How Old Is Too Old

[Fytnfire]

My question is How old is too old?
I have a friend of mine who is on a volenteer fire dept. He has hinted to me that he would like to be a full time career ff also. He says the only thing holding him back is he feels he is too old.
He is quite knowledgable and has a long list of certifactionns in the fire service. I have worked many fires with him and there is no question on the capibilities of him carring out the many hard and physically demanding tasks to being an excellent fire fighter. He is at every training, manditory or not always wanting to make his skills better. I belive that he would make a great Fire Fighter.
I am just curious as to what age is really the cut off into the career service.
Thanks

Career & Volenteer In Kansas
"I have no ambition in this world but one, and that is to be a fireman."

[dennisfiller]

It depends on the department. Most that I have heard of have a cut off arround 35-37.

Dennis

[sbfdco1]

When I need someone to change my drool cup, I'm to old.

[SAFD46Truck]

The age limit is 34 here.

[TFDNICK]

State law in Ohio is 31 for full time firefighters. Although many cities either ignore this law or change their charter/ordiance. The 31 year full is mostly pension driven.

[CaptOldTimer]

I don't think an upper age limits will hold water in Federal Court. We have hired members in the low to middle forties. If they can pass the Written, CPAT and Medical as well as the background and oral interview, have aleast a high school diploma or ged and no criminal record and good driving record, they are considered for hiring. Some that are hired get all the way through the 18 weeks of recruit school, while some and younger ones as well have failed tests and are dropped in the recruit school.

[hwoods]

I guess you could say that us Oldtimers stick together, . Anyway, Some years back, a smaller city here in Maryland hired a Retired FDNY Firefighter for a full time position and the gentleman was approaching 60. I was hired by the State (Md DNR) Forest Service for a Firefighting position last March at age 62. Unlike some states, Maryland is not involved in any Fire retirement systems, except for Firefighters who are directly employed by the State. BWI Airport is the only one that I can think of, offhand.

[PuffyNPFD]

My dept. hired a 53 yo male last year. Does the job just fine, but won't work long enough to get a 50 % pension (20 yrs.).

[distchief60b]

The only organization that can have an upper age limit is the Federal Government. They are exempt from their own anti-discrimination laws!

Harve and captoldtimer....I am with you guys!

I am 47 and was hired by my current department at age 45. I am 8th in seniority in a 15 person department and am the 4th oldest in the department. Including myelf there are 5 people on this department that have more than 10 years of service in the fire department. The rest are all kids.

Look at Joe (FDNY R-1....09-11) he was in his 60s and on RS-1 in FDNY... As long as you can do the job!

[bkholmes]

FDNY is age limit is 29

[DeputyChiefGonzo]

Another LODD in his 70's....

From the home page of FH.com

The U.S. Fire Administration has received notice that a Brooken, Oklahoma Volunteer Fire Department member died in the line of duty January, 26.

Firefighter Donald Conner, 74, was involved fighting a forest fire around noon. He was on a one-inch line and had returned to his brush-truck to reposition the apparatus when he collapsed. The cause of death is being investigated.

The Brooken VFD is in Stigler, Oklahoma and led by Chief Frank Deshazo. Stigler is in the middle of the state near the Arkansas State line.

[LaFireEducator]

With all due respect Gonzo, your point is ?

While reviewing the 2003 LODDs, I noticed that there were three (3) firefighters in thier 30s and thirteen (13) in thier forties, including 4 under 45, who died as a result of heart attacks.

I will allow anyone reading this to draw thier own conclusions.

[hwoods]

This subject just keeps coming back..... Here's the Straight Scoop from Harve: I DON'T CARE! I'm tired of the constant beating about LODDs. If I'm 75 and have a Cardiac event on a Fire, Guess what. I'll die happy. And that's what matters to me. As I've said before, Firefighting is not a Job, or a hobby, or a Civic Duty, with me. It's a way of life. And I'm living life on my terms.

I'm probably going to make a few more ignore lists from this post, but so be it. If the Physical Fitness Gurus have their way, Every Firefighter in America will be Totally fit for the job, absolutely perfect human firefighting machines. Of course there will only be a Few thousand of them, Their pay, like Pro Atheletes will be astronomical, and they will each have 4 or 5 pieces of Apparatus at their disposal, But, Guess what? LODDs will continue.

Preventing LODDs thru training, Thru REASONABLE fitness requirements, Thru legislation that forces code compliance on property owners, and several other directions, is doable. It is also where we should be going with this. Not fixing our sights on age, and ignoring other factors. Have a nice day, I'm off to the station to catch a few runs before lunch.

[LaFireEducator]

well said, Harve.

[CDean867]

When Congress reinstated the law several years ago mandating that municipalities could make 63 the mandatory retirement age for police officers and firefighters, they also slipped into the law the right for the cities to set maximum hiring age limits AND......you CANNOT sue for age discrimination. To find a municipality in Illinois that will not hire past 35(unless you are ALREADY a full time FF or P.O.) is almost impossible.

[FF9901]

Originally posted by CDean867
When Congress reinstated the law several years ago mandating that municipalities could make 63 the mandatory retirement age for police officers and firefighters, they also slipped into the law the right for the cities to set maximum hiring age limits AND......you CANNOT sue for age discrimination. To find a municipality in Illinois that will not hire past 35(unless you are ALREADY a full time FF or P.O.) is almost impossible.

I live in Decatur. They won't hire if you will be 35 before the eligibility list is certified. I have friends onn the dept. that told me to try anyway, so I did. I made it past the written & the physical agility. I got a letter stating the date & time of my oral interview. The day of my interview, the city called me at my work and told me they were cancelling my interview because of my age (already 35). They said it was because of the pension board. I tried calling different attorneys to take the case (age discrimination). No one would take it. There must be some law covering their butts.

Danville - you can apply up to age 40, if you have been on any department for the last 3 years (paid, P.O.C., or vollie).
Champaign - No age limit. They hired 2 over 40 3 years ago.

[mwachter]

Well, hopefully I'm not. (Too old that is) Turned 39 last Dec. am just now going after FT employment. I know KC's limit is 30, so I'm hoping to get on an outlying dept. Ya, I've gone back to the gym to try to get rid of the "middle age spread" but also to try to get into shape for CPAT and for general health too. Not that I'm THAT bad.

[416417]

I know a Fire Fighter who is 80 and is the best FF in the company...... intelligence wise.

[Hienzy]

Dec 6, 2004 was my first full time shift as a paid FF. I have been a volunteer for 7 years previous. I will be 42 next month. #3 in my academy class. Not bad for an old dog. I am just glad to have the opportunity. Makes me sad that there are age limits.