AKflightmedic, question

[ffman02]

AKflightmedic, I notice you are from Florida and had a question about a testing agency, http://www.floridafirejobs.com
Just wanted to know if you knew anything about this testing process? I know it said you test for 13 departments in the southwest Florida area, so I put in an application. It said you don't need certification, only 18 and a DL, so I applied. Anyway, what are the chances of being picked up by one of these depts without certs? It said you could get hired on w/o certification and the dept will send you to get certified.

[AKflightmedic]

Here is a better link than the one you provided.

http://www.floridafirejobs.org/

As you can see, at the bottom are links to each of the departments that are participating in this hiring process being conducted by the testing agency. Each link will tell you what the department is looking for.

Most of them want ALS certification in addition to FL FF I and II. Certified EMT/FFs are a dime a dozen, however if you are willing to go to medic school, that improves your chances.

What are your qualifications?

To be quite honest, in the southwest area of Florida, your chances of being hired with no qualifications are very very slim. This is a competitive area as the salaries and benefits are becoming more lucrative to retain employees. The population is exploding down there and they can not keep up. Most of the departments listed on this site are adding stations or units this year to keep up. I personally do not know of any department in Florida that will hire you with no qualifications. They just are not that desperate yet to invest that kind of time and money into an unknown.

If you have any more questions or need links or guidance, let me know and I will assist anyway I can. I also have some limited information on these particular departments as I was thinking of making a switch myself.

For example, Lehigh Acres starts Fire Medics around 46K a year, but what I am interested in , is the fact that they pay 100% medical and dental for you and your ENTIRE family. You just dont see that option too much anymore. That is a huge savings in itself right there.

ANyways, good luck and give me a shout.

[AKflightmedic]

Just to reiterate what I said. Remember , this is a testing agency approved by the 13 departments. Regardless, they are in it to make money, so of course they will encourage all to take the test whether you are certified or not. I cut and pasted the section you referred to. I feel it is very misleading because this kind of scenario just does not happen. As I said, if you click on each link to the individual department, you will see what they are looking for.



3. I want to change careers but I have no fire service qualifications. How do I get started?

You do not have to have any credentials or experience to take the FloridaFireJobs test, or to be hired. If you are hired without the Florida Firefighter certification, your employer would arrange for you to attend a Fire Academy. Obviously, your chances of being hired are greater if you have some credentials. The basic credentials of the fire service are the Firefighter and EMT certifications. Most community colleges provide all the classes necessary to become an EMT and Paramedic. The Florida State Fire College in Ocala regularly provides the course needed to become a Certified firefighter. There are Fire Academies around the state that are affiliated with the State Fire College, and authorized to provide the same basic training. Some of them provide night and weekend classes for working people. A list of the Fire Training Facilities can be found on the Florida State Fire College website.

***Bogus advertising, gives false hope***

But despite their moneymaking tactics, if you are certified, this is a hell of a way to turn the tables. You have 13 departments competing for you instead of you competing for one...

[ffman02]

AKflightmedic, thanks for your reply on that. I thought so, but I just wanted to make sure it was fake before I applied, fake being sending you to an academy with no certs. I sent an email and he said it is possible, so I came on here to ask you to find out for sure though.

So, do you think it's not even worth the time to travel to SW Florida to take the tests?? Im coming from out of state, and it was an area I noticed that you could test without any kind of FL required certs. I have Florida FF1, but not 2 and not EMT. Yeah, I clicked on all of the departments links and all of them said FF2 and medic, but a guy from the testing agency told me guys have got hired with no FL credentials so I had to ask you. But like you said money making tactics, so just trying to decide if the trip would even be worth it?

[AKflightmedic]

Make your own decision, but if I were in your shoes, I would not travel for the exam. If you are serious about working in FL, move down here, get your FF II and EMT at a minimum.

Ask the guy specific questions. Ask him to tell you who got hired with no certs so you may contact them for advice.Ask him which department did this. Ask him what certs or experience they had from other states when they got hired. At a minimum, you can go to each departments homepage and call them yourself, and ask them if they would consider you. If so, come take the test. If not, you know what you got to do to make it happen.

Yes, it is common for medics to get hired then sent to the academy, cause they are short of medics. But to just bring someone in with none of the required, not even EMT...that is unheard of. I will not say it has never happened because I am not all knowing, but if you know of anyone, let me know cause I am calling Ripley's.

[Firemedic515]

AKflightmedic,
Is FL a national registry state? I am currently a certified paramedic in Ohio. I let my national registry drop last year. To get it back, I would need to take a 48hr refresher course and retest. What would be the easiest route to certification in Florida. Would they honor my State of Ohio certification? Also, same question for fire. I'm level II in Ohio. Will that transfer?

[AKflightmedic]

I have done many postings on this same topic. Might want to search as I dont have the time at the moment to give the answer you deserve.

For your medic, get your NR back. DO what you have to. If you have NR, FL will allow you to challenge their state test, which can be done online from where you are.

For you FF, FL almost refuses everyone. You can challenge the state fire exam if you can prove that you have the same number of hours in training of different areas as they do. FYI, my FF I and II class was 450 contact hours long. If they review your stuff and let you challenge, the written test is a bear. If you have not read Essentials recently, you will not pass. They ask a lot of obscure information. Then you have to do the "Big 3" to pass their hands on portion. If you go to the state website, they lay it all out pretty clear.

The good news for you is that you are a medic. They need medics bad!!
They will hire you and send you to the fire academy. Suck it up and do it again. Thats what I had to do as well as several of my buddies. I had over a decade of experience and had to do it all over again. Oh well, it was a good refresher.

Any more questions, fire away but please look for those old posts.

They have a lot of links and good information in them...

[LtMedic35]

Let's get the story right... I work for one of the 13 departments in the pool for Lee County, serve as a proctor for the CPAT, and even sit on the hiring interview board.

1st we're not in it to make $$$$ We barely break even on the cost of the testing supplies, renting the facility to hold the exams, written & physical, in addition to buying new equipment for the physical agility.

2nd the only qualifications needed to test are to be 18, and a HS Diploma/GED. Chances are that if you're FF/EMT Certified, or a Single Cert Paramedic you're going to get an interview first.

3rd by having the testing entry req's where they are it gives people a chance to sample the testing process prior to getting their cert's.

4th my agency in particular is seriously looking at the option of hiring non-certified aka NO CERTIFICATION candidates, because the pool is getting plucked thin cause all of our agencies are growing so rapidly.

5th please be a good citizen, take an interview preparation class, and try not to have a rap sheet a mile long, and you'll do well.

6th all the information to transfer medical and fire certifications are available on the www.floridafirejobs.org website. Chances of transferring your Fire Certification is honestly slim to none, but you can challenge.

I hope this helped... area starting salaries are about 43k FF/EMT and 50k for FF/Medic once you're privledged.

[Firemedic515]

Thanks guys.

[ffman02]

LtMedic, I have Florida FF1, not 2 or EMT. Im coming from out of state, and wanted to know if I'd be testing with any chance without FF2 and Medic. Been through a lot of writtens and a CPAT so know how to prepare but just asked if there was a shot at getting hired with one of those depts without those certs.