HELP!! I wanted to be a career firefighter

[AUSSIEFIRECHICK]

G'day everyone.

My name is Robyn and i am a volunteer firefighter in Tasmania, Australia.

For the past few years i have been working as a youth worker and radio broadcaster, but no matter what i have always felt my calling in life is to be a Career Firefighter.

I am still young so i know i dont need to rush in to it, but i am wondering if any one can help me work out what to do to get myself physically and psychologically strong enough to go for recruitment.

I am hoping to be ready for 2005 recruitment, so if there is any career firefighters out there, particularly in Australia, who would be willing to encourage me and give me tips on what to do to get to a place where i could be accepted as a firefighter, i would really appreciate hearing from you.

I look forward to talking with you soon,

Regards, Robyn

[aussiefiregirl]

Hi Robyn,

I am a career Firefighter in Sydney. Which Brigades did you wish to join? You can ring the recruitment section of the NSWFB for information on what you have to do to get through the tests etc. There is also info on the website.
for information :-NSWFB Recruitment Information (http://www.fire.nsw.gov.au/recruitment/permanent.htm)

Goodluck! Hope you enjoy as much as I do!

AFG

[LadyHellfire]

Hi hun,
I don't know how much help I can be - since I'm from the US but I am a female in the fire services and have worked in both paid and volunteer departments. Being female in the fire service can soemtimes be a challenge, at least personally, i'm usually too "petite" for everything. Once I learned how to compensate for my small hands and height. Half the fight was then over.

As far as physically preparing - my biggest advice would be cardio. I personally hate running but do fairly well working out on eliptical machines or tredmills while listening to some good music. I do cardio and weightlifting 3-5 days a week (depending on my college course load that week). The weightlifting is important (lets face it - men naturally have a bit more luck in that area) but not something to go nuts over. I work on my shoulders and other muscles involved in lifting and overhauling ceiling tiles.

Psychologically - volunteer departments will prepare you a bit. I'm not sure how departments work in Australia but I know that shifts are usually 24 hours here for paid depts. It can be difficult but something you just learn to adjust to. There's nothing really you can do to prepare for that.

Is there anything else you need to know? I'm happy to help - feel free to drop me an email if you'd like.

GOOD LUCK! :)

[pva68dotcom]

The informatyion on the NSWFB posted by aussiefiregirl is great. If you look around it gives all the physical testing requirements for entry into NSWFB as well as a suggested traing routine. I used this quite a bit in the ;leadup when I went through recruiting earliewr this year.
To giove you a good idea of the traing visit my website at www.pva68.com where I have created a bit of a training diary from my time at the NSWFB training college.
There are two girls in my class of 18 and every class has at east two girls in it now.

Good luck and stick with it.
Paul.