Chicago Fire Exam, March 2006

[bbell1977]

Hey guys- Long time since I have checked in since my # is 5200 or in that range...ssn ends in 52. I am glad to hear things are moving for some of you. My question is as people get called to the academy obviously there might be drop outs and people that don't make it. As that happens will the City be issuing more cards? I hope everyone makes it through, that said I would love to get a card.

Thanks for any feedback.

PS...is there any chance the city will get to 5200 on this list before the 2006 expires?

[nbsmith28]

my question is what does the last numbers of your ssn have to do with your number???

[bbell1977]

Thats how they created the list. Random drawing based on last 2 digits of SSN.

[nbsmith28]

next question has anyone heard anything back about the debit paper.. or should i just start picking things and paying them off..

[nbsmith28]

really my last two digits are 69 and i been going through the process

[FUTUREFFWIFE]

I have a question, what happens after you finish the academy, do you get a job in a fire house right away?

Just trying to get a heads up on what would be next after this April class graduates.

Thanks

[bugsy2007]

I have a question, what happens after you finish the academy, do you get a job in a fire house right away?

Just trying to get a heads up on what would be next after this April class graduates.

Thanks

"do you get a job in a fire house right away?" yes, you get to do the dishes, clean the firehouse, clean the axes and pike poles, paint hose, wash the windows, clean the toilets, stuff like that will be your job in the firehouse right away...

[nbsmith28]

bugsy that so funny.. grunt work that i am more then happy to do..

[Dalsh321]

really my last two digits are 69 and i been going through the process

Yes, last # of your SSN is what actually counts first and they started with 9 and then went to 0 and then to 1 and so on. The first #'s were those SSN ending in 9 and they went through the 9's, like 09, 19, 29, etc. after 9, they moved onto to 0 and go in the same order 00, 10, 20, etc and they go up from there.

[Dalsh321]

I have a question, what happens after you finish the academy, do you get a job in a fire house right away?

Just trying to get a heads up on what would be next after this April class graduates.

Thanks

They pay you to go the academy, so of course they're going to put you in a house right away, b/c they're not going to pay you to just sit at home.

[rockgod]

"do you get a job in a fire house right away?" yes, you get to do the dishes, clean the firehouse, clean the axes and pike poles, paint hose, wash the windows, clean the toilets, stuff like that will be your job in the firehouse right away...

This is what I've been trying to think of least. But I know it will be coming and I'll enjoy every minute of it

[bugsy2007]

This is what I've been trying to think of least. But I know it will be coming and I'll enjoy every minute of it

think of yourself as a high paid janitor and cleaning lady.....I'm from the December 1, 2008 class and I'm still the candidate at my house and probably will be for awhile longer...before I got to my house the last candidate from the academy to be assigned there was in 2005...I get no sympathy from that guy but he knows how it feels too...it's not all that bad though, after the guys figure out if they like you or not they start helping out with the chores and make it a hell of alot easier on you..your the candidate until someone with a lower file number gets assigned to your house...just pray, I mean pray you get assigned to a good house!!!!!! I got very very lucky to be assigned to my company....

[ILFFPM]

Alright this is gonna sound stupid but is anyone else feeling not nervous but really anxious to get going its all i think about lol. I'm paranoid about getting injured before and stuff i just need to relax.

[ABS1980]

When you first get into a house and go on calls, are you thrown right into the fires right away or do you have a chance to sort of "shadow" the seasoned FF's and learn the ropes before being thrown in... I'm nervous that I may screw up or something being fresh out of the academy & don't want others to look down on me

[duhawkin35]

I'm a teacher and varsity football/baseball coach and I can't believe what I am reading. I'm on the list, around 3300, and I'm very excited that in 3-4 years I'll be able to represent this great city and fire department. I believe not everyone is made for this job and you truly don't know unless you’re presented with the opportunity. But these past two post are killing me, I feel if I am prepared then I will not fail because failing to prepare is preparing to fail...and after the academy I would feel like they should prepare me for what will happen in almost every situation at the task at hand. In teaching and coaching I have to prepare my students and athletes for anything that might happen…then it becomes a reaction while filtering the data that is presented to them. And this isn’t even Life or Death?!? I hope some full time fire fighters would be able to weigh in on this. Sooo Being afraid and wondering what people will think of me would never enter my mind. What would enter my mind would be the safety of others, helping out a brother and doing the job right. I'm no Johnny Rambo and don't think I will crash through walls but I know being scared or tentative is no way to enter this job...or any and knowing my other fire fighters aren't and will have your back is what the brother hood is all about. I know I have no true experience as a fire fighter and in no way want to talk over people that have been there and done that…

[ILFFPM]

Are you talking about my post I'm just nervous/ excited to possibly work the best job in the world sorry I'm not a zombie that has no emotion.

[rockgod]

It is only natural to be nervous or anxious and even somewhat afraid to enter into a job like this. A lot of us are into our 30's and this is going to be a HUGE change of life. One thing to remember though, is that all the candidate/probie stuff you hear about is one thing. Bottom line is, when you get into the action, safety is first and foremost. No one will put you in a situation you are not ready for, especailly by yourself, especially if it means you may be risking their own or your own personal safety. I know quit a few firefighters, and I hear stories about "hazing" and the "fng' and stuff like that, but not one of them will ever joke around when it comes to one of their own possibly getting hurt.
That is what the academy is for and the probationary term, to get you truely ready to be a firefighter.

Anyone already on the job feel free to correct me, but I'm pretty damn sure you'll agree

[Dalsh321]

I know what you are saying duhawkin, but no sort of classroom or training can prepare you for any profession, especially one like this. Work experience is so much more important than any schooling/training in any profession in my opinion.

It is impossible to prepare for everything and to master how to handle everything. If your football team is prepared for everything you must never turn the ball over, fail to score on a possession or ever give up a score on defense. Your students must also all be getting into ivy league schools. I'm not trying to rag on you, but to say you can prepare for everything in a classroom or simulated training is absurd.

[E99L62]

The academy will give you a foundation, but there is still so much to learn once training is over. You will always be learning on this job. You have to be ready to go from day one and be prepared to have guys yelling at you during a fire, especially when they see those orange candidate stickers on your helmet. I caught a fire on my second day and was in the middle of the action taking a beating, so you just never know. My best advice to people would be to step up and try to be involved in as many hands on drills during training. Don't be the one standing in the back hoping that the instructor doesn't call you out.

[bugsy2007]

I'm a teacher and varsity football/baseball coach and I can't believe what I am reading. I'm on the list, around 3300, and I'm very excited that in 3-4 years I'll be able to represent this great city and fire department. I believe not everyone is made for this job and you truly don't know unless you’re presented with the opportunity. But these past two post are killing me, I feel if I am prepared then I will not fail because failing to prepare is preparing to fail...and after the academy I would feel like they should prepare me for what will happen in almost every situation at the task at hand. In teaching and coaching I have to prepare my students and athletes for anything that might happen…then it becomes a reaction while filtering the data that is presented to them. And this isn’t even Life or Death?!? I hope some full time fire fighters would be able to weigh in on this. Sooo Being afraid and wondering what people will think of me would never enter my mind. What would enter my mind would be the safety of others, helping out a brother and doing the job right. I'm no Johnny Rambo and don't think I will crash through walls but I know being scared or tentative is no way to enter this job...or any and knowing my other fire fighters aren't and will have your back is what the brother hood is all about. I know I have no true experience as a fire fighter and in no way want to talk over people that have been there and done that…

First off, I would worry if I was you....your the type of person who is going to has a hard time with this job......Secondly, there's types of fear/scared...one is being literally scared to do your job and then there's the fear someone has before experiencing something new or something danderous......I think these two guys fall in the nervous about starting a new career and what is ahead of them....that is 100% normal...do you think they prepare you to handle death in the academy? do you think they can show you every real life situations in the academy? you will see more on the first run of your career than 99% of people see in a lifetime...how do you teach that??? I was nervous/afraid before the academy started, during the academy, my first day in the firehouse hoping the guys I'm going to be working with and living with will accept me....but I still keep a little fear in the back of my head so I don't put myself in a dangerous situation and get killed or kill someone... How about this one....my friend Ed Stringer was killed on Dec. 22nd at a fire when the roof collapsed...I worked with Ed..do you think we were a little bit on edge or maybe nervous at the next fire we went too? I would rather work anyday of the week with these two guys your complaing about than one second with you.....you have alot to learn and maybe this job isn't right for you.