Philadelphia 2011

[the shadow]

Yes, you are wrong. Orientation is for those individuals whom are selected as a potential candidate to become a recruit. Orientation is where you fill out your "job application" and learn about the hiring process- what happens when, where to go, who to report to, etc etc etc. You will also receive reams of forms for your medical exam, background check, etc etc etc.

They usually call a hundred candidates or so to orientation in the hopes of cultivating 50 or so recruits. Once they comb through everyone's paperwork, do backgrounds, and weed them out, you may or may not receive a notice to report for your medical exam. Once you successfully clear medical exam, then you receive an offer of employment. At least thats how they did it 10+ years ago.

Thanks, I really appreciate any and all feedback regarding this process. I have been in several processes but this is my first test with Philadelphia. I have been following the posts back from their last test and have been taking bits and pieces from the guys who have gotten hired to try and understand Philly's process. I ranked rather well and I'm just trying to stay ahead of the game.

[BigGuyPhilly]

Is there anything someone in the low 200s should be doing to get prepared? Besides hoping his ranking doesn't drop dramatically due to other candidates extra points ...

Nothing really, other than waiting. Don't quit your day job until everything is definite. You can start doing some cardio and working out, so if you get into the Academy, the PT won't be bad.

[deadbear271]

Thanks BigGuy

[antny9111]

I am in the low 300's on the list how is my chances for gettin in the second class?....and has anyone heard anything about the letters goin out thanks

[Long Time]

unbelievable

[Upsidedown]

Is it? I can totally believe that.

[Randomname2]

How difficult is it to get an EMT cert? If its not that hard, why wasn't everyone encouraged to do it prior to taking the test? Considering that the additional 2 or 3 points (whatever they are giving) could mean the difference b/w being #150 or #1200 - I'm surprised more ppl weren't told about it.

Whatever it would cost could prove to be a wise investment if it means you have a stable job for the next 20+ years.

[Randomname2]

I also thinks it's a bunch of bull that ppl are being allowed to adjust their score after the test b/c they missed the deadline prior to the test.

That's the whole point of a deadline - you miss it, you're SOL. Now, even though we have a list, ppl still aren't sure of where they stand b/c people didn't handle their business when they were supposed to.

They should really just rip up this list, do a new test, and start over. The entire thing just smells bad.

And this is coming from someone who is in the top 10% on the list.

[nutts09]

How difficult is it to get an EMT cert? If its not that hard, why wasn't everyone encouraged to do it prior to taking the test? Considering that the additional 2 or 3 points (whatever they are giving) could mean the difference b/w being #150 or #1200 - I'm surprised more ppl weren't told about it.

I don't get it either... It was posted on the exam announcement, was it not?

I also thinks it's a bunch of bull that ppl are being allowed to adjust their score after the test b/c they missed the deadline prior to the test.

That's the whole point of a deadline - you miss it, you're SOL. Now, even though we have a list, ppl still aren't sure of where they stand b/c people didn't handle their business when they were supposed to.

Amen! ... And there was PLENTY of time.

They should really just rip up this list, do a new test, and start over. The entire thing just smells bad.

And this is coming from someone who is in the top 10% on the list

I will be more than glad to take your spot if you are willing to give it up? I mean, you just seem so unhappy where you are right now...

[Randomname2]

I'm unhappy b/c if the test was legit I'd easily be in the top of those test-takers (w/o vet points, certs, etc..). I think a legitimate test should weed everyone out who didn't dedicate enough time to studying the actual booklet (I know - a novel idea).

The test wasn't fair, ergo, my rank isn't fair. I know its not bad, but I should be much higher. I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way. Its a bunch of bs..

[Long Time]

I also agree scores should not be allowed to be adjusted after the deadline.

[Long Time]

I also read on other firehouse forums they had the hiring process changed while candidates were in the testing process. This needs to happen in philly and In my opinion, the city needs to add a physical test exactly like the PPD has.

[deadbear271]

What are Philly's shifts like?

[Stogie81]

Did anyone else write an appeal? I sent my appeal out Tuesday.

[FWDbuff]

What are Philly's shifts like?

two 10 hour days 0800-1800, two 14 hour nights (18-0800) then four days off.

[FWDbuff]

How difficult is it to get an EMT cert? If its not that hard, why wasn't everyone encouraged to do it prior to taking the test?

The whole thing came to light when someone in the Mayors Office got the bright idea to offer the extra points to kids in one of the Technical High Schools (in the Fire/EMS program) the extra points for EMT and/or FF1. Care to guess what the vast majority of the racial make-up is of said Technical High School is????? The morons in the mayors office didnt understand that the state certs also made anyone else in the state eliginle for the points as well.....when they found out they tried to backpedal and say the points were for City Residents only.....until a lawsuit was filed but quickly settled by the City's offer of the points for everyone. I suspect that the "wheeling and dealing" for the extra points after the deadline is for the seniors in this year's graduating class of said Technical High School to file for their points as from what I understand they didnt final out until recently. Once again, each and every one of you should be running, not walking....to an attorney and filing that class-action suit.

[nutts09]

I'm unhappy b/c if the test was legit I'd easily be in the top of those test-takers (w/o vet points, certs, etc..). I think a legitimate test should weed everyone out who didn't dedicate enough time to studying the actual booklet (I know - a novel idea).

The test wasn't fair, ergo, my rank isn't fair. I know its not bad, but I should be much higher. I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way. Its a bunch of bs..

Yeah, it sucks, merit is out the window. But... You (we) KNEW THIS going in! On the exam announcement it says in plain English that the TPM is "pass/fail" and we will be banded on the WSI portion. You knew this months before the test!

I also read on other firehouse forums they had the hiring process changed while candidates were in the testing process. This needs to happen in philly and In my opinion, the city needs to add a physical test exactly like the PPD has.

A true fitness test would weed out almost half the candidates right then and there (at least from what I saw hanging outside on test day)

Did anyone else write an appeal? I sent my appeal out Tuesday.

What are you appealing stogie? Did they grade your WSI test wrong? I am not ranked well either... but I don't feel like I have anything concrete to appeal? Even so, I live out of state and am not able to just swing on by and review my test results. Not very fair either, wouldn't you say? So I guess only some of us get to review and appeal.

The whole thing came to light when someone in the Mayors Office got the bright idea to offer the extra points to kids in one of the Technical High Schools (in the Fire/EMS program) the extra points for EMT and/or FF1. Care to guess what the vast majority of the racial make-up is of said Technical High School is????? The morons in the mayors office didnt understand that the state certs also made anyone else in the state eliginle for the points as well.....when they found out they tried to backpedal and say the points were for City Residents only.....until a lawsuit was filed but quickly settled by the City's offer of the points for everyone. I suspect that the "wheeling and dealing" for the extra points after the deadline is for the seniors in this year's graduating class of said Technical High School to file for their points as from what I understand they didnt final out until recently. Once again, each and every one of you should be running, not walking....to an attorney and filing that class-action suit.

Holy hell.

[Stogie81]

There are plenty of questions to be answered and the only way to get the answers is to ask those questions. To answer the question about the wsi.... I have no f****** idea because I have no idea how the scoring worked or what my score means and that is a big problem. I can tell you that I got a 97% on the pass fail portion but I guess I was a sucker for studing so hard since I only needed a 66% to pass. Whats not fair? The fact that you live out of state? At least it is universal thing you have to "swing by" to review it. You had to swing by to take the test and if it matters to you you should find a way.

[nutts09]

There are plenty of questions to be answered and the only way to get the answers is to ask those questions. To answer the question about the wsi.... I have no f****** idea because I have no idea how the scoring worked or what my score means and that is a big problem. I can tell you that I got a 97% on the pass fail portion but I guess I was a sucker for studing so hard since I only needed a 66% to pass. Whats not fair? The fact that you live out of state? At least it is universal thing you have to "swing by" to review it. You had to swing by to take the test and if it matters to you you should find a way.

Yeah I agree there are plenty of questions to be answered, but there always are. I'll be the first to say the whole PFD testing process was "lax" to say the least. Still, I have taken a number of tests and not once - whether I participated in it or not - have I ever heard of any Civil Service exam where candidates are freely allowed to review the exam and your score! So you guys are lucky for that.

As far as your 97%, when all you needed was a 66%.... well, so it's four points below 70% the standard passing rate. But this is not the first test ever to be "dumbed down." STILL, as I said before... you KNEW the TPM was pass/fail. You KNEW this already!

And, oh, it matters to me, big time, studying my *** off and ranking too low. If I had the couple hundred dollars it takes to fly into Philly every time something doesn't go my way, I would, but I can't use what I don't have, not to mention I got two little kids to feed. It might be a different story if I actually got something thrown at me that was not already announced on the exam bulletin, such as banding as opposed to ranking! And be honest with yourself, I GUARANTEE IT that you would not be appealing anything if you ranked in the top 10%, like, say, ole Randomname2 up there, who is "unhappy", but never mentioned anything about HIS appeal... or even better, like deadbear a few posts up, who is taking up prime real estate on the list (according to him/her) for a career which he doesn't even know what the schedule is. A career that many of us have been preparing for our whole lives and can not settle for anything else.

Unreal.

But I can say this, and maybe I am naive because the PFD guys that are on this forum seem to be very helpful and willing to offer a lot... but I will never get my firefighter career by whining to some lawyer that things aren't going my way.

Good luck.

[FWDbuff]

but I will never get my firefighter career by whining to some lawyer that things aren't going my way.

Why not? Plenty of others have filed class-action suits and won. And do I need to remind you about all of the suits filed by "the preferred demographic"???? Chiicago, FDNY....these are places with currently active lawsuits........All of this Philly bullschit came about because of the fact that the consent decree (a result of THEIR lawsuit) was dissolved last year. Since they could no longer legally hire quotas of the "preferred demographic" now they have to resort to bullschit dumbed down tests with fixed scores.

Whining to a lawyer? I prefer to call it "fighting for what is RIGHT." If this were happening 20 years ago when the kids weren't lazy and didnt have a sense of entitlement like you guys do today, I guarantee the suit would have been filed 20 times over by now and there would have been an injunction to stop the City from hiring off the list. But then again the testing was a fair process back then.....oh, wait....except for the fact that it was "too hard" for certain individuals. Dammit.