Cranston Fire

[mattm33]

Has anyone heard anything about the Cranston Fire Test? It seems to be taking a long time....

[gdma15]

I heard from a few members of the dept. that they had to put it on hold due to the fact that the Police written and agility exam was going on. I know that the swim test for the fire dept. is going to be during Feb. vacation.

Did you take N.K.'s last night?

What did you think about either test, Cranston or N.K.'s??

[gdma15]

I just got off the phone with someone in the Personnel office at City Hall, they were told to tell anyone who calls that they have not sent out the tests to be graded and do not have an idea of when the results will be mailed out.

[panic66]

i'm prepared to wait....it took around 9 months from when i dropped off my app...till they gave the test! Any idea how many guys they are taking?

[cfdeng3]

I don't know anything about the test but I have heard if the money is available, there could be 7 some time in the spring.

[FirefighterRI]

I have heard 15 guys immediately for awhile now.

[FirefighterRI]

Got a letter saying I passed and to report to the swim test. Thats weird how a few days ago the test werent sent out and now these letters.... left hand not talking to the right.

[mattm33]

I got a letter saying I passed but my score wasn't high enough to move forward in the process.....do you think if people can't pass the swim test they will call those of us back who passed? It is strange that less then a week ago these tests weren't even graded...

[sjb326]

Anyone know how many are swimming and what else is left in the process?

[sjb326]

Why take so many people to the swim test if they are only hiring 15 guys...

[FirefighterRI]

Exactly!!!!!!!!!
I dont know why depts do this. I dont imagine that someone with a just passing score is going to jump approx 120 other guys based upon an interview. I would hate to see that guy take 2 days out of work to swim and climb a ladder all while needing a miracle to get on. Maybe im that guy maybe im not either way that sucks. That being said, ive never run a test so maybe those guys do have a shot for all i know. Just seems unlikely.

[sjb326]

I heard that there isn't an interview... so i checked all the paperwork and there is no mention of one in any of it....so how are they going to eliminate people?

[FirefighterRI]

I cant imagine there being no interviews. Who the hell knows in this damn state tho.

[cfdeng3]

After the swim and ladder climb, the list will come out in order of the scores. There is an interview when a class is going to start but only for the number of guys going on. The reason they keep a lengthy list is because essentially you are all taking every test that is being offered from every city. Typically, the guys scoring near the top of this test are doing the same in every other city. Warwick or EP may have hired guys before Cranston did and Cranston may have to go to #7 to get the first guy. The other thing we have run into is the EMT-C requirement. You don't need it to take the test but if you don't have it when they call, you are getting skipped. They won't hear anything about you being in school for it. If you come out at the top of the list you will get hired, plain and simple(at least in Cranston).

[FirefighterRI]

Hmm, well that sounds reasonable. So glad I went to cardiac school when I did. I know at least 10 guys who took it without having cardiac thinking they would get a year to have it. Wish I knew my score lol.

[sjb326]

That makes sense when you lay out that way...cfdeng can you provide any details about the academy?

[cfdeng3]

I can't remember exactly how long the last one was but 16 weeks keeps popping in my head. They cover Firefighter 1 and 2, haz-mat tech, rope rescue, confined space and trench rescue. We have a number of state instructors so everything is done in house. The last class ended with a burn day at the South Kingstown burn house. There are a bunch of openings right now and I know of 2 guys leaving in the next month. I don't think they will fill all of the openings. Depending of the financial situation of the city, they may not fill any of them for a while. The last class has been out of training for about a year and a half and the class before them was 5 years ago. I have 12 years on now and after my class ended another started a few months later and then another right after that one. You never know what will happen, just hang in there and don't get discouraged. I took my first test a week after graduating high school and finally got hired in West Warwick almost 4 years later. I left there and came to Cranston 4.5 years later. There was a guy in my class that was in his 40's and there was a guy in the last class that I think was 19.

[panic66]

so we did the swim test.....whats next...ladder climb? Confined Space?? Anyone get a letter since the swim?

[panic66]

ladder climb and claustro test