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9 Reasons EMS Rules

Kayla Baxter | FireLink — Thu, 12 May 2011 14:09:00 -0700

In a very basic sense, emergency response is a profession of total selflessness. Being a first responder means giving of yourself, without asking anything in return, and this is what EMS professionals all over the world do every day.

You never know what you’re going to get at the beginning of a shift. You might respond to a cat-in-a-tree call, rescue the critter, and put a smile on a child's face. You are equally likely to witness death, mutilation, and have blood, sweat, tears (or worse) all over your uniform.

At the end of the day, what matters is that you gave a piece of yourself to people you don’t even know -- you helped them no matter how badly they treated you, or how much your back ached, or how many other people needed you, too. And that is a gift very few people are capable of giving.

Number 9: The Challenge Awaits You -->

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#9: The Challenge

Almost everyone who says they love their job mentions the challenge as an important part of it. Problem solving and putting valued skills to good use are just a few of the ways that EMTs find fulfillment. Of course, the challenge can sometimes cause a few problems, but that’s where the next thing we love about emergency medical service comes in...

#8: The Sense of Humor

An odd and often dark sense of humor develops between rescue personnel. Hysterical bouts of laughter between calls and tons of weird and gross inside jokes are what keeps everyone sane, and distinguishes just one more thing about being a first responder that sets us apart from the pack. Not everyone is cut out for this line of work.

#7: The Uniform

It's a lot better than a monkey suit and tie. Enough said!

Reason #6 -->

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#6: For Your Loved Ones

Being the medically inclined one in the family means that everyone calls you, asking what this rash is, or what those pounding headaches mean, or “Can you come over right away!? Bobby swallowed his toy!” Then again, the reason they call you is because of a deep respect and trust of your knowledge. It’s a very special, rewarding, and sacred gift to be able to help those you love the most.

#5: A Job for Life

EMS is one of those professions that never stops giving. You learn new things every day, and the technology is always changing, making for one heck of a ride. Why do you think so many first responders have been at it for 15+ years? Not to mention, the opportunity for growth (both professionally and personally) is almost unlimited.

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#4: The Sincerest Thanks You’ll Ever Get

Sure, EMTs have to deal with a lot of crap (literally and figuratively) and sometimes you’ll have to deal with some really hostile people. But sometimes, when you’re just doing your job, some of those nightmare calls will do a complete 180 and grab your hand and whisper, “Thank you.” Sometimes the simplest things are the best.

Reason #3 -->

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#3: The Pace

The rush and adrenaline of each and every call never gets old. You never know what you're going to get, and you're always on your toes. Now that's a fun job!

#2: Getting Paid for Helping

Chances are you’d probably help that person choking in a restaurant for free by rushing over and performing the Heimlich. But EMTs get PAID to help people out!

#1: Saving Lives

There is nothing quite like realizing that you’ve saved another person’s life. It’s humbling, awe-inspiring, and invigorating all at the same time. At the end of the day, you get to go home knowing that you gave someone else the gift of a lifetime. And then you get to go back to work and do it all over again. And again. How many people can say that?

Why do you love being a first responder? Tell us in the comments below!

Trama - Not a Television Show

Ethan Vizitei — Fri, 21 May 2010 15:39:00 -0700

What's more exciting than flashing lights and wailing sirens? How cool is it to watch unusually attractive paramedics involved in desperate love triangles fiercely pound on the chests of accident victims and perform last minute emergency tracheotomies? Look out! It's another Tension pneumothorax! Phew, saved the day again!

Sometimes I think the media we consume really messes with our expectations. Trauma is something we train for vigorously and we have a right to prefer it. In a pre-hospital setting, there's not a ton you can do for a medical patient. Get some vital signs, a good medical history, apply some oxygen and an IV and keep them stable on the way to the hospital. But trauma? Alright! We can splint limbs, we can carve up cars, we can do stuff! And furthermore, we can be perpetually out of breath and rush-rush-rushing because this is an emergency, darn it!

Yeah, we all start out that way. Even if you keep it under control, you know that as a greenhorn you've always got that inner picture of you swinging into action to miraculously save a victim from a horrible accident. A few runs on the real deal can temper your enthusiasm a bit, though. Real traumatic injuries aren't glamorous and fun; they're messy, ugly, heart-wrenching, sometimes even disturbing, and the odds are usually longer than you think. My very first trauma call is something I'll remember for the rest of my life, and it's a story that reminds me every time I tell it just what a fragile thing the human body is.

It's summer, on a quiet weekday evening. We've had one run today, but it was just a gas odor outside, nothing too terribly interesting. I'm already thinking about the meal waiting for me at home. The night's not over just yet, though. Just as we're finishing rehabbing and restocking our equipment, the tones go off again. A few smiles and rolled eyes are exchanged; always when you're just about to go home, right?

"Engine 801, engine 1408, motorcycle accident..."

My smile drops. This could turn out to be a little more intense than I'd expected. My brother is driving the engine, and I can feel our speed increase a little as further information comes over the radio. It doesn't sound good. One motorcycle, ran into a guardrail, victim is not moving.

I start rehearsing in my head every thing that will need to happen once we arrived at the scene. We'll need the medical pack and the backboard for sure. I pull my latex gloves on in preparation, half anxious to help, half hoping someone else will take care of the victim so that I don't have to.

Next Page: Getting to the scene >>>

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No time to think about it though. The engine stops and we all jump out, each grabbing the equipment we were assigned. I throw the backboard off the engine over my shoulder and immediately start striding towards the cluster of people I can see already pulling the victim back onto the roadway. Secretly I don't want to look; I've never seen any trauma before, and honestly, I'm scared of how I might react. Will I get sick? Will I just freeze? But this is what I signed up for, and I know it, so I try to stay focused on what I need to do instead of processing what I'm seeing.

I throw the backboard on the ground and start tearing off the straps. In theory, I know what is supposed to happen next; we will put this guy on a backboard and load him into the ambulance. This isn't the same as working with a dummy though; the weight of his limbs is eerily familiar. Exactly what my leg would feel like if I lifted it with my arm. Just by touch, I can tell this is a real human. And he is dying.

The injuries are extensive, and the odds don't look good, but we start CPR in a desperate attempt to save him. Now, I'm well trained in CPR; we went through all the mechanics and techniques during recruit class. But it's just not the same on a human. I don't think I ever realized just how fragile our bodies really are; or what it looks like when they're so thoughrally damaged. How can you prepare for your first compound fracture? What can strengthen your stomach against the first time you feel ribs crack under your palms? Where in your lecture notes is the material that helps you deal with an organ that has somehow found it's way outside it's intended body cavity? I'm working more out of momentum now than anything else.

I can feel my companions working around me. Dressing wounds, clearing clothing, a well oiled machine working at a feverish pace. I don't want to think about it. I just keep my eyes on my hands, pumping his chest, trying to keep enough blood moving to give this guy a chance. I know if I think too hard about what I'm looking at, it will be too much. I'll see the damage done to him and to think "what would that feel like?". But speculation is not a luxury I can afford at the moment.

The medics call for everybody to clear the body for a second so they can check his vitals. I sit back on my knees, hands in the air to show 'I'm clear'; and that's when the feeling really hits me. This guy is not going to make it. Eyes vacant, skin pale, he stares blankly at the sky. The medics glanced forlornly at the paper printing out of their machine. "One more round, and then we'll call it." Frustrated and a little shocked, I start compressing the chest again with renewed vigor, somehow telling myself that if we were to just try hard enough we might make a difference.

Just believing something doesn't make it so.

"Thank you everyone", the medic says, "that was a really good attempt."

I feel sick.

As I walk back to the engine (slowly now, all urgency gone), I try to figure out how I feel about the whole situation. Somebody is dead, and in a very traumatic way. Do I feel bad about it? Yeah, I guess so. I'm a little stunned for sure, but somehow not "devastated" the way it seems like I should be. It's a strange bit of cognitive dissonance. It's almost like I want to feel bad, but I can't summon enough emotion and feel any amount of depression or loss. Just a vague sense of malaise and failed effort. What's wrong with me? This is somebody's son, someone's friend, who is never coming back. Why can't I feel for them the way I should?

I don't know what to think. So I don't.

My brother pulls me aside later and asks how I'm doing. I answer him honestly, I'm doing better than I thought I would be, but somehow I'm unsatisfied. He had some advice I hope I can take heart: "You didn't cause his injuries, you're just here to help, and you can't win them all. Be happy about the ones you can save, but don't get hung up on the ones you can't."

He's right. The amount of death and loss that firefighters encounter is certainly a little more than the average person. Empathy for one's fellow man is an admirable and virtuous trait, but it comes at a cost. If your friend were to lose a parent, you could cope. You could bear a part of their pain and sadness. Maybe even the suffering of a few friends simultaneously. But if an emergency worker were to take on the guilt, pain, loss, and sorrow of every loss of life they witnessed, the burden would be beyond unrealistic.

So I just don't think about it. Well, that's a lie. I try not to think about it. The first fatality I ever witnessed will probably stick in my memory for the rest of my life. It's been almost a year and I still see those blue vacant eyes as clearly as I did the day I looked at them. I still feel vaguely sad for someone I never knew. But you know what? I'm glad too. That experience, shocking to the system as it was, gave me real practice and experience (two things that are more valuable than gold in a field like firefighting), and in a way I feel more grateful for and protective of my life now that I've seen first hand how easily it can be demolished. That's what it's like to walk out of the TV shows and into the street. No glamor, no sheen, but harsh reality balanced with just enough gratification to make us want to be out there every day ready for the next one.

That's life, and it's the one we signed up for.

Firefighting and What It Means to Put Family First

Ethan Vizitei — Fri, 21 May 2010 14:47:00 -0700

Firefighting is often touted as rewarding, challenging, demanding, and exciting.

These descriptors are all factual, but there's one thing that's often not on the list that is equally true about any career in emergency response: it's addictive. Maybe not in the same way that some chemicals are habit-forming, but those feelings of excitement and camaraderie you get during a good call can be a real "high" that you want to experience over and over again.

My first child was born this last week, a beautiful little girl, and in the wake of her birth I think it's appropriate for me to take a moment and talk about some of the damage that you can do to yourself and your family if you don't balance your firefighting habit with your family life. Much like the military, the fire service is littered with broken marriages.

It's completely understandable when you think about it. Career departments usually use 24 hour shifts so you aren't home every night, and somebody has to staff the trucks on weekends and holidays. Volunteer departments have guys working full time jobs and then going out to run calls. In fact, often times firefighters end up taking on extra shifts or spending weekends hanging around the station just hoping to get a few more calls in. Then you have to talk about all the optional training and certifications: wildfires, haz-mat, rope rescue, paramedic, vehicle extrication, water rescue...I could go on all day. Those courses are usually taught on weekends, and you need them if you want to be useful on those rare and exciting calls.

And what about moving up the ladder? You'll need your fire instructor certifications, fire officer certifications, fire investigator certifications. And of course you want to be helping train the new guys who are coming on, so you'll volunteer some time to help at recruit school and teach a few classes on the certifications you already have. Then, naturally, you need to be sure you're getting all your CEU's to keep your certifications current, and while you're at it, why not get a part time job working a few shifts on the ambulance during the weekends?

Is it any surprise that raising a family in the midst of all this can be tough?

Next Page: Three Things to Always Remember >>>

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So here are a few things I think about on a frequent basis to try to keep me balanced:

There will always be another one

Whether it's a big call, an exciting training opportunity, or a chance to teach or lead, another one will always come along. It can breed a lot of hard feelings if you ditch out on every dinner, recital, and ball game with the excuse of "I might not get another chance to do this." Life is full of opportunities, and most of them are recurring. Your department will have another big fire. Someone else will fall out of their boat and need rescue. There's no such thing as a training course that's only taught once. But you know what you will truly only get one chance at? Dinner after your kid's first day of school. Your daughter's first dance recital. The third-grade field-trip to the zoo. Those things you really only get one chance at, and I doubt there's anyone on his or her death bed who wishes he had gone to just one more fire.

People don't hate what they're a part of

A lot of hard feelings can be had if your family feels that you are separate from them when you're with the fire department. Let me give you two scenarios. Firefighter A spends 50-60 hours a week working and training. His family doesn't know anyone else on the department, they just hear the occasional story from time to time and imagine a group of large burly men with mustaches. They've never seen the inside of a fire-station, or been to a department function. All they know is that he's gone a lot doing exciting things. Firefighter B also spends a lot of time at the fire department. Sometimes on his off day, he takes his kids into the station to see the engine. His wife has met and is friends with every other firefighter on his shift, and each of their wives/husbands. They sometimes trade off babysitting for each other's kids. Every year the whole family goes to the Christmas party, and last Christmas when dad was working, mom and the kids brought the presents into the station and they invited the other guys on that shift over for one-day-late Christmas dinner.

This should be an easy one to understand. It's easy to grow to resent a faceless organization who takes all mom or dad's time, but when the family is part of the department, and vice-versa, the sacrifices seem less damaging. In fact, families tend to become supportive and proud of their busy breadwinner.

Commitments are firm, and they work both ways

Have you ever had one of those days where you said you were going to staff the station this Thanksgiving, and then someone says "well my aunt is coming into town this year and it would be really great if you could get out of that," and you had to give them the talk about how somebody has to be on duty on holidays, and this time around you said you would do it? Well, you did the right thing. You made a commitment, and when challenged, you stood up and said "I'm sorry, but I said I was going to do this and a man's only as good as his word." Good for you.

Now, what if you were planning on taking the kids camping this memorial day and last minute somebody calls you and says "Hey, we've got a great swift-water rescue class happening this weekend, and there's still a slot left, you in?" Don't get too down if your first instinct is to jump at the opportunity because, hey, we could go camping any time, right?

I'm tempted to feel the same way. But what's true of the fire service is true of your family: if you say you're going to do something, you have to mean it, and you don't get to be choosy about when you're going to honor that ideal and when you aren't. Is duty important? Absolutely, it's one of the key measures of a firefighter. And it holds the same value no matter who that duty is owed to.

Everybody want's to be good at their job. You want to pull your own weight, you want to be useful, you want to be seen by your peers as skilled and willing and able. Those are all very good things; never lose them. But consider what kind of career you'll have if your family isn't behind you. I'll tell you what I've realized this week: there are many people in the community who have needed me as an EMT, and some who have needed me as a firefighter, but there's only one person in the world who needs me as a dad.

All I Ever Really Needed To Know I Learned In Rookie School

Ethan Vizitei — Thu, 20 May 2010 15:29:00 -0700

(With credit to Robert Fulgham and "All I Ever Really Needed To Know I Learned In Kindergarten")

Most of what I really need to know about how to live, and what to do, and how to be, I learned in Rookie School. It turns out, being a good firefighter has a lot to do with being a good person.

These are the things I learned: Stick together. Move with a purpose. Listen to those with experience. Put things back where you found them so they'll be ready to be used again. If it came out of somebody else, you don't want it getting in to you. You aren't finished until you've cleaned up. You can always use more practice.

Mistakes are okay as long as you learn from them. Everybody is in charge of safety. Help people even when they can't ask for it. Keep Breathing. Bar-B-Q is good for you. Talk plainly and calmly.

Clean your place every day. When you go out into the world, be confident, trust each other, and always wave back. Sometimes you will need help, but it won't come unless you ask for it.

Bad things happen. Sometimes people get hurt or die. It isn't your fault. Cherish success, but accept loss.
Everything you need to know about how to live a stand-up life is present there on the fireground. Family, work ethic, finance, and politics; sanitation, citizenship, courage and love. And teamwork. First of all, teamwork. For God's sake, if you don't learn anything else, stick together.

Rules of the Radio

Ethan Vizitei — Fri, 14 May 2010 06:30:00 -0700

Ever since its creation, the portable radio has been the fireman's friend. From traffic control to aggressive fire suppression, our hand-held radios keep us in contact with our brothers and aware of what's going on throughout the scene. As a relative newcomer to the field, I still have clearly in my memory the feeling of what is was like to key up my first mic and know that my voice was being transmitted all over the city. It's a pretty cool sensation, as well as an incredibly useful tool, but because people my age aren't used to this form of communication, there are a few thoughts that you should have in your head when you're using one.

A radio is a great tool, but its design should be taken into account. It's a one-to-many medium (I talk, everybody hears it) and it's a one-at-a-time thing. Unlike texting from my cell phone, I can't just deliver a message to the person I want to receive it, and we can't have multiple messages flying around at the same time. Add in all the ambient noise that's usually present on the fire scene and you know there is some etiquette you'll have to take into account to make this thing work.

Most firefighters get this advice as part of their basic training, but it doesn't hurt to refresh every once in a while, so we're going to review the rules of the radio:

Don't Yell

This is usually number one on the list. Everybody has done it, so don't take it too hard if you forget from time to time, but self-discipline is important here. One of the chiefs at my department tells a great story about driving an ambulance out of a riot when somebody managed to chuck a full soda bottle onto his windshield, shattering on impact. He remembers very clearly saying "Dispatch, this is medic 55, clear of the scene transporting one, requesting additional law enforcement for crowd control". The dispatcher only heard "DISPATCH.......MEDIC........TRANSPORTING......LAW-ENFORCEMENT......!!!!!!" Not only does it make your message hard to understand - which can be dangerous when you need help right now! - everybody just heard that panic in your voice and they're starting to get worried too. If your radio is close to your mouth, you will be plenty loud just by speaking normally and everyone will have a better chance of understanding what you need.

Keep It Simple

You're responding to a fire. The first engine arrives and you hear over the radio

"Engine 55 is on the scene ... we have a two-story residential structure with flames coming from a second-story window on the 4 side of the 4-1 corner ... heavy black smoke in the area ... the resident has deployed a garden hose from the exterior trying to protect a shed that's an exposure off that corner ... smoke from the eaves so lets call two more tankers in, we'll be taking our 200" cross-lay through the front door to make an interior attack up the stairs and to the right, and there's a hydrant about 150" down the road here past the first bend in the road so the next due engine can start water supply operations."

Hmmm ... all good information, but we probably just wasted 60 seconds of airtime. What if other units had important traffic? Was all that really necessary? Here's an edited version:

"Engine 55 is on the scene ... we have a two-story residential structure with flames showing on the second story, one exposure endangered, dispatch two more tankers. Engine 55 will perform an interior attack, have second due engine connect to the hydrant 150" west of the incident".

Are we really missing anything important from the first one? It's arguable that we are, but I think that everybody incoming still has enough information to do their jobs safely, and that message got out in half the time. Short messages are good; easy to understand, efficient to transmit. Do it.

Next Page: Clear and Clean! >>>

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Clear Is Kind

You may know your 10-codes really well. I certainly know a few of them. But are you sure that everybody you're talking to on the radio is 100% confident on theirs? If your department uses them internally, that's up to them and is perfectly valid, but any time you're talking outside that jurisdiction, those codes are as likely to confuse people as they are to speed up communications. If you say what you mean, you won't be misunderstood. Usually.

Cleanliness Is Next to Not-Losing-Your-Job-Liness ß
This one is important. When I was in rookie school, one of my fellow recruits ended a desperate plea for help over the radio with "This s**t is hard!". It was funny, in a cavalier way; we all had a good laugh over it and no one was offended. My ears are pretty resilient and probably so are those of your fellow firefighters. The problem is you aren't the only ones listening on those public radio channels. There are plenty of average Joes who just happen to have a scanner in their house, not to mention public watchdogs and media personnel. Swearing might not be a big deal to you or me, but all it takes is you upsetting the wrong person who has sensitive ears and it could mean a public complaint about the your department's professionalism. Yes, it could be that big of a deal. Don't make your chief do more paperwork, and you probably won't get fired. A rule to live by! Make it a habit - don't swear on the radio.

Have a Plan B

This is one that isn't always included in the "Using Your Radio" presentation, but it's important to think about. Sometimes equipment fails. Manufacturers do their best to build quality products, but wear and tear and simple statistics can catch up with you cut you off without realizing it until you really need to get a message out. I have my cell phone with me all the time (except into a burning building), so if I find myself cut off at a highway scene or a search-and-rescue, I have another way to summon help. But what about inside a fire, you ask? There are still ways to communicate. Make sure you know what your departments standard signals are. In trouble? Activate your pass device manually - nothing will bring your buddies running like hearing that sound in a real fire. Another common one is the old "three air horn blast," which means "get out of the building now!". A radio is a great tool to have, but you should always be prepared for being able to function without one.

Are you like I was? A pretty new guy on the department who really wants to fit in and be accepted? Let me tell you from experience that a really solid way to gain ridicule and eternal newbie status is to not play by the rules above. Nothing gets the eyes of the old dogs rolling like a way-too-long-way-too-loud message crackling over the radio. Keep it short, pertinent, and professional and you'll have one less barrier to being seen as a competent member.

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Responding To Those Who Don't Want Your Help

Ethan Vizitei — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 12:38:00 -0700

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 your help, they're actually angry at you for even being there.

I ran a call to a middle-class neighborhood residence on Thanksgiving last year. It was dispatched as "Unconscious," and on the way we got enough information to know that this was a young guy who was visiting his parents for Thanksgiving, and who had gone into a really heavy state of sleep. So heavy that when he rolled off the bed and hit his head, he didn't even wake up. We were advised that he was taking Xanax, and one of the side-effects of Xanax is possible drowsiness, but this level of unresponsiveness was a little bit past "drowsy."

When we arrive, we walk into a bedroom and see...nothing.

"He's behind the bed!" the dad yells from the hallway.

We peak over the bed, and there he is, facedown and contorted up, wedged between the bed and the wall.

"Check his breathing," the Captain murmurs as he begins to open the med-bag.

Leaning close to the kid I can hear respiration and can feel it on my face. Smell it, too. Definitely breathing.

"He's breathing, but shallow, probably because of his position. Shall we move him?"

We each grab a body part and move him out into the center of the room. He moans and moves a bit as we move him, but goes flat out again as soon as we lay him down.

"Let's get him on some O's," I hear from over my shoulder.

I pull a non-rebreather out of the packaging and hook it up to the oxygen bottle that's already been primed for me, then apply it to the patient's face. He doesn't like that.

Sitting up groggily he yanks the mask off his face and asks what's going on.

"You were pretty unresponsive there, for a while," the captains says to him, checking his pupils (which are currently small pinpoints).

"I wass nnnapping," he slurs.

Now we have a paramedic from the ambulance in the room, already briefed by the parents, who asks what's been going on, pointing out that the heavy sleeping, The grogginess and slurred speech seem to indicated something is wrong.

"I'mmm sleeeepy," he manages to get out.

"Well, your behavior is not quite what we'd expect from someone who is just sleepy."

He really doesn't like this.

"Well! I didnn't knnnow...that..that...that therrre was a right wayyy to be slleeppy!"

"Calm down, buddy..." the medic says.

"NO! See, you'rrre starting to piss me off herrre! Herrre's what's going on..." his speech is improving a bit as his new found anger cuts through the haze "You all are in this house...telling me how to be ****** sleepy!....and I don't aprrrrreciate it....So all five of you ******** can just take a flying **** out the ******* window....cause I swear if I find out where you live...."

How about that?! This guy just doesn't like us at all. It's not just, "I'm ok, thanks." It's more like "I will hurt you if you touch me." I consider myself an emotionally tough guy, but it stings a bit when you reach out with compassion and get met with anger. You can see why the medics who have been on the job for a long time seem more likely to be rather unconcerned regardless of the situation (almost to the point of being dispassionate). Apathy is hard to offend. If you don't care about someone that much, nothing short of a physical assault is really going to hurt you. But if you put yourself out there emotionally-if you try to feel some empathy for someone who's having a rough day and you do your best to have concern for them and help them-and they reject you, it feels like pretty much any other relationship where you get something nice pushed back in your face. Far safer to not care that much in the first place.

Next Page: The long term effects of hostile calls >>>
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I've seen this hostility from a few different types of patients in the field. Diabetics with low blood sugar are a common "possibly hostile" patient, but the good news is these are often the easiest ones to deal with. Once you get their blood sugar back up (either with oral glucose, or with a paramedic doing an IV and pushing dextrose), they're usually in a much better mood. Patients with mental conditions that can cause some amount of paranoia are also candidates for possessing unnecessary anger or fear (Dementia and Alzheimer's come to mind).

These patients can sometimes be managed by utilizing whatever family or caretakers are around, because they're probably used to dealing with their moods and will know what steps to take to redirect or dispense with their negative emotions. The tough ones, for me, are the patients like in my story above: the drug abusers. You never know if it's the drug itself that sparks their rage at you, or their fear of being judged that makes them carry a chip on their shoulder. Either way, I haven't had good luck dealing with them. In the end, I find it honestly hard to find compassion for someone who's doing these things to themselves.

And I'll openly admit this is a thing I need to work on. My feeling is, all patients should be shown respect, empathy, and compassion. Not because they've earned it or necessarily deserve it, but because it's the right thing to do. If they reject it and get ticked off at you, there may not be a lot you can do about it; in my jurisdiction we're supposed to call law enforcement in to manage these patients because typically they aren't in a competent mental state where they can refuse treatment. But you can't carry that with you. Bad calls are going to happen-calls that piss you off, that rub you the wrong way. The worst thing you can do is get jaded and cynical. The actions of a few angry patients can easily color your view of all the patients you'll be helping in the future. Next thing you know you're being gruff and snide with any patient you suspect is a drug addict. It's not worth going down that road. Those "old dogs" you sometimes see who treat their patients with empty and uncaring eyes weren't always that way.

The reason I (and many others) got into this business was to help people; to use that natural compassion we feel as human beings to make other's lives better. What a shame it would be if in pursuit of that goal we lost all the empathy that motivated us in the first place.

Never Settle for "I'm Fine"

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 10:30:00 -0700

If your department is anything like mine, you have a pretty good number of medical calls that should never have happened.

Everything from small cuts to heartburn to a ride in the big white taxi, a whole gamut of conditions that you could certainly classify as "not an emergency". You may start to think after a while that most people have a really over-inflated idea of what truly requires urgent attention.

And that's why it can be so hard to make your mind do a 180 when you're faced with an entirely different kind of patient. One who says, "really, it's nothing, there's no problem here. You and the nice ambulance men can just go on home".

You might feel like you've finally come across somebody with some sense; clearly their family member who called you just over-reacted, and what do you know, you're going to make it back to the firehouse by dinnertime.

Hold on, hot rod. It's true that a lot of patients make a big deal out of nothing, but it can work the other way too. There are people out there who don't think that anything is a big deal, and we can't just take their word for it when they say everything is ok.

An example might help show just how wrong this could go.

In my area, we had an ambulance crew who went on the scene of a nice woman who was having some weakness and vague pain. Her daughter called 911 because she was worried, but the patient herself was totally unconcerned. When the ambulance arrived, she told them that she was really just fine, and didn't need to go to the hospital. And you know what? It was believable. If you were to just listen to her talk to you, you'd probably agree that there wasn't a problem.

But fortunately, this crew wasn't ready to just take her word for it. Based on their impression from her vitals signs, symptoms, and her medical history, they were persistent in recommending that she allow them to take her to the hospital. Even then, she had filled out her AMA release form, and had practically signed it when her daughter finally convinced her that maybe it wouldn't be so bad to just go and get checked out.

Halfway to the hospital, she coded.

What would have happened if she had been left at home? What if her daughter had gone home and she were by herself when she suddenly collapsed? I don't know about you, but I don't like those odds.

That's why we have all this training beyond simply how to do CPR. As an EMT (of any level), we don't need to be able to diagnose anything, but we do need to be able to do a little more work in our assessments than just listening to what the patient wants.

We need to be able to see the whole picture, synthesizing what the patient is saying with what their body is telling you and what you can reasonably suspect based on their medical history; and although we all know you can't compel anyone to be taken the hospital against their competent will, there are times when it makes sense to put some extra oomph in your recommendation that they really, really should be seen at the hospital now.

Take this seriously, you don't want a patient refusal that ends badly on your conscience.

How to Shake Off the Mistakes

Ethan Vizitei — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:41:00 -0800

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 that life comes back and hits you upside the head.

Checking our extrication tool on the engine a few weeks ago, I noticed it was low on oil. I popped a bottle, opened the port labeled "oil", and filled it until I could see my flashlight bouncing back against the fluid level about an inch below the opening. Great, problem solved. I started up the engine, and it started blowing smoke like a coal power plant.

I don't know if you've noticed, but nothing gets the entire station's attention so completely as someone making a fool of themselves. My buddies gathered around me as I tried to figure out what had happened, chuckling to themselves. One finally asked if I had checked the other side of the tool for oil ports. Sure enough, there was a port there too, and it had a dipstick as part of the cap.

Confused, I asked why there would be two places to put oil into the tool. Laughter erupted as the captain pointed out that the one I had used was a drain. By putting a whole quart of oil in there, I'd flooded the cylinder completely.

I had to drain the oil out onto the sidewalk, run the tool until the excess oil burned off, bring out the oil away and spend the next half hour cleaning up the mess I'd made for myself, and then refill the oil tank on the tool the right way, all to the tune of my fellow firefighters cheerful commentary:

"Oh, so you're ready for your red helmet, right?" (probies like me have orange, firefighters have red)

"Guess we know who's doing traffic control at the next accident!"

"Want me to show you which side of the shovel to use for scooping up that oil-away?"

Take note: this is not an isolated incident. Like most people, I try my best every day, and from time to time I screw up. In this business, you're going to get a hard time for it, I'm sorry, that's life.

Now, in the face of that, there are some right and wrong ways to respond. When you screw up, which you will, keep the following 5 tips in mind.

Continue to Tip 1>>

How To Become A:

Firefighter

Paramedic

Volunteer

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Tip 1: Own It

Nothing shows that you're ready to learn like taking ownership of what went wrong. To the contrary, nothing reflects more negatively than an endless string of reasons why it wasn't your fault.

Someone should have told you, this wasn't supposed to be your job anyway, blah blah blah. All that shows is that you're good at passing the blame. If it was a minor mistake (like me with the extrication tool), laugh it off, play along with the guys who are kidding you, and learn from it.

Keep your sense of humor on these little ones, if you can't laugh at yourself you're doomed to stress out over everything that ever goes wrong and it'll cripple your ability to learn and try.

On the other hand, if it was something more major that could have or did hurt someone, take it very seriously.

Apologize appropriately to anyone affected, and to anyone you talk about the incident with give them the truth: yes, it was my fault, here is exactly what I'm doing differently to make sure it never happens again.

It hurts a little to take the credit, especially on a bigger blunder, but ultimately you'll be more respected and trusted for it.

Tip 2: Check Your Pride at the Door

This job isn't about making your ego bigger. If you can't take correction, then we can't be trusting you with peoples lives. It's that simple.

I've trained with guys who are so convinced that they already know everything that you can't get through to them. Then when they go and make a mistake, they're too concerned about their image to learn from it.

You need to bring a lot of your character aspects with you on the job.

Your stamina, focus, cool-headedness, compassion; these are all things that you want to carry. Pride is one you can leave out, it can only hurt.

A wise firefighter once said: "Take pride in doing a job that helps people, but leave it at home while you're doing it".

Continue to Tip 3 >>

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Tip 3: Fix It Yourself

In the midst of the embarrassment, it can be hard to see anything positive coming from your own blunders. Don't let them pass by, though; they're such valuable learning opportunities.

Think about your own mistakes that you've made in the past. They stick out in your memory don't they?

What about all the text books you've read? How do they stand out to you as far as being memorable?

Nothing teaches like experience, and right when you flub something up you have a golden opportunity to solder a permanent synapse into your brain. To maximize on this, don't let someone else take over clean up.

In the example I gave with the extrication tool off my engine, I could have let someone with experience take over to do things the right way, and gone off to do something I was more familiar with.

What a waste it would have been.

By having the captain coach me through fixing the problem, I understood better what I had done, and became more familiar with the tool. For the next month, at every truck check, I made sure I was the one who was working with the extrication tool so I could continue building on what I'd already learned.

Don't let your fear of a little teasing keep you from making the most of your errors. Fix it yourself, and get back on the horse next time.

Tip 4: Pass It On

Humans are unique among the animals in their ability to learn from other peoples mistakes. You don't have to let those greener than you suffer through your same set of self-created problems.

Pass on your knowledge! You went through a lot to get it, it's worth something to the newer guys.

I'll give you another personal example: Exiting an apparatus, I always use three points of contact and never just jump down at a scene. It's not because the training Powerpoint on apparatus safety was all that memorable, it's because one of my instructors in recruit class told us in detail about a bad ankle injury he got while jumping off a fire truck on a scene.

He was on disability for weeks. Using this story, he made sure that everybody else didn't have to break their ankle too to figure this one out. Mistakes are great learning material, and I have a hundred other examples like that I could give you. Great teachers instruct from experience.

Continue to Tip 5 >>

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Tip 5: Don't Repeat It

This one is simple. Making a mistake is one thing, we all do it. Twice with the same mistake? You might start getting looks, but no big deal as long as you're sufficiently embarrassed about it. Repeating the same error over and over shows either a careless disregard for instruction, or an intolerable inability to learn.

Either one is a problem and could prove dangerous on a scene. Don't beat yourself up over your mistakes, but take them to heart when they happen.

You won't be getting any sympathy if you can't show that you're at least trying to get better.

I want to make one point here before closing. These tips are meant to equip you for dealing with and learning from your MISTAKES.

There are certain things that you can do that don't have any excuse. Reckless emergency driving, freelancing at a fire, things like that aren't mistakes, they're just stupid.

But for most foul-ups that originate with you, keeping this list in mind will make sure that you don't let it hurt you personally, and that ultimately you and everyone who learns from you can benefit from an otherwise embarrassing experience.

10 Subtle Ways to Sabotage Your Interview

FireLink — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:26:00 -0800

We all know that showing up late to an interview or dressing inappropriately can ruin your chances for a job. But what about the more subtle ways that could make you unexpectedly sabotage your job interview? Don't let it happen to you! Keep in mind these 10 common subconscious mistakes that you probably don't even know you're making.

Next | Not Shaking Interviewer's Hand >>

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Not Shaking Interviewer's Hand

Problem: First impressions are vital in an interview. When meeting your interviewer for the first time, there are three faux pas that you need to avoid: Not standing when they enter the room, not shaking their hand, and not looking them in the eye. Each action is disrespectful, and if you are not respectful to your interviewer they'll assume you won't be respectful to the rest of the department.

How to Fix It: Make it a practice when you are meeting anyone for the first time. Stand, shake the person's hand, and look them in the eye. If it's habit for you, then you won't even have to think about it when the time comes.

Next | Bad Posture >>

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Bad Posture

Problem: Bad posture during an interview can give the impression that you are lazy or disrespectful. Reclining might tell the interviewer that you are bored or cocky. Slouching forward gives the impression of nervousness. If you are constantly shifting from one position to another it shows that you are uncomfortable, which in turn can make the candidate interviewer uncomfortable.

How to Fix It: Relax against the back of your chair. Make sure your feet are firmly planted on the floor and engage your core. Avoid sitting up too straight, as that can also make you look uncomfortable. It may sound crazy, but practice sitting at home and see how long you can hold a comfortable position without too much shifting around.

Next | Too Many Long Pauses >>

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Too Many Long Pauses

Problem: Thinking through your answers is always a good idea, but if it takes you longer than10 seconds to start talking, you've passed the point of being comfortable. Taking too long to consider a question could imply that you're mentally slow or aren't able to handle stressful situations. You need to show that you can roll with the punches.
after all, that's what firefighting is about!

How to Fix It: Even if you don't have a solid answer formulated in your head, begin with what you do know and expand on it. Once you start, talking can lead to other ideas. Just be careful not to resort to thinking out loud. Slow your speech so that you have a few seconds in between thoughts to consider ideas before you articulate them.

Next | Cutting the Interviewer Off >>

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Cutting Off the Interviewer

Problem: Showing eagerness and excitement is one thing, but if you are cutting off the interviewer before he has the chance to get the question out, you can come across as rude, as well as incapable of listening. In addition, you may end up answering what you thought the question was, instead of the real question.

How to Fix It: Make sure you are really, actively listening to each question. Keep your speech patterns slow. Always wait for your interviewer to finish his question, and then think for five seconds before you answer. This will guarantee that you've heard the question and gives you time to structure a well thought out answer.

Next | Yawning/Falling Asleep >>

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Yawning/Falling Asleep

Problem: It doesn't matter if you were up until 3 a.m. researching the company, if you yawn during an interview, it shows that you aren't taking it seriously. A yawn can say a lot: That you're a party animal who doesn't get enough sleep, that you don't know proper time management, or that you're simply bored with the entire interview process.

How to Fix It: First and most importantly, make sure you get a full night of sleep before the interview. Have some caffeine before the interview, but not too much. Do some yoga. Stretch in the bathroom. Take a quick walk around the block. Anything you can do to get the blood flowing will not only wake you up, but will also help with your response time to questions.

Next | Talking Around Questions >>

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Talking Around Questions

Problem: You may be the king or queen of waxing poetic, but it doesn't matter how many big words you use. If there is no substance to your answer, chances are your interviewer will see right through the BS. Rambling can make the interviewer uncomfortable or bored, as well as show an inability on your part to interact with clients.

How to Fix It: Make sure you always have a point. After each question, take five seconds to focus on what point you want to make. Even if you are unsure how to get to that point, ending with a definitive answer is better than confusing the interviewer or looking like you don't know what you're talking about.

Next | Speaking Unclearly >>

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Mumbling/Not Speaking Clearly

Problem: An interview is no place to be shy. Mumbling or tripping over your words will make you look apprehensive, nervous, or bored. It also shows the interviewer that you are unsure of yourself and have no presence. And most importantly, if an interviewer can't understand you, then you're not making your point.

How to Fix It: Make sure you are using slow, steady speech patterns. Your breathing should also be slow and steady. Make the effort to enunciate every word, just make sure you're not over-enunciating. Pretend the interviewer is intently listening to every word that comes out of your mouth, so make each one count.

Next | Cell Phone Ringing >>

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Cell Phone Ringing

Problem: Beyond the annoyance of being interrupted during the interview, a ringing cell phone can say many things. You aren't taking the interview seriously. You think there are more important things than this job. You have no problem inconveniencing other people. And putting the phone on vibrate is no better, since most cell phone vibrations are audible. Picture the interviewer totally distracted, trying to figure out where the buzzing is coming from.

How to Fix It: Turn your phone completely off during your interview. No exceptions, unless you're wife is about to go into labor. And if that's the case, or you have another excusable planned emergency, let the interviewer know that before he begins. But make sure you have a really good reason.

Next | Not Looking Your Interviewer in the Eye >>

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Not Looking Your Interviewer in the Eye

Problem: Looking your interviewer directly in the eye shows a level of respect. It conveys the message that you are both on the same page and at the same level. If you are unable to look your interviewer in the eye, it says that you are uncomfortable with her, or worse, gives the impression that you are lying or making up stories.

How to Fix It: Don't keep your eyes locked with theirs for the entire interview, that's just creepy. But a good rule of thumb is to look him or her in the eye when they are talking, to show that you are actively listening. Also, make sure to reconnect when you are making a point, as an extra emphasis.

Next | Nervous Energy >>

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Nervous Energy

Problem: Showing that you are excited and energetic about your new job is good, but nervous energy paints a whole different picture. Constantly bouncing your leg, tapping your finger, or shifting around every 10 seconds is distracting and shows that you are unable to sit still, which is unprofessional. If you can't sit through a 30-minute interview, how are you going to survive a two-hour meeting, or, more importantly, an eight-hour day.

How to Fix It: Take deep, steady breaths beforehand. Pay attention to your breathing during the interview, make sure it hasn't quickened, and keep it at a slow, steady pace. Pretend your feet are cemented to the floor to keep your legs from bouncing. And keep the hand gestures to a minimum!

Get the Job!

Preparing for Firefighter Candidate Interviews

15 Toughest Interview Q&A

5 Things You Need to Give up to Get A Job

How To Save A Life

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 09:49:00 -0800

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, we don't get that many good fires. Better building construction, better fire prevention, and common sprinkler systems have drastically reduced the amount of "big" calls we have anywhere in the nation. This is a good thing for citizens, but it has changed the face of firefighting a little.

In between the fires, we fill the time with all manner of medical calls, and I'll be honest in saying they aren't quite as much fun.

Usually they're minor: an asthma attack, a mild heart attack, or a diabetic emergency. We apply oxygen, gather vitals, help package them into the ambulance and go home. A few are dead simple: we get our fair share of older persons who just fell over without injury and need a hand to get back up, or motorists on icy roads who slid off into a ditch.

Occassionaly there's just nothing we can do, like if someone is found dead in their home or has sustained a traumatic injury that's just inconsistent with life.

It can be rewarding, touching, or devastating, but I've never experienced that same kind of fierce adrenaline rush that I do in the face of flames. Never, that is, until this past new years eve.

That's a day I'll never forget.

It's the last day of December. It's cold out, and quiet, we haven't run a single call in 2 days. I'm glad to finally get into bed, it's one of those nights where I'd be happy to get no calls at all (as green as I am, it's not very often I feel that way).

I sleep hard, not even coming up to the partly-conscious state that I usually do when calls are going out for other stations. I may have dreamed, but all I remember is blissful unconsciousness.

Alas, my sleep is not destined to be undisturbed.

Continue >>

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[page]

Around 6 in the morning, our tones drop and I push myself up and out of bed. Getting out the door, I stumble into my gear bleary-eyed, hoping for a quick run. The dispatch sounds routine: Difficulty Breathing, older male, wife calling on his behalf.

I light up the warning equipment and start the drive, falling into the routine as I hear other units checking in on the radio. This is on the edge of our runbox, so there's another crew of firefighters coming from the other direction, plus the ambulance which is stationed a little farther away.

Once everyone is on the way, the dispatcher comes on the air with new information: breathing has stopped, CPR in progress.

Ok, NOW I'm awake.

That whole idea of a routine call is out the window as my adrenaline dumps hard. Pulling to a halt in front of a rural two-story home, I hustle up the driveway with medbag in hand.

Crap, where's the door?

The house has a first floor garage and an exterior staircase up to a wrap-around porch on the second story, no obvious point of entry. The only lights I see are those from our warning equipment playing back and forth over the side of the house and the woods beyond.

My station captain finds a door, but it's locked and dark, and he starts knocking on it while I dash around the side to see if there's another way in.

There's light coming from a sliding door at the back corner of the dwelling; between the blinds I can see a supine human form with a woman kneeling over it giving chest compressions.

"Captain, back here!" I shout over my shoulder while I try to pull the sliding door open. It's locked. The woman startles and looks up at me trying to get in, but she clearly doesn't want to stop compressions to let us in.

"The front door!" she yells with a tight voice.

"It's locked too!" I tell her, trying to keep my composure. She jumps up and pops the lock just as the captain catches up to me, and I can see from the corner of my eye another firefighter jogging around the side of the house towards us.

Continue >>

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"He has sleep apnea" she says "I guess I can let you guys take over". She's a little rattled, but pretty collected compared to what I've seen from family members in similar situations. "Ok, good job" I say to her as I hustle over to the man on the floor.

The latex gloves come on by habit as I go to my knees at the man's side. He's grey. Really grey.
My heart's pounding.

I've never been the first one in on a code, and I almost expect to freeze, as inside it would be fair to say I'm terrified beyond rational thought. That's what training is for, though. When your mind goes blank, your body takes over.

I lean my cheek down close to the man's mouth and nose while grabbing his right radial pulse with one hand and putting two fingers against the carotid artery with the other. I don't feel anything on my cheek for a few seconds, and then a horrendous sound comes out of the mans throat.

My fingers feel nothing but the enormous pounding of my own pulse that's throbbing throughout the rest of my body.

"What do we have?" the captain asks, having just finished clearing a piece of furniture out of the way.

"Agonal respirations" I say quietly, tossing him the pocket mask from my bunker pants. He pops it open and says in a strangely calm voice, "Ok, let's continue CPR please".

My hands are already linked over his chest and I start pumping while the captain lines up the mask. After 30 compressions I nod to him and 2 breaths go in before I start pumping again. Another firefighter from my station kneels behind me and murmurs "a little faster, buddy".

I redouble my efforts and speed up, counting in my head and trying to stay steady as my mentors and brothers work in around my arms to apply the AED pads. As the unit powers up, everything becomes automatic.

"Analyzing rhythm, do not touch patient..."

Our captain finishes giving a breath and we all back off and watch the monitor. Something's there. It's not big, but I can see a rhythm in the green line. I can't believe this. Is there hope?

"No shock advised...Continue CPR..."

Continue >>

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I jump back on the chest, and one of the other guys pats me on the shoulder, silently letting me know that he's ready to take over when my arms get tired. The AED monitor shows that good strong rhythm as my hands compress the rib cage repeatedly.

Radios crackle behind me and I know the ambulance is pulling into the driveway. As the paramedics push their way into the room they take over and I get to step back and take in the scene. Everything is moving like clock-work. Here are my friends, the guys I eat pizza and play video games with, now total professionals as things click into place.

One man moves in with the ambulance stretcher and strips off the straps. Another flushes the regulator on an O2 tank and hooks it up to a BVM. One of the department chiefs has showed up and has taken command, getting the different apparatus situated on the narrow driveway to give the ambulance a quick exit.

The captain is talking quietly with the wife, collecting a medical history and steadily reassuring (while at the same time not promising anything we can't deliver). I see them all in a totally different light when we're on scene like this. Goofballs and jokesters become cool-headed heroes.

My respite is brief, though, as this call isn't over yet. I start clearing our scattered gear out of the way while the ambulance crew sizes up the patient. The paramedic crouches by the head and a laryngoscope pops open in his hand. He tries to get the tube twice, but the throat is pretty swollen and it doesn't go in.

They continue to ventilate him by bag valve mask as the backboard is brought in. I pitch in, clearing the straps from the top down and lining it up next to the man's body on the ground. I look back to see how the medics are doing, and things are now on a totally different pace.

I can't believe what I'm seeing. This man who was grey and lifeless the last time I looked at him is awake and talking, asking the paramedic what everyone is doing in his house. He isn't exactly healthy; he's understandably weak and a little disoriented as we move him into the ambulance, but he's alive and conscious which was way more than I expected out of this call.

This one came back.

Continue >>

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Spirits are high as the incident winds down and we rehab all our equipment back onto the engine. This is stuff I haven't seen before. I've worked a couple codes since I started, but they were predictable. Check vitals, start CPR, paramedic drops the tube, and pronounce the victim dead.

I have friends who have been on the fire department for YEARS and have never worked a full arrest that the patient has recovered from. I know this is one for my journal, I just worked my first clinical save.

I can't help smiling as I make my way home later in the morning. I don't really want to wake up my wife, but I can't help it, I'm still hyped up and have to talk to her. This was what I'd been wanting, what I'd been waiting for ever since witnessing that car accident made me join the fire service in the first place.

I'd just been given the opportunity to face my fear of helplessness, and I didn't miss a beat. Scared? You bet. Anxious? Beyond belief. But thanks to my training and my brothers who were coaching me on at the scene, I knew what to do and how to play my part on the team that ended up saving a life that day.

Over the next week we talk about that call at the station over and over again. Reliving the action, laughing at things that were so serious and high-pressure just a few days ago. One of the guys even tells me in private that he thinks I did a nice job on that call.

Now THAT's high praise. A big moral in our children's stories today is that you shouldn't care what other people think about you, but there's no way I can buy into that. On a fire crew, you don't have to be LIKED by everyone, but you at least want to be respected.

You want the other guys to feel like they can trust you to do your job. Consequently, there's almost no greater feeling than those first few grudging comments that indicate that they don't think of you as such a total greenhorn anymore.

So was it our amazing skill and heroics that made the difference on this call? Was it really because of us that that man survived to see 2010? No, not at all, and none of us who were on that scene that morning have any delusions about that.

CPR is a long odds proposition to start with. We did nothing more or less for that man than we had for any other full-arrest victim I've been present with. I don't have the magic touch, we didn't do things in a better order, or at a faster pace, or with newer equipment.

When it comes to basic life support, every responder in the nation has pretty much the same training and tools. The difference was in the patient. He wasn't too far gone yet, his wife called 911 early, and somehow his body found the stamina to stick it out until we could get oxygen into his lungs.

I'm just proud that I got to be a part of it. This is what being in emergency services is all about.

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Sample Oral Board Questions

FireLink — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:11:00 -0800

Worried about your firefighter oral board interview? First, take the proper amount of time to prepare. Being well-prepared will boost your confidence and lower your anxiety. Experts recommend that you spend at least three hours preparing for each interview.

You should draft answers to the most common interview questions and practice speaking them out loud. You also should read up on the department you are interviewing with and prepare some questions of your own. This lets the interviewer know that you are truly interested in the job.
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Going through your oral boards is often like entering the great unknown. Although every interviewer is different and questions vary from station to station, there are some questions that are common across the board. Reading through the following questions and developing your own answers is a good place to start in your preparation. Once you have done that, remember practice makes perfect! Nothing impresses a potential department like being ready for whatever is thrown your way:

Sample Questions >>

The Final Interview: Passing the Oral Boards >>

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Why should we hire you?
Here's the chance to really sell yourself. You need to briefly and succinctly lay out your strengths, qualifications and what you can bring to the table. Be careful not to answer this question too generically, however. Nearly everyone says they are hardworking and motivated. Set yourself apart by telling the interviewer about qualities that are unique to you.

Why do you want to work at this department?
This is one tool interviewers use to see if you have done your homework. You should never attend an interview unless you know about the station, and any recent local news about that it may be involved in. If you have done your research, this question gives you an opportunity to show initiative and demonstrate how your experience and qualifications match the department's needs.

Continue >>

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What are your greatest weaknesses?
The secret to answering this question is being honest about a weakness, but demonstrating how you have turned it into a strength. For example, if you had a problem with organization in the past, demonstrate the steps you took to more effectively keep yourself on track. This will show that you have the ability to recognize aspects of yourself that need improvement, and the initiative to make yourself better.

Why did you leave your last department?
Most often you won't be asked this question, but it's good to prepare just in case. Even if your last job ended badly, be careful about being negative in answering this question. Be as diplomatic as possible. If you do point out negative aspects, find some positives to mention as well. Complaining endlessly about your last company will not say much for your attitude.

Continue>>

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Describe a problem situation and how you solved it.
Sometimes it is hard to come up with a response to this request, particularly if you are coming straight out of the academy and do not have any professional experience. Interviewers want to see that you can think critically and develop solutions, regardless of what kind of issue you faced. Even if your problem is academy-related, describe the steps you took to solve it. This will demonstrate that you are responsible and can think through situations on your own.

What accomplishment are you most proud of?
The secret to this question is being specific and selecting an accomplishment that relates to the position. Even if your greatest accomplishment is being on a championship high school basketball team, opt for a more professionally relevant accomplishment. Think of the qualities the department is looking for and develop an example that demonstrates how you can meet their needs.

Continue >>

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What are your salary expectations?
This is one of the hardest questions, particularly for those with little experience. The first thing to do before going to your interview is to research the salary range for firefighting, ems, etc. in your area to get an idea of what you should be making. Steer clear of discussing salary specifics before receiving a job offer. Let the interviewer know that you will be open to discussing fair compensation when the time comes. If pressed for a more specific answer, always give a range, rather than a specific number.

Tell me about yourself.
While this query seems like a piece of cake, it is difficult to answer because it is so broad. The important thing to know is that the interviewer typically does not want to know about your hometown or what you do on the weekends. He or she is trying to figure you out professionally. Pick a couple of points about yourself, your professional experience and your career goals and stick to those points. Wrap up your answer by bringing up your desire to be a part of the department. If you have a solid response prepared for this question, it can lead your conversation in a direction that allows you to elaborate on your qualifications.

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Sample Firefighter Oral Board Interview Questions:

• Why did you decide to be a firefighter?

• If you are selected, what will you bring to this job?

• Do you think you are qualified for a firefighter’s job?

• Have you done any preparation for this position?

• What do you know about us?

Read a lot about the department, its achievements, recent news and other things before you go for the oral board interview.

• Do you have any EMS experience? If so, what?

Scenario Questions for Firefighters >>

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How Would You Handle the Following Scenarios?

• How will you counter drinking or drugs on the job?

• How to deal with an employee crisis at an emergency?

• Conflicting orders at an emergency situation

• How to handle an irate citizen?

• What will you do if you have a report about someone stealing on the job?

• How do you handle a conflict with another employee?

• Racial situations

• Question about Sexual harassment at workplaces..

• . What will you do if your senior gave you an order that could place you in great danger or be morally wrong?

• When do you expect to start working if you are offered the job?

• What would you do if another city called you for the job?

• How do you answer a question you have no idea about?

• At what level do you see yourself in the next 5 years?

• What qualities should a firefighter have? What qualities do you have?

• Have you ever been in an emergency situation? Tell us what you did

• Why should we prefer you over the other candidates?

• How do you handle a conflict of interest?

• What word would you use to describe yourself in a positive way? A Negative way?

• Do you have any else to say?

The Final Interview: Passing the Oral Boards >>

The Final Interview: Passing the Oral Boards

Printed with permission by Paul Julian — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:35:00 -0800

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 there was no firefighter oral board interview or physical agility test to worry about, the job was a great deal more dangerous back then and protective safety gear was virtually nonexistent.

While you may be undergoing firefighter training right now, wishing that you could go back to the days when getting into the industry that you love was so much easier, you are much better off living in the present day-at least as far as the firefighter business is concerned.

Competition is Tougher than Ever Before

These days, becoming a fireman is about more than the necessary training. There are three main parts to the preparation and application process. Not including initial education and training, these are:

The Written Test

The Physical Agility Test

The Oral Board Exam

The oral exam is the deal breaker for many firefighting candidates. This is the equivalent of the job interview for a traditional job, and is even more important. Yes it is true; the written test and the physical agility test are extremely important facets of the overall application process, but the oral interview is what gets you your badge or not.

How to Pass the Oral Boards >>

Sample Oral Board Questions >>

Additional Resources:

How to Ace Your Job Application

15 Toughest Interview Q&A

What It Takes To Land A Job

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The Purpose of the Oral Board Exam

The oral exam can fit you in with the particular job that you are applying for, and gives personnel at the station in question a pretty good idea of whether or not you will be able to handle the pressures of the job.

Plenty of people can pass a written test. Even more than that can probably pass a physical agility test, but the oral board is what can set you apart from the rest of the crowd.

What to Expect from the Oral Board Interview

Contrary to popular belief, (and what your training buddies are telling you in attempts to try and scare you) the firefighter interview is not meant to put you on the spot and trip you up. It is about examining your potential to be a strong, worthy firefighter. This is a job where people are charged with the responsibility of saving homes and lives, and it is not fit for everyone, no matter how appropriate for the job a person thinks they are.

The firefighter board may ask any of a variety of basic interview questions, including but not limited to questions such as:

How has previous work experience or volunteer work prepared you for a job as a firefighter?

What part of your firefighter training do you think has best prepared you for this job?

Why do you want to be a firefighter?

What are your most positive strengths?

What are your weaknesses?

As it is with every job interview, the oral board interviewers will probably throw a few curve balls into the firefighter interview and ask you some questions that you did not expect. These may be follow-up questions to answers that you have given, so it is best to be as prepared for them as possible

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Making Use of Personal Experiences

One way to really impress those giving your oral interview is to utilize personal experiences in answering your questions. Give examples, if you can. If you have experience in the firefighting business, even if it was just in the office filing papers-make use of it! Do so without being cocky or overconfident, but showing them that you have learned from past experiences-even if they were negative. Personal growth scores points with interviewers in every job field, not just for the oral board exam.

As you are looking to be a part of the firefighting program in your community, keep in mind that you are one of more than you could possibly imagine. It is more important than ever to be as prepared as possible for the various facets of the application process as possible, including the oral board interview. You can pass the physical agility test and written exam with flying colors, but without a good score on your oral interview you can easily be passed over for the next person.

If you want the chance to put your hand into putting out the fires of the world, act like it. Prepare, prepare, prepare. Gather all of the information you can on how to become a firefighter and get all of the help you can get. Practice your interview with those who support your endeavors and show up to your firefighter interview calm, cool and collected.

Sample Firefighter Oral Board Questions >>

Additional Resources:

How to Ace Your Job Application

15 Toughest Interview Q&A

What It Takes To Land A Job

Step 5: What to Expect Your First Year

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 10:30:00 -0800

This is dependent on the type of service you are in. Most fire based services run a 24 on and either a 48 or 72 off schedule. Some do a 24 on, 24 off, 24 on, 24 off than 4 days off.

Typically, the fire based services work an average of 8 days a month. Some EMS departments run this type of schedule as well. Again, that will depend on your geographical location. Running 24 hours in Ames Iowa is very different than running 24 hours straight in Chicago or New York.

Another consideration is the requirements for maintaining your paramedic license or certification. Yes, some places license their pre-hospital care givers and some just certify them. Either way, there can be some hefty requirements for relicensing which are fairly common nationwide.

You can expect your day to start with roll call, checking your unit out, taking care of some administrative issues such as replacing radio batteries, signing for drugs, etc. Some departments like to get their physical activity in early before you hit those magical patient transport hours. Part of the day may also involve recovering equipment at other hospitals, participating in some of training, or attending some type of in-service.

Additionally in this time span there is also house work and details for cleaning which have to be done. One advantage I have found, or disadvantage depending on your perspective, is that when on the medic unit I somehow usually get out of housework due to being on a call!

To Sum It All Up - All in all, it’s an exciting job. The days come and go quickly, and if you’re in a busy house they’ll go even faster. There are entire cultures and industries devoted to critical care, flight medicine, off-shore, remote EMS as well as private and hospital based opportunities. All of these have their own rules and regulations, but at the end it comes down to one thing: doing what’s best for your patient. A few things I have learned along the way

1. It’s a job where the learning is continuous. Read the journals, get more than your share of CME, and attend conferences. At the end of the day, nothing will help you more than having science and research covering your back

2. Patience is a virtue. Very few emergencies exist that you have to run to the patient. More than likely they’ll be running to you! Why take the chance of getting hurt? Be cautious and get there intact.

3. As I have matured through the years I have gone from the adrenaline junkie to being a patient advocate who now enjoys spending time with the little old lady having difficulty breathing and helping her rather than running the blood and gut traumas. Allow yourself to grow into your job and change as your desire and physical abilities change.

4. Never miss an opportunity for education and more importantly never miss an opportunity to mentor. Knowledge without sharing is knowledge in a vacuum…alone and wasted.

5. It’s important to realize early on that you can’t save everyone…but you can help quite a few.

While EMS is not for everyone, it just may be your desired life’s career. Don’t discount the fact that it may also be a springboard for furthering your clinical career. I know many fine nurses physicians, and physician assistants who started in EMS, and because of their exposure to pre-hospital medicine decided to continue their education.

These individuals have become great advocates for out profession. Yes, EMS is not for everyone…but is it for you?

Go Back to the Introduction

Featured EMS Jobs:

EMT

Paramedic

Fire-Medic

Step 4: Preparing for the Job

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 10:12:00 -0800

Okay, you got hired…now what? Well, that depends on the type of job.

If you are going to be a fire based medic, you will probably have to go through the fire academy for up to 12 weeks. One of the conditions of hiring being hired was probably a pretty strict physical, back-ground examination as well as having to pass the (Candidate Physical Agility Test) CPAT, a strenuous test designed to see if you meet the minimum standards for firefighting.

Even if you did not have to go through these requirements, be prepared to undergo some form of physical evaluation to work in a fire-based system. Being a paramedic is a strenuous job and you’ll be doing quite a bit of physical exertion, so it’s important to be in shape, and more importantly to stay in shape. You should be able, with a partner, to lift a 180 lb person and bring them down three flights of stairs as well as load the stretcher into an ambulance.

Even non-fire based EMS services will have physical requirements of varying degrees. One other thing you can count on is an internship where you will learn the local medical protocols, be tested on your ability to manage patient care in various situations and learn the "lay of the land” so to speak.

Step 5: What to Expect Your First Year

Step 3: Navigating the Hiring Process

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 10:05:00 -0800

One positive component of volunteering is the opportunity to meet people. Also, if you volunteer in a combination departments you get to see the inner workings of the department before you apply.

More importantly you get to have face time with people who can help you along the way. Look for someone to mentor you. Read the numerous trade journals and on-line forums dealing with EMS. These often provide hiring notices from departments in your surrounding jurisdiction. Schedule a station visit or ride along with a paramedic at a department in your neighborhood.

These individuals are usually the best source of information on how to get hired. As far as studying is concerned, there are two ways to look at this. One is that if you are already a paramedic, most places that hire you will want to see current credentials as well as probably administer some type of skill validation exam.

When hired you may even have to do, at the very least, an abbreviated form of an internship so that you can learn their particular culture. More importantly, remember not to get frustrated or give up. You may have to endure numerous applications, interviews, and even jobs before you find the right fit for you.

Step 4: Preparing for the Job

Step 2: Decide If You're Ready

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 09:58:00 -0800

Lets look at some of the intrinsic/extrinsic factors which will assist you in deciding if this is the right choice for you.

• Basic Eligibility- You are in a position of trust. Whether a volunteer or career paramedic, you will need to undergo some type of background check. In other words, if you have felonies on your record you can stop here.

Remember, you are in a position where people are usually at their most vulnerable and your superiors need to know you can be trusted. What you will be able to do depends on what type of background check you undergo.

At a minimum, expect to be fingerprinted and have an FBI print check. Because of federal work I have undergone what’s called a “public position of trust” background. For this, they go back several years and look at you in details. In this day of electronic media: Twitter, Face Book and other forms of social networking you need to be careful of what you post in terms of language, public political opinions, and pictures.

More than a few paramedics and firefighters have lost jobs due to what’s out there on the web, even when posted by someone else. In other words, keep it clean…don’t post anything out there you would not want your mother to know or be the headlines of tomorrow’s newspapers. As a practical exercise, do a Google search of your name. What you see is what a hiring authority will see at the very least. They will learn more, since they will probably run a more extensive background check such as your credit status, your driving record, etc.

• Education- It helps to have some advanced schooling, although it’s not mandatory beyond your paramedic credentialing. Choose your schooling wisely. While the end results may be the same, the path you took may need to travel could be entirely different.

If I’m looking at two candidates, one from Joe’s Chicken Shack and Paramedic School vs. Neptune University – where I know you learned in a strong program with an excellent track record of clinical – guess who gets the job? Be smart when choosing your schooling...look at more than just cost. If you have a degree and want to add paramedic credentialing to that, there are many community colleges who offer either a certification program or a two year degree. In my opinion, more education is always a good thing!

• Foreign language Skills- Knowing a foreign language is a skill that cannot be underestimated. Of course, the value of this skill is usually location dependent. In my first job as an EMT for a major city fire department, I was only the third Hispanic medic ever hired in a city with a 30% or greater Hispanic population. It still amazes me that I did not meet my first Ethiopian or Korean medic until I was deployed for duty during Hurricane Katrina.

It’s only recently on another federal deployment that I met my first Indian medic. Unfortunately this is also a trend seen in the fire service as which tends to be very homogenous as well. I personally believe that we could do much more to cultivate a diverse medic community, but we will save that for my next article!

• Volunteer EMS Experience- As they say…just do it! Volunteering is a good way to get a flavor for this line of work and determine whether you are right for this type of work.

Many departments may even pay for you to attend school, asking that you commit to serving their community for a number of years in return. Keep in mind is that many times these positions are a springboard to a permanent job in that department or in local jurisdictions.

One thing to consider is the time commitment necessary to stay proficient and up to date. Some locations are very loosely structured in that regard while some have very stringint requirements. An inherent issue with EMS in the country is the lack of standardization in education and requirements to ride. What you do in Pennsylvania may not transfer to Maryland.

With that said, the experience that you’ll gain as a volunteer as well as the training is invaluable when applying for paid job. Also, becoming a paramedic does not mean you are relegated to an ambulance. When considering becoming a volunteer, be truthful to yourself and family. If you can’t devote the needed time each week to complete the initial training and work your duty hours you may want to reconsider.

Step 3: Navigating the Hiring Process

Step 1: Learn About the Craft

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 09:28:00 -0800

Whatever you do, do not ever think that TV emulates EMS. . If television is your sole guide, than I suggest watching the Learning Channel Series on paramedics. While this is a narrowed view with mainly an urban focus, it is at least factual.

I suggest you go to your local firehouse or volunteer department and ask to speak to a paramedic. This is what is sometimes called a “reverse interview.” Talk to them, ask questions, and get a feel for the real intricacies of the job. Visit or call a volunteer department and ask to speak to a volunteer paramedic…there’s nothing like hearing it from the horse’s mouth. So let’s look at some of the levels of commitment available to you:

Volunteer- Becoming a volunteer paramedic is a long process and is quite time consuming. Also, keep in mind that once you become a volunteer paramedic, there may be time requirements you will have to meet. However, if you have the time it can be very rewarding. If you are in a community that needs volunteers, they may even pick up the tab for your education.

Once you are a paramedic, there are also requirements for bi-annual recertification and continuing education requirements. The good thing is that opportunities to meet these requirements are usually free to the provider, whether you are in paid or volunteer positions.

Career- Okay, so let’s say you’ve been an EMT for a few years. Maybe you are thinking it’s time to step it up a notch and get paid for this work.

The options of a paid paramedic are a bit more abundant than for a firefighter, ranging from a fire dept paramedic, to being on a third service municipal system, to working at a hospital or critical care transport team, either ground or air, to tactical EMS. You could even consider working on an overseas oil-rig. There are a multitude of options open to the career paramedic.

Intermittent- There is also what is referred to as hybrid positions, when departments hire paramedics on a reduced or as needed schedule.

Before embarking on this type of arrangement, I would suggest you look carefully at things like benefits and retirement. Many medics in my fire dept work a 24/72 schedule with a Kelly day every 5 weeks. These individuals are able to supplement this by working in a neighboring county on off-days for an hourly salary.

Step 2: Decide If You're Ready

5 Steps to Becoming a Paramedic: Introduction

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 09:22:00 -0800

So, You Want to Be a Paramedic?

Be warned: it takes sacrifice, long hours, horrible weather conditions, heavy lifting, being bled and spat upon, and exposed to who knows how many bodily fluids from…we’ll just let you imagine. Still interested? Then let’s continue, because in actuality this is can be one of the most rewarding jobs available.

As a Paramedic, you have a genuine opportunity to help alleviate people’s suffering. There is little out there more rewarding than delivering a baby, or seeing an elderly person or child who is scared begin to trust you. Nothing beats being able to make someone’s pain go away. While you may not have many occasions to save a life, you will on occasion make the difference between life and death.

Since you are reading this there is a good chance that you have already taken the first step by becoming an EMT. If that is the case, you are already a third of the way there!. If not, your first step is to take an EMT class and become a volunteer with the local recue squad, fire department, CERT team or any number of organizations which use medical providers, including hospitals.

So lets continue. I’m going to “borrow” from Battalion Chief Paul Lepore’s exceptional essay “The 5 Steps to Becoming a Firefighter” but add my own EMS slant.

Step 1: Learn About the Craft >>

How to Ace Your Job Application

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 08:21:00 -0800

The internet is an information-junkies “dream come true.” A novice “surfer” can find almost anything; and expert can do truly amazing things. I mention this, because not only is there a plethora of available information on “How to Become a Firefighter,” there is also some information that is conspicuous by its absence. The purpose of this article is to discuss the information that isn't readily available; and to reinforce some of the information that is easier to find.

I realize that if you are reading this, you are looking for that “silver bullet” that will propel you to the top of the list. While I can't promise you that what I have to offer will make you “number one”, I assure you that I can increase your chance of success by 50%. Before we get to the meat of the article, I do believe it is important to tell you a little about myself:

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September of 2009 marked the 25th anniversary of my 1st and only entry-level firefighter test. January 22st 2010 marked my 25th anniversary with my department. During my 25 year career I have: Been a Firefighter, Fire Engineer, Fire Captain, EMT-1, EMT-2, EMT-P, a Hazardous Materials Specialist; and worked, on my days off, as a volunteer Firefighter, an Ambulance Paramedic, a computer consultant, and a community college instructor. I also serve as my departments Training Officer; and hold a seat on the Regional Occupation Program (Fire) advisory committee. It's from perspective of the last three (3) experiences that I will make my observations.

One last thing before I get started. The total sum of my qualifications, when I took that test 25 years ago, was a High School Diploma. Many, if not most, of you that read this, are far more qualified to be an entry-level firefighter than I was. Therefore, this article won't include any information on how to become qualified; I am certain you have that aspect, of your career, well in hand. What I am going to discuss, is how to make all of your time, effort, and money, pay off.

How to Ace Your Job Application >>

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Prospective Firefighters invest a great deal of themselves, hoping for the chance to work in the profession of their dreams. If you think it isn't a dream, please realize that if you apply for a department like Los Angeles County, you can expect to compete with 10,000 other candidates for an opportunity to take the entry-level test.

Even if your ambitions are more humble, you will likely be up against several hundred similarly qualified candidates; and while I can't speak for LAFD, I can assure you that there is at least a 50% chance that someone, who is no better qualified than you, will get the job – should you apply to work for my department. You see, in order to work here, you have to pass all portions of the testing process; and at least half of you will fail the very first step – the application.

While Fire Academies excel at providing candidates with hands-on training, and certification for any number of specialties, many fail miserably at preparing the candidate to actually get the job. It doesn't matter how well you can: Waltz, Tango, or do the Charleston, if you never get invited to the dance.

More specifically, you will never get an opportunity to put your training to use, if someone places your application in the “rejected” pile; and prospective firefighters get lots of rejections. While I will admit that prospective firefighters typically do a better job, at filling out employment applications, than unskilled laborers – you aren't competing with an unskilled workforce...

To put this in perspective, our most recent recruitment garnered one-hundred and forty-eight (148) applications. One of the applicants was a "regular Joe" just hoping for a job; but I firmly believe that the remaining applicants were fully qualified. Unfortunately, seventy-four of them failed to provide any of the documentation required to support their qualifications. That's right at 50% of the applications. Let me be quite clear on this point, the job announcement and employment application clearly state what has to be provided.

If a candidate can't follow clear written instructions, in the comfort of their own home, why should an employer believe that they would be able to follow hurried, verbal instructions during the heat of an emergency? To put a finer point on it, 50% of the applicants failed the testing process at the application phase.

Because I have been in charge of recruitment and testing, of entry-level firefighters for eighteen (18) years, I know that eighty (80) invitations-to-test will net an eligibility list of ten to twelve (10 to 12) candidates. I also know that recruitment and testing is expensive, otherwise I would have eliminated an additional seventy-one (71) applicants. If you are keeping track, that means I received exactly three (3) complete and accurate applications out of a pool of one-hundred and forty-eight (148). Obviously, testing only three (3) candidates is a waste of time and money; so I allowed the seventy-one (71) applicants that had provided “nearly” complete applications an opportunity to rectify their deficiencies.

While the application process has always been viewed as the “first elimination phase”, the last several years has shown a significant degradation in the quality of applications. With this latest recruitment being the worst I have ever seen.

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So, how do you get past the first hurdle? Simply provide the hiring authority with all the information they request. To insure that you accomplish your objective, make sure to do the following:

Before you even start the application process, gather up all of your certificates and licenses. Dig out, and dust off, your Diplomas. Create, or update, your resume. Make a list of personal references (make sure you ask the person if they are willing to serve as a reference). Make copies of all of these things; and keep them with you, always. You never know when an unexpected opportunity will arise, to apply for a firefighting position; and some employers will require you to complete the application on their premises.

Regardless of how you learned of the employment opportunity, contact the hiring authority; and obtain a copy of the job description, job announcement, and employment application. Newspaper advertisements are often incomplete; and job-hunting websites may not always have the most current information (Especially if the website received its information from a source other than the hiring authority). Even if you gained your information from the hiring authority's website, it is worth your time to make a phone call; and make absolutely certain that you have the most current information.

Read the job announcement; and then read it again. Read the ENTIRE document, not just the minimum qualifications section. Sometimes agencies have specific application requirements that have nothing to do with the requirements necessary to get the job. These requirements are often not included in the minimum qualifications. In our last recruitment, seventy-five (75) percent of all applicants failed to provide a current copy of their driving record – because it wasn't listed in the minimum qualifications.

Read the job/position description as well. While it is unlikely that anything in the job description will improve your application. You can save us both some time, if (for example) you aren't interested in relocating; and learn early that the prospective employer has a residency requirement.

Read the employment application, every word of it; even the “fine print.” Failure to provide any of the requested information is grounds for rejection. Fortunately, for applicants for my department, I have complete control of the screening process. If our Human Resources department would have pre-screened our most recent pool of applicants, those who didn't submit their driving records would have been summarily rejected. You won't always be so fortunate.

If you are applying for multiple jurisdictions, keep the various job descriptions, applications, etc. separate from one another. In fact, fully complete one process before working on another. This isn't my first rodeo; I know that you very likely are applying to multiple departments. However, receiving a nearly flawless application which has, instead of our signature page, the signature page of the application for a different agency, isn't likely to garner you any extra credit. In our last recruitment, three (3) candidates failed the first part of the test by submitting an “incomplete” application (one which was missing our signature page).

Complete the application; making sure to provide all of the required information, but only the requested information. If the application, or job announcement, says to only include certain supporting documentation – save a tree and only submit what is requested. I know that each of you is proud (and rightfully so) of all of the certificates you have amassed. Trust me; you will have an opportunity to parade all of your certificates before the process is over.

Besides annoying the person screening the applications, by forcing them to sort through thirty (30) pages of certificates, when looking for only two (2); it increases your chances of overlooking something by using the “shotgun” approach. Additionally, if the application asks for information about “arrests and convictions” since your 18th birthday, there isn't any reason to include the shoplifting charge from when you were 16. By no means am I suggesting that anyone be less than 100% honest; but there is no reason to "poison the well". Besides, it is additional evidence that you can't follow directions.

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What follows, are some examples of typical problem areas:

I can't count the number of applications I have received that have included a resume, but didn't provide the necessary information on the application. Remember when I said "create or update your resume?" It wasn't so you could include your resume with your application, it was because referring to your resume is the easiest way to make sure you have all the information that you need to put on the application. Oh, and if you decide to include your resume, make sure you update the cover page to reflect the name of the hiring authority. While I won't reject your application for stating "Dear Chief of someone else's department I really want to work for someone else's city," if you make it to the oral interview, the evaluators will see your application; and you can rest assured THEY will take issue with that particular faux pas.

Write something in EVERY space. If you don't have an email address – put NONE. If you have never worked using a different name – put N/A (not applicable) or DNA (does not apply). Pay special attention to the areas marked in yellow. While a "yes" answer won't necessarily preclude you from getting hired; a "blank" will definitely cause your application to be rejected. Also, pay special attention to the "let us know if you have moved" sentence. I absolutely guarantee that we aren't going to provide special accommodations for a candidate that misses a deadline because of "late mail."

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Again, this is pretty straight forward. Provide an answer for every space. If something isn't applicable say so. My City requires a HS Diploma or GED for all job classifications. Even so, this application should have a "None" box. If a section provides "check boxes", and doesn't have the option the covers your situation – write it in. Also, even though this application states that "Applicants may be asked to furnish copies of transcript," don't take that at face value. Refer to the job announcement. If the announcement indicates that you need to submit proof at the time of application, do so.

This section is a huge stumbling block. Especially the area listed in yellow. I realize that prospective firefighters would be hard pressed to fit all of their certificates in the space provided. Because of this, many candidates are tempted to put "See Resume" in this section. There are two problems with that approach. First, if you go back to the beginning of this application, it indicates that your resume is only acceptable as "additional information," and the job announcement clearly states that all required experience, education, certificates and licenses must be clearly documented in the application. So, at a minimum, this area has to show that you possess the minimum certifications for the job. I actually had an extremely qualified candidate put N/A in this box...

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There are two pages of space for "previous work experience." Use as many as you need. If there aren't enough, follow the directions at the top; and use additional pages. Don't say "See Resume". This application requires that you list ALL employers; not just those that demonstrate that you have related work experience. Make sure you account for any time when you weren't working, by using one of the "Employer" boxes for each period of inactivity. List the employer as "None", list the date (range) of unemployment, describe your duties as applicable – i.e. "Attending College, looking for work, etc." Also, use care when completing the "reason for leaving" field. Don't be dishonest; but don't bash your previous employer either.

I have highlighted the entirety of the "references" section, because people regularly do not fill this out appropriately. You MUST have three (3) references; and they CANNOT be a relative or previous employer. Be sure to select people that can actually answer meaningful questions about you; and, of course, get their permission first. While "Other Comments" aren't required, don't leave the area blank. If you have nothing to add, say so. Finally, make sure you sign and date the application. While this might strike you as obvious, I have rejected many applications that were not signed.

While the pages shown represent the application from a particular employer, most employment applications are going to require the same kinds of information. Should you encounter something that wasn't covered here, follow the same basic precepts – i.e. leave nothing blank, be thorough, provide everything that is asked for; and only that which is asked for.

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Some additional guidelines:

If you fill out your application by hand:

• Use blue or black ink.

• Print legibly. The only cursive should be your signature.

• If you make a mistake, draw a single horizontal line through the item to be corrected.

If you fill out your application with a typewriter:

• Do your very best to actually type on the lines provided. This can be extremely difficult, as many of today's forms are not designed with a typewriter in mind.

• If at all possible, use a typewriter with built-in correction abilities.

• Mark "check boxes" with a single X.

If you fill out your application electronically:
• There shouldn't be any mistakes – period.

• If you scanned the document yourself, make certain it is "square" on the page.

• When printing the finished application, make sure you have enough ink/toner to produce a crisp, professional looking document.

If you follow all of these recommendations, and actually meet the requirements of job, you will successfully complete the first step in your quest to be a firefighter.

While the lack of information on "how to complete an employment application" is what prompted me to write this article and while all other phases of the testing process are well documented, I would also like to share some information that will assist you with the remainder of the test.

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First, some general recommendations; applicable to all portions of the test:

• Arrive early, and well rested. If necessary, and at all possible, drive down the night before.

• If your test invitation doesn't include driving directions, look them up yourself.

• Allow enough travel time to accommodate traffic congestion, or other delays.

• Double-check your test invitation and make absolutely certain you are bringing the required documentation to the test. Things you might be asked to bring include:

A copy of the test invitation

A photo ID

Your EMT certifcation or Paramedic License

• Be Prepared.

After the application process, the single largest deterrent to making "the list" seems to be the written examination. Not because prospective firefighters can't pass written tests, but because they often prepare for the wrong kinds of tests.

In California, at least, entry-level tests (for any job) cannot contain questions that would require the candidate to have previous job experience. This means is one of two things:

1. The test doesn't have any firefighting specific questions, or

2. Any firefighting questions have the answers provided within the context of the test.

What this means to you, the applicant, is that unlike all of your academy tests which were based upon information provided to you (often receptively) by an instructor, entry-level tests are based upon information that is gleaned from the test. In a nutshell, to pass the written test, you must possess a significant level of reading comprehension; and you must be able to apply critical thinking skills. Depending on the test, you may also have to demonstrate basic math skills; answer questions based upon an oral passage, read maps and charts, or demonstrate that you understand the fundamentals of how things work (mechanical aptitude).

Sadly, this is another area that Fire Academies often do not address well. There aren't going to be any IFSTA questions on the test; and the fact that you can recite the entire NFPA 1001 standard, define RECEO, or regurgitate every known fact about static-kern mantle-rope, is of zero benefit. In fact, many times the correct answer in an entry-level test is WRONG – based upon information learned in the academy. This is especially true when taking a test with an oral passage. The test is validating your ability to remember what you just heard; not what you learned last year.

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Fortunately, there is something you can do about this. While practice does make perfect, taking (and failing) every available entry-level test isn’t the best way to practice. What you can do includes:

Take the math and reading placement tests for your local community college. If the results of the test indicate that you need remedial math or reading – enroll in the classes.

Purchase, and take, practice college placement examinations (SAT for example). While many portions of a CPE aren't content applicable to the prospective firefighter, every question – regardless of topic – will provide you with an opportunity to exercise your critical thinking skills.

If your community college offers a course specific to "Critical Thinking" consider enrolling in the course; and while we're on the topic of college – enroll in a speech (public speaking) course as well. While there isn't much cause to speak during a written examination, you may find the skill useful during your oral interview. Additionally, speech classes will provide you additional opportunities to hone your listening skills.

Finally, take the test properly:

• Read the entire question and all of the possible answers before selecting your answer.

• If the test uses a Scantron™, fill in the proper "bubble" completely.

• Make sure that you are answering the correct question number.

• Unless the test itself offers irrefutable proof that a previous answer was wrong, stick with your original answer.

The physical test is usually the least challenging portion of the examination; at least for recent academy graduates. Even so, if you are provided with documentation regarding the test – review it. If you haven't been working out, start. Don't wait until you get the invitation to participate in the physical exam, to start exercising. If you smoke, stop. Finally, realize that the physical test isn't anywhere as demanding as the actual job. Continue to work out, even after the physical test is well behind you.

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The last portion of the testing process usually consists of one, or more, oral interviews. There are also a large number of, firefighter-specific resources available to help with this stage of the examination. Invest in one, study it, use the information you learn.

Since "how to pass the interview" guides are everywhere, I am not going to offer any specific pointers; except one: "Dress for success!" Consider this:

A recent recruitment had one candidate arrive wearing jeans and a sweater, that candidate failed the oral interview by a single point. Ask yourself these questions:

"Do you think it is possible that at least one evaluator might have given this candidate one additional point?"

"Do you think it is possible that each evaluator might have scored the candidate several points higher?"

I guarantee you that the answer to the first question is "yes," and the answer to the second question is very likely "yes" as well. This anecdote gets worse. The candidate went into the oral interview, ranked as number one; and left the interview, disqualified.

Again, I am not guaranteeing you a badge; but if you follow my advice, you:

• Won't fail the first part of the test (the application) due to a technicality

• Will be better prepared for the written examination; and

• Will generally be better prepared for the testing process.

I look forward to reviewing your, complete and accurate, employment applications in the future.

5 Things You Need to Give up to Get A Job

FireLink — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 10:32:00 -0800

It’s time for the reality check. America is in a recession and jobs are fewer while competition is greater. It takes even more hustle, dedication, and tenacity to land a job today than it did for your parents. Having a degree isn’t always enough and, sorry to break it to you, but you aren’t likely to get your dream job right out of college. While that may be disappointing, it also allows you to clarify your expectation and set realistic goals. We have come up with the five things you’ll need to give up – or compromises you’ll have to make – to land your first fire-rescue job. If you follow our advice and keep on building your professional credentials you’ll be able to more effectively network, interview, and become the first responder that you want to be.

Your Dream Job >>

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Be Realistic

It's called the dream job for a reason. That reason is that while it does exist, you’re going to have a hard time finding it, let alone landing it. This doesn't mean you shouldn't have aspirations or that you shouldn't constantly strive for bigger and better things. It does mean, however, that most of you will not be a fire chief anytime soon. Unless you are going to a top-tier school, gain incredible volunteer service, become a training expert, and are in superior physical condition, you may have a tough time getting into the top tier positions early in your career. Are there exceptions? Sure, but you need to be prepared to work up the ladder the same way others have done before you.

The Good News:

Just because you didn't get a 4.0 for your fire-science degree doesn't mean you are damned to an eternity of unemployment. It just means you still need to prove yourself. Instead of lamenting your misfortune, pursue further education and certifications that will give you the skills that departments look for. Intelligence, creativity, measurable results. Work hard, innovate, and get promoted. Who knows, maybe in 5 years you'll have developed just the skill-set that they will be looking for in 2015.

Ditch the Sense of Entitlement >>

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You Aren't Owed Anything.

“But my father is a firefighter. And his father before him. And his father's father's father. But I got all A's in my fire technology degree...”

That is all excellent news. Unfortunately, so were the other thousands of people who want to become a firefighter or emt/paramedic. If there are only X amount of jobs with 5, 10 or 200 qualified applicants, not everyone is going to be hired. Competition from your peers isn't your only concern. You don't have to be an economist to know that you are up against a national job market with overly qualified people applying for more entry-level positions because of mass layoffs.

The Good News:

By recognizing this reality you will be less likely to passively wait for what you think you "deserve." Instead, by realizing that you need to stand out in a crowded field of people just as qualified or more qualified than you, it will make it easier to focus on things you can do to compete. Things like beefing up your resume with internships, externships and volunteering experiences. Things like getting new skills, and earning unique certifications (think CPAT).

A Giant Salary >>

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Money Matters, but It Isn't Everything.

The average firefighter salary for Americans in 2009 is between $30,000 and $50,000. Some of you might earn more than this and others may earn less, but most of you will fall into this range. When you entered college you may have had dreams of being a 22-year-old billionaire, but nobody reading this has started Facebook, so that is not something you should be worrying about. More Americans are going to college now than ever before, this means that the degree isn't as valuable as it once was. What used to set you apart with a BA may now require experience, training and certification.

The Good News:

At this point, if you are lucky enough to be offered a position and the money is enough to cover your bills and, more importantly, it starts you on a career path towards your long-term goals, then take it. You need experience and professional skills more than you need big paychecks right now. Work hard, learn a lot, challenge yourself, grow in your experience and the money will come later.

Tons of Vacation >>

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Vacation? What's That?

Somebody really should have told you this before, but you probably won't be getting a three-month respite from work anymore. When you do get your first job you will be surprised at how little free time you have. You will work through June, July, and August with the same regularity that you used to hang out with friends, work part-time jobs, or go to the pool. You will not get a week off for Thanksgiving, you will not get two weeks off for the winter holidays. You will not be getting a spring break. You will, however, be much more excited by your Saturdays and Sundays and really cherish your occasional three-day weekends. As the low guy/girl on the totem pole you will probably only have between 5 and 10 days of vacation to take all year. This can come as a shock to your newly matriculated system, but don't worry, you’ll adapt quickly.

The Good News:

If vacation is an absolute priority than there are a few ways around this predicament. You could become a wildland firefighter or smokejumper. Maybe you'd like to spend your summers in the great outdoors battling wildfires and earning buckets of cash so you can recreate for some of the non fire months.

Being the Boss >>

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Boss of Your Equipment... if You're Lucky

You may have been the president of your fraternity or sorority. You may have managed the restaurant you worked at. You may have been a fearless leader amongst your admiring friends in school. You may have been many things. You may even have exemplary leadership qualities. That still doesn't mean that you are going to walk off the graduation stage and take your rightful place as the head of a department. If you are smart, resourceful, and a quick learner than you may indeed someday grow into that leadership position. You will not, however, be starting out in charge. In fact you will be much, much closer to the opposite of in charge. You'll probably be tasked with mundane projects, and not be included in more of the dangerous calls. Just remember: time and experience is the key to success in firefighting and ems.

The Good News:

This isn't forever. Remember when you were a freshmen and everyone else had so much more experience and clout than you? The same thing will happen here. After a few years you will be an upperclassman and you'll be able to watch from your lofty perch as the new kid on the block replaces you as the resident rookie. This doesn't mean that you'll go from entry-level to CEO anytime soon, but it does mean that you can see the career ladder ahead of you and will have already gleaned an understanding on how to ascend that ladder.

Related Reads:

History of the Fire Service

15 Toughest Interview Questions

Can YOU take the Heat?

FireLink

9 Reasons EMS Rules

Number 9: The Challenge Awaits You -->

#9: The Challenge

#8: The Sense of Humor

#7: The Uniform

Reason #6 -->

#6: For Your Loved Ones

#5: A Job for Life

#4: The Sincerest Thanks You’ll Ever Get

Reason #3 -->

#3: The Pace

#2: Getting Paid for Helping

#1: Saving Lives

Why do you love being a first responder? Tell us in the comments below!

Trama - Not a Television Show

Firefighting and What It Means to Put Family First

All I Ever Really Needed To Know I Learned In Rookie School

Rules of the Radio

Related Videos:

Related Videos:

Responding To Those Who Don't Want Your Help

Never Settle for "I'm Fine"

How to Shake Off the Mistakes

How To Become A:

Tip 1: Own It

Tip 2: Check Your Pride at the Door

Tip 3: Fix It Yourself

Tip 4: Pass It On

Tip 5: Don't Repeat It

10 Subtle Ways to Sabotage Your Interview

Next | Not Shaking Interviewer's Hand >>

Not Shaking Interviewer's Hand

Next | Bad Posture >>

Bad Posture

Next | Too Many Long Pauses >>

Too Many Long Pauses

Next | Cutting the Interviewer Off >>

Cutting Off the Interviewer

Next | Yawning/Falling Asleep >>

Yawning/Falling Asleep

Next | Talking Around Questions >>

Talking Around Questions

Next | Speaking Unclearly >>

Mumbling/Not Speaking Clearly

Next | Cell Phone Ringing >>

Cell Phone Ringing

Next | Not Looking Your Interviewer in the Eye >>

Not Looking Your Interviewer in the Eye

Next | Nervous Energy >>

Nervous Energy

Get the Job!

How To Save A Life

More From This Author:

More From This Author:

Sample Oral Board Questions

Sample Firefighter Oral Board Interview Questions:

How Would You Handle the Following Scenarios?

The Final Interview: Passing the Oral Boards

Introduction

Competition is Tougher than Ever Before

Additional Resources:

The Purpose of the Oral Board Exam

What to Expect from the Oral Board Interview

Making Use of Personal Experiences

Additional Resources:

Step 5: What to Expect Your First Year

Featured EMS Jobs:

Step 4: Preparing for the Job

Step 3: Navigating the Hiring Process

Step 2: Decide If You're Ready

Step 1: Learn About the Craft

5 Steps to Becoming a Paramedic: Introduction

So, You Want to Be a Paramedic?

How to Ace Your Job Application

So, how do you get past the first hurdle? Simply provide the hiring authority with all the information they request. To insure that you accomplish your objective, make sure to do the following:

What follows, are some examples of typical problem areas:

Some additional guidelines:

5 Things You Need to Give up to Get A Job

Be Realistic