Expanding my chances

[danapatana]

Hey everyone! Am hoping maybe someone out here has a lil experience and perspective to pass my way. I am trying to become a firefighter. I currently live in CA (where I am from) but have been offered a volunteer position in WA (where I went to school) that would require me to move back north for at least one year. I really love So. Cal. (ya either love it or hate it, right?) but, at the same time, I think that not only getting my FF1 Vol. cert. & EMT 1 cert. with a year's experience spending shifts at the station would really benefit me and help get my foot in the door. I guess, first of all, how significant would this 1 year exp. be? Also, is it as helpful volunteering in WA when I want to eventually be back living and working in CA? (yes the certs are easy enough to transfer, at least that is what someone told me ... and no, there are no similar opportunities in my area at all)
Please help a girl out!!!

[LouisianaMedic]

Yes a year of volunteering and in addition to getting training will help alot because doing it for real even though it is volunteer will help you really decide if you want to this for a living.. All the live training in the world cant prepare for the reaction you have when the family that you fought the house fire at reacts because they lost everything or worse a family member.. So I say yes work at least 1 year longer if the the call volume isnt as high... You can volunteer at a department for a year but if they only run 3 to 5 calls a month then you arent really getting any experience.. Well the best to you and what ever you decide.. Feel free to ask anything there are plenty of people with the knowledge and experience to answer you..

Good luck

[ConnoquLTwestpa]

Can you help with vollie voting bylaw issue?