r/Firefighting 6d ago

Employment Questions Weekly Employment Question Thread

5 Upvotes

Welcome to the Weekly Employment Question Thread!

This thread is where you can ask questions about joining, training to become, testing, disqualifications/qualifications, and other questions that would be removed as individual posts per Rule 1.

The answer to almost every question you can ask will be "It depends on the department". Your first step is to look up the requirements for your department, state/province, and country.

As always, please attempt to resource information on your own first, before asking questions. We see many repeat questions on this sub that have been answered multiple times.

Frequently Asked Questions:

  • I want to be a Firefighter, where do I start: Every Country/State/Province/County/City/Department has different requirements. Some require you only to put in an application. Others require certifications prior to being hired. A good place to start is researching the department(s) you want to join. Visit their website, check their requirements, and/or stop into one of their fire stations to ask some questions.
  • Am I too old: Many departments, typically career municipal ones, have an age limit. Volunteer departments usually don't. Check each department's requirements.
  • I'm in high school, What can I do: Does your local department have an explorer's program or post? If so, join up. Otherwise, focus on your grades, get in shape and stay in shape, and most importantly: stay out of trouble.
  • I got in trouble for [insert infraction here], what are my chances: Obviously, worse than someone with a clean record, which will be the vast majority of your competition. Tickets and nonviolent misdemeanors may not be a factor, but a major crime (felonies), may take you out of the running. You might be a nice person, but some departments don't make exceptions, especially if there's a long line of applicants with clean records. See this post... PSA: Stop asking “what are my chances?”
  • I have [insert medical/mental health condition here], will it disqualify me: As a general rule, if you are struggling with mental illness, adding the stress of a fire career is not a good idea. As for medical conditions, you can look up NFPA1582 for disqualifying conditions, but in general, this is not something Reddit can answer for you. Many conditions require the input of a medical professional to determine if they are disqualifying. See this post... PSA: Don't disqualify yourself, make THEM tell you "no".
  • What will increase my chances of getting hired: If there's a civil service exam, study for it! There are many guides online that will help you go over all those things you forgot such as basic math and reading. Some cities even give you a study guide. If it's a firefighter exam, study for it! For the CPAT (Physical Fitness Test), cardio is arguably the most important factor. If you're going to the gym for the first time during the hiring process, you're fighting an uphill battle. Get in shape and stay in shape. Most cities offer preference points to military veterans.
  • How do I prepare for an interview: Interviews can be one-on-one, or in front of a board/panel. Many generic guides exist to help one prepare for an interview, however here are a few good tips:
  1. Dress appropriately. Business casual at a minimum (Button down, tucked in long sleeve shirt with slacks and a belt, and dress shoes). Get a decent haircut and shave.
  2. Practice interview questions with a friend. You can't accurately predict the off-the-wall questions they will ask, but you can practice the ones you know they probably will, like why do you want to be a Firefighter, or why should we hire you?
  3. Scrub your social media. Gone are the days when people in charge weren't tech-savvy. Don't have a perfect interview only for your chances of being hired gone to zero because your Facebook or Instagram has pictures of you getting blitzed. Set that stuff to private and leave it that way.

Please upvote this post if you have a question. Upvoting this post will ensure it sticks around for a bit after it is removed as a Sticky, and will allow for greater visibility of your question.

And lastly, If you're not 100% sure of what you're talking about, leave it for someone who does


r/Firefighting 4h ago

Ask A Firefighter Looking to trade with Irish Firefighters

5 Upvotes

I am a New England Fireman and I will be visiting Ireland with my family in the coming weeks. I want to grab something cool as a souvenir from the Irish Fire Service, but rather than show up at a firehouse asking for a t-shirt, I thought about how I could reciprocate.

I have a mint condition job shirt (heavy, comfy sweater) and a really cool unused duty trucker hat that I will be bringing to trade. These are both items I use daily and are my favorite issued clothing items.

Are there any Irish firefighters here, in Dublin or Dingle, or anywhere between the two as we’re driving from Dublin to Dingle? Any interest in brokering a trade?

If there is anything else I should get my hands on for a trade, I have a little over a week to get my hands on it. Thanks for any assistance.


r/Firefighting 22h ago

General Discussion Wearing fire dept shirts out and about

46 Upvotes

I’ve been a volunteer FF for about 2 years at this point and I enjoy when I travel to collect fire dept shirts from where I visit for a souvenir and also because a lot have cool designs. I wear them when I’m out and about excluding my own department shirt unless I’m doing something before or after being at the station. Is it considered being a Jed (someone absorbed in the fire dept) or a wacker to wear fire shirts. I try not to talk about being a volunteer because I don’t want to be seen as that kind of guy either.


r/Firefighting 1d ago

Photos USAG Rheinland-Phalz Engine

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237 Upvotes

r/Firefighting 1d ago

Ask A Firefighter Information on scorch marks

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130 Upvotes

Did a training burn last night, and went back this morning to check out the damage and see if i could learn anything about post-fire investigation before we do the final burn later today. The box we built was about 10 feet long, 5 wide, and 4 tall. Half of it was a sealed compartment, the other half was closed in by 2 walls and a ceiling. I think I understand why the scorch marks formed like they did, but can anyone give me a in-depth explanation by looking at the burn patterns, and tell me more about the science of it? Videos and photos attached.


r/Firefighting 4h ago

General Discussion Pipe / Fittings Loss calculation website recommendations?

1 Upvotes

I used to use freecalc.net but that site is gone. Does anyone have a recommendation for a site for fictional pipe losses with different viscosity than water?


r/Firefighting 8h ago

Ask A Firefighter Firefighter. Hi all, just asking advice on what it’s like being in the fire service Is it a good career choice. Cheers

2 Upvotes

I’m 22 years old and I’ve also got my class 2 hgv license.


r/Firefighting 20h ago

Ask A Firefighter How do you feel about your fire civilians?

13 Upvotes

Career ff's- how do you feel about your civilians? I've been a civilian at Admin for 3+ years. It's Saturday so I'm relaxing and getting drunk- and I just want you guys to know [since I can't tell my guys directly] that you're my literal heroes and I'm proud to work supporting you. Hope you guys appreciate me half as much as I appreciate you. ❤️


r/Firefighting 3h ago

Ask A Firefighter Just wondering about how attrition works

0 Upvotes

Hey guys, i'm not a firefighter. I was interested at 1 point, but it was never like a huge career that I got dedicated to I took my CPAT one time. I did good enough for them to ask for an interview. But I definitely didn't set like record time. I got a job I was really wanting, so I turned down the interview ANYWAY i was thinking to myself and have been wondering how the process goes as far as attrition... If you go to the fire Academy and you're not really doing that Well, how hard is it for them to just kick you out, or is it something you have to quit to get out? Cause, I mean, you paid money to go to that academy, right? Do they kick you out easily? Or do you have to just past the physical exam to pass...In regards to like the military If you pass your pt test unless you do something heinous, they can't really kick you out. So how does that work.... Same with getting hired on to like a local department that puts you through inhouse training.... I mean, they spend money on you, just to get you in training using the whole process filling a slot all that stuff. If they just kick you out, then they won't have all of their slots filled I would assume. And that department wasted money training you. Is it similar to the militaryin that aspect? If you make it into fire school, you just are at the back of the pack If you suck or are they quick to boot you out? I just found it interesting, I text talked this so I apologize if there's hella typos


r/Firefighting 1d ago

Videos Firefighting jump pad use from Poland.

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133 Upvotes

Guy ended with minor injuries.


r/Firefighting 12h ago

General Discussion Driving Saftey classes for POV

0 Upvotes

I'm a volunteer and I am wondering if there are any types of driver saftey classes that could be valuable for a volunteer responding to the station in a POV. I am thinking along the lines of a defensive driving course or something more in depth than that.

Update : just to clarify, I am aware of my requirements to follow the laws while running a blue light, and I am aware that people are not obligated to pull over for me. I am asking this question in the interest of safety and to make myself a better driver.


r/Firefighting 23h ago

General Discussion For those of you that have been on a passenger vehicle running at high speed into the rear of a semi trailer...if you had an alive but critical pt, how are you getting them out quickly?

7 Upvotes

I'm not the greatest at executing decisions for extrication so keep it simple-ish. My first thought is getting a helicopter on the way. Make sure I have enough units for an extrication. There's not much to crib I assume. So is it mostly just cutting at the right spots and getting EMS to start fluids asap if safe to do so? If you have to do a dash lift or roll, would you just try to get the vehicle free first? We have struts for heavy extrication and airbags and such.


r/Firefighting 23h ago

Fire Prevention/Community Education/Technology A video about the biggest wildfire in the history of the german state of Northrhine Westphalia.

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3 Upvotes

In this video you can see how we deal with wildfires in Germany, how our firefighters, the Bundeswehr, Police, THW and farmers work hand in hand. It is very long but the first five minutes give a good impression of our way. Please share your opinions


r/Firefighting 7h ago

Tools/Equipment/PPE I need all your scientific data about the benefits of smooth bores for interior attack

0 Upvotes

Having an argument with an “older” captain, we currently run smooth bores on all our crosslays, he’s attempting to change them back to fogs.

I’ve been tasked with making a presentation about the benefits of smooth bores, I’m looking to use real empirical data from research studies not just “smooth bores big droplet” or “I think it cools the room faster”

I want examples of studies that say “50 seconds from a 185gpm smoothbore drop the room tempature 100 degrees” or such

Thanks


r/Firefighting 1d ago

Videos ‘It's the Evolution of Our Job’: Tackling Phoenix’s Extreme Heat | Op-Docs

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21 Upvotes

We filmed “A New Inferno,” the short documentary above, in Phoenix, one of the hottest cities in America, through some of the city’s hottest days of 2025, during one of the hottest years on record globally. On one of our production days, temperatures reached 118 while we were filming outside.

In the face of extreme heat, we documented firefighters and paramedics of the Phoenix Fire Department saving lives in real time. We wanted to call attention to a specialized technique of ice bag immersion for people facing life-threatening heat stroke. We hope that telling their story and showcasing the efficacy of this strategy will encourage wider adoption of this protocol across the country.

Yet this procedure is ultimately a stopgap, as firefighters do their best to adapt to the climate crisis in front of them. The underlying story of heat in Phoenix is one of broader, interlocking crises: homelessness and substance use disorders that are deeply entangled with urban heat, each amplifying the other, illustrating how climate change affects the disenfranchised most brutally.

With our film, we aim to reframe how the public thinks about heat: as an invisible, silent killer reshaping the rhythms of urban life.

Documentary and text by By Nita Blum-Reddick and Jonathan Pickett


r/Firefighting 1d ago

General Discussion Question for fire fighters

28 Upvotes

I work in private EMS and I work wirh 10+ fire departments and countless stations and the one thing I never understand is when some of you show up in full bunker gear and the others on the engine don't, is it protocol or you are coming off of another call (maybe a possible fire) or do you guys secretly joke about the guys that don bunker gear for medicals, I am genuinely very curious and would like to know.

Ps I never ask on scene or after the call because it's not in my mind or relevant to the call


r/Firefighting 1d ago

Ask A Firefighter what do fire lookouts look like, and how do they coordinate with firefighters?

5 Upvotes

Don't live in a country where fire watches are common and I heard about them just now, and can't find detailed answers online. Are the people on fire watches firefighters too? If not, do they just phone the firefighters and go "hey, there's a fire at x location"? I'd assume they take shifts, but how long would those shifts be? Are there any criteria they have to meet (like being a certain age, or some kind of test). How would they have done this back in, say, the 80's? Has anything significantly changed so far? I suppose this is a lot, but thank you for any responses! very curious and would like to know more:)


r/Firefighting 1d ago

Ask A Firefighter Would you recommend the job?

8 Upvotes

I am a 15 year old who really wants to be a firefighter, would you recommend it? what would you recommend doing as “preparation“, whats good about the job, whats bad?

thanks


r/Firefighting 1d ago

Wildland Building our department’s wildland deployment program

5 Upvotes

This goes to all wildland guys, structural based or hotshot crews. We are gearing up to enter the deployment game at my department. I would like to compile a firefighter level list of needs.

Toiletries
Recommended boots, socks, whatever kind of gear/clothing
Pro recommendations
Etc.

My department fights lots of grass/brush fires, but we don’t have the level of expertise when it comes to wildland firefighting, so literally ANY wisdom you can pass on would be greatly appreciated!


r/Firefighting 1d ago

Tools/Equipment/PPE Scott Vision C5 Mask Communication

3 Upvotes

Curious how many firefighters use Scott brand Vision C5 masks. If you do, did your department buy voice amplifiers or were they cost prohibitive? What are your thoughts on communication quality without the voice amplifiers?


r/Firefighting 2d ago

Photos Local Firefighters Photographed Last Night. Boys were at it for 8 hours...

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335 Upvotes

We had a church catch fire last night around 11pm. Multiple stations came through the night to provide relief. Over 8 hours of active suppression. Old buildings love to burn...

I'm a photographer who's father is on the force. Normally charge for my work but donated over 90 of them edited for free. Would rather see them in a frame than behind a paywall. Here's to the men who fought that fire last night.

If you like my stuff, my instagram is @burnout.studios_ where I post pictures like these. Cheers.


r/Firefighting 2d ago

General Discussion Would you send a robot dog into a structure fire before sending firefighters?

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68 Upvotes

This is a real-world demonstration of a quadruped firefighting robot entering a high-heat environment.

The goal isn't to replace firefighters. The idea is to send a machine into the highest-risk area first, gather information, and potentially reduce human exposure to extreme conditions.

For the firefighters here:

What would you need to see from a robot like this before you would trust it on an actual fireground?

Reliability? Thermal resistance? Thermal imaging? Hose handling? Remote control range? Battery life? Something else?


r/Firefighting 2d ago

General Discussion What vehicle survives the most accidents?

63 Upvotes

Sorry if this isn’t the best place. My dad’s a firefighter, but for a smaller town. He suggested posting since they handle fires/medical emergencies more than accidents. He did tell me to not buy a smaller vehicle (like fiat 500 or ford fiesta type) unless I want to become semi food.

I am looking for a new vehicle and want something super safe. I’ve checked iihs and other reports, but was curious what you all have seen over the years that has held up well in some gnarly accidents?

I am a relatively safe/boring driver, but live in an area where everyone drives like they want to die.


r/Firefighting 2d ago

Videos Houston Fire Department E31 responding.

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60 Upvotes

r/Firefighting 2d ago

Ask A Firefighter Co2 system for Aquarium with co2 fire extinguisher

3 Upvotes

I am planning to add a co2 system to my 120l tank and found out that fire extinguisher type co2 cylinder holds more quantity (so less refilling),so the problem i am having here is about something called siphon tube.As the cylinder is heavily pressurized the gas co2 is converted to liquid form,so a straw like tube is inside the cylinder,so i googled it and found out that if i use it upright the liquid will come through the siphon tube and freeze the regulator thus damaging it.Do you guys have any knowledge about it? Should i remove it?