Portland Fire & Rescue - now taking applications

[pro300]

Just wanted to remind everybody out there that as of this morning Portland Fire & Rescue is taking applications. Here is the website for information. http://www.portlandonline.com/fire/index.cfm?c=26188

You can complete the application online or if you are in the Portland area you can pick up the application at 1 of the 3 locations. *note* The Administrative Offices have been temporarily moved out of the 3rd floor of Station 1 downtown, so if you head to Station 1 to pick up an application there will probably be a note on the door directing you to the temporary office location on SW Columbia St.

Good luck to everybody taking the test.

[CFDRes]

Is there anyone who has taken Portland's written test in the past that can venture an estimate on the passing score? I haven't had too much luck with FireTEAM tests so far, and am a little discouraged to see Portland is using it...

[GaiusPaul]

pro300, this is my first time taking the Portland test. Are there any study guides needed for it?

Thanks for posting this, BTW.

[ffbam24]

From one of their links
How Do I Become A Firefighter
They recommend Barron's or Arco Study Guides.

Anyone seeing anything on it being a Fireteam test outside of this?

[CFDRes]

From one of their links
How Do I Become A Firefighter
They recommend Barron's or Arco Study Guides.

Anyone seeing anything on it being a Fireteam test outside of this?

Just started the online app and it says that the test is a video-based exam with sections in mathematics, mechanics, human interaction, and reading. There is also a confidentiality notice you must sign that is for the "FireTEAM Emergency Reponse Selection and Training System."

[Jasper17]

Anyone have any information on the City of Portland itself? Or more specifically on the Fire and Rescue department or whatever they call it? I might consider relocation in the next couple of years (from Southern Maryland) and it seems like it might be a nice place. I am a school teacher now and have been a volley for nearly 7 years and I still consider going the career route some day. Any information on Portland would be great. Thanks.

[powerhourcoug]

Anyone have any information on the City of Portland itself? Or more specifically on the Fire and Rescue department or whatever they call it? I might consider relocation in the next couple of years (from Southern Maryland) and it seems like it might be a nice place. I am a school teacher now and have been a volley for nearly 7 years and I still consider going the career route some day. Any information on Portland would be great. Thanks.

http://www.google.com

[Jasper17]

http://www.google.com

Wow, wish I had thought of that.

[Jwarne2001]

There's usually some PF&R regulars who stop by here....hopefully they'll pop in.

To answer some of the questions here:

Portland is a great city, an hour away from the mountains, hour and a half from the beach and three hours from high desert plateau. Yes, it does rain a lot here....but we have great summers and many years we have great weather into October.

PF&R is a terrific dept. Around 700 FF's, 30 stations....serves its community well. An aggressive dept but still very safety conscious. EMS, tech rescue, high angle, hazmat, dive/water rescue, urban interface, etc....something for everyone. Training program is top notch...10 months of academic/practical applications (I'm starting the 6th month currently.)

Check out Ergometrics website (I think it's www.ergometrics.org.) There's a link to the FireTeam testing. I believe this is the first time PF&R has used this....I took the video test with another dept last year. Interesting test...can't really say much because the company makes you sign a confidentiality agreement before taking the test....they're very protective of the test.

Great dept in a great city....can't recommend it enough.

[MTGillinois]

Do the PFD firefighters work ems as well as fire side?

That's about the only question I have left.

[GaiusPaul]

Check out Ergometrics website (I think it's www.ergometrics.org.) There's a link to the FireTeam testing. I believe this is the first time PF&R has used this....I took the video test with another dept last year. Interesting test...can't really say much because the company makes you sign a confidentiality agreement before taking the test....they're very protective of the test.

Great dept in a great city....can't recommend it enough.

Jwarne2001, so reading that correctly, there is no study guide for the test, but only the practice test you can purchase?

Congrats on joining Portland. I hope to be there soon myself.

[clark918]

I took the FireTEAM test with St Louis last summer. So many people failed that they threw it out. I think about 75% failed it. However, they said that the main problem was the math section which I thought was a joke. Over 90% of minorities failed that. St Louis is/was having a big problem with race over there so that ended up being a big deal.

The part that got me a bit was the situational part. I thought that there were always a couple answers that sounded good. I haven't checked the site yet, but I guess there are a couple correct answers after I finished the test. So I think I did pretty well, but never got to see the results.

[Jwarne2001]

Jwarne2001, so reading that correctly, there is no study guide for the test, but only the practice test you can purchase?

Congrats on joining Portland. I hope to be there soon myself.

Thanks...and good luck to you.

My understanding of the process:

Written Test - A Barron or Arco study guide will help you with this. Pretty typical entry level firefighting written exam.

FireTeam Video test - This is new for Portland. Not much prep you can do here. When I took it with a different dept last year, I did buy their online practice guide. It helped somewhat.

Oral Board - Self explanatory.

Physical agility - Take a look at the Physical Agility test link on the PF&R website. It's a unique test but completely passable if you're in decent shape.

Chief's interview - If you make it this far, you'll sit in front of a panel, including chief(s), for some additional questions.

I believe your position on the list will be determined by the Written, First Oral Board and the FireTeam test. The Physical Agility and Chief's Interview will happen as numbers are called off the list. If you go the Trainee route, the process is pretty much the same, except you would go on a separate list and they'll fold the Trainees in with FF/EMT's for each academy.

[Jasper17]

Thanks for the info Jwarne, does sound good. How is life at the academy? Grueling? Obviously lots of book work and evolutions. How's PT and discipline etc?

[Jwarne2001]

The academy is 4 out of the 10 months. It's 40 hours a week (4 X10's) with lots of academics, PT, drilling and evolutions.

From there you move to the training station for 6 months (3 on the engine, 3 on the truck.) You continue to drill during the day and evenings, run evolutions/scenarios, EMS training, academics, etc.....but we also run calls as they come in. You work the 24 on, 48 off schedule. Day starts at 6 a.m.....drill, do housework, more drilling, prepare/eat lunch for the regulars and training officers....then more drilling until dinner, maybe a written test thrown in. Prepare/eat dinner. Then more drilling after dinner, run some EMS scenarios. They'll throw in scenarios out on the drillground for the engine/truck crew to work together.....they'll tap you out like a regular call and the recruits work the call...VERY COOL.

Some nights this may go until 11 p.m. Then you wrap up charts from EMS runs during the day, fill bottles, clean tools, group study. Then try to get a shower and hit the rack by 12:30-1:00. Some shifts, we sleep through the night....others we may be up 2-3 times after midnight running calls. Then were done around 7a.m. the next day.

Tough....but completely worth it.

[Jasper17]

Thanks again man, that does sound like a very unique and meaningful experience.

How often do they hire out there. I'm not registered for the upcoming test, any chance they'd be hiring again before I'm too old? (Just turned 24).

[Jwarne2001]

They've been testing every 2 years lately so if you don't make it out for this round of testing, it'll probably be 2010 when the next round of testing rolls around. Don't quote me as much could happen in 2 years.

FYI, I just had my 36th birthday....left a corporate job to pursure this career. There's a guy in his 40's in the class before ours. If you choose not to test now and wait 2 years, you'll still be 10 yrs younger than me. Go for it.

[GoCougs]

I filled out my application a couple days ago. I was very excited to hear/read that PF&R switched to the video based test. I feel much more confident with this test then the standard written. I decided to go with the EMT test this time instead of the trainee test. Hopefully I will get just as far and hopefully a job this go around. Best of luck to everybody

[Jwarne2001]

Good luck, Mitch. Hope to see you around.

[whatbrown]

I just moved to Portland from San Diego and I will be taking the firefighter test for the first time.

I have a couple of questions specific to the Portland test:

Will the video based test be the only ''written'' test? I have found conflicting information on this.

Will the score of the written test be added to the score of the oral interview for ranking?

Finally, does anybody know approximately how many people will be hired for trainee?

Thank you all very much!