Firefighters and Layoffs

[capt1195]

Just curious if anyone out there has been laid off from a ff position, and what it took to get another position. I have been laid off for almost 2 years, I have only tested about 4 or 5 times. I have been busy finishing medic school, only a few months away. My problem is, with the whole situation, is that our great union has nothing for this problem. With the economy the way it is it will happen more and more, just in my area there is a city on the verge of losing 15-20 positions, and this is not thru attrition. Another city has been threatening and tried to close a station until they got the bad publicity. I paid my dues and have a great withdraw card but that is the end of the help from the IAFF. You just cant walk into your local fire station and get a job. So and so's son just got out of college and needs a job!!!! Think about it!!!!
Oh and Captbob i will be looking to you to before my next interview.

[CaptBob]

Stand by

Everything could change once you have your midic cert. Get your national registry! Any lists you are now on let them know it's coming. Even with the hiring freezes and cutbacks hiring will have to be made to cover positons.

"Captain Bob"

www.eatstress.com

[LukeKillough]

It truly is a dire state that our economy is in. Here in Phoenix alone, they are looking at having to cut up to 200 jobs. Most of these will be in administration, but some will not. Anyway you slice it, things are getting ugly quick. For a guy like myself, who's pushing very aggressively towards a fire career, but is just now getting in on the move, things look even worse. It may be another 3 years before the area I'm in has another application process. For the mean time, I'm continuing on with my fire-science degree, and continuing to look all across the nation for available openings, but it seems to be that everyone's in the same boat...

[kghemtp]

Paramedic isn't a completely sure bet, but it will give you an edge. Stick out the couple months, circulate the resumes, applications, and cover letters as a FF & Paramedic upon completion. Yes, National Registry will broaden the employment horizon. Good luck!


~Kevin
FF/Paramedic

[OSUfirepro]

It's bad here in Oklahoma too. Here in Tulsa the FD has left positions open through attrition. The news said 35 but who knows; same thing with the PD. I think most of the guys in my paramedic class are wanna be firefighters like myself. It's getting to difficult to get a badge so alot of people that really want this job are going the extra mile. I am not getting my medic because I think it will help me get a job. I like the EMS side also. There are some depts. around here that either require you to be an EMT-P before you can even apply. Even the ones that do not require it,( i.e......OKC & Tulsa), if you pass everything and have a good interview you will be hired. I have talked to ALOT of paramedics that got the job on their first application. I have been trying for almost 5 years and I have a degree in fire protection with 2 years full-time experience. Who knows, maybe this will change the fire service just a litte bit. If most new firefighters are paramedics.

[toldyaso71]

Check in Florida!!!!!

Have you checked in Florida. I know Jacksonville Florida has been hiring alot (like 300 opening). I believe South Florida is too but you need to check it out. I always hear of openings in Florida but dont know about the restof the States. Also try Bay County. Goto Bay County fire site and you may get the number you need to contact them. It is in Bay County Florida in the pan handle. Good Luck!!!!!

[CaptBob]

Certifications

Only problem with Florida is you have to have the State Certification.

This is from a previous posting:

same here..I would love to come to FL...have FFI/II and Haz-Mat Tech.

I have done some digging and found that you can challenge through there fire college here http://www.fsfc.ufl.edu/index.shtml

but I do agree...if you are Certified..it should be good everywhere....correct me if I am wrong.. but don't most (if not all) dept's traing under IFSTA? and even if not...it is all still based under the same thing...Fire 1 is Fire 1...and Fire 2 is Fire 2.

I know that FL takes out of state police certs..they only put the cops through a 1 week course to bring them up to speed with FL regs.

Heck...we had 3 guys leave our dept...go to Charleston & North Charleston Fire and got hired on the spot...just make no sense...it should not be this hard.



Captain Bob

www.eatstress.com

[OSUfirepro]

I have pretty much gave up on any FL fire dept. I actually checked Jacksonville. You have to be State cert throught the state of florida. About the only Florida FD I found that you do not is Miami-Dade. Wonder how difficult it is to get a NREMT-P in FL? I know all over the state of florida there is a shortage of Paramedics. After my Paramedic school is over I am going to start traveling and testing. But all my Florida reasearch has been a dead end.

[toldyaso71]

GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!

Yes in Florida you can challenge the State test. I do believe that Dade County has their own fire college. Just not sure how that works though. I recommend that you get a current Essentials of Firefighting book and study it thoroughly if you havent done it already. When I took the test the questions and answers did come staight from the book. Alot of material for only a 100 questions. If you already took the test and passed it i dont see why you would have a problem with the Fla. test. But there again I dont know how the other States do it. And also for the medic. I knew a guy that had his E.M.T in Texas but Florida didnt accept it and he had to retake the whole thing over. It just doesnt make sence to me. I think what it boils down to is that the colleges want to make there money so they make it harder for the average working man. Seeing as that we or I arent the rich ones around here. So I guess that the mecid is the same way. Dont give up, theres got to be a way. Well once again good luck to you bros out there.

[CaptBob]

Jobs???????

A quick story that JUST happened. A very good friend that worked for a fire department here in North Carolina, had dreamed of getting hired in California. He subscribed to PFC only 6 months ago and apply to 2 So. Cal departments in the last 3 months. One was a lateral to a dream department. I loaned him your book and tape, told him of your web page and tried to give him a little help where I could. He felt he was reaching for the moon especially at 38 years old. Two weeks ago he got the call of a life time. Capt. Bob, "TODAY", 6/23/03 is his first day as a Southern California with this dream department, most in part because he read, watched your tape and reviewed your web page. Dream Big & Dare to Fail!
Allan

Allan:

Thank you for letting me know. I talked to this candidate when he was preparing for his psych. To go from North Carolina to So. California at age 38 is a feat in itself. It proves again that the program works even in this tougher job market. The proof is in the badge.

Another one just in! Badge 2,104

As I sat at the kitchen table in the back of the firehouse, listening to the union trustee tell me about his meeting with the city manager, I began considering my options. After four years as a full time firefighter, I was being told that layoffs were inevitable. Not only that, but with four years on, I was still low man, and would be first to go. What should I do? Stay, and hope that the city suddenly resolves its financial difficulties? Wait for the layoff, and hope I'd get hired back within a year? Or start applying at other departments?

The prospect of going through the hiring process again made my heart sink even lower. It took me years to get this job, how long will it take me to get another one?

With all the talk of pre-emptive strikes on the news, I soon decided to make a pre-emptive strike myself; I would apply at other departments, and see if I couldn't get a job offer before my current position was cut. I was soon racking up the frequent flyer miles, and studied firefighter test books and your tapes and videos extensively. I even did private coaching with your son, Rob.

I practiced with a tape recorder and a video camera, bought new clothes, and even took a whole week off work before each interview so I could practice 8 hours a day every day before the oral boards. At first, the future seemed bleaker and bleaker; after so many hours of preparation, years of fire and paramedic experience, and a four-year degree, I was still flunking oral boards like there was no tomorrow.

But I kept re-watching the video, and using the tape recorder, and soon, I landed the biggest oral board of my life. I didn't feel nervous, I was confident I knew what I was doing, and I gave it my very best. Still, I had felt this way before all of my recent oral boards, and I expected to wait a couple of weeks, and get that same "good luck in your future endeavors" letter I had received so many times before.

At 10:28am the next day, I received a phone call; it was one of the Chiefs.

He offered me a job.

Not only am I not getting laid off, I'm moving to a much bigger department, with higher pay, more opportunities, and with a much nicer climate.

So there you go: another badge, thanks to your tapes and video.

Thank you very much, Captain Bob. I owe you a lot.

Best wishes, Keirin

Reply:

You done good! You have made my day. Yes, you are 2,104. You give hope to those still out there.

"Nothing counts 'til you have the badge . . . Nothing!"

Fire "Captain Bob"

www.eatstress.com

888-238-3959

[kghemtp]

CaptBob, gotta simplify your postings!