Various Questions About Testing

[PosseTK]

Hi everyone. I'm new to the board and thought I might ask a few questions. First of all, I live on the north shore and am going to be leaving college in a few weeks. I was wondering, how do departments expect to get new, young guys if they must already be Firefighter II and EMT-P certified before date of hire? EMT-P seems feasable to do, but IFSI says Firefighter II is around 2000 dollars, plus the practical part requires gear I assume. My question is, how does one get around that? I am on a voulenteer department at school, but they no one on their is Firefighter II.

Also, What is the physical test like? Exactly what things do you do?

Will some places take you being only EMT-B and no firefighter II certification?

Will my voulenteer expirence help me? Or will they view it as minimal since it was a voulenteer department.

Thanks a lot in advance.

[CaptBob]

You can find more on testing secrets in the Career Article section from the Jobs drop down menu just above this posting.

“Nothing counts ‘til you have the badge . . . Nothing!”

Fire "Captain Bob"

www.eatstress.com

[Firefighter2160]

well...I am too old to ever go career...but I am on a volunteer Department and I just completed my FireFighter II.....all it cost me was my time.......i cannot imagine a deptarment that does not have atleast some certified guys....but i guess it could happen......infact on our Dept. you have to atleast attempt FFII.....don't have to pass but have to attempt it......so the price for certification was right....just my time....also we have a college fire fighter program...we have 6 stations through out the county and have living quarters in them.......if you are a college student and join the depatment you get a free place to live.....not a bad deal at all....


there is a little imput for you......i guess if not that many departments offer training maybe I am very lucky.....




Mike

[SFDredhat126]

I have been hired by two departments in the last six months after taking about five tests. No city that I tested had special requirements. They are all in southern Illinois.

I got applications for quite a few of the Chicago suburbs, and almost all of them required EMT-P to even apply. I was EMT-B and FF2, but I didn't have to have them where I was hired.

So, I would suggest broadening where you look. Try central or southern IL. Springfield, Champaign, Peoria, St. Louis metro area, etc.

Of course, getting as much training as you can while you are looking won't hurt a bit.