fairfax county

[eaglesrule1024]

Well Im Starting my journey for Fairfax and iam just about to take the written on the 19th and I was taken a bit surprised by it since I just submitted my application a day under 2 weeks without hearing anything. I have read this whole thing from start to finish and it seems to have A LOT of great information one thing I think i cannot find is the time table from written exam to cpat and If I pass to move on to the next stage ? And with that said What is the time line IF ANY is with the academy start dates because I have thought about finding a Paramedic school starting it and then thought about well hey what happens if I get a call and im still in paramedic school what happens then ?

Rob

[edpmedic]

When I completed the entrance exam back in Oct. '06, the cpat was scheduled for mid March '07. Where I work, there is a female who completed the process as an emt, then began medic school. My understanding is that women, minorities, and emt-P/I are preferred. She received several invitations for the academy, but deferred pending completion of medic class. Once selected, I don't know if they let anyone postpone, or if it is a case by case basis. When I received the letter advising successful completion of the selection process, it advised that the completion status was valid for two years. I don't know if this will apply if you attempt to postpone the job offer. In my case, I was unable to begin in Jan '08, but I will be starting Apr. 28. My advice would to be to call recruiting, run your scenario by them, and see what they say. I wish you the best of luck, but realize that anything could happen during the selection process. If you complete the medic program, you can always reapply to fairfax, or any other dept. for that matter. You will be preferred as an als provider, and this will increase your chances in the future, should this process prove unsuccessful. As far as the cpat, emphasize leg, torso, and grip training. If you cannot access a stepmill, try this quick fix: Grab a pair of dumbbells/kettlebells, do 16-20 steps of walking lunges, immediately do 10 reps of front squats, then do box jumps with a 24" box until failure. Repeat as necessary. Good luck!

[edpmedic]

My mistake, the cpat was in Jan '07, about three months after the written. Plenty of time to train. If you need training advice, just ask, I can talk about training ad nauseum.

[jdmedic]

Just checking in

Hi All ,
It's good to see action in here again!! My progress is that I am still hoping for a call soon. If you need help eaglesrule, feel free to email me and I will do what I can to help you. The written test is not bad at all and you should do fine. Good luck and let me know if I can help.

edpmedic. I was just wondering how you were notified you got the job? telephone call, letter, etc? Also if the academy joins up with the others in Aug., does that mean the ALS pre class is 3 months long? Anything you know is helpful and I appreciate it! Hopefully you have found a place to live and it's going smooth for you.

Thanks Again!

[localva]

Hi All ,
It's good to see action in here again!! My progress is that I am still hoping for a call soon. If you need help eaglesrule, feel free to email me and I will do what I can to help you. The written test is not bad at all and you should do fine. Good luck and let me know if I can help.

edpmedic. I was just wondering how you were notified you got the job? telephone call, letter, etc? Also if the academy joins up with the others in Aug., does that mean the ALS pre class is 3 months long? Anything you know is helpful and I appreciate it! Hopefully you have found a place to live and it's going smooth for you.

Thanks Again!

1. A recruit class of 40 started last week. The next class will be 40 recruits starting in the fall. There will only be two recruit classes this year.

2. If you are offered the job they call you.

3. The first month of the academy is EMS. You either get four weeks of EMT or four weeks of ALS/Medic. You have to be a Medic already to go through the ALS/Medic class. During the four weeks all the Medics go to a difference class. After the four weeks suppression starts and everyone is back in the same room.

With the next class starting in the fall you will hear something late summer if you got in.

[edpmedic]

jdmedic, I was notified by phone. I am told that my packet will arrive by mail in the next 1-2 weeks. Other than my start date, I don't know much else. localva probably knows much more than I do, at this point. I have several offers to assist in my housing search. I will be looking either the last week of March, or the first week in April. I was disqualified for the magnet program due to salary. Let us know when you get the call, and if you need any help moving.

[Kobersteen]

3. The first month of the academy is EMS. You either get four weeks of EMT or four weeks of ALS/Medic. You have to be a Medic already to go through the ALS/Medic class. During the four weeks all the Medics go to a difference class. After the four weeks suppression starts and everyone is back in the same room.

Actually, the newest concept is to start the ALS rookies about 4 months (?) before their non-ALS classmates. The ALS rookies go through ACLS, BTLS, PALS recerts and then go through their internship. They fully join their non-ALS classmates just before suppression school starts. After they get out of rookie school, they are then the probationary firefighter and the engine medic.

I am very anxious to see how it works... I see some glaring holes in the logic.

[localva]

Actually, the newest concept is to start the ALS rookies about 4 months (?) before their non-ALS classmates. The ALS rookies go through ACLS, BTLS, PALS recerts and then go through their internship. They fully join their non-ALS classmates just before suppression school starts. After they get out of rookie school, they are then the probationary firefighter and the engine medic.

I am very anxious to see how it works... I see some glaring holes in the logic.

I stand corrected. I forgot about the new ALS process at the academy. I agree with Korbesteen, there are issues with the new process. A probie should not be allowed to fill the left bucket of an Engine right out of rookie school.

[jklm128]

Well Im Starting my journey for Fairfax and iam just about to take the written on the 19th and I was taken a bit surprised by it since I just submitted my application a day under 2 weeks without hearing anything. I have read this whole thing from start to finish and it seems to have A LOT of great information one thing I think i cannot find is the time table from written exam to cpat and If I pass to move on to the next stage ? And with that said What is the time line IF ANY is with the academy start dates because I have thought about finding a Paramedic school starting it and then thought about well hey what happens if I get a call and im still in paramedic school what happens then ?

Rob

Hey Eaglesrule, I was on a similar path that you are about to do. I was about finished with my cardiac semester and would be taking the NREMTP's this summer but I got called down before. The problem is that you would have to give up on your courses at that time if you do accept appointment, but if the program is an associates degree, you can transfer those over to the nova community colleges here. You would still have to retake the core medic courses again I think, but if you go through the fairfax fire emt-I course there is a bridge course from I to P. But thats after recruit school. You can defer your appointment and wait after you get your paramedic license too. Hope that helps. Before you do get your medic though, get a good foundation with EMT first. (2years exp preferably)

[jdmedic]

How Soon

I reposted this question on another page! Thanks

[mpullen32]

Goodluck to everyone taking the CPATS this saturday. I will be there around 11.

[DennisTheMenace]

Goodluck to everyone taking the CPATS this saturday. I will be there around 11.

Remember, enough heart will get you through it, even if your cardiac conditioning can't! Get through the stairclimb, then just DON't give up! It is not easy, but it is not hard to finish in time either.

[jdmedic]

Reposting

I just wondered if anyone has an idea of how soon before you needed to be there (April 28th) they would let you know you had the job so you had time to find a place to live? (As of today there are 45 days till April 28th.)

Didn't see a reply last and just curious and thanks again...

[formerbuckeye]

when i got on they gave me about 5 weeks

[formerbuckeye]

also, i would HIGHLY reccomend using craigslist.org to find an apt in the dc area, i was very successful in using it