Do I have a chance with the FDNY?

[AndrewIrons]

I believe the FDNY will be testing again in 2011, and I have been considering flying out there or doing a road trip to test. Being as that I live in Washington State, and don't get the residency points, would I even have a chance at getting hired?

Also, can anyone tell me what the process is like? I couldn't find much information about it on the city's website, so I was just wondering if it was pretty typical. Around here, it's a written, interview, physical agility, and a chief's interview. Then background and all that.

Thanks for any and all the help.

[FFFRED]

I believe the FDNY will be testing again in 2011, and I have been considering flying out there or doing a road trip to test. Being as that I live in Washington State, and don't get the residency points, would I even have a chance at getting hired?

Also, can anyone tell me what the process is like? I couldn't find much information about it on the city's website, so I was just wondering if it was pretty typical. Around here, it's a written, interview, physical agility, and a chief's interview. Then background and all that.

Thanks for any and all the help.

Did you bother to look at the thousands of posts in regards to the current list in the employment section? You'd probably get most of your answers cleared up. Also the offical website is pretty straighforward in regards to most issues.

For the record I know of guys from just about every state in the union on this job. I met a guy who was a Seattle fireman before taking the job with us.

I also came from outside the tri-state region. It is achievable, It is expensive and time consuming and there are no gaurantees.(most things are tax write-offs) Considering the mess the most recent exams have caused in court...it is hard to say what they will do for the next one.

NYC is a union town and hiring is strictly governed by civil service law. Despite what the bigots in the Vulcan Society claim, you don't need to know anyone to get on this job. You don't need to be related to anyone. And even if you did it wouldn't help you a bit.

Assuming the future exam follows the pattern of most recent history. The process is 1. written 2.physical agility...both are scored and then you recieve a list number based on your scores from DCAS, the city agency tasked with all exams and hiring. Then you are hired in that order starting with number 1.

There is a medical exam, psycho exam, and investigation into your criminal history, background and character. There are no "interviews" per se. But these have NO bearing on the order in which you are hired.

If you are list number 1156...there are 1155 guys before you who have a shot at the job provided they pass all the above criteria. If you are list No. 15,053, you have 15,052 men ahead of you and since we only hire a few thousand a year at most, if at all, you'd probably want to just forget about this job under those circumstances.

Under normal conditions a list is used for 4 years.

I hope that explains it. So yes you have a shot and you are more than welcome to apply. Don't let anyone tell you different.

FTM-PTB

[CaptOldTimer]

I believe the FDNY will be testing again in 2011, and I have been considering flying out there or doing a road trip to test. Being as that I live in Washington State, and don't get the residency points, would I even have a chance at getting hired?

Also, can anyone tell me what the process is like? I couldn't find much information about it on the city's website, so I was just wondering if it was pretty typical. Around here, it's a written, interview, physical agility, and a chief's interview. Then background and all that.

Thanks for any and all the help.

Probably not but try out anyway.

[BW21]

FFFRED told you correctly. It's worth and shot. If you live outside of the state the hiring process can be expensive (I spent around 2 thousand going back and forth for the FDNY EMS hiring process). I lived about 9 hours away from the state of NY so driving was alittle cheeper than flying.


But if you want the job bad enough-----no price can be placed on what it will take you to obtain it.

There will probably be a whole bunch of people who haven't even set foot in the City of New York post here and tell you that you can't, dont listen to them. and this goes for any city really.. if you want a job with FDNY fire talk to someone who works there. You shouldnt let someone from wyoming tell you you cant have a job in baltimore.

But like Capt said.... You are right.. chances are with no extra points on the fire civil service test it's slim....

But you never know..

[FF173]

If you are list number 1156...there are 1155 guys before you who have a shot at the job provided they pass all the above criteria. If you are list No. 15,053, you have 15,052 men ahead of you and since we only hire a few thousand a year at most, if at all, you'd probably want to just forget about this job under those circumstances.


FTM-PTB

FFFRED, so if I read your post correctly the FDNY hires around 2,000 guys a year? So lets say the list is good for the 4 years it usually is. If you score somewhere above #8,000 on the list you stand a pretty good chance of getting hired sometime during the list's life? Just wanted to make sure I got this correct.

Thank you.

[BW21]

FFFRED, so if I read your post correctly the FDNY hires around 2,000 guys a year? So lets say the list is good for the 4 years it usually is. If you score somewhere above #8,000 on the list you stand a pretty good chance of getting hired sometime during the list's life? Just wanted to make sure I got this correct.

Thank you.

Yeah they hire quite a few guys on the fire side every year. Although I dont think they have hired any within the last 18 or 20 months? someone correct me if i am wrong..

[nameless]

it'll be very hard without residency points, but you still have a shot. If I were you I'd try very hard to establish residency.

[FWDbuff]

it'll be very hard without residency points, but you still have a shot. If I were you I'd try very hard to establish residency.

I second that. As others have said, don't let anyone tell you no. I, however, will tell you that without residency, it does not look good for you. There will be thousands of other candidates in front of you with the residency points.

By the way, are you an honorably discharged Vet? Because if not, you also have thousands of those with Vets Points in front of you in the line as well.

Don't mean to make it look bleak for you, but I am just telling the truth. If you really and truly want FDNY, you should think long and hard about doing 4 years active duty military, and then establishing residency within one of the 5 Boroughs.

Yeah they hire quite a few guys on the fire side every year. Although I dont think they have hired any within the last 18 or 20 months? someone correct me if i am wrong..

He meant approx. 2k guys are hired "in total" off of a 4 year list.

The attrition rate with retirements, resignations ect...varies between 400-600 guys a year. that's why traditionally you were seeing two classes of approx. 300 a year.

The last class was in '08, the only class so far off of this list

[HeightsFF]

when the hiring was good it was about 1200 guys a year. That has slowed up some in the past 2 years though. I say go for it. you get a 100 on written and 100 on physical you should be in good shape. Not having the 5 points hurts but it won't totally kill your chances

[FFFRED]

FFFRED, so if I read your post correctly the FDNY hires around 2,000 guys a year? So lets say the list is good for the 4 years it usually is. If you score somewhere above #8,000 on the list you stand a pretty good chance of getting hired sometime during the list's life? Just wanted to make sure I got this correct.

Thank you.

No that is at most...as in after 9/11/01 when a cycle of a large amount of guys with 20-30 years were going to be retiring anyways coincided with the loss of 343 brothers and the early retirements of 1000s of others.

Usual hiring is probably in the neighborhood of 450-800. (City council estimates of attrition) Something like 2/3rds of the job is post 9/11 and anyone can do the math....none of them (outside the unfortunate disability retirement) will be retiring until 2022.

As for the ratio of list numbers to guys who actualy get through the process...the old rule of thumb doesn't work as they loosened requirements and the difficulty of the exam, it has resulted in people at the top of the list...who can't pass medicals, backgrounds, no interest in job...all the typcical stuff that usually disqualifies people but that in the past these same types didn't put forth the effort to secure a high score on the written or physical when it was truely competitive.

So I can't say for sure...in the past if you were 4000ish...you were likely not in the money.

FTM-PTB

[FF173]

No that is at most...as in after 9/11/01 when a cycle of a large amount of guys with 20-30 years were going to be retiring anyways coincided with the loss of 343 brothers and the early retirements of 1000s of others.

Usual hiring is probably in the neighborhood of 450-800. (City council estimates of attrition) Something like 2/3rds of the job is post 9/11 and anyone can do the math....none of them (outside the unfortunate disability retirement) will be retiring until 2022.

As for the ratio of list numbers to guys who actualy get through the process...the old rule of thumb doesn't work as they loosened requirements and the difficulty of the exam, it has resulted in people at the top of the list...who can't pass medicals, backgrounds, no interest in job...all the typcical stuff that usually disqualifies people but that in the past these same types didn't put forth the effort to secure a high score on the written or physical when it was truely competitive.

So I can't say for sure...in the past if you were 4000ish...you were likely not in the money.

FTM-PTB

Thanks FFFRED for the information!

[simpllyhuge]

FFFRED that was an awesome explanation. What do you think about the age extension going through? I am curious how much each question is worth, How many mistakes could one make and still get a 95?

[Desire4theJob]

FFFRED that was an awesome explanation. What do you think about the age extension going through? I am curious how much each question is worth, How many mistakes could one make and still get a 95?

As far as how much the questions are worth...its very hard to say since last test had different sections weighted differently with I think 195 total questions. The next test will hopefully be different, based the more traditional way but "Wish in one hand..."