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physical and interviews

I have some general questions where I would really appreciate your advice. Please let me know as your schedule permits.

On the PHYSICAL test...
I am interested in knowing how to prepare/practice for ladder lifts, hose work (CARRIES), dummy drags beyond classic weight training prep and running/cardio work that I already do. It seems to me, the closer to the real thing you can get, the better prepared you will be. Any suggestions since I don't have access to the big ladders or hose to train with?

QUALIFICATIONS/INTERVIEW
I have seen other candidates with nursing, CPR, EMT, fireschool academy training, fire-study degrees, and am wondering if this is critical in the selection process. Will EMT or CPR certifications make me a more promising candidate in the application and/or interview process? I know that you get this training when hired but I don't want to lose out because I lack the qualifications of my peers. Also, will coming from the business world, higher educational publishing and software industries, reflect poorly on me as I am switching mid-career in my mid 30s? Is there anything that you can think of that would help my case?


Thanks so much for your direction.

Respectfully,
Marc Linsenman


I'm in the same boat buddy! I am wanting to change careers ASAP but do not have the stong background as others. I will have my EMT, FF1 and AS degree in FS soon along with my four year degree...but I know that this is not enough, what else to get me heads above the rest?

JMJ



The certifications and qualifications are important - don't get me wrong. You have to have certain ones to either take a test, or to compete against the "average candidate" that does have those certifications you don't have but maybe are planning to get.

Either way, don't stress. Most departments rank candidates 100% by their oral interview scores. I am a firm believer in getting a lot of education, training, and certificates - but I also realize they don't get you the job by themselves. What gets you the job is passing that oral board with flying colors.

Use the certifications and qualifications you do have as a selling point for how motivated you are to become a firefighter. Tie it into how you presently have a job, but you want a career - a career that is stable, offers lots of opportunities, etc. Don't stop educating yourself or getting certificates - they will truly pay off in the end. Just focus on doing better in your oral interviews.

Orals are not that complicated. Bottom line is how you answer the questions and how you present yourself. You don't need to be a fire service genious to score well. Sometimes its actually refreshing to hear an answer from a candidate with no or minimal fire service background because they might offer the fresh approach that no one else has thought of. Or they might have brought in an experience that no one else has (since you want to tie in your past with every question you answer). Oral boards get sick of hearing the same old answers from everyone.

Do you smile? Do you show enthusiasm? Do you have excellent communication skills? Excellent problem-solving skills? Decision making skills? Are you mature? Do you get along well with others? Can you follow directions and take orders? Do you actually listen to the question? Are you just a lump or will you actually make a positive contribution to the department? Those are the primary areas most departments are grading you on.

Lastly, how do you answer your questions? Do you answer them or do you really answer them? Most candidates blurt out an answer without thinking.

Think about it this way - answer your questions like you would write a term paper. The first part is the introduction, the middle part is the body, and the final part is the conclusion. You can use that formula for every question you are asked - it will show some organization and actually sound intelligent. Try it and think about it. Intro, body, conclusion. What do you probably do, as well as most candidates probably do? GO STRAIGHT TO THE BODY WITHOUT A INTRODUCTION OR A CONCLUSION!

Think about this as well. Most schools grade a C as 70-80%, a B as 80-90%, and an A as 90-100%. What gets you hired? Getting that A. What do most people answer? C's or B's. Very few are answering in the 90-100% range because they just blurt out an answer.

If you're given a medical scenario and how would you treat it - and you say I would give oxygen and provide for c-spine. That would be a passing score of probably 70-80%. Now, answer that question with an intro, body, and closing and instead say I would first make sure the scene is safe to enter, I would have my PPE on, I would have my partner maintain manual spinal immobilization, I would visualize the patient from head to toe, I would first open the airway with a jaw thrust since this is a possible c-spine injury, I would then evaluate 3-5 seconds for breathing, I would then provide Oxygen at 15 Liters per minute via Bag Valve Mask since the patient is not breathing on their own, I would then check for a pulse for up to 10 seconds, and so on, and so on.

Evaluate the answer of just oxygen and c-spine vs. the last answer. What score would that last one get you? I would be an A of close to 100%. The difference is organization - not rambling aimlessly, but just organization and being thorough and complete. Think of questions that way and I don't care how much experience, education, or training you have - you should find yourself doing better on your orals.

Hope that helps.