questions previous Drug use

[dinon03]

previous drug use

[BoxAlarm187]

Pot 100 times - unlikely to get hired, but stranger things have happened. Cocaine? And use within the past year?? You're not getting the job. Sorry to be blunt...

[dinon03]

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[paulLepore]

Life is all about choices. You made a conscious decision to smoke pot - because you liked it. The fire department will most likely choose not to hire you.

[dinon03]

ok, but do you think all fire dept will choose not to hire me, are my chances shot everywhere?

[FWDbuff]

ok, but do you think all fire dept will choose not to hire me, are my chances shot everywhere?

Kid.....There are literally HUNDREDS of applicants for EACH and EVERY firefighter position ever advertised from here to kingdom come. MANY of these HUNDREDS of applicants will not only possess any and all prerequisite training/certifications, but they will be 100% clean.

That being said, given the choice between an applicant who is clean, and one who has smoked pot, did coke, and whatever else....who do you think they are going to pick? NEWSFLASH: It's not you!

....Not to mention coming in here and saying "I want to be honest" and then saying that you dont want to put it down on the application.....That my friend makes you untrustworthy.

No executive fire chief in his right mind or any Human Resources Department will select you when there will be hundreds or thousands of applicants better than you. No offense, but with your attitude, I have no doubt you will put a torpedo through yourself in the initial hiring process and/or the poly.

[dinon03]

I said i dont want to put something down that i dont need to, im asking for opinions on what i should do or what i can do, i have certs, and im currently in school getting a degree in fire science is that going to help/

[FWDbuff]

I said i dont want to put something down that i need to, im asking for opinions on what i should do or what i can do, and i have certs, and im currently in school getting a degree in fire science is that going to help/

What you need to do is be %100 honest from the beginning. If there is any hope of you getting hired (which I do not believe there is) you will get tossed the instant they realized you have lied. And not being 100% truthful on an application, no matter how initial, is lying, period.

I do not know what the prerequisites are for the agency that you are applying for. Some agencies will give preference for degrees, some will not. Cannot answer your question other than to say (again) that there will be hundreds or thousands of applicants that posess the prereqisites, that will jump at the chance to give hair samples showing that they are %100 clean.

And again....If you are questioning whether you "need" to answer questions on drug use honestly, well, quite honestly you are not what the fire service needs or wants.

[simpllyhuge]

I dont think I know anyone who has never smoked pot. Assuming its true that this would keep you from being hired, then dont even bother, why would you want a record of a disqualification following you around.

[BoxAlarm187]

I said i dont want to put something down that i dont need to, im asking for opinions on what i should do or what i can do, i have certs, and im currently in school getting a degree in fire science is that going to help/

You're not getting it! Your chances of getting hired are about 0.000000001% by any fire department anywhere. You've proven that you're a poor decision maker, and departments aren't going to risk you as an employee.

The fact that you're asking us if you "don't need to put it down" when the application asks you about drug use further underscores the fact that you're not suited for the job. This job is based on strong decision making skills and trust, amongst other things. So far you've displayed that you possess neither of these.

[dinon03]

Despite what i said in the thread i am going to be completely honest, i was just trying to bring up opinions about how the application process works, but thanks for your input

[fire49]

""The last time i smoked marijuana was 3 months ago.""""

OK so you say you are certified and attend fire science classes


as in you want to be a fireman????


So if you are asking the question about an application, sounds like do not have a clue that most fire departments do not like drug users

maybe stop all drug use and after being clean for at least year start applying and see what happens

some depts will post thier standards on line, just check city to city

[sredish]

the thing that they'll question is you made a conscience decision to attend college classes geared towards getting a career at a fire dept, along with the conscience decision to get certified. likewise, while those decisiions were being made, the conscience decision of doing drugs was also made. this is where they'll question your judgement...

nobody is being personal, they're just telling you how it is based on what the people on the other side of the table will think. why should they hire someone they have to 'question' the judgement on when they have hundreds others who they won't have a single doubt.

that's they way they'll look at it. fire49 has it right to get started. get clean, 100% pure clean and make a conscience decision to continue that way and make a change in your life. after a year or so, then start thinking about applying and being 100% honest about who you are and how you want to proceed in life, to yourself and to the people sitting on the other side of the table.

[sredish]

don't know how that happened...

[dinon03]

Thank you for your input, I stopped smoking and then started my degree shortly after, my plan originally was to finish school then start applying i just had my first fire science class today and the professor informed me that ATL fire was hiring so i got excited checked out the application and thats why i started this thread. i fought wild land fire in california for 4 years 9 ( my certs are wildland fire fighting and sawyer certs and first responder ). Thanks again for your input and respect.