Reserve Firefighter - worthwhile resume builder?

[pbd]

So, I am new to this forum. My goal is to become a firefighter in Southern CA as a career change, so I am really not in any hurry to get hired tomorrow. I am at a crossroads though. Is it worth it to first become a reserve firefighter for OCFA, then go through firefighter 1 training or vise versa? Based on the state of CA budget problems, I am thinking that it does not matter since hiring probably will not go into full swing till the first quarter of 2012. Will becoming a reserve FF for OCFA give me any leg up?

So I have two time line options:
Option 1
July 2010 - April 2011 - complete prerequisites for Firefighter 1 course at Santa Ana College
April 2011 - 2012 - go through PT academy at SAC
2012 - go through reserve academy if I am not hired

Option 2
July 2010 - Start reserve academy / complete EMT course
2011 - complete prerequisites for Firefighter 1 course at Santa Ana College
2012 - go through PT academy at SAC

All comments would be appreciated. If there is another path that I should consider, please chime in. Thanks.

[Bananarama]

Do people seriously consider doing this only as a resume builder? How about consider doing it because of all the training, experience, and opportunity it is for you to help out doing something you love for your community?

I guess I see where some people say that the fire service is becoming a more selfish profession.

[pbd]

Do people seriously consider doing this only as a resume builder? How about consider doing it because of all the training, experience, and opportunity it is for you to help out doing something you love for your community?

I guess I see where some people say that the fire service is becoming a more selfish profession.

Bananarama, I do not really understand the negative tone in your comment. Over half of the people that are currently in the reserves at my station want to become a FT firefighter. Why is that a negative? All I want to know is if anyone has first hand knowledge that it does give you a leg up in the recruitment process. It is a legitimate question.

[miketothed]

To answer your question... Yes, I think reserve FF is a worth while resume builder. Do NOT put reserve/reserve academy above completing your state marshal certified academy.

The reserve academy counts for nothing except being a reserve at OCFA. It is not recognized anywhere else.

The certs you will receive from SAC are recognized everywhere and will open MANY more doors for you. Without this (or EMT-P) you will be limited to taking tests with departments that have open tests only.

Do yourself a favor. Follow my advice. Do timeline 1.

[Bananarama]

Bananarama, I do not really understand the negative tone in your comment. Over half of the people that are currently in the reserves at my station want to become a FT firefighter. Why is that a negative? All I want to know is if anyone has first hand knowledge that it does give you a leg up in the recruitment process. It is a legitimate question.

I have no problems with people wanting to be a reserve FF before they become full time. However, your original post gave the impression you are only doing this for selfish reasons--to benefit yourself and look nice on paper. In my opinion being a reserve or volunteer FF is a great thing but should also be because you want to be apart of something great and still give back to your community through firefighting. Not only is that the mentality that gets you hired, its the mentality that makes a great firefighter.

[arff42]

So, I am new to this forum. My goal is to become a firefighter in Southern CA as a career change, so I am really not in any hurry to get hired tomorrow. I am at a crossroads though. Is it worth it to first become a reserve firefighter for OCFA, then go through firefighter 1 training or vise versa? Based on the state of CA budget problems, I am thinking that it does not matter since hiring probably will not go into full swing till the first quarter of 2012. Will becoming a reserve FF for OCFA give me any leg up?

So I have two time line options:
Option 1
July 2010 - April 2011 - complete prerequisites for Firefighter 1 course at Santa Ana College
April 2011 - 2012 - go through PT academy at SAC
2012 - go through reserve academy if I am not hired



Option 2
July 2010 - Start reserve academy / complete EMT course
2011 - complete prerequisites for Firefighter 1 course at Santa Ana College
2012 - go through PT academy at SAC

All comments would be appreciated. If there is another path that I should consider, please chime in. Thanks.

Here is some solid advice for you. Get your EMT and then get your Paramedic as quickly as you can. Almost every department in southern california has been hit hard by the budget and a medic cert is required to even take a test. I hate to say it, but I have seen very few departments that are even testing these days.

My other advise is to take tests all over the country. Enough said.

And Bananarama brings up a great point. Do not become a Reserve as a stepping stone. Do it because you want too. Thier are so many Reserves that do it as a resume builder and so many are a disgrace to the reserve programs. They don't spend any time at their stations, never show up to drills, drink on weekends, dont wake up for early morning calls and they take volunteer jobs that more dedicated people would love to have. And I can say this and back it up because I was a Reserve with OCFA for 9 years and nothing ****ed me off more then sitting in the engine, seeing a huge black header and not having the manpower to get the rig out of the barn. But, if you are highly dedicated then trust me when I say that plenty of career firefighters will go to bat for you and help you get a fulltime job. Prove yourself, prove yourself and prove yourself.

[pbd]

Here is some solid advice for you. Get your EMT and then get your Paramedic as quickly as you can. Almost every department in southern california has been hit hard by the budget and a medic cert is required to even take a test. I hate to say it, but I have seen very few departments that are even testing these days.

My other advise is to take tests all over the country. Enough said.

And Bananarama brings up a great point. Do not become a Reserve as a stepping stone. Do it because you want too. Thier are so many Reserves that do it as a resume builder and so many are a disgrace to the reserve programs. They don't spend any time at their stations, never show up to drills, drink on weekends, dont wake up for early morning calls and they take volunteer jobs that more dedicated people would love to have. And I can say this and back it up because I was a Reserve with OCFA for 9 years and nothing ****ed me off more then sitting in the engine, seeing a huge black header and not having the manpower to get the rig out of the barn. But, if you are highly dedicated then trust me when I say that plenty of career firefighters will go to bat for you and help you get a fulltime job. Prove yourself, prove yourself and prove yourself.

Last night, I talked to another guy that is finishing up his academy at Santa Ana College. He said that I am going to have to finish my classes before I can get on the waiting list. I have heard that the waiting list is around a year. So, if that is the case, the time line for me to start the academy at SAC would be 2012 at the earliest. And, since I work full-time, I would have to go to the part-time academy so I would not finish up and be able to apply to most jobs till 2013. On one hand, this sucks. But, on the other hand, it kinda takes the pressure off and will give me time to take more EMS related courses and fully participate in the reserves for a good year and a half.

[arff42]

Last night, I talked to another guy that is finishing up his academy at Santa Ana College. He said that I am going to have to finish my classes before I can get on the waiting list. I have heard that the waiting list is around a year. So, if that is the case, the time line for me to start the academy at SAC would be 2012 at the earliest. And, since I work full-time, I would have to go to the part-time academy so I would not finish up and be able to apply to most jobs till 2013. On one hand, this sucks. But, on the other hand, it kinda takes the pressure off and will give me time to take more EMS related courses and fully participate in the reserves for a good year and a half.

Look into transferring to Mat San Antonio Colleges fire program. They have a part time academy that consists of 2 nights a week and weekends. Your classes should transfer right over.

[CaptBob]

As mentioned above only become a volley for the right reasons and are able to committ the time to be an asset.

Candidates want the opportunity to be a volunteer as a way of showing interest, gain hands on experience, get signed off on the FF1 and have something to put on their resume and can say in their oral they have been a volunteer. Often they don’t know the culture, politics and etiquette. They get too comfortable, talk too much, become whiners, don’t keep their mouths shut, say and do things they shouldn’t.

You will make an impression becoming a volunteer. Good or bad. Because of the politics something could happen that could ruin any chances you will ever have as a firefighter. And the big problem is you will never know what or who badmouthed you.

Even if you're testing else where, if you listed you are or were a volunteer the background investigator is going to be checking out your history with the volunteer department. They could contact a person that will bad mouth you that will keep you from being considered. Many volunteers, officers and chiefs of departments have tanked a whole a lot of wanna be's firefighters just because they played favorites, were jealous of their career path, couldn't make the cut trying to get a paid position themselves, lied to these candidates faces and they never knew what happened.

I’ve seen this happen far too much. Candidates wait years trying to become a paid member of their volunteer department or candidates like yourself want to be a volunteer as a stepping stone to a full time position and they have been marked because of some incident they don’t even know about that will keep them badge less.