FDNY...EMT promotion to FDNY?

[HopefulFF]

Correct me if I am wrong, but these EMT's who backdoor their way into the job still have to go to the Rock, and graduate before they are put on the line. Therefore they are the same as every other firefighter on the job, no? Because if they weren't qualified, then the instructors at the Rock wouldn't have passed them, right? So how are these firefighters different than anyone else? They didn't do anything wrong. Taking the open competitive exam is one option to getting appointed, taking the promotional from EMT or Cop to FF is another. You may not like the politics of the system, but don't take it out on someone who uses an option that is available to anyone. I am not saying that I agree with the system, but it's there, and if someone uses it, who am I or anyone else to blame him/her for using it. Don't hate the player, hate the game.

SF it can also come back to bite someone as it did recently when a few guys who were to be promoted from EMT to FF were told they couldn't go into the academy as the EMT unit couldn't afford to lose that many people at once. It's definitely a risk.

[Andyboyfire]

I would love to someday be on the job on any company but I have heard that members that take this approach are often not put on the more "sought after" companies for fire duty, but i'm not sure how company assingments are dictated.

[HNcorpsman]

this is ridiculous!!! i cant believe some people are ridiculing someone for becoming an EMT on the FDNY to get a fire job!!! someone that takes the time and spends the money to go to college and get their NREMT and go through the year long process to get hired on to EMS, wait about 2 to 3 years and then get hired as a firefighter. in my eyes the guys that "backdoor" their way in are working harder and are doing more to get in, to me that shows more motivation and dedication!!! whatever, what do i know, right?

i joined the united states navy as a hospital corpsman ( if you dont know what that is look it up and learn) and am currently preparing to deploy with my marines to afghanistan... i joined the military specifically to make myself better and more competitive for the fire service... after my time in the navy is done i might just go to FDNY as a paramedic and then try to get the fire position... am i wrong for doing this? its only taking about 10 years to accomplish my goal.... of FDNY FF. even if i could take and pass the competitive FF test i think i would rather go into FDNY EMS just to get the experience, to know what its like to work in EMS, to know what its like to be **** on by everybody, civilians, FFs, and sometime actual ****. if you guys think im "backdooring my way in just tell me please"

[FDNY73]

I am planning to go "backdoor'' as well. I have read the comments on here, both positive and negative about going this route in the FDNY. I am a strong believer in the backdoor option. They wouldn't have it as an option if it was wrong, like someone else said, its not against the law or violating any rules! It's on the FDNY website for god sakes!

So since I plan on doing the same exact thing, I think its totally fine going backdoor. It's not a slacker way of becoming an FDNY Firefighter. Lots of guys do it every year, and I have personally talked with some FDNY Firefighter's and EMT's and neither of them have any problem with someone who chooses to go this way.

I think someone who goes this way isn't necessarily "better'' than the traditional way, but they certainly aren't worse. They are willing to give up 2-4 years of their lives on a EMS rig getting lousy pay, and possibly not entirely "loving" their job. They are willing to work in crappy places, get lousy calls, and put up with a lot of stuff just for that one dream = To be a Fireman for New York City, the greatest job on earth. Once again I say, they are willing to do all this and put aside some years of life for their dream, just like its my dream! I personally wont mind being an EMT for a couple years, I like firefighting better, but EMS aint to bad, especially in NYC, those guys are badass! Hell, they are issued bullet proof vests out of the academy! It takes some balls to work in some NYC neighborhoods, responding to shootings, stabbings and god knows what. And plus, they are still FDNY!! They are still brothers and we should respect someone and congratulate them for doing something to get them on the department faster! Someone who is willing to do anything to join the brotherhood of the FDNY as quick as possible shouldn't be ridiculed, but respected.

Thank you.
God Bless all FDNY, both Fire and EMS.

[FDNY73]

this is ridiculous!!! i cant believe some people are ridiculing someone for becoming an EMT on the FDNY to get a fire job!!! someone that takes the time and spends the money to go to college and get their NREMT and go through the year long process to get hired on to EMS, wait about 2 to 3 years and then get hired as a firefighter. in my eyes the guys that "backdoor" their way in are working harder and are doing more to get in, to me that shows more motivation and dedication!!! whatever, what do i know, right?

i joined the united states navy as a hospital corpsman ( if you dont know what that is look it up and learn) and am currently preparing to deploy with my marines to afghanistan... i joined the military specifically to make myself better and more competitive for the fire service... after my time in the navy is done i might just go to FDNY as a paramedic and then try to get the fire position... am i wrong for doing this? its only taking about 10 years to accomplish my goal.... of FDNY FF. even if i could take and pass the competitive FF test i think i would rather go into FDNY EMS just to get the experience, to know what its like to work in EMS, to know what its like to be **** on by everybody, civilians, FFs, and sometime actual ****. if you guys think im "backdooring my way in just tell me please"

Finally I agree with someone! I think your totally right. Either way, backdoor or not, you shouldn't be treated any different or ridiculed. By doing EMS first (as I plan to do) and then promoting, you are gaining so much more! Would you rather have someone on your crew who applied for FDNY Fire, and then sat on their *** for 4 years waiting for the call. Or would you rather have someone who went to college, got their EMT, moved to NYC and is still considered FDNY??? By doing EMS first you learn the city and what it takes to make it in it, you learn about the FDNY, both EMS and Fire, and you learn how it all works! I cant see how someone can say this is worse than sitting on your *** waiting for the phone to ring.
By doing the backdoor way, you show motiviation and dedication. You are willing to get sh*t by a TON of people, FDNY and civilians on for any number of years just so you can join the FDNY Brotherhood. If that's not dedication, I dont know what is.

[smokinfire21-dupe5]

Well Said!!!

[edpmedic]

Finally I agree with someone! I think your totally right. Either way, backdoor or not, you shouldn't be treated any different or ridiculed. By doing EMS first (as I plan to do) and then promoting, you are gaining so much more! Would you rather have someone on your crew who applied for FDNY Fire, and then sat on their *** for 4 years waiting for the call. Or would you rather have someone who went to college, got their EMT, moved to NYC and is still considered FDNY??? By doing EMS first you learn the city and what it takes to make it in it, you learn about the FDNY, both EMS and Fire, and you learn how it all works! I cant see how someone can say this is worse than sitting on your *** waiting for the phone to ring.
By doing the backdoor way, you show motiviation and dedication. You are willing to get sh*t by a TON of people, FDNY and civilians on for any number of years just so you can join the FDNY Brotherhood. If that's not dedication, I dont know what is.

EXACTLY! Also, many of the more prominent depts require their firefighters to cross train as emt's or medics, and ride the box quite often. For those FDNY ff's who dislike EMS, they aren't forced to do it, other than an occasional backup for the medics(boosts your call volume, allowing justification for more ff positions). FDNY EMS takes care of the medical side, allowing you to do strictly suppression. IMO, working EMS, then being promoted to ff("backdoor" sounds shady and condescending) should be viewed as paying your dues.

[FFFRED]

EXACTLY! Also, many of the more prominent depts require their firefighters to cross train as emt's or medics, and ride the box quite often. For those FDNY ff's who dislike EMS, they aren't forced to do it, other than an occasional backup for the medics(boosts your call volume, allowing justification for more ff positions). FDNY EMS takes care of the medical side, allowing you to do strictly suppression. IMO, working EMS, then being promoted to ff("backdoor" sounds shady and condescending) should be viewed as paying your dues.

Not one of you kids knows the first thing about what you are spouting off about. You don't like our view on it...too F*cking bad...go to one of the other "prominent" depts that tolerate slackers like you who cheat and scam your way into a man's job.

FTM-PTB

[edpmedic]

Not one of you kids knows the first thing about what you are spouting off about. You don't like our view on it...too F*cking bad...go to one of the other "prominent" depts that tolerate slackers like you who cheat and scam your way into a man's job.

FTM-PTB

I'm currently on at another "prominent" dept. I did EMS in Queens for five years before I left. Unless you're the one doing the hiring, it really doesn't matter if I like your view on it or not.

[FFFRED]

I'm currently on at another "prominent" dept. I did EMS in Queens for five years before I left. Unless you're the one doing the hiring, it really doesn't matter if I like your view on it or not.

It will matter when you get to a firehouse with that chip on your shoulder.

Have some pride in yourself...if you are afraid of the open competitive, you don't belong here.
FTM-PTB

[FLA1786]

I'm a medic and I'm making my way up to the city to get the residency points for the next test in 2025. I'll probably end up working for FDNY EMS in the interim, but I don't plan on using the promo. Anyway, you guys are proving Fred right when you sound off and get cocky about how the promo isn't a big deal and the guys ON THE DEPARTMENT are wrong. Keep your mouth shut and your ears open (just like all the other candidates and probies have to). There is no need to post publicly to justify (mainly for yourself) what you are doing to get on the job. If you can live with it remorse free or however you wanna term it, then stay quiet and do what you're going to do. When you come on here and argue and talk down senior members, you prove them right that EMS promos (and EMS) are loud mouth know-it-alls in it to win it for numero uno.

As for Fred not being the one hiring that was clever. But if we cared what the people hiring us thought, we'd be on the DCAS Hiring and Employment thread. Eyes foward, ears open, mouth shut. It's THAT simple. Good luck to everyone.

[DennisTheMenace]

This was brought up to some FDNY Brothers I was in a class with at Emmitsburg a few weeks ago. Only one of the five guys had a problem with it, and even he admitted that after the guy/girl's first fire it would most likely be a non-issue at his House. He was also the only one of the five that was not an Lt. or Capt. Interestingly it was brought up by an NYPD guy who had been an NYC-EMS Medic years ago, and his younger brother is thinking about trying the jump to the Fire side.

[FDNY73]

I am all for working harder not smarter....this kid is willing to put up with EMS BS to get on the job quicker, he should not be condemned for it.

Totally agree! I plan to do the EMS promotional as well after college! If someone (like I will be doing) is willing to put up with being crapped on by the rest of the department and it citizens of NYC for 1-3 years then he should be rewarded for it, and they are rewarded = get on FDNY in about 6 months, not 4 years! Also, I talked with some FDNY Firefighters and they say that it shows more determination. And plus, you have EMS experience so if something ever goes wrong on the job, your the guy. You learn the FDNY and you also learn NYC!

[jklm128]

It will matter when you get to a firehouse with that chip on your shoulder.

Have some pride in yourself...if you are afraid of the open competitive, you don't belong here.
FTM-PTB

You pretty much contradicted yourself. You say open competitive, yet going out and getting a better resume with BLS/ALS care under your belt doesn't fall under that?

[19FDNY77]

listen guys, remmeber this job requires EMT's and as a firefighter for tghis wonderful city, I am sooooo glad that I have quite a few guys workin on the engine with me when we go to ems runs, They are experienced at this part of the job and could be a great deal of help if a situation gets bad with a victim! some guys would just freeze up when seeing something they didnt want to see or would not even know what to do when something critical happens and have to wait ten minutes for ems to arrive. i say this is a good thing and give props for guys who take the "Back Door" into this job! My brother and spouse are on the job and took the Back Door in and you know what eneryone, cause they know there SH*T , there making more money as emt's on the side than probably any other ff i know on the job. Good luck to all you "Back Door" people!

343

[kingofdahill]

You pretty much contradicted yourself. You say open competitive, yet going out and getting a better resume with BLS/ALS care under your belt doesn't fall under that?

If you truly wanted to be a emt or paramedic then stick with that job. be the best emt/paramedic u can for the city. Dont use citizens lives as a stepping stone to get on the fire dept. Thats disgraceful. Your a pos in my eyes to want to do something like that.
You want a better resume with bls/als then apply to a dept. that gives a sh*t if your a emt or paramedic. CFR-D is all we have to do. Making your emt/paramedic cert. useless on an engine co. here. Therefore the city should really look into stopping the "promotional" testing from a job whose skills are never fully utilized in the fire dept.

[FFFRED]

You pretty much contradicted yourself. You say open competitive, yet going out and getting a better resume with BLS/ALS care under your belt doesn't fall under that?

Better resume? WTF are you talking about?

The open competive exam is a written and physical scored and it gives you a list number and you are hired based on your list number period.

Educate yourself on what you are attempting to argue.

FTM-PTB

[FFFRED]

listen guys, remmeber this job requires EMT's and as a firefighter for tghis wonderful city, I am sooooo glad that I have quite a few guys workin on the engine with me when we go to ems runs, They are experienced at this part of the job and could be a great deal of help if a situation gets bad with a victim! some guys would just freeze up when seeing something they didnt want to see or would not even know what to do when something critical happens and have to wait ten minutes for ems to arrive. i say this is a good thing and give props for guys who take the "Back Door" into this job! My brother and spouse are on the job and took the Back Door in and you know what eneryone, cause they know there SH*T , there making more money as emt's on the side than probably any other ff i know on the job. Good luck to all you "Back Door" people!

343

You are on this job?

FTM-PTB

[nyckftbl]

listen guys, remmeber this job requires EMT's and as a firefighter for tghis wonderful city, I am sooooo glad that I have quite a few guys workin on the engine with me when we go to ems runs, They are experienced at this part of the job and could be a great deal of help if a situation gets bad with a victim! some guys would just freeze up when seeing something they didnt want to see or would not even know what to do when something critical happens and have to wait ten minutes for ems to arrive. i say this is a good thing and give props for guys who take the "Back Door" into this job! My brother and spouse are on the job and took the Back Door in and you know what eneryone, cause they know there SH*T , there making more money as emt's on the side than probably any other ff i know on the job. Good luck to all you "Back Door" people!

343

Another nutcase pretending to be on the job....

[19FDNY77]

yes i AM on this job thank you!