FireLink

Candidates who have served our country in the Armed Forces have a huge advantage over those who have not. It is generally believed that while military veterans may not have as many certificates and fire science units as the other candidates (they were busy serving our country), they offer so much more. The personal growth and professional experience a military service ...

Congratulations on getting on a volunteer department! Hopefully, by reading through this guide you have gained some helpful knowledge to help you not only become a volunteer firefighter, but to help you along your career as well. Now that you are a part of the department, it’s time to really show what you’ve got. Keep demonstrating that you are interested in ...

Human instinct is to run away from fire for fear of being injured or killed. Firefighters are the only ones who run toward a burning building in search of people in need of help. They are willing to risk their lives for complete strangers regardless of race, creed, color, or socioeconomic status. What is it that motivates them to do this? ...

*+Volunteer Firefighters+* Over ninety percent of the firefighters in the United States are volunteer firefighters. These men and women live in the community and want to make it a safer place. Frequently the local firehouse is the focal point in the community. The fire engines, and trucks are purchased with donations raised from the community. Becoming a volunteer firefighter is not ...

*+Schedules and Timelines+* Most commonly firefighters work in 24-hour shifts, reporting to work at 0700 and work until 0700 the next day. Firefighters usually work a total of 56 hours per week (but since these hours are worked on a continual basis, firefighters enjoy a lot of time off). On the average, firefighters work ten 24-hour shifts each month, leaving them ...

Landing a job in the fire service is truly a unique challenge. On average, there are over 100 candidates who apply for each opening. Since the competition is so intense, what does it take to be the top candidate? [widget:flywheel_links] Many candidates believe it is important to be the "most qualified" individual in the testing process. The truth is that we ...

*+Networking+* The best way to standout in the hiring process is to understand the role of a firefighter. A great way to gain knowledge and experience in the fire service is to become a volunteer or reserve firefighter. These candidates will have made a name for themselves long before the testing process. Candidates often volunteer for departmental activities. These activities include ...

This week I received a fun email from a former Marine who likes to push himself still and those around him. He writes: Stew, I have been using your workouts to get my pushups up to 100 in 2 minutes (as a Marine we focused on pullups as you know) and got it last week. Now I an thinking of doing ...

This week I received an email titled, "LOVE-HANDLES!! Help me lose them." I have been working on a routine that incorporates exercises that will help you work your love handles (the oblique region of the torso). Personally, I like to work my "obliques" on days I work my legs, so I created the Legs and Love Handles workout seen below. As ...

I wish you could know what it is like to search a burning bedroom for trapped children at 3 AM, flames rolling above your head, your palms and knees burning as you crawl, the floor sagging under your weight as the kitchen below you burns. I wish you could comprehend a wife's horror at 6 in the morning as I check ...

*If still in high school look into a Regional Occupational Program (ROP).* Many local fire departments have community outreach recruitment programs. *Graduate from high school or obtain your GED.* A diploma is much preferred. *Talk with a counselor at a community college that offers fire science courses.* Set up a course curriculum that allows you to obtain a two-year degree in ...

*Interviews* The fire department interview is a unique challenge that is a component of the hiring process for most fire departments. As a general rule, the interview is usually weighed more than any other portion of the exam. It is not uncommon to have each of the other phases of the exam weighted "pass or fail," while the interview is weighted ...

In today's uncertain economic times, you - like many others - are probably focusing on saving more and spending less. You may be anxious about your job security, salary and employment opportunities. Over the years, I've found the best way to combat stress is to put together a plan and stick to it. Here at FireLink we are 100% focused on ...

If you don’t have bunker gear you don’t have anything. That’s why, as a probie, being issued a set of bunker gear was the first step in equipping me with the tools that probies want and firefighters need. Before you can learn to handle a hose, force a door, or carry a victim, you have to be able to put on ...

Setting a plan of how to reach your promotional goals can be a very intimidating process. There is a multitude of information and it can be overwhelming. I encourage promotional candidates to look at their future exam through a different set of glasses, those of the person creating the exam. Become the Test Maker One of my favorite sayings is, Become ...

With the long days of summer, there are more daylight hours in which to exercise. Many people focus on running and outdoor activities. These days, though, it may be best to stay indoors and do another type of workout instead of breathing polluted air during strenuous cardio activity. In an email this week, I was asked about running during the summer, ...

Due to popular demand, FireLink's Five Steps To Becoming a Firefighter is also available as a downloadable ebook. This ebook can be downloaded and printed to read at your convenience. Written and reviewed by experts in the fire and rescue community, Five Steps To Becoming a Firefighter has over 25 pages of invaluable information to set you on the right path ...

Firefighters are more than simple friends. Friends go out for pizza on Friday nights. Friends come over to watch the game on your television. “Friends” also have a tendency of disappearing when times get tough. You can't fight fires with friends. To fight fires you need the brotherhood. Last week I asked my biological brother, a firefighter on the department I'm ...

The history of organized firefighting dates back at least to Ancient Egypt, where hand-operated pumps may have been employed to extinguish fires. The first Roman fire brigade was a group of slaves who were hired by an aedile Marcus Egnatius Rufus. Augustus took this idea from Rufus and then built on it to form the (Vigiles) in AD 6 to combat ...

Volunteer firefighting is one of the most rewarding, most fun, and least financially viable professions. Most people don’t have unlimited income to spend, so most volunteer firefighters are stuck between a rock and a hard place trying to work their day job and also get in a few calls. They want to be able to serve their community as a firefighter, ...