Was inspired to join the Fire Service in 2017 after losing my father to a heart attack. He served as a firefighter for 25 years, as did his father after WWII. I joined my late father’s department in September 2020. Was asked to resign in April 2021 due to failing EMT and not upholding my end of Probation. The culture was difficult to adjust to since most of the higher brass knew and worked with my father when he was there (retired in 2000 as Captain), plus I didn’t always keep my mouth shut or follow directions well. Interviewed for a Class 1 big city department an hour away in July 2021. The Chief liked me but wanted me to pursue and pass EMT. Him telling me NO stood for Next Opportunity Joined the community college for EMT in August to December 2021. Passed top of my class and passed NR in January 2022. Got a job as an EMT that I start this month. Re-interviewed with the big city department last Thursday. I have been asked for a follow-up interview with the Chief one-on-one this coming Friday. Fingers crossed it is good news! I have learned from my mistakes I made with my previous department and will go into this larger and busier department with a new mindset. Been a fan of your channel since I began my career. Keep up the great work! “You don’t lose when you fail (First Attempt In Learning), you lose when you quit” Today makes five years since losing Dad and how I wish he could see me now and how far I’ve come. Third generation firefighter!
Just put in my application for my cities FD and after binge watching your videos I feel way more confident about competing the written and oral exams!! I see you’re from the Greater Cleveland area! I was born and raised on the east side of Cleveland and currently living in the west side of Michigan! Thanks for all that you do!
I’m not a firefighter and I’m not looking to become one (I’m actually an electronics technician 20+ years) but I enjoy these videos. I found this channel by accident and it’s very insightful and interesting.
For the person asking about end of probation testing: in our department they require you to pass a physical fitness test, a written test, and practical skills tests. It varies from department to department. If you do get hired then I would encourage you to talk to people within that department who recently got off probation and ask them what their process was. It can offer you a good deal of insight as to what to prepare for.
I started my career in the fire service at age 13 as a cadet ,and we were fully involved , going on calls and getting right in the middle of every call we went on
I got hired on finally after my fifth interview and your interview videos were an incredible help. Now I watched this video as well to prepare for what to expect during prepare for probation. Thank you for the channel!
@@mike_pertz Also, I really appreciate what you are doing because I am one of those you mentioned that paid the money for the videos preparing you for interviewing and such...all things that you are discussing here for free and better quality.
Moving to New Orleans in a few months and was interested in applying to the fire service - great videos all around. Has been super helpful for me to plan my attack and have a better understanding of what the job really entails.
My department had the traditional task book. But also implored a “module” that was split into 3 sections. Each section had a written test. Followed by a drill. If you fail anything once, and then failed any part of the three module again. You can be terminated. Which I was. I failed written test , retook test, and past, failed the drill. Minute man hose pull to buddy breathing. Failed buddy breathing
I need to work on ladders mainly! I just failed skills day at fire school yesterday mainly because I was overconfident with ladders, I thought I was doing it correctly but apparently not and evaluator said I wasn’t doing it in a safe manner and didn’t identify overhead obstructions and all, she thought I could do better and 3 other things at other skills stations were just small small things I missed because I was overconfident and over thinking them too! Normally if you fail 4/7 skills, you’d have to test again 5 months later! I can still graduate with my Fire school class and all! And I still just need to retake my written final and hazmat ops written! The evaluators told me my best bet would be to go over every scenario in the scenario book with people at my volunteer department every night I can and I should be fine because next test they may throw 7 different skills at me than they did today! And yeah at my department I heard stories of most probies getting booted if they can’t get the hydrant down for a long period of time past their probationary period because then at that point they’re unable to perform the most basic job on the fire ground, also you’d normally need to be hydrant qualified and you need to know your way around the engine too to successfully complete your 6 months probation and that’s required to even get into firefighter one!
Do you have a video about how to deal with retaliation at work? My boyfriend is a firefighter and he’s being bullied at his station. He doesn’t know who to reach out to as his chief doesn’t take him seriously. I feel bad for my boyfriend. He’s such a genuine person. Idk why he’s getting the worst treatment at all. He’s on probation and I get that rookies get these kind of treatment but it shouldn’t be tolerated. It’s not good for mental health and welfare of a person. I wish you could mentor my boyfriend. I feel like they will fail him just because they don’t like him. 😢
Every department is different , it depends on if it a city department, , county department of federal department such as BLM ,State forestry department
I know some academy’s do online class work, then you meet somewhere to perform the skills. After that you can test out to obtain your certifications. Most community colleges offer a fire science degree or a fire academy.
Hey! Thank you for the insight as to what probation is and how NOT to fail it. I’m headed to the academy this summer and joining my city’s POC department and my township’s combination department. I was just wondering if there’s any difference between probation for a POC department and a combination part/full time department. If you could let me know, that would be great. Thanks!
Usually, full-time departments have listed on their websites how many paid vacation days their firefighters get per year. The amount of days that the firefighter gets off is either a set amount across the board, or is an agreement between the applicant and the Chief (or hiring agent) when a job is offered to an individual.
You are using the term "can't follow instructions" in the wrong context. "Can't easily understand instructions" is not the same as "won't follow instructions"
Was inspired to join the Fire Service in 2017 after losing my father to a heart attack. He served as a firefighter for 25 years, as did his father after WWII.
I joined my late father’s department in September 2020. Was asked to resign in April 2021 due to failing EMT and not upholding my end of Probation. The culture was difficult to adjust to since most of the higher brass knew and worked with my father when he was there (retired in 2000 as Captain), plus I didn’t always keep my mouth shut or follow directions well.
Interviewed for a Class 1 big city department an hour away in July 2021. The Chief liked me but wanted me to pursue and pass EMT. Him telling me NO stood for Next Opportunity
Joined the community college for EMT in August to December 2021. Passed top of my class and passed NR in January 2022. Got a job as an EMT that I start this month.
Re-interviewed with the big city department last Thursday. I have been asked for a follow-up interview with the Chief one-on-one this coming Friday. Fingers crossed it is good news!
I have learned from my mistakes I made with my previous department and will go into this larger and busier department with a new mindset.
Been a fan of your channel since I began my career. Keep up the great work!
“You don’t lose when you fail (First Attempt In Learning), you lose when you quit”
Today makes five years since losing Dad and how I wish he could see me now and how far I’ve come. Third generation firefighter!
Know it’s been awhile but how’d it go?
This channel is gold for my college students!!
Just put in my application for my cities FD and after binge watching your videos I feel way more confident about competing the written and oral exams!!
I see you’re from the Greater Cleveland area! I was born and raised on the east side of Cleveland and currently living in the west side of Michigan!
Thanks for all that you do!
I’m not a firefighter and I’m not looking to become one (I’m actually an electronics technician 20+ years) but I enjoy these videos. I found this channel by accident and it’s very insightful and interesting.
I’m a 19 year old who graduated the Massachusetts fire academy last fall and I got hired in December, your videos really helped me out. Thank you
Nice job bro.
Hey man, quick question. How was it? I'm looking to get on with the Wareham Fire department in Massachusetts once I'm done with the Army.
@@DapperSapper515 it was pretty tough physically. I loved it. I would do it all over again.
@@914bimma what did you do on a daily basis? Like what did you do physically?
@@914bimma I'm glad you enjoyed it. I go in September.
For the person asking about end of probation testing: in our department they require you to pass a physical fitness test, a written test, and practical skills tests. It varies from department to department. If you do get hired then I would encourage you to talk to people within that department who recently got off probation and ask them what their process was. It can offer you a good deal of insight as to what to prepare for.
Got accepted into my 120 class starts in June, I'm excited
Same here brother, CFD?
Are you going to be in the Charlotte NC fire academy?
I started my career in the fire service at age 13 as a cadet ,and we were fully involved , going on calls and getting right in the middle of every call we went on
I got hired on finally after my fifth interview and your interview videos were an incredible help. Now I watched this video as well to prepare for what to expect during prepare for probation. Thank you for the channel!
Thanks man! Good luck! Make sure you watch the video 14 things you SHOULD be doing on probation
I did! Wrote all 14 down and most loved the simple but powerful one of making sure the coffee is there! haha
@@mike_pertz Also, I really appreciate what you are doing because I am one of those you mentioned that paid the money for the videos preparing you for interviewing and such...all things that you are discussing here for free and better quality.
Moving to New Orleans in a few months and was interested in applying to the fire service - great videos all around. Has been super helpful for me to plan my attack and have a better understanding of what the job really entails.
My department had the traditional task book. But also implored a “module” that was split into 3 sections. Each section had a written test. Followed by a drill.
If you fail anything once, and then failed any part of the three module again. You can be terminated.
Which I was. I failed written test , retook test, and past, failed the drill.
Minute man hose pull to buddy breathing. Failed buddy breathing
Sorry I missed the live stream, good stuff you got here sir.
I need to work on ladders mainly! I just failed skills day at fire school yesterday mainly because I was overconfident with ladders, I thought I was doing it correctly but apparently not and evaluator said I wasn’t doing it in a safe manner and didn’t identify overhead obstructions and all, she thought I could do better and 3 other things at other skills stations were just small small things I missed because I was overconfident and over thinking them too! Normally if you fail 4/7 skills, you’d have to test again 5 months later! I can still graduate with my Fire school class and all! And I still just need to retake my written final and hazmat ops written! The evaluators told me my best bet would be to go over every scenario in the scenario book with people at my volunteer department every night I can and I should be fine because next test they may throw 7 different skills at me than they did today! And yeah at my department I heard stories of most probies getting booted if they can’t get the hydrant down for a long period of time past their probationary period because then at that point they’re unable to perform the most basic job on the fire ground, also you’d normally need to be hydrant qualified and you need to know your way around the engine too to successfully complete your 6 months probation and that’s required to even get into firefighter one!
Do you have a video about how to deal with retaliation at work? My boyfriend is a firefighter and he’s being bullied at his station. He doesn’t know who to reach out to as his chief doesn’t take him seriously. I feel bad for my boyfriend. He’s such a genuine person. Idk why he’s getting the worst treatment at all. He’s on probation and I get that rookies get these kind of treatment but it shouldn’t be tolerated. It’s not good for mental health and welfare of a person.
I wish you could mentor my boyfriend. I feel like they will fail him just because they don’t like him. 😢
Wow you look really smart in the glasses 😎
I love the stuff you put out.....
Every department is different , it depends on if it a city department, , county department of federal department such as BLM ,State forestry department
If you fail probation in my state you can pretty much forget getting on with any other civil service fire department for 5 years
What state, if you don’t mind me asking?
Can you do one on online schooling, university degrees, night classes, and scholarships for firefighters ?
I know some academy’s do online class work, then you meet somewhere to perform the skills. After that you can test out to obtain your certifications. Most community colleges offer a fire science degree or a fire academy.
@@FRodAvilez I mean for a bachelor's degree unrelated to firefighting.
@@grantwalter2243 oh gotcha, misunderstood. Lol
Hey! Thank you for the insight as to what probation is and how NOT to fail it. I’m headed to the academy this summer and joining my city’s POC department and my township’s combination department. I was just wondering if there’s any difference between probation for a POC department and a combination part/full time department. If you could let me know, that would be great. Thanks!
What is a POC department?
@@xMACHOxMANx Paid on Call
@@ECEmergencyResponseMedia thanks
Thanks to your videos I start academy 7/8 2024. Any tips to getting through? What do the academy guys go through ?
Can you make a video on how firefighters earn their vacation hours?
Usually, full-time departments have listed on their websites how many paid vacation days their firefighters get per year. The amount of days that the firefighter gets off is either a set amount across the board, or is an agreement between the applicant and the Chief (or hiring agent) when a job is offered to an individual.
1 question can you do a station video if you can
We pass out flash cards for roads
Yes
maybe u should day in life of a firefighter
Damn I missed the live chat
I sad I miss the live chat
You are using the term "can't follow instructions" in the wrong context. "Can't easily understand instructions" is not the same as "won't follow instructions"
Yeah but not easily understanding instructions is still a pretty big problem.
👍👍👍
Good info