometimes you might want to apply for jobs before you are eligible to work. It can take time for certificates such as a National Registry EMT certificate or a Firefighter I certificate to come in the mail. Don’t let the fact that you don’t have these documents in hand stop you from turning in an application. Simply note in your resume and application that you are waiting for the certificate to arrive in the mail however,  make sure that this is permissible with that agency.  They will inform you of any possible restrictions with regards to this practice.

The bottom line is this: The smart EMT, Paramedic, or Firefighter candidate will apply early and often for every job that they are eligible for, the moment they become eligible.  The candidate that restricts their focus to one agency, or waits around to hear back from a given job opportunity after only one phone call or one application, will often times miss out, as more proactive candidates continue to actively pursue these opportunities. Since no job opening is a guaranteed future job, make sure that you give yourself the best opportunity to attain the job experience you need by applying to many different agencies and in many different levels of firefighting and EMS.

5. Attack your goal from all angles

If you want to become an EMT, the path towards this career if very clear and (relatively) short. If you want to become a Paramedic, this will require extra work beyond what it takes to become an EMT, but you will be able to focus your efforts in the medical field exclusively throughout your career.

However, if you want to become a Firefighter, you will do yourself a service by attacking your goal from all angles – or more simply put – by working on the medical AND the firefighting side of things at the same time.

We’ve touched on the fact that you will need at least a little bit of medical training to be considered for employment by a fire department, but many times you will need some formal firefighting education as well. The smart candidate will start to build their resume by gaining experience in both fields of study on their way towards a job as a Firefighter/Paramedic (aka Firefighter/Medic).  Again, there are many different paths you can take – so take your time to find the one that will work best for you.

6. Create a well-balanced resume

Nearly every firefighting or EMS job candidate these days comes to the interview for their respective job with a very similar resume: EMT class, ambulance job, and a few fire science/fire technology classes. What can you bring to the table that will make you stand out as a job candidate?

It’s important to remember the things that will make you a valuable employee within any Fire or EMS agency – the ability to handle adversity, strong customer-service skills, and the ability to work within a team framework – to name just a few. Think about how many life experiences you may already have in your background that can be referenced when talking about these valuable concepts.   If you don’t have any experience with these concepts, now is the time to start developing that background.

  • Customer Service:
    Nearly every job requires employees to interact directly with customers in some fashion. Experience in providing others with a service of any kind develops your ability to deal with adversity, problem solving, and putting the needs of the organization above your own personal needs.
  • Teamwork:
    Have you played team-sports of any kind? Working positively with peers and/or a superior towards common goals are important life-skills, as any Fire or EMS job will require you to work within a team framework to some extent, no matter how large or small the organization.
  • Community involvement:
    Have you volunteered your time to a local charitable organization? Working with people from all walks of life, and giving of yourself without the promise of a reward, all helps to develop the spirit of public service. Please see our Resources page for a listing of worthy charities in need of people just like you.

7. Begin preparing now for your background investigation

The smart candidate will look to maintain the following items while in pursuit of a career in Fire or EMS:

  • Think twice about getting that visible tattoo or getting your body pierced in visible areas.
    Some agencies have rules that prohibit these types of things.
  • If you smoke, quit.
    Many Fire agencies require you to sign a document stating you have not smoked for the past year, and that you will not smoke at any point while employed by the department.
  • Keep yourself appropriately groomed.
    Many fire departments have rules prohibiting facial hair (except for a moustache). This means no beard, goatee, or any other combination of facial hair. Wearing any facial hair to an oral interview can severely reduce your chances of getting hired.

A clean credit or financial history

There are 3 major credit agencies (TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax) that track this information – make sure that you are aware of all 3 of your scores. If you have outstanding debt, plan now to eliminate it as soon as possible. Close any credit cards you are not utilizing and try to keep from opening new ones.

A clean driving record

Any accidents (regardless of who was at fault) and any other traffic-related incidents, may keep you from being cleared to operate an ambulance or other fire apparatus.

A clean law enforcement record

If you have been in trouble with the law this could potentially impact your chances of being hired, as many other candidates you will compete against will not have ANY legal history.  Any history of alcohol/drug abuse or violence will be questioned and may serve as grounds to disqualify you from the application process.

An up-to-date list of relatives and friends

During a background investigation, you are going to be asked to provide names, addresses, and phone numbers of your relatives and close friends. These people may be contacted to vouch for your character and any other background information that you may have disclosed.

An up-to-date list of employment history

It is not uncommon for a prospective employer to ask you to provide information from every job you have held over the past 10 years. Some agencies will ask you to provide information for every job you have ever held. This information typically includes name, address, and telephone number of employer; exact dates employed; your job title and responsibilities; your salary; the name of your supervisor; and your reason for leaving.

An up-to-date list of educational history

Typically you are going to be asked to provide information from every educational institution you have attended including high school. Requested information can include: Name and address of the school, course names, number of units completed, and degrees obtained (if applicable). You may be asked to provide sealed transcripts from a given institution and this can take some time.  Plan ahead, if possible, and order a few copies of these transcripts at once if you are applying for multiple jobs.

8. Stay focused and maintain a positive attitude

Nothing worth having in life comes easy, and a job with a Fire or EMS agency is no exception.  It is important to stay focused on the goals you have set, and remain positive throughout your journey.  Don’t let the fact that you missed out on a job application, failed a test, or even failed an entire class set you back. Simply re-group, decide how you can learn from the experience, and get back on track. A strong Firefighter candidate is rarely judged by how many times they have failed; rather, they are judged by how they recovered from their mistakes or setbacks and stayed true to their goals.

You will find that many of the people that you meet in classes or other entry-level jobs will be the same people you run into over and over again during your career.  When doing a ride-along, you may meet Fire or EMS personnel that may one day sit across from you in a job interview. There are no insignificant meetings during your career journey, and every person that you meet or come into contact with is important! This includes secretaries, patients, kids doing school tours – EVERYONE.

Treat others, should they be a peer in class or the Chief of a department, with the same respect and positive attitude that you would like to be treated with as well. This simple concept will pay huge dividends for you personally and professionally in any career that you choose to pursue.

 

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