What Do I need to DO?

[CDFDEngine7]

What do I do now? Ive joined my local volunteer fire department. What do I need do to become an interior FF what classes, what courses? Please send post with anything!

[BPFire1618]

Well it depends on your department really. You have to be 18 in MOST places, with a few strange, barely legal exceptions. My department requires Firefighter I, HAZMAT Operational level, and American Heart Association CPR certification. Some just require Firefighter I, some require more. Talk to your line officers to find out what you need to take. My personal opinion: Take as much as you can. If your department will pay for it, take every class available.

[CDFDEngine7]

Thanks! I WANT to learn everything I can!

Alright is there age limits for the classes? And if i ask a senior member they should be able to tell me where I can go to take them? You guys are helping me MILLIONS and I greatly Appreciate it

[doughesson]

When I'd go for training with my old department footing the bill,there'd be one or two Explorers in the class as well.One case where the kid's SCBA ran out during a smokehouse stands out in memory but that's a different sea story.
The certification will be good for whatever time period the regs require,no matter how old you are when you get them.
I say go for the training and be that far ahead when you turn 18 and are thus"burnable".
If full members are going and your folks okay it,you should be able to go across the state and attend the training.Though depending on your chain of command,you might be heavily supervised after training hours or you might be turned loose to your own devices after supper.

[FFDexplorer2]

Actually, often there is no real age limit, but the instructor may not want to teach juniors or explorers, I cant imagine why, but my Chief just tells me to make sure the instructor is okay with it, in fact I am going to be taking EMT Basic in the fall. In NH you can take a lot of the classes but you just cant test on them. I am taking EMT B but I wont be able to hold a license until I am 18, for this reason I would normally have looked the other way and waited, but this class is being offered at my dept. See what you can take, even if you cant test to get full certification, the knowledge wil help you now, and when you turn legal age, you will be that far ahead, you may only need to tes on the courses required for your dept. Good luck to you.

Riley Stanchina

[CDFDEngine7]

Thank you

Thank you all for posting its helping me a alot! My department pays for all my training i have just figured out and thanks to all that posted!