Zapato 823:

Welcome aboard! Kudos on attaining your EMT.

Though you might find more luck in the Open Forum, and our friends at Firecareers will likely answer here soon, please take a moment to tell us about your career goals - yes, your dreams.

I'm confident there are many here who will be pleased to be of assistance.

The advice that is offered can be highly specific to your career goals. If you seek to be a career wildland firefighter, the advice offered may differ from that designed to help someone whose long-term goal is to work on a Fireboat in or near a busy seaport.

I know those examples seem oversimlpified, and they are. What I'm suggesting is to offer a little bit more about you. Why do you want to be a Firefighter? What inspired you to follow this path? Do you have a Firefighter mentor in your life? Are there any geographic concerns that may cause you to seek one group of Fire Departments over another (i.e. you want to live near the beach, or love the Rocky Mountains and truly desire to raise a family there). What have you done thusfar to learn about the Fire Service. What are your other insterests, skills and experience?

Again Zapato 823, welcome aboard and congrats.

Brian

Please no e-mail. Public replies only. Thank you!
This message was edited by lafdpso on 6-16-04 @ 7:15 AM

My goal is to become a Firefighter/Medic. I was drawn into the service by my friends dad. He is an engineer adn used to take me on ride alongs with him to get me started. He was the one that told me to get my EMT. I have volunteered my time with his station and have learnded many things from that. I dont really care where it happens right now as long as i am a fireman. I would like to go up north yet i am not limmited. Please offer your advice and maybe help me get started down here with ride alongs or anything.
Thanks

Zapato, I'm an aspiring firefighter as well, also living in Huntington Beach. You are already on your way by aquiring that EMT cert, good for you. I plan on taking an EMT class at OCC next semester. Where did you take yours? It's also great that you have your dad's friend to kind of mentor you on your path to becoming a firefighter. I would do all you can to spend as much time with him as you could. Also try to spend more time volunteering at his station if possible. For now, I recommend doing what I am which is taking the Fire Science classes at Santa Ana College. I'm enrolled in 101 and 102 for summer session. I've already learned a ton in the 2 weeks I've been going at it. That way you can get into the Academy and get that cert, which will enable you to test at many more stations.
If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength! Prov. 24:10