4 answers
Jarren
Student
Hyde Park, VT
1
Question
Updated
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What do y'all recommend before I continue with a career in Firefighting/EMS
Hello y'all, I'm a 15 year old male who has been a Jr. Firefighter/ for around 3 years now. I love firefighting and shadowing EMS departments. I love helping people when they are in a time of need. I was just wondering if anyone had some tips and tricks while I'm still younger in the Fire/EMS Service. Thank y'all.
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4 answers
Cynthia Goss
paramedic
6
Answers
Worcester, Massachusetts
Updated
Cynthia’s Answer
It's great that you're excited for this career so early on! I would say that this is a great time to learn skills that will benefit you not just as a firefighter but as an emergency responder in general. Learn CPR and first aid, ideally through AHA- when you're 18 you can become certified to teach it, which will make you extra helpful in EMS. Maybe learn animal first aid as well (you'll get these calls rarely). If you're near a city that has the option, take a wilderness first aid class. If you want, take a basic ECG class but remember that if you don't get it that's fine. Learn skills that are beneficial in disaster response- you can take FEMA courses online that will teach you how to read hazard placards and other skills. Learn ham radio, and if you've been considering getting a dog with a whole lot of effort you may be able to train a search and rescue dog or therapy dog(but understand most dogs- including mine!- aren't capable of passing this training and search and rescue training is like having a job). I'm uncertain of the minimum ages for DMAT and CERT, but you might want to look into getting involved and if there's a way you can get involved, like by playing patient when they do large scenarios. Find out what language is spoken as a major second or third language in the city you hope to work in and learn it. Not just coursework learning, have real conversations and get out into the community to practice- in EMS you'll find most people are very loud, very quiet, mutter, or otherwise don't speak all that clearly in an emergency. Take a medical terminology course, online like through Coursera or in classroom. Make sure your algebra and writing skills are decent- med math is a beast for many providers, and a bad narrative will put you at risk in case of a lawsuit and will interfere with continuation of care. These will make you much more skilled a provider before you even enter the field.
Philip Gauthier
Nuclear Plant Work Week Manager
19
Answers
Prairieville, Louisiana
Updated
Philip’s Answer
You are on the right track by continuing to participate as a junior firefighter. I was a Junior Firefighter as well and even though I did not become a professional firefighter it helped me immensely in my career in the Navy (where everyone is a firefighter) and now as a Nuclear Plant Manager.
My First Recommendation would be to think about where you really want to end up in your career.
Do you want to be a Fire Chief?
Do you want to be a Fire Marshall?
Do you want to want to Manage an Ambulance Corps?
Do you want to Build Fire Protection Systems or even Fire Trucks?
After that I would look into classes/certifications that can help you reach those goals. Becoming a Professional Firefighter/EMT usually requires passing a Civil Service Exam (Study for this) and then completing some training while you are a Probationary Firefighter (Probie). However, depending on where you want to end up you may want to consider a degree or certification in Emergency Management, Disaster Management, etc... This will help you stand out in a crowded field of applicants and may open the door to other opportunities.
Finally, I would recommend that you always keep an open mind. Every State/City/Agency has its own terminology, culture and rules and it can get very confusing so it's very important to listen.
My First Recommendation would be to think about where you really want to end up in your career.
Do you want to be a Fire Chief?
Do you want to be a Fire Marshall?
Do you want to want to Manage an Ambulance Corps?
Do you want to Build Fire Protection Systems or even Fire Trucks?
After that I would look into classes/certifications that can help you reach those goals. Becoming a Professional Firefighter/EMT usually requires passing a Civil Service Exam (Study for this) and then completing some training while you are a Probationary Firefighter (Probie). However, depending on where you want to end up you may want to consider a degree or certification in Emergency Management, Disaster Management, etc... This will help you stand out in a crowded field of applicants and may open the door to other opportunities.
Finally, I would recommend that you always keep an open mind. Every State/City/Agency has its own terminology, culture and rules and it can get very confusing so it's very important to listen.
Reeve Dolan
Emergency Medical Technician
1
Answer
Fort Worth, Texas
Updated
Reeve’s Answer
Hey Jarren,
My name’s Reeve, I’m currently in Paramedic school, and it sounds like you’re on a similar path. I originally started strictly in EMS — it all began with lifeguarding at summer camp, which was a lot of fun at a young age.
Sounds like you’ve got some time to make decisions about how you want to go about it, but I’d say keep in mind what aspects of the job you truly love; the rest will follow. In terms of stability, making a career out of this work, and supporting yourself and your loved ones, I’d recommend focusing on EMS first: get your EMT-B license, then move up to Paramedic at whatever pace is comfortable for you.
I took EMT school online through RC Health Services, but I’ve always struggled a bit with learning remotely. I wish I had done more in-person classes to really make the material stick. I then did my clinical at a small-town fire station near Fort Worth, Texas, and that’s when I really started to love the firefighter/EMS line of work. I even asked a lot of firefighters — both locally and nationally, with 10+ years in the field — for their advice. The consensus seems to be: get your Paramedic National Registry first, then go for your fire certification. It helps a lot long-term and might even get a fire station near you to sign you on as a paramedic and possibly pay for your fire academy — which is a nice bonus.
Right now I’m in a two-year paramedic program. Some programs can be as short as a few months, but I know I need more time to really hammer down the information. Always be honest with yourself about your abilities; improvements come day by day.
I also do a side part-time job as an EMT-B for an event medicine company in Dallas-Fort Worth, and I’ve loved it. Some benefits for someone young:
• Hands-on patient contact — especially at concerts or large events, it’s a great way to learn.
• Unique experiences — if you’re lucky, you might hear or even see parts of a band or performer you like.
• Resume boost — there are online certifications in event medicine you can get after EMT-B relatively quickly.
One more thing: finding a good mentor is huge. There are a lot of people in this line of work who don’t want to help students or younger EMTs/Paramedics, but if you find someone who will guide you, hold onto them.
Hope all this helps, and I really hope it works out for you, man.
— Reeve
My name’s Reeve, I’m currently in Paramedic school, and it sounds like you’re on a similar path. I originally started strictly in EMS — it all began with lifeguarding at summer camp, which was a lot of fun at a young age.
Sounds like you’ve got some time to make decisions about how you want to go about it, but I’d say keep in mind what aspects of the job you truly love; the rest will follow. In terms of stability, making a career out of this work, and supporting yourself and your loved ones, I’d recommend focusing on EMS first: get your EMT-B license, then move up to Paramedic at whatever pace is comfortable for you.
I took EMT school online through RC Health Services, but I’ve always struggled a bit with learning remotely. I wish I had done more in-person classes to really make the material stick. I then did my clinical at a small-town fire station near Fort Worth, Texas, and that’s when I really started to love the firefighter/EMS line of work. I even asked a lot of firefighters — both locally and nationally, with 10+ years in the field — for their advice. The consensus seems to be: get your Paramedic National Registry first, then go for your fire certification. It helps a lot long-term and might even get a fire station near you to sign you on as a paramedic and possibly pay for your fire academy — which is a nice bonus.
Right now I’m in a two-year paramedic program. Some programs can be as short as a few months, but I know I need more time to really hammer down the information. Always be honest with yourself about your abilities; improvements come day by day.
I also do a side part-time job as an EMT-B for an event medicine company in Dallas-Fort Worth, and I’ve loved it. Some benefits for someone young:
• Hands-on patient contact — especially at concerts or large events, it’s a great way to learn.
• Unique experiences — if you’re lucky, you might hear or even see parts of a band or performer you like.
• Resume boost — there are online certifications in event medicine you can get after EMT-B relatively quickly.
One more thing: finding a good mentor is huge. There are a lot of people in this line of work who don’t want to help students or younger EMTs/Paramedics, but if you find someone who will guide you, hold onto them.
Hope all this helps, and I really hope it works out for you, man.
— Reeve
Don Holland
Member Service Representative/Food Runner
244
Answers
Austin, Texas
Updated
Don’s Answer
Hello Jarren,
I respect your bravery and your courage to want to be in Firefighting/EMS because it is not easy! I am not an expert but I would say to focus on your school performance, reach out to local fire departments and look for information about what it takes to be in the profession. Preparation and training will be critically important in staying in this line of work and I want you to focus on these aspects going forward. I wish you the best of luck and hopefully you will be able to accomplish your goal!
I respect your bravery and your courage to want to be in Firefighting/EMS because it is not easy! I am not an expert but I would say to focus on your school performance, reach out to local fire departments and look for information about what it takes to be in the profession. Preparation and training will be critically important in staying in this line of work and I want you to focus on these aspects going forward. I wish you the best of luck and hopefully you will be able to accomplish your goal!