This time on my blog cycle, I will bring up the profession of becoming a firefighter. This is definitely not the first choice of career that I plan on pursuing, but I know this is something that I can do and can succeed at. I love helping others and am willing to risk my life for them. And this profession doesn't exactly require much education rather than physical training, which isn't exactly my style of job selection, but sometimes you just have to do what feels right.
Being a firefighter is not easy and neither is the process of becoming a firefighter. Competition is fierce and the hiring process can be very grueling and challenging, something many people do not endure or succeed at. More than 70% give up the pursuit of becoming a firefighter and move on to other career choices. There are likely many reasons for this statistic. Perhaps they did not know what they were getting into when they began the process, or they did not adequately prepare themselves.
The great majority of departments are requiring an EMT certification to apply and more than 90% will require this certification after hire. Since most fire departments run upwards of 70% or more emergency medical related responses, it only makes sense for them to require this as a prerequisite; additionally, it is much less training they have to provide you during the recruit academy. Many departments are looking for licensed paramedics; however, before you can usually apply to paramedic school, you must first successfully pass EMT training. Work experience as an EMT on a 9-1-1 ambulance is also extremely beneficial, and often required for many paramedic programs.
I've always admired firefighters and thought of them as great role models and modern day heroes. They risk there lives everyday for complete strangers and work grueling hours in order to protect and serve the communiy. Though becoming a firefighter is quite difficult and doesn't result in the pay that I would much rather hope to have, I believe it would be a fun and rewarding career and will definitely consider it for my future.
