2008 Cincinnati Fire Exam

[dmfireschool]

Fire Recruit

City of Cincinnati Job Opportunity

Open Competitive Examination
(Open to the Public and to City Employees)

FIRE RECRUIT SALARY: $34,028 annually
FIRE FIGHTER SALARY: $44,917 - $56,776 annually

APPLICATION DEADLINE: 5:00, Friday, March 14, 2008

EXAM DATE: Saturday, March 29, 2008

EXAM TIME: 9:00 a.m.

EXAM LOCATION: Duke Engergy Center, Exhibit Hall A
525 Elm Street
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202


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Initial sign-up will be in person beginning on
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2008, 8:00 A.M. TO 1:00 P.M.
IN THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT
CENTENNIAL TWO, 805 CENTRAL AVENUE, SUITE 200, CINCINNATI, OH 45202
Thereafter, applications will be accepted at the same address
from February 19, 2008 through March 14, 2008
Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.
(Office will be closed on Monday, February 18th for Presidents’ Day)

APPLICANTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY ONLINE
Online application available beginning Tuesday, February 19, 2008 at 8:00 a.m.
http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/noncms/hr/apps/firerecruit

NOTE: Do not apply online if you do not have an email address.
Email addresses are required in order for you to receive your confirmation page and ID#.

Once you submit your application online you will be directed to a page that shows the information you submitted and it will also have an assigned ID#. Please print out this page and bring it with you to the exam along with a driver’s license or a picture ID. This page with your ID# will be your admittance into the exam.

PLEASE SUBMIT ONLINE APPLICATION ONLY ONCE
If you need any corrections made, additions or just want to verify receipt of your application,
please call LaWanda Johnson at (513) 352-6219

AN EXAM INFORMATION GUIDE WILL BE PROVIDED AT THE TIME
OF SIGN-UP OR MAY BE DOWNLOADED FROM THE CITY'S
INTERNET SITE http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/cityhr/pages/-4270-/.
TIES ON EXAM SCORES ARE BROKEN BY TIME STAMP OF APPLICATION.
( NOTE: The time that you submit your application online will be used as your time stamp.)


FIRE RECRUIT PROCESS REQUIREMENTS

MINIMUM AGE REQUIREMENT: Applicants must be 18 years of age by the test date (March 29, 2008).

MAXIMUM AGE REQUIREMENT: Applicants may not have reached their 37th birthday by the date of appointment (no exceptions). The Fire Department projects that the class will begin October 2008.

EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: Must possess a high school diploma or GED by March 29, 2008.

RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT: Candidates need not be a City of Cincinnati or Hamilton County resident to apply. Appointees must be Hamilton County residents by their date of appointment and maintain Hamilton County residency for length of employment.

CITIZENSHIP REQUIREMENT: Must be a United States citizen or applying for United States citizenship by closing date for sign-up.

DRIVER'S LICENSE REQUIREMENT: Applicants must have possessed a valid driver's license for at least one year. Applicants must show their valid drivers license or valid state picture I.D. at the written exam as well as at each subsequent portion of the test as positive identification. A valid driver’s license is required by the polygraph exam and a valid Ohio driver’s license is required 30 days after appointment.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS: Must be in excellent physical condition and pass a physical ability test. Must satisfactorily complete a rigid background investigation, which includes a polygraph examination. Applicants must be free from alcohol and drug dependency and possess emotional stability due to the sensitive and stressful nature of the position of a Firefighter.


FIRE RECRUIT PROCESS INFORMATION

APPLICATIONS: Applications must be filed no later than the stated closing date of March 14, 2008.
Applications are subject to approval of the Civil Service Commission.

EXAMINATION: Candidates must successfully pass a written exam (picture I.D. required) which will be administered on Saturday, March 29, 2008. Top scorers on the written exam will be asked to participate in the remaining portions of the process which are pass/fail:
· Physical ability test
· Extensive background investigation (including work, credit, and criminal history as well as drug usage).
· Intensive polygraph examination
· A complete medical examination including 8 panel drug screen (if offered employment)

PROBATIONARY PERIOD: One year. At the conclusion of the probationary period, Fire Recruits must be able to successfully perform as Firefighters and must be certified as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). The EMT certification must be maintained as a condition of employment.

CREDIT FOR MILITARY SERVICE: Special credit for honorable military service is given only to Ohio residents who achieve a passing score on the examination. Non-disabled veterans receive five points additional credit and a disabled veteran shall receive an additional credit of ten points. A copy of your DD214 must be submitted to receive credit.

CURRENT ADDRESS: It is your responsibility to keep the Civil Service Commission and Fire Department Recruiters informed of your current address and telephone number.

JOB INFORMATION

GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES: Each Fire Recruit is assigned to the Cincinnati Fire College Training and Personnel Bureau for training as a Firefighter (which will include emergency medical training). Each Recruit must successfully complete all phases of the training necessary to qualify as a Firefighter. Once qualified and classified as Firefighter, he/she is assigned to a fire company and will respond to all emergency alarms, assist in the saving of lives and property, and in extinguishing fires.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS – EXAMPLES OF REQUIRED KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (Illustrative only. Any one position may not require all of the listed KSAs nor do the listed examples include all the KSAs which may be required.)

To qualify for a Fire Recruit, an applicant needs knowledge, skills, and abilities in the following areas:
· Human relations; customer service.
· Reading comprehension.
· Written and oral communication, including word usage, spelling, and grammar.
· Basic math; mechanical and deductive reasoning.
· Evaluating situations/decision making.
· Following directions/orders.

After successful completion of 24 weeks of paid training, to qualify as a Firefighter a candidate needs knowledge, skills, and abilities in the following areas:
· Fire fighting tactics and procedures.
· Fire fighting apparatus and equipment.
· Procedures for handling hazardous chemicals.
· First aid procedures and rescue operations.
· Fire prevention codes and building codes.
· Emergency medical techniques.
· Function effectively under stressful conditions.
· Establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.
· Utilize fire fighting apparatus and equipment.


NOTE: The information gathered during this selection process is used to make employment decisions. All information gathered may be subject to public disclosure under the Ohio Freedom of Information Law. This includes the polygraph and background investigation results.

For a detailed description of each step of the exam process
and projected timelines, see the Exam Information Guide.




CONTACT PERSON: Debra F. Schoenig, 513.352.5370

City of Cincinnati, Human Resources Department
Two Centennial Plaza, Suite 200, 805 Central Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45202

TDD: 513.352.2419

Announcement Number: 26

Date Issued: February 16, 2008


“Applications for City positions are considered public records under Ohio’s Public Records Act. As a public record, applications maintained by the City shall be made available to any person requesting to view them.”

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Reasonable Accommodation for the Qualified People with disabilities.
Please self-identify at the time of application and at employment interviews.


Exam prep for the Cincinnati fire exam can be found at the link below.
http://www.fireprep.com/cincinnati_firefighter.html


www.fireprep.com
1-800-989-FIRE

[FFYagour88]

any one know how many guys they are hiring

[FFYagour88]

i heard a class of 20-25

[Macari]

How long will this list be usend for?

anyone know what the city and the department are like?

Thanks

[FFYagour88]

i have heard like any city there are good parts and there are bad but the dept has alot of history behind it. it was the 1st full time paid in the nation

[CarnyTheKid]

Cincinnati as a whole is a good department. They have 26 fire stations, 26 Engine Companies, 12 Truck Companies, 2 Rescue Squad Companies, 6 BLS Ambulances, and 4 ALS Ambulances. There are over 800 uniformed employees with the department. They work a 24 on 48 hours off schedule with a day off every 7th shift (Kelly Day). They have a minimum manning of 4 on all fire apparatus. As a whole I think the city averages about one fire per day.

Recently in the news a study was done on their ambulances and how they don't have enough. Because of this study many people called the local news channel about the time they called and either had to wait an extended period for an ambulance or one never came. Because of that the Chief proposed hiring an additional 51 firefighters and adding 4 more ambulances. There has been talk for a few years of making all the ambulances ALS with 1 EMT and 1 Paramedic. At this time there is new requirement to be a paramedic. As of riding the ambulance or rescue (ALS) ambulance you are required to do so once a month. You ride the entire 24 hour shift. The ALS ambulances are considered permanent spots and are only filled with other paramedics when those permanently assigned to it take time off. If there is a vacancy on one of these and no one on the department puts in a transfer for the spot, the least senior paramedic gets assigned to that unit for what is supposed to be no more than a year.

Recruit school lasts about 6 months and you will come out certified as a Firefighter II, EMT-Basic, and a Fire Safety Inspector. All are required to keep your job. While in Recruit school you will be paid every 2 weeks at the rate of pay if you were making 34,028 dollars per year. Once you graduate you are bumped up to the 44,917 range. It takes 4 years to top out as a firefighter. There is also certification pay for EMT and Paramedic. I don't have the actual numbers but for EMT add an additional 3,000 and Paramedic add additional 6,000 to the base salary.

[burg1244]

Thanks for the info guys

[formerbuckeye]

i took the cincy test in 2004, came out #24 overall, was an ohio ff II and paramedic......and not hired

[FFYagour88]

i took the cincy test in 2004, came out #24 overall, was an ohio ff II and paramedic......and not hired

why did they not hire you and where do you work now

[formerbuckeye]

why did they not hire you and where do you work now

i have no idea why they didnt hire me...i went through all the hoops and passed em all. i work in the dc metro area now and it is by far better than ohio on so many levels

[Firemedic515]

i took the cincy test in 2004, came out #24 overall, was an ohio ff II and paramedic......and not hired

I took the 2006 test and scored #19 overall (out of roughly 1600 candidates). I was also an OH FFII and Paramedic...and not hired. I'm also now working in the DC Metro area. Love It!

[formerbuckeye]

I also took the test in 2004 and scored #19 overall (out of roughly 1600 candidates). I was also an OH FFII and Paramedic...and not hired. I'm also now working in the DC Metro area. Love It!

small world

[CarnyTheKid]

Unfortunately having certifications does not make a difference with being picked for hire. They are going to train you in EMT, Firefighter II, and Fire Safety Inspector regardless if you are already certified or not. If you are certified you won't have to sit for the state certification test. They need paramedics but so far haven't figured out that hiring them instead of paying for their school is much cheaper. There was talk that you would be required to be an EMT from a study performed on the fire department by an outside agency but there were fears that it would keep minorities from applying.

[CarnyTheKid]

I also took the test in 2004 and scored #19 overall (out of roughly 1600 candidates). I was also an OH FFII and Paramedic...and not hired. I'm also now working in the DC Metro area. Love It!

How manageable do you find the cost of living and housing with your salary?

[FFYagour88]

does anybody no for sure how many they are hiring

[FFYagour88]

how many are taking the test

[FireLT23]

Hopefully not alot, better chances for us.

[Firemedic515]

I recall approximately 1600 that sat for the '06 test. I think they took the top 300 or so for the physical agility test.

[FireLT23]

Does anyone know what their retirement is like? Is it 20 and out or 25, and at what percent? Human Resouces couldn't answer the question.

[CarnyTheKid]

25 years and you must be 48 years of age to collect your pension. At 25 it is 62%. At 33 years it is 70% which is your maximum. They also have the DROP program which I am not going to explain but it keeps firefighters on the job up to an additional 8 years after they retire and pays out a large lump sum. This has caused hiring to slow dramatically in Cincinnati over the last few years.