Iraq hiring process

[MontvilleFire39]

Hello,
I am 19 years old, and am considering going to Iraq as a FF for a year. I have State of Ohio 240 hour FF Level II, Hazmat Ops, NR EMT-B, and am in medic school currently. I am wondering if anyone could please explain the hiring process a bit.

Thanks,

Ben

[MontvilleFire39]

Realisticly, do I have a shot at getting hired? My qualifications are listed above. I have just over a year of experience as a firefighter/emt, I havbe been working as an emt for 4 months, and have 2 years as a cadet.

This job is my opportunity to fulfill a compelling desire I feel to support the US war effort. I feel as an able bodied male that I should be doing something to help with this war effort. It's not about the money; yes it is good cash, but it is not my motivating force. If money was number one, I wouldn't have chose this as a career in the first place. People don't believe me that it's not about the money, but it truly is not. I wish I could join the military, but circumstances prevent that, so this my next option.

[SwiftFire]

Only reason I can see for them to not hire you is that you have not been in a firefighter for 4 years (was the minimum, but they have let it slide I believe). I would definitly say go ahead and apply and see what happens. It is all a fast moving process so you will know within the month if you are hired or not.

[cutler133]

In Ohio if your card is issued through the Ohio Department of Public Safety that is not IFSAC PROBOARD OR DOD. you need to go to the Ohio Fire Academy if you have you Level 2 ff cert. And they offer a test over six practials if you pass you can get your IFSAC cert. the test is $100 and the next test is offered on 4/12/2006. You can go to the ohio fire academy's web site at OhioFireAcademy.com to get a skill sheet which you can be tested on. Or you can contact Great Oaks fire school in Cinncinati they go through Proboard.

[cutler133]

here is the web site of the ohio fie academy http://www.com.state.oh.us/sfm/pub/F...-35May2002.pdf
here you can get the sheet of the skills you can be tested on. If you decide to go down and take this test let me know. I live in p'ville used to work for thompson fire. e-mail me at Cutler133@yahoo.com

[MontvilleFire39]

Yes, Im very interested in taking the test if it is required for employment. Does anyone know what is required through Great Oaks? Finally, is WSI still doing the "crash courses"?

Thanks, Ben

[garypoe4454]

Fired fireman sues defense contractor
Man says he was assaulted before he was dismissed
By Bill Myers
Examiner Staff Writer
Published: Tuesday, January 17, 2006 11:22 PM EST
E-mail this story | Print this page

Gary Lovett, a former D.C. firefighter, claims he was fired from his contracting job after being attacked by his supervisor in Iraq. Jay Westcott/Examiner
When the Sept. 11 attacks came, D.C. firefighter Gary Lovett says he "got Pearl Harbor syndrome." He left the District after a 23-year career and shipped off, first to Saudi Arabia, then to Afghanistan and then to Iraq, to "do my thing for God and country."

But he says his willingness to take up the fireman's burden met sloth and heathen folly - and his hopes were brought to naught - when his boss assaulted him and then had him fired.

Last week, Lovett, 51, of Rockville, filed a six-figure breach-of-contract suit in D.C. Superior Court against the boss and Wackenhut Services Inc., the defense contractor that initially had hired him.


The hard-talking, hard-living Lovett says he was doing good work for the Marines in Fallujah. But he says that his supervisor - who "wasn't cut out for the job" and was "under enormous undue pressure" - "wigged out" in separate confrontations over training and procedure.

In the second confrontation, Lovett claims the boss grabbed him by the collar and slammed him into a trailer.



"Now I'm not saying I'm the most efficient manager in the world. I've got foibles - ask my wife. But [Wackenhut officials] had their kangaroo court and they found that I was guilty," Lovett said.

Lovett says he's been unable to find work since his firing last March.

His lawyer, Adele L. Abrams, said the suit should serve as a whiff of grapeshot for scheming defense contractors.



"These contractors are out there exploiting the people they bring over â€- who put themselves on the line," Abrams said.

Wackenhut CEO James L. Long called Lovett's claims "ridiculous."

"I have 550 people over there and you're welcome to call all of them and you'll get 550 people telling you that it's the most absurd thing they've ever heard," he

said.

SEEKING RETRIBUTION

- The suit seeks $10,000 in "actual" damages - back wages, bonuses and the contents of a foot locker allegedly kept by the company.

- It seeks an additional $300,000 in punitive damages.

- Wackenhut's Iraq contract is worth about $80 million

[garypoe4454]

Rick Tye is a good man who is trying to do a huge thing.
I would fight Hells fire for him any time any where
I feal luck to have worked with him and hate to have to go to court over money

[wuffpack1]

Come on Gary get some updated material at least!!! You have been posting that on every thread for what a year or so now???

[chrishar]

I am a virginia certified firefighter with about ten years experience but don't have proboard or isfac. Is it possible to apply using past experience or is having those certifications a definate must? Also, how many firefighters do they usually hire? Is this ongoing or is there a cutoff date?

[ohsmokeeater]

Dear Ben or Montvillefire,
I would highly recommend you sending in your resume. However, I am from Ohio as well. One of the problems I had was that the school I attended in Ohio, did not issue me a separate certificate for my Hazmat Ops course. In the State of Ohio that is part of your 240 curriculum. If you did not receive a seperate certificate for Haz Mat you will need to contact the school first and then the state to see about getting a seperate certificate, that is Proboard. Ohio has been proboard for just a couple years now and seeing you history I will assume that you was issued a certificate with the ProBoard Accreditation seal on it. You can go to

www.theproboard.org

and type in your last name and last four to check. Bottom left hand corner you will find 'certification search'. If you did not recieve a ProBoard seal, you can simple contact your school and/or the State of Ohio and most likely get grandfather in. As far as experience. I have worked with many young men, over here who have never been in a structur fire outside the classroom. Good luck and let me know if you need any other assistance. There is several guys over here from Ohio. You may have to jump some hoops but it can happen.

[BSFFwife]

Chrishar ~ My husband is home for 5 weeks after doing a year in Iraq and will return in March. I asked him your questions. He said you either need proboard,dod or isfac. He also said they will always need firefighters to replace the ones that don't sign up for a second year or quit for whatever reason.

[nwfire17]

Like BSFFwife says, you must have either IFSAC or PROBOARD certs for WSI to hire you. Its because the DOD only recognizes those two certifying agencies. I'm in the same boat as you, I have more than enough certifications and experience, but my certs are NFPA.
I have been talking with Rob at Bucks County Community College in Pennsylvania, and I will be taking the challenge exams for FF I, FF II, and Haz-Mat ops with them in March. It seems like the easiest way to get what I need, and believe me, I've searched for places to do this for awhile. So I'm just gonna put up the money to get my butt over to PA and finally get this thing done. With any luck I'll be able to head for Iraq in April.

If you're interested, Rob's email is freesee@bucks.edu Just tell him you want to go to Iraq and need to take the challenge exams, he'll know what you're talking about.

[ohsmokeeater]

I didn't have a separate certificate for my HazMat Ops either, because in NC it's part of your FFII cert. I had no problems at all with it. I had my Awareness level certificate available just in case, but apparently they were okay with Ops being part of FFII

Interesting, but not suprising, I arrived last March and was told I had to take Operations. I was not allow to progress any futher as far as classes and would not be offered a second year without it. Now that is what I and everyone I know from Ohio had to do. I wish I had been so lucky. Maybe they just like you guys from NC.

[chrishar]

Well it looks like I will be able to take the challenge test to get my proboard certification but that won't be until March. After that I was told it would take about 2-3 weeks for me to receive the certificate in the mail. Should I wait until I get the certificate to apply or can I send my resume in with a note stating I will be getting my proboard in March? How did you guys handle this? I would like to get started as quickly as possible.

[nwfire17]

Well it looks like I will be able to take the challenge test to get my proboard certification but that won't be until March. After that I was told it would take about 2-3 weeks for me to receive the certificate in the mail. Should I wait until I get the certificate to apply or can I send my resume in with a note stating I will be getting my proboard in March? How did you guys handle this? I would like to get started as quickly as possible.

Where are you taking your challenge exams? Everything I've heard from people who went through Bucks County is that they leave with certs in hand, and often just drop them off right at WSI's office in DC.
I've already started the application process, the interview will be next, but they won't let me do that until I have the right certs. I'd get the ball rolling if I were you.

[chrishar]

When I called Bucks County they told me it would be about 2-3 weeks and that they were familiar with DOD fire jobs. I haven't sent in my resume yet to even begin the application process since I don't have my proboards yet. Will they accept my resume even without those certs? I would like to begin my paperwork while waiting so this way I can start working asap.

[chrishar]

I just got my application packet in the mail yesterday. I am planning on filling it out and mail it tomorrow. How soon should I expect to hear something? I also got the application for CSA. Which one is the better of the two? Does anyone have any suggestions? My wife and I are planning on using my pay to adopt a child, which is an expensive process. I know Iraq pays better but how comparable are the living conditions?

[nwfire17]

When I called Bucks County they told me it would be about 2-3 weeks and that they were familiar with DOD fire jobs. I haven't sent in my resume yet to even begin the application process since I don't have my proboards yet. Will they accept my resume even without those certs? I would like to begin my paperwork while waiting so this way I can start working asap.

They will accept your resume without having the proper certs, and you can get all the way up to the interview. Thats where they will hold you up though, they are no longer interviewing anyone who does not have the proper certs.

I just finished up a weekend in Bucks County doing the challenge testing for IFSAC certs. You DO leave there with all the certs in hand. I'm in DC tonight, and plan on heading down to WSI headquarters in the morning to hand deliver the certs to Astrid and hopefully get an interview while I'm in town as well.

[dmboersig]

Good afternoon, everyone. Ive been going threw all these forums on firefighting in Iraq. Man has it been interesting.
First I would like to say thank you to the ones that are there and have been there.
Second, We are all connected by a passion that most can't explain, so I do know that any job or task is what you make it.
Well i get to the point of this posting I'm a 27 firefighter(VOL) from Va have sent my resume to wsi, received my app. and sent it back. I have all the pro-board cert it is req. I wanted to clear up some rumors I've heard, People have said that the 90,000 pay is just on paper, they have said when you get back that it really is only 30,000. I know if I get the chance to go over seas that it is not going to be a walk in the park, But can someone please fill me in on any info that they have from being there or that is there know.