HS3M1T
01-14-2008, 06:48 PM
Hi guys/gals ... first of all just like to comment on how mature this board is compared to other boards. Seems like a solid group here. Anyway I am very interested in becoming a fire fighter. However I think I will be joining the Canadian Forces Fire Fighting units, I'm just curious if the process of admission like the evaluations and such are same or similar in the Forces as it is in the civilian workplace.. ? I don't know if anyone here has gone from the forces and transferred to a civilian unit.
If anyone has this kind of knowledge in respect to the military fire fighting units versus civilian, I would love to know some of the pros and cons of working with a military unit vs. civ units.
I am also going to mention that I am young, (20 years old) wondering if the age has anything to do with hiring process or selection. I currently work a labourous job as a Garbage loader for WSI in Ottawa Canada. I perceive myself as hardworking and fairly strong, I enjoy my jobs physical benefits and thus I work harder at work than say your average garbage loader. I like to run to the houses and such, jumping on and off the truck, and I adapt well to the weight of the crap people put out. (realize some people are pigs when it comes to putting out the trash, and I have to hoist the can and empty it into the hopper for each house, each house having a range of 1-3 cans, with varying weights)
The funny thing is, I workout with free weights 4-5x a week, for strength training and my job in my eyes is just my cardio conditioning to kind of burn any other excess cals/fat, if that makes sense. I always laugh at the fact they are paying me to exercise, and the physical benefits this job reaps can hardly be found anywhere else, because you're dealing with "ignorance" on a daily-routine basis, being that some people like to overload their cans etc..
In other words, it is a lot of grueling "back-busting" work, just wondering if this type of background would benefit me, if I choose to pursue a career in this industry as a fire fighter?
I also will be purchasing a decent sized weightvest from weightvest.com to further enhance my physical abilities / cardio.
Just wondering what else I should be doing also at this point, because around mid-march I'm hopefully going to be finished working my current job, and then I will be applying for the position in the forces. I will probably pick up a couple books about firefighting from coles or chapters, but as far as education and certs go, I have nothing, which is why I think the best route for me at this point is to just hop on with the CF units.
Any feedback/comments are greatly appreciated, Thank You.
If anyone has this kind of knowledge in respect to the military fire fighting units versus civilian, I would love to know some of the pros and cons of working with a military unit vs. civ units.
I am also going to mention that I am young, (20 years old) wondering if the age has anything to do with hiring process or selection. I currently work a labourous job as a Garbage loader for WSI in Ottawa Canada. I perceive myself as hardworking and fairly strong, I enjoy my jobs physical benefits and thus I work harder at work than say your average garbage loader. I like to run to the houses and such, jumping on and off the truck, and I adapt well to the weight of the crap people put out. (realize some people are pigs when it comes to putting out the trash, and I have to hoist the can and empty it into the hopper for each house, each house having a range of 1-3 cans, with varying weights)
The funny thing is, I workout with free weights 4-5x a week, for strength training and my job in my eyes is just my cardio conditioning to kind of burn any other excess cals/fat, if that makes sense. I always laugh at the fact they are paying me to exercise, and the physical benefits this job reaps can hardly be found anywhere else, because you're dealing with "ignorance" on a daily-routine basis, being that some people like to overload their cans etc..
In other words, it is a lot of grueling "back-busting" work, just wondering if this type of background would benefit me, if I choose to pursue a career in this industry as a fire fighter?
I also will be purchasing a decent sized weightvest from weightvest.com to further enhance my physical abilities / cardio.
Just wondering what else I should be doing also at this point, because around mid-march I'm hopefully going to be finished working my current job, and then I will be applying for the position in the forces. I will probably pick up a couple books about firefighting from coles or chapters, but as far as education and certs go, I have nothing, which is why I think the best route for me at this point is to just hop on with the CF units.
Any feedback/comments are greatly appreciated, Thank You.