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So, You Want To Become A Firefighter?

Featured Author:

Steve Prziborowski

Steve Prziborowski has over 17 years of fire service experience, currently serving as a Battalion Chief for the Santa Clara County FD, where he has worked since 1995. Steve is also an instructor for the Chabot College Fire Technology Program, where he has been instructing fire technology and EMS classes since 1993. He also spend four and a half years as the Fire Technology Coordinator, and seven years as the EMT Program Director and Primary Instructor. Steve is a Former President of the Northern California Training Officers Association, and was named the 2008 Ed Bent, California Fire Instructor of the year. Steve is a state-certified Chief Officer and Master Instructor, has earned a master's degree in emergency services administration, is currently a student in the Executive Fire Officer Program at the National Fire Academy, and has received Chief Fire Officer Designation through the Commission on Professional Credentialing. Steve has mentored and coached countless entry level and promotional level candidates, is a regular speaker and presenter at fire service events and conferences across the country, and has authored numerous articles in the leading fire service publications. Steve also publishes a free newsletter (The Chabot College Fire & EMS News), geared toward better preparing the future firefighter for a career in the fire service or the current firefighter for promotion; more importantly – the newsletter will keep anyone up to date with what is occurring in the fire service. For more information or to contact him, feel free to visit his websites: www.chabotfire.com and www.code3firetraining.com Add Steve as a Friend on FireLink

Beginning the process:

Once you have determined that it is your dream to become a firefighter, then it is time to put your money where your mouth is and start preparing yourself on a full-time basis. It is a full-time job just getting the job!

Here are some basic steps to assist you in becoming a firefighter:

Step 1. Enroll as a student at a college offering a two-year degree in Fire Technology.

Step 2. Begin taking classes to work towards your Associate of Arts (A.A.) Degree in Fire Technology.

Step 3. A suggested course of action, given a two year plan for a student entering the academy

• Health 61 (EMS First Responder – the prerequisite to get into the EMT program)


• Physical Education 2 – IFS (Introduction to fire science conditioning)


• Fire 50 (Introduction to Fire Protection Organization – a prerequisite for the firefighter 1 academy)


• Fire 52 (Firefighter Safety and Public Education – a prerequisite for the firefighter 1 academy)


• Fire 53 (Fire Behavior and Combustion)
• Sign up for and successfully pass the Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT).


• Take any general education units towards your degree (for specific general education units, talk to a counselor)


• Start building up volunteer experience (anything you volunteer your time for is highly looked upon by fire departments, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be fire or EMS related).


• Start learning as much as you can about the fire service and the job of a firefighter. Visit your local fire stations and start talking with the firefighters to build contacts and learn more about firefighting as a career. Also, start visiting fire department websites to see how each fire department is unique and what they have to offer.


• Start taking every firefighter examination you qualify for. Yes, you may qualify for some that only require you to be 18 years old and have a high school diploma or G.E.D. Start learning about the firefighter hiring process by taking the tests.

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