fairfax county

[nlfdrescue8]

i am a 20yr old firefighter 2/paramedic from ohio near lancaster area looking for a job anywhere. i have heard a lot about fairfax county and see they are a fairly large department. anyone have any input on the department, is it a nice place to work? nice area to move? i wouldnt mind moving for the right job, and any input would be very helpful. thanks

[gepetto]

I currently work for another agency in Fairfax County and am trying to get on with the FRD. I can't give you any info about working for the FRD, but I can tell you that Fairfax County is a really nice place to live, and working for the county is good too. The nice thing about working for the FRD is that there are 37 (I think) different stations, with at least one more opening fairly soon, so you could work in a lot of diverse areas.

If you haven't checked it out already:

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fr/

Plus if you're a medic, they still aggressively hiring for those positions.

[cashton]

You'll need more than a firefighter's salary to live there though.

[Kobersteen]

i am a 20yr old firefighter 2/paramedic from ohio near lancaster area looking for a job anywhere. i have heard a lot about fairfax county and see they are a fairly large department. anyone have any input on the department, is it a nice place to work? nice area to move? i wouldnt mind moving for the right job, and any input would be very helpful. thanks

I was a volunteer with a station in Fairfax County for 5 years, a paid Firefighter/Paramedic in Houston, Texas for 5 years, a paramedic with DC Fire for a year and now a paid Firefighter/Paramedic with Fairfax County for the past 3 years. I can say without a doubt that Fairfax County is the best department that I have worked for so far. There is a very good labor/management relationship and the some of the, if not THE, finest Health/Safety benefits in the country.

Let me know what else you would like to know and I will try to help.

[nlfdrescue8]

thanks for the information. is the cost of living high in that area? i live in a small town in ohio and the living is cheap, so i would expect an increase, but how expensive is it?

[cashton]

Yes expensive, but I can't give you numbers because I live in good 'ol cheap WV. My dad lives there and I can tell you that he just sold his town house for $450,000 and only payed $150,000 for it about 12 years ago. He and his wife just built a new house that cost $365,000, the same house where I live might go for 130,000 - 150,000, so you can see that things are abit inflated. Keep in mind, you are just outside the nation's capitol, so prices are at a premium. You can always live out of area and commute as Fairfax Co. has no residency requirements.

[engine760]

there not kidding

cost of a town house can be in the half a million range and lets not forget about the traffic in and around the county

[ffman02]

Is the outlook good to get hired on in Fairfax County? I notice they are always taking applications

[Kobersteen]

Cost of living in Fairfax County itself is high... that is a fact, but as it was said before, you don't have tolive in Fairfax County to work here.

Is the outlook good to get hired on in Fairfax County?

If you are a NR-I or NR-P, your chances are excellent...

[ffman02]

Kobersteen- I don't have my EMT yet, so should I still apply? Or would I not even get looked at? I was looking at the minimum qualif. but didn't say EMT, am thinking about applying though. How does the hiring process work?

[Kobersteen]

Kobersteen- I don't have my EMT yet, so should I still apply? Or would I not even get looked at? I was looking at the minimum qualif. but didn't say EMT, am thinking about applying though. How does the hiring process work?

Absolutely apply! The reason why I stress the NR-I and P is that it has been identified as a business need, so those with those certifications are being pushed through the process more rapidly than those without. We still have MANY openings in every class for people who are not I's or P's.

The process is detailed at: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fr/recruitment/

Do not be discouraged if it takes time. Fairfax County is a great department to work for and it is definately worth the effort!

[ffman02]

Kobersteen- big thanks for your information here. I was just wondering, I was looking at the hiring process, and I notice the steps you have to pass, and wanted to ask if you thought it would still be good for me to still apply even if I am in living in Georgia? I know how you said that Fairfox Co doesn't have residency requirements. I lived in Virginia about 10 years ago, so I understand the cost of living and those things, but was just wondering if the trips to VA would be worth it? Like a good shot at a job, I mean. I know how the competition is very tough down here and anywhere for the career.

[CarnyTheKid]

DC Fire

Kobersteen,

I noticed you said you were a DC medic and Houston at one time, I was looking into the DC Medic Process and Houston Medic Process that was just posted, any info on what it's like or what it would be like to work for the DCFD or Houston as a medic?

[DennisTheMenace]

You'll need more than a firefighter's salary to live there though.

Only if you have a "keep up with the Joneses" lifestyle. Otherwise you can deffinately get by OK and raise your kids with one of the greatest public school systems in the world.

[Kobersteen]

...wanted to ask if you thought it would still be good for me to still apply even if I am in living in Georgia?

Sure... what do you have to lose?

I noticed you said you were a DC medic and Houston at one time, I was looking into the DC Medic Process and Houston Medic Process that was just posted, any info on what it's like or what it would be like to work for the DCFD or Houston as a medic?

Drop me an e-mail at [email protected] and I'll try to help ya out...