How to Become a Firefighter
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire; and where there’s fire, there’s a firefighter. Firefighting is one of the most important professions in the community. People rely on firefighters to save lives, preserve property, and prevent fires from causing more damage to the neighborhood. Many children dream of becoming firefighters one day, with some people carrying this dream well into adulthood. Now you can make your dreams of being your community’s hero come true, with these simple steps on how to become a firefighter.
Dream From Reality
If you watched the movie “Backdraft,” you may have become inspired to be a firefighter because of the heroic scenes and music. A full-time firefighter will experience many exciting moments over the course of his or her career; however, the life of a full-time firefighter is quite dull, especially when there are no emergencies for the day. Firefighting also demands peak physical conditioning and mental alertness.
Firefighters have perhaps the most dangerous jobs in the community. Whether it’s a brushfire, chemical infernos, or blazing houses, firefighters can suffer serious injuries or even die from the heat of fires. When you do decide to be a firefighter, you should be aware and prepared for the dangers that come with the job.
Firefighter Qualifications
To become a firefighter, you need to pass the following qualifications:
You must be at least 18 years old.
You should have a high school diploma, or a general equivalency diploma (GED).
You must not test positive for any illegal drugs or other substances.
You should be in peak physical condition.
Take the Firefighting Exam
Your local fire department has all the information and the forms you need to take the firefighting examination. Fire departments typically test your knowledge on many aspects of firefighting, including the following:
Basic first aid skills
Knowledge of emergency extraction and rescue procedures
Knowledge of causes of fires, and how to extinguish them
Physical fitness
Mental and emotional stability
Many firefighters are also called up for tasks and emergencies that do not involve fires. They can include fetching pets stuck in high places, or rescuing people trapped inside apartments or condominium units.
Get Into A Training Program
Firefighting is a physically demanding and intense profession. It can also be very stressful and emotionally taxing; fighting fires involves saving lives, property, and dealing with the grief of survivors. Firefighters also reach out to the community by helping people cope with the loss of lives or property in a fire. A firefighter needs to be properly trained and well-equipped for these tasks and responsibilities.
Once you pass the firefighting exam, you need to participate in a training program. A training program typically lasts for four to six weeks, depending on the degree of difficulty of the task you applied for. Training program for firefighters and fire brigades are continuous, and firefighters condition themselves and train with other members of the brigade on their off-days. Firefighters may also need to undergo seminars and workshops on how to deal with grief and emotional victims of fires.
Volunteer Fire Brigades
If you have a full-time job, but you still want to live your childhood dream of being a firefighter, then you can join a volunteer fire brigade. Volunteer fire brigades are composed of people with full-time jobs, but are able to spare the time to help out the community by dedicating their days-off to fighting fires in case of emergencies. Volunteer fire brigades coordinate with the local fire department, and help full-time firefighters extinguish blazes faster and more efficiently. You can sign up with your local community volunteer fire brigade if you can spare the time.
Firefighting is intense and action-packed, but that’s only half the story. With the right level of dedication and fitness, firefighting may just be the perfect career choice for you.