Firefighter career ???s

[mmasc]

Does anyone have first-hand knowledge about firefighting as a career? I have one DS (7th grade) who is very interested in this.  We can do tons of research online about requirements, degrees, training, etc, but I'm really wondering about more first-hand info.  All of the firefighters I know back home are in a small-ish city and ALL have second jobs.  Does a bigger city make that scenario unlikely? Are you more marketable with a 4-year fire science degree, or with an associate degree and paramedic training? *Is* paramedic training practically a necessity? These are just a few questions that we can't really find just by research. I'd love to hear whatever you know! Thanks!

 

Edited February 8, 2018 by mmasc

[MedicMom]

I have second hand knowledge. I (was) a career paramedic(now part time) but many many of my close friends are career firefighters.

[mmasc]

I have second hand knowledge. I (was) a career paramedic(now part time) but many many of my close friends are career firefighters.

Great! Tell me what you know. 😉😂

[MedicMom]

Paramedic training depends on where you are. Some fire departments run ALS level ambulances, some run BLS first response. The career department I work most closely with runs BLS first response so all their guys are at least EMTs, but they do have a couple paramedics that work on the private ambulance a couple days off a month. Several of the guys do have second jobs, but I gather it’s not so much a money issue but more that they have a lot of days off and want to find something to do.

I wouldn’t bother with a four year fire science degree. The department he gets into will want to train him themselves. I do know some career firefighters with bachelor’s degrees, but they’ve got degrees in history and political science. My husband has an associate’s in fire science, and originally took a few civil service fire tests before deciding he wanted to be a flight paramedic and volunteer fire chief instead. He said the degree didn’t really help him much on the tests.

 

At least here, career fire fighters get the job through civil service tests. I wouldn’t bother with paramedic training, but some experience in a volunteer fire department and getting his EMT would be useful. If he winds up with a department that wants paramedics, they’ll send him to school themselves.

Edited February 8, 2018 by MedicMom

[Carrie12345]

No direct experience yet, but it's the path one of my daughters is hoping to take.

 

Degrees are important keys to moving up in the ranks even if not needed for initial hiring. EMT, at the very least, is a common requirement. While more firefighters are needed overall, full time paid positions are often limited and competitive. Training and experience matter.

Training can be hard to schedule in while already on the job.

 

Joining a volunteer company and training on their dime (including EMT) while in high school is a leg up, but also a great way to make connections and learn the climate of career houses in your region. Not to mention, it's a way to find out if you really want to do it as a career!

 

I am urging my dd to get the degree/s. Her training has already earned her some of the credits for "free". It opens her options to other positions in emergency services that could compliment part time firefighting or be full time jobs while continuing to volunteer. It could also qualify her for officer positions in any kind of house.

 

As an example of big city, NYC requires at least 15 credits or 6 months of full-time experience. (Or military service.). They have somewhere around 11,000 firefighters and about 70,000 take the test each year.

[MedicMom]

By the way—about degrees. If you’re in a volunteer fire department it’s likely much of your training will count as credits towards a fire science program. My husband got the associates degree that way. However, career ending injuries in fire and EMS are so common—adding a degree in another field isn’t going to hurt. I had a degree in something else so when the day came, I had a place to go. My husband is STILL fighting with workers comp, four years after the original injury on a fire scene that should be covered, but workers comp is a PIA. He doesn’t have a backup plan or degree, and the settlement and workers comp won’t be enough for the rest of his life. He will eventually need to retrain for another career; it would be easier if he already had that bachelor’s degree in something.

Edited February 8, 2018 by MedicMom

[mmasc]

Good info! It raises so many more questions/concerns though! First, this is my DS who actually *wants* to attend college, so I think he’d prefer to get a degree of some kind. That’s why we looked into the fire science one. Second, we’re AD military and move very often, so there’s no way he’s going to be able to get his foot in the door locally (long term), because locally always changes! It also means he doesn’t know (right now anyway) where/what area he would be working.

Re:high school credits. How do they train while in high school? It sounds awesome, but how? Is it through a school, or by volunteering at your local station? And is it common to get to volunteer at these stations without knowing someone/having an inside contact? Because we will never be in our home town during high school 😔 Also, I hate to ask, but does homeschooling high school hinder these opportunities in any way?

[mmasc]

By the way—about degrees. If you’re in a volunteer fire department it’s likely much of your training will count as credits towards a fire science program. My husband got the associates degree that way. However, career ending injuries in fire and EMS are so common—adding a degree in another field isn’t going to hurt. I had a degree in something else so when the day came, I had a place to go. My husband is STILL fighting with workers comp, four years after the original injury on a fire scene that should be covered, but workers comp is a PIA. He doesn’t have a backup plan or degree, and the settlement and workers comp won’t be enough for the rest of his life. He will eventually need to retrain for another career; it would be easier if he already had that bachelor’s degree in something.

Oh man, that’s crappy. I’m so sorry for your DH.

[gardenmom5]

my nephew is a paramedic.

he started as a fireman cadet. 

he delivered "his" first baby at 18 on the side of the road.

decided he wanted to be a paramedic.  also decided he wanted to make lt. - which requires a degree around here.

got a bachelor's degree in "fire science" (or whatever it was called).

did more training as a paramedic

 

he does some fire investigation, as well as being a paramedic.  he doesn't work extra jobs - but he's on the outskirts of a major metro area.

[mmasc]

Fire Protection & Safety Engineering Technology is the name of the 4-yr degree that he looked into at our state uni. I admit that I know nothing about this though. It looks like it could maybe?? offer a back-up career if injury did occur?? I’m really out of my expertise/knowledge with this...

[MedicMom]

I do know people who have become career firefighters with no volunteer experience. The teens are gaining credits through volunteering as many states and towns allow you to be a junior fireman at 14 or 16. It’s helpful, but I don’t think it’s going to make or break his career as a firefighter. He also may be able to find a bunker program for college—he can volunteer and live at the fire department(or housing provided by them) while getting fire fighter training and earning a degree(some require it is fire science, others, like the one that is affiliated with Ithaca College and Cornell, doesn’t care what the degree is). That gains him experience and training while saving housing costs.

[Carrie12345]

Good info! It raises so many more questions/concerns though! First, this is my DS who actually *wants* to attend college, so I think he’d prefer to get a degree of some kind. That’s why we looked into the fire science one. Second, we’re AD military and move very often, so there’s no way he’s going to be able to get his foot in the door locally (long term), because locally always changes! It also means he doesn’t know (right now anyway) where/what area he would be working.

Re:high school credits. How do they train while in high school? It sounds awesome, but how? Is it through a school, or by volunteering at your local station? And is it common to get to volunteer at these stations without knowing someone/having an inside contact? Because we will never be in our home town during high school 😔 Also, I hate to ask, but does homeschooling high school hinder these opportunities in any way?

 

 

In our area, the big training classes are held on nights and weekends at our local OEM building, but through a community college.  Additional, shorter trainings are often held on weekly drill nights at our own firehouse or another local firehouse (which might be a night other than their weekly drill.)  Many of those also apply toward credit.  All of that is free to our volunteer firefighters, and no special inside contact is needed. They're desperate for volunteers around here.  My township has maybe a dozen members who regularly show up for things, and 3 of them live in my house.  

 

There's no reason that homeschooling should hinder opportunities.  Frankly, I think my daughters would have had a difficult time managing the training schedules they took on if they didn't have flexible daytime schedules.  By the time they turn 18, they will have all of the basic requirements down.  The most important one of those being to turn 18, lol.  There are a few components to the classes they take that they can't complete as minors, so they have to hit the age and put in a couple more hours.

 

(Child labor laws do apply, fyi.)

[Farrar]

I don't know a lot, but I know BIL is a firefighter, but his second job isn't as an EMT, he's a dispatcher, which did not require a 4 year degree. He moves up the ranks through an exam process. He makes an okay living at it.

 

From what he's said, I definitely have the impression that being an EMT is a better gig.

[theelfqueen]

A lot of areas have Explorer Posts focused on Firefighting and other Emergency responders... might be worth checking into.

 

[mmasc]

In our area, the big training classes are held on nights and weekends at our local OEM building, but through a community college. Additional, shorter trainings are often held on weekly drill nights at our own firehouse or another local firehouse (which might be a night other than their weekly drill.) Many of those also apply toward credit. All of that is free to our volunteer firefighters, and no special inside contact is needed. They're desperate for volunteers around here. My township has maybe a dozen members who regularly show up for things, and 3 of them live in my house.

 

There's no reason that homeschooling should hinder opportunities. Frankly, I think my daughters would have had a difficult time managing the training schedules they took on if they didn't have flexible daytime schedules. By the time they turn 18, they will have all of the basic requirements down. The most important one of those being to turn 18, lol. There are a few components to the classes they take that they can't complete as minors, so they have to hit the age and put in a couple more hours.

 

(Child labor laws do apply, fyi.)

So, if I’m understanding this volunteer training correctly, DS could possibly look into this at whatever town/city we are stationed at during his HS years, right? Meaning, would they mind or would it be ok that he’d be likely moving away from the town?

[mmasc]

I don't know a lot, but I know BIL is a firefighter, but his second job isn't as an EMT, he's a dispatcher, which did not require a 4 year degree. He moves up the ranks through an exam process. He makes an okay living at it.

 

From what he's said, I definitely have the impression that being an EMT is a better gig.

That’s goof info...thanks! DS doesn’t seem that excited about the EMT side of it. Not totally opposed, but not excited either.

[mmasc]

my nephew is a paramedic.

he started as a fireman cadet.

he delivered "his" first baby at 18 on the side of the road.

decided he wanted to be a paramedic. also decided he wanted to make lt. - which requires a degree around here.

got a bachelor's degree in "fire science" (or whatever it was called).

did more training as a paramedic

 

he does some fire investigation, as well as being a paramedic. he doesn't work extra jobs - but he's on the outskirts of a major metro area.

Fire investigation would be something DS would like...delivering babies, not so much. 😂

[foxbridgeacademy]

My nephew 19 is joining the Marines this Spring because he was told by the chief it would almost guarantee him a paying job in the department.  He started volunteering and doing PT with them at 16 (cadet) and has been a FT volunteer for the last year.  

Edited February 8, 2018 by foxbridgeacademy

[EKS]

I live in a smallish town of about 20,000 people.  We have a combined volunteer/career fire department, and many of the paid firefighters started out as volunteers.  Some of them even started out as cadets, meaning that in high school they went through some training and were allowed to participate in certain aspects of the job.

 

The firefighters in our department generally don't have degrees in fire science, though many of them will end up getting them while on the job.  All of them are required to be EMTs.  Some are paramedics, but this takes, I believe, at least one solid year of training (which the department pays for), and maybe more.  

 

The minimal education requirement is a high school diploma (or equivalent).  I assume that a homeschool diploma (or an associates's degree) would count but I would ask at the departments where your son is interested in working.  I do know that our department does not make exceptions about this.

 

Here, and maybe everywhere, hiring is based on summing up the scores of a number of tests/tasks.  One of the tests has math on it, and it can trip up folks with weak math backgrounds (I've done some tutoring for this).  To deal with the math it is important that your son be comfortable with word problems at about an 8th grade level.

 

If your son were going to apply with the department here, I'd suggest that he become a cadet in high school and then when he turns 18 become a volunteer.  He should work out to be sure he is in top physical condition.  He could pursue a fire science degree after high school while testing for local departments.  

 

The most of the career firefighters I know don't have a second job.  

[marbel]

I don't know if this would apply for, you OP, but...

 

My kid is a volunteer at a local station.  My area is almost all volunteer stations - there are tons of them all over the place, so there's always coverage, but few in my area (outside the city of Philadelphia) have any career firefighters.  I think some few stations are hybrid - some career folk, mostly volunteer.

 

Anyway that said, he showed up at the firehouse on one of their drill nights when he was 17, didn't know a soul.  He had just quit Boy Scouts and we'd said "you have to do something" and he'd talked about that before, so he went. ETA: I forgot; he had gone at age 14 and 15 to a "firefighter camp" put on by a local company.  A summer experience to introduce kids and adults to the fire service.  He did well in that; that's where his interest came from.

 

He was warmly welcomed.  At his age they didn't bother having him go through junior firefighter, but got him right into training at our county fire academy. There are basically 4 classes before he could become a certified FF, 3 which he took before he turned 18, one which he had to take after. The county/state/whatever entity paid for all the training, his uniforms, and of course gear.  He's been going regularly now for almost 4 years.  Because the station he belongs to is small and covers a residential area, he hasn't had very many exciting fires, but he has done some things for them.  He did get credit at the community college for their first class in the Fire Science program (which he is not doing, much to my dismay, so it's an elective for him).  

 

It's been a positive experience for him.  He is certified by the state, so he could go anywhere if he moved. He had the option to take the National exam but for some reason didn't, but if he had, he could have joined pretty much anywhere as a volunteer.

 

My understanding is that volunteer fire companies are hungry for volunteers.  They need young people to replace the old people who are not able to do as much anymore. 

 

I think it would be a great way to get started in the fire service, determine the fit as a career, etc.

 

 

Edited February 8, 2018 by marbel

[Melissa B]

I would check with your area. Paramedic is basically required in our county. The firefighters in my family do not have other jobs. But, they started young and worked their way up.

[mmasc]

I would check with your area. Paramedic is basically required in our county. The firefighters in my family do not have other jobs. But, they started young and worked their way up.

Well, we don’t have an ‘area’. I feel like that makes it a bit tougher for DS because he’s not able to check out ‘local’ depts where he might work because we are many, many moves away from that. :(

[Katy]

I'm not a firefighter, but have a couple family members that were. I'm just going to leave this article about why if you want to be a military firefighter you may want to choose the air force here: https://www.firerescue1.com/firefighter-training/articles/296425018-What-is-the-best-military-branch-for-firefighters/

[MedicMom]

Well, we don’t have an ‘area’. I feel like that makes it a bit tougher for DS because he’s not able to check out ‘local’ depts where he might work because we are many, many moves away from that. :(

If he starts volunteering where he is, that will give him good experience. He may decide he wants to take a bunch of tests throughout the country instead of focusing on a local area. Not every place has a residency requirement. I know someone who took a firefighting job in Georgia; he lived in New York. The career department in the county I work in requires that you have to be in that county or a contiguous one in order to test, some just require that after hiring you move within a certain distance. It’s just so variable that it’s hard to give advice when he has no idea where he might end up.

Edited February 8, 2018 by MedicMom

[Lori D.]

Previous posters answered most of your original questions. ? But I'll take a swing at your second set of questions. (DH was a firefighter, then paramedic, then captain of an engine crew for 28 years on our City Fire Department, which services a city of about 1 million.)
 

On 2/8/2018 at 2:52 PM, mmasc said:

Good info! It raises so many more questions/concerns though! First, this is my DS who actually *wants* to attend college, so I think he'd prefer to get a degree of some kind. That's why we looked into the fire science one...

If planning on a career in emergency services, and planning to move up into administration, then a Business degree would be very useful. Anyone in our city's fire department planning on moving up to a leadership position (Fire Chief, Assistant Chiefs, and Battalion Chiefs) now has to have at least a Bachelor degree. If planning on specializing in Arson (fire investigation), then a Chemistry degree might be helpful. A Bachelor degree in Fire Science would also work well, but it is very specific and limiting, so if your DS wants to change careers later on, or becomes injured and can't continue working with a fire dept., then a degree in something else less specific would be a bit more flexible for changing careers.
 

On 2/8/2018 at 2:52 PM, mmasc said:

... we're AD military and move very often, so there's no way he's going to be able to get his foot in the door locally (long term), because locally always changes! It also means he doesn't know (right now anyway) where/what area he would be working...

Looking way ahead... Your DS would want to carefully investigate where he wants to work, as firefighting jobs are often not transferable. For example, if DH had wanted to move to another city in our state, he would have had to apply and start at the bottom, and lose all seniority, salary build up, etc. In some places, he would have had to try out and if hired, would have had to start over again in the new city's training program. I believe CA has a state-wide fire service program, which makes it easier to transfer to a different city, BUT, their program is very hard to get into.

Many fire departments are very competitive, so it is helpful to be female, or to have a ethnic/racial minority background. Also, in many places, priority is given to those with related experience -- like military service, or already a paramedic.

 

On 2/8/2018 at 2:52 PM, mmasc said:

Re:high school credits. How do they train while in high school? It sounds awesome, but how? Is it through a school, or by volunteering at your local station? And is it common to get to volunteer at these stations without knowing someone/having an inside contact? Because we will never be in our home town during high school... Also, I hate to ask, but does homeschooling high school hinder these opportunities in any way?

 

In our city, the fire dept. offers a 2-week summer cadet training program to high school students, so not a problem for scheduling. While no credit is awarded by the fire dept., a homeschooling parent could certainly award credit, if desired -- although it might make that activity "shine" brighter if listed as a high quality extracurricular, rather than "burying" the opportunity as just some of the hours and learning accrued for a credit on the transcript.

Another opportunity in our area is to earn dual enrollment (DE) credits through the local community college by taking the vocational-tech courses in fire service while still in high school. The credits count for both high school, and towards an Associate's in fire science. Homeschooling does not hinder in these opportunities in my area -- if anything, it makes it easier for the student to be flexible and take advantage of the program. Our local CC gets a LOT of homeschoolers, so not difficult to work with. 

 

On 2/8/2018 at 3:31 PM, mmasc said:

That’s goof info...thanks! DS doesn't seem that excited about the EMT side of it. Not totally opposed, but not excited either.

 

Because of the improved building codes and sprinkler systems, the vast amount of the job is responding to car accidents, picking up fallen elderly people, and miscellaneous EMT things. Very few actual fires. According to this Federal report, of all emergency service calls 64% are for EMS and rescue services. Only 5% are fire related.

The best thing is if DS could do some ride-alongs once he hits high school, so he can really see what the job is all about. When you first come on as a new firefighter, it's a LOT of cleaning the station, running the errands, and then when on calls, being the person who has to try and take vitals/ask medical questions from the quarrelsome drunk trying to sleep it off under a bush, or help lift the elderly person who fell and can't get up, or clean up after the sick person who barfed or pooped all over the gurney -- the exciting life of a firefighter about 75% of the time. ?

If your DS is really interested in the fire-aspect, he might look into wildland firefighting. More dangerous, and a LOT of long days/heavy work, but it is mostly about fire, and there are different positions that have you working closer to or farther from the flames. Our DS#2 will soon be heading out for his second season of this. (And no, he did not get into it because of his dad being a fireman ? -- totally different, very circuitous route, AND, wildland firefighting is SO completely different than urban firefighting, that I don't tend to think of them being in the same general field, lol.) 

How exciting to have a student who knows what he wants to do! BEST of luck as he plans for his future! Warmest regards, Lori D.

Edited October 27, 2018 by Lori D.

[mmasc]

Thank you all so much for all the wonderful info! Love the hive mind! :)

Lori D, thank you for giving us more to investigate. We will look into wildland fire fighting as well.

I’m not convinced he has decided on a career this early, but at least he’s thinking and researching. ;)

[Lady Florida.]

Okay, spoke to a firefighter friend about this.  He mentioned that of the people he went to school for the fire science program with a little less than half are now firefighters now.  Some went another direction b/c of injury, but for many it was just that the training awakened new interests in them, or they found safer jobs that paid more with just a little extra training.  The two biggest fields people left firefighting for were medical (physical therapy, physician assistant, and Emergency room physicians were common), and alternatively safety engineers (they got hired on for OSHA compliance & safety jobs in factories, ended up going back to school for various fields of engineering & business to get promotions).  In the friend's case he worked as a safety engineer for about 20 years and then got a job as a park ranger in a place where there are frequent injuries (a lot of people go to this park to illegally rock climb, but the rock is very soft and brittle so there are a lot of injuries).

 

Anyway, his point was to not only consider focusing his education on preparing for a firefighter career, but you might also want to ensure he masters pre-engineering math and has a decent understanding of human anatomy and chemistry.  He mentioned that in his area, even physician assistants have to master organic chemistry.

 

He also mentioned that even if your son is sure he won't change his mind, having those extra academic skills might give him an advantage in getting into a fire department anyway.  It sort of depends on the competitiveness of the area.

 

Dss is a firemedic (firefighter + paramedic). He says it's harder to get a job if you're just a firefighter or just a paramedic. Many communities would rather pay one salary and set of benefits and be able to use the employee where needed. For example, most of the time dss is a paramedic and rides in the ambulance. Occasionally they need his firefighting skills and he'll be assigned to the truck.

 

Where does your son want to be eventually? Dss is 40 and realizing that the job is quite physical and at some point gets difficult as you get older. However, there are only so many higher up positions. While he does love his career it's hard being a parent on his salary. He's actually going back to school to become a physician's assistant (or is it nurse practitioner - I don't remember). He's also trying to get a job in his current field in a different county. Our county pays lower than all other surrounding counties. 

 

This isn't to try and discourage your ds, but there are realities he'll need to consider. Keep in mind that a government job, especially local government, depends on what the residents are willing to pay in taxes.

Edited February 10, 2018 by Lady Florida.

[Carol in Cal.]

The reason so many firefighters have their own businesses is that they tend to work 24 hour shifts and so they have a lot of their weekly work time concentrated in just a few days of the week.

 

Gardening services or sports coaching or CPR training are pretty common businesses for them around here.

 

The work is quite dangerous.  I know someone who had a ceiling fall in on him in a burning house and was disabled for life.  He had 5 major back/neck surgeries, and none of them worked.  He is in pain all the time.

[Melissa in Australia]

I have 2 boys who are remote area bush firefighters. It is seasonal, one has a long term contract of nine months on then three months off. He has the winter months off. suits him fine. The other son has just a summer contract but in the winter he does wild dog and fox control for the same department. They both work in very remote areas of our state. The one son in possibly the most remote part of the state possible living in a town of just 15 people, 1/1/2 hour drive down the mountains to get to the nearest small town that has shops.

 

If there is a wildfire happening then the overtime pay is really really good. When there is no fire they do track maintenance, trap pest feral animals and clear blackberries in remote areas of the bush.

 

 There is the possibility of working in Australia in the summer here then in USA or Canada for the summer there- some do it.

 

It is a completely different field of work from Paramedic or city firefighter.

 

Both of my boys completed a 2 year Diploma of Conservation Land and Environment this isn't essential to the job but helps. They have numerous tickets including chainsaw crosscut, wildfire fighter, off road 4x4 driving licences.They also have a high level of fitness and part of the job is to pass the yearly fitness test. Being able to live in a rural location is a must.

Edited February 9, 2018 by Melissa in Australia

[Katy]

Okay, spoke to a firefighter friend about this.  He mentioned that of the people he went to school for the fire science program with a little less than half are now firefighters now.  Some went another direction b/c of injury, but for many it was just that the training awakened new interests in them, or they found safer jobs that paid more with just a little extra training.  The two biggest fields people left firefighting for were medical (physical therapy, physician assistant, and Emergency room physicians were common), and alternatively safety engineers (they got hired on for OSHA compliance & safety jobs in factories, ended up going back to school for various fields of engineering & business to get promotions).  In the friend's case he worked as a safety engineer for about 20 years and then got a job as a park ranger in a place where there are frequent injuries (a lot of people go to this park to illegally rock climb, but the rock is very soft and brittle so there are a lot of injuries).

 

Anyway, his point was to not only consider focusing his education on preparing for a firefighter career, but you might also want to ensure he masters pre-engineering math and has a decent understanding of human anatomy and chemistry.  He mentioned that in his area, even physician assistants have to master organic chemistry.

 

He also mentioned that even if your son is sure he won't change his mind, having those extra academic skills might give him an advantage in getting into a fire department anyway.  It sort of depends on the competitiveness of the area.

[mmasc]

Okay, spoke to a firefighter friend about this. He mentioned that of the people he went to school for the fire science program with a little less than half are now firefighters now. Some went another direction b/c of injury, but for many it was just that the training awakened new interests in them, or they found safer jobs that paid more with just a little extra training. The two biggest fields people left firefighting for were medical (physical therapy, physician assistant, and Emergency room physicians were common), and alternatively safety engineers (they got hired on for OSHA compliance & safety jobs in factories, ended up going back to school for various fields of engineering & business to get promotions). In the friend's case he worked as a safety engineer for about 20 years and then got a job as a park ranger in a place where there are frequent injuries (a lot of people go to this park to illegally rock climb, but the rock is very soft and brittle so there are a lot of injuries).

 

Anyway, his point was to not only consider focusing his education on preparing for a firefighter career, but you might also want to ensure he masters pre-engineering math and has a decent understanding of human anatomy and chemistry. He mentioned that in his area, even physician assistants have to master organic chemistry.

 

He also mentioned that even if your son is sure he won't change his mind, having those extra academic skills might give him an advantage in getting into a fire department anyway. It sort of depends on the competitiveness of the area.

Excellent information. Thank you so much for posting this! Gives us more to think about and research.

[Lady Florida.]

  Some went another direction b/c of injury, but for many it was just that the training awakened new interests in them, or they found safer jobs that paid more with just a little extra training.  The two biggest fields people left firefighting for were medical (physical therapy, physician assistant, and Emergency room physicians were common),

 

He also mentioned that even if your son is sure he won't change his mind, having those extra academic skills might give him an advantage in getting into a fire department anyway.  It sort of depends on the competitiveness of the area.

 

This is where dss is now - in school to enter a different medical field. Being both a firefighter and paramedic (our county calls it firemedic) had him in fire science school longer but made him more desirable to fire departments once he graduated. And it makes going back to school in a different medical field easier.

[Liz CA]

my nephew is a paramedic.

he started as a fireman cadet. 

he delivered "his" first baby at 18 on the side of the road.

decided he wanted to be a paramedic.  also decided he wanted to make lt. - which requires a degree around here.

got a bachelor's degree in "fire science" (or whatever it was called).

did more training as a paramedic

 

he does some fire investigation, as well as being a paramedic.  he doesn't work extra jobs - but he's on the outskirts of a major metro area.

 

 

Similar experience here. My niece's husband works full time as a firefighter in SFO. I cannot remember if he has a two or four year degree.

[Entropymama]

I'll give you a slightly different path. My brother in law joined the Marines at 18 to be a firefighter. They handled all his training, etc. and he spent (I think) 6 years in. When he got out he joined a fire department near Seattle. It was lean for a few years, but he was able to get a good position. He then took night classes to qualify as an EMT and, recently, a paramedic. I do not believe he has a degree, he just had to get extra training to qualify for the next step up. He makes good money now, enjoys his work, and likes that he works 24 hour shifts because it leaves plenty of time to be home with his kids. 

[desiree77]

My husband started firefighting as a second career. He researched the most well paid and safest city in the state of TX and applied there. He had to apply twice. It's crazy competitive. He cannot leave and go elsewhere or he would have to start over. He does not need a second job but could have one. Major city departments have their own fire academies that you attend once hired. Smaller cities pull from general fire academies or fire science graduates. You have to be prepared to put down roots! You can't just go work for another big city department.

 

Research safety! Dh has been to two funerals for firefighters in two other cities who did not have the same safety practices as his department.

 

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[mmasc]

I can’t multi quote, so I’ll just comment on various posts. :)

 

Re:military. This DS will not join the military for training. DH is AD military and so far none of our DC want to pursue this AT ALL.

 

Re: putting down roots/staying with one dept. This actually sounds great for my DS! I can easily see him being the one that does this, especially near family.

 

Great info!

[Dmmetler]

One more thing to add-Spanish! And if he can take Spanish for health providers in high school, that would definitely be helpful.

[Melissa in Australia]

Zombie thread