SMOKEJUMPERS Skydiving into a hot zone is sometimes the only way to access a remote area and fight a fire. It’s a dangerous job but someone has to do it before the fire spreads any further. The people who do this are called smokejumpers. Equipped with a parachute and firefighting gear, they go in and try to control the fire until ...

Background investigations are an important component of the hiring process. They are completed by most fire departments across the country. Historically, fire departments have not placed as much emphasis on a thorough background check as their counterparts on the police department. A criminal check with the local police agency and a DMV check was the extent of what we used to ...

What Should Your Career Path Be? FireLink has reviewed hundreds of job forecasts detailed in the US government’s 2010-2011 Occupational Outlook Handbook to bring you a list of what labor experts believe to be the fastest growing fire and rescue careers of the next decade. Whether you are working to get into first response or want to make sure you ...

On day number one we all have it beat into our heads that the primary killer of firefighters is heart attacks. But as probies, we feel that we're invincible, at least for a while. After all, we're young and tough, years away from having to worry about our health…. Or are we? As young firefighters, our hearts may not be at ...

The tactical scene scenario can be one major event, a series of smaller events, or a combination of all of the above. It can be interactive or non-interactive. In an interactive scenario a candidate is given a radio and is expected to give on scene report (size up), assume command, name the location of the command post, request resources, and make ...

*+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 ...

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 ...

In case you were wondering what a typical score sheet looks like for interview questions, here's a sample: Step 5: Assess Your Leadership Skills Step 3: Oral Presentations Guide to Promotion: Table of Contents • Step 1: Plan for Promotion • Step 2: Assessment Center Exercises      • Tactical Scene Scenarios     • Oral Interview     • Employee Counseling Session     • In-Basket Exercise • Step 3: Oral ...

The truth of the matter is that most people sabotage their own interviews. Instead of putting their best foot forward, they put off the interviewer by acting cocky, unsure of their talent, having bad manners, or by simply acting abnormal. FireLink has interviewed several recruitment experts to bring you unbelievable true stories of what actually happens behind interview doors. If ...

*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 ...

Your oral presentation is an important part of the promotion assessment. Here's a quick and dirty list of possible scenarios you should have nailed down before you are presented with the real deal. It is important to speak clearly, initiate eye contact with your audience, and speak genuinely and concisely. Don't be afraid to jot down notes, there's nothing worse than ...

Introduction In the past half a century, the role of firefighters has changed a great deal. There was a time when the business of fighting fires was not as involved as it is today. The job mainly consisted of was cleaning fire engines, taking care of the station and answering phones, and then rushing to an emergency when duty called. While ...

*+Basic Eligibility Requirements+* The fire department will post the entry-level requirements on the job description flyer. In order for a candidate’s application to be accepted, the minimum requirements must be met. While entry-level requirements vary from department to department, most require candidates to be at least 18 years of age. Some require applicants to be at least 21 years old. Most ...

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 ...

*+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 ...

I've been on the fire department for over a year now. Another group of recruits has come through our academy since then, and they've been out running calls for months. Another recruit class is currently in session, and I'm even starting to help with their training. I feel like I've come a long way. It's always when you feel that way ...

In a recent article I wrote for this site, I talked about dealing with those people who are sure they're fine.  That can be a tough situation, but there's a whole other kind of "I don't need help" call that I think is even more difficult to navigate. You see, some people for one reason or another don't just not want ...

One of the most challenging parts of any supervisor’s job is dealing with employees. In the fire service we are particularly poor at imposing discipline on our members. Since we live, eat, sleep and work together for long periods of time, supervisors are reluctant to address poor performance. It is important to remember that the fire department is held to the ...

Along with the benefits of a promotion comes responsibility. Some firefighters are simply more cut-out to be leaders, and some are content serving the department the best that they can. Either way it takes a team to make a department great. FireLink has a great assessment tool to help you sort out your leadership skills with an evaluation quiz. Take it, ...

I think most firefighters would agree that a good call has some element of "fun" in it. I'm not talking about the kind of fun that you have with a board game or a funny movie, it's way more serious than that, but knocking down a good fire (one where no-one is in danger) produces an enjoyment unlike any other. Unfortunately, ...