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Old Dec 9, 2008 | 09:34 PM
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Default Need A firefighters help

Hey guys. Hopefully someone can help me. I want to become a firefighter and I was wondering if they offer and pre classes that can help prepare me for firefighting as a 17yr old kid. Anybody know if they do that around the dade or broward area. Thanks guys
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Old Dec 9, 2008 | 09:49 PM
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Well I think pre classes would be finishing high school, then continuing on to college. More and more departments now are wanting credit hours over experience. Once you get a degree under your belt I would enroll in an EMT-B course. This is what I did and I just recently was hired and then they paid for fire academy. Not sure about your area but if you can find a volunteer department you can usually be 18 years of age, plus it might help you get your foot in the door and meet people who can help with job findings.
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Old Dec 9, 2008 | 10:15 PM
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Originally Posted by formula001
Well I think pre classes would be finishing high school, then continuing on to college. More and more departments now are wanting credit hours over experience. Once you get a degree under your belt I would enroll in an EMT-B course. This is what I did and I just recently was hired and then they paid for fire academy. Not sure about your area but if you can find a volunteer department you can usually be 18 years of age, plus it might help you get your foot in the door and meet people who can help with job findings.
ahh ok. I finish highschool in may. So what I do is get an associates degree before anything in college??
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Old Dec 9, 2008 | 10:24 PM
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Get your EMT and then Paramedic too. Paramedic FF is the way to go these days.
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Old Dec 9, 2008 | 10:27 PM
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Originally Posted by kwiksilverz28
Get your EMT and then Paramedic too. Paramedic FF is the way to go these days.
I could do both in community college right
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Old Dec 9, 2008 | 10:34 PM
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Absolutely. I still keep my EMT card so I can work at the speedway in Daytona. Have been in EMS since 1990. Just never interested in fire services, so I retired from full time EMS and went into the eye business.

Let me know if you need any help/advice.
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Old Dec 9, 2008 | 10:56 PM
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^^^^

Thanks for the help man. I'm just a little confused on the part of choosing my classes. So when I enroll in Miami dade community college I choose to take a emt class and a paramedics class. Sorry for sounding stupid..lol
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Old Dec 9, 2008 | 11:06 PM
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I went the Military route..little bit of different Training, alot more training available though.
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Old Dec 9, 2008 | 11:36 PM
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2 thoughts for ya....

http://www.mdc.edu/medical/AHT/EMT/default.asp Says prereq of First responder. Do that after grad and get into program. EMT then Paramedic. Then go thru Fire School. Get a job. Then work towards certifications in Fire. Fire Inspector, Arson Investigator, etc. Keep working up the chain.

Military. I wanted Navy flight, but wore glasses, so no can do back then. I have done so much in the last 17 years, but on the other hand, I would be 3 years from retiring at half pay with medical benefits. My brother is getting ready to start year 13 in the Marines. He has completed his bachelors in computers courtesy of the military, and so far, only one tour in not so fun place (Operation Enduring Freedom).

Good luck, and again, let me know if you need help!
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Old Dec 10, 2008 | 07:31 AM
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they used to offer a 40 hour class to Vol Fire Fighters, its a basic basic class on fire fighting. I would just do what the others said.. Get your EMT-B then go on to Medic, after that tackle your Fire Standards

Most departments now won't touch you till you have all three. They used to hire FF EMT's here and you had two years to complete your Medic.
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Old Dec 10, 2008 | 01:25 PM
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hey man hows it going. im 18 years old and im just finishing up my fire fighter stuff now. i graduate emt tonight and start full time fire academy jan 5th. to give u a heads up things r changing and getting alot stricter. if ur looking to do somtin in high school my best advice is to take an anatomy class. trust i hate the thought of it but it will make ur classes so much easier. if u can do any classes that involve the body do it!!! i regret not doing it at all. if u can do dual enrollment with ur high school and take it at college. im at bcc and broward fire academy right now. im in the same boat u r. just one class ahead. pm me if u need any more info.
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Old Dec 11, 2008 | 08:28 PM
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Originally Posted by z28killz
hey man hows it going. im 18 years old and im just finishing up my fire fighter stuff now. i graduate emt tonight and start full time fire academy jan 5th. to give u a heads up things r changing and getting alot stricter. if ur looking to do somtin in high school my best advice is to take an anatomy class. trust i hate the thought of it but it will make ur classes so much easier. if u can do any classes that involve the body do it!!! i regret not doing it at all. if u can do dual enrollment with ur high school and take it at college. im at bcc and broward fire academy right now. im in the same boat u r. just one class ahead. pm me if u need any more info.
sweet man. Thanks for the heads up. Im still deciding which school I want to go to. Either bc, macfatter or miami dade. Congrats on graduating emt and getting into fire academy.
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Old Dec 12, 2008 | 04:44 PM
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Ok, heres a simple rundown. Get out of high school, enroll in EMT school at BCC/Broward College, FMTI, MCfatter etc. You will do a semester there for EMT school. Once you complete EMT-B, either continue onto Paramedics (4 semester class) or start at Fire Academy. Be VERY aware this is not an easy career field to get into anymore. I would try and get your name on the Fire Academy list ASAP. At BFA Broward Fire Academy, there is almost a 2 year wait time.

Try Miami Dade Fire Academy, Broward Fire Academy (Davie) because they are the closest to you. Again, I am going to reitterate, this career is not easy to get into anymore.

One of your best options is to join the explorer program/cadet program at your local fire dept (miramar if they have one). That will give you alot of experience/familiarize you with everything and TRUST ME, will give you a jump on everybody else. Like I said, this was just a quick rundown, if you want to talk more, pm me.
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Old Dec 13, 2008 | 08:36 PM
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I would advise you to finish out college w/ a Bachelor's degree (AA degree minimum) first before getting into the emergency service business. That way you've always got something to fall back on. It's getting increasingly harder to get into this field and the more qualifications you have the better. The state of Florida will also tack on an additional $50(AA Degree)/$100(Bachelors) to your paycheck each month for having a college education. Not much I know, but it's better than nothing. Once you get through w/ that, keep one thing in mind....most departments will roll out the red carpet for a dual cert Firefighter/Paramedic. Achieve both of those and you're good to go.
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Old Dec 14, 2008 | 05:55 PM
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Anyone in this thread hired?
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Old Dec 14, 2008 | 10:00 PM
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The way I did it was EMT-B, fire academy then paramedic's and I got hired at the end of medics. After you get hired you can always have your department pay for all your degree classes and extras like Driver engineer, Fire Officer, Fire Inspector, and Fire Investigator. Trust me save the time get the main classes in, get hired then go get your other classes. If you have any other questions just PM me.
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Old Dec 15, 2008 | 06:58 AM
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Originally Posted by rabbit102
Ok, heres a simple rundown. Get out of high school, enroll in EMT school at BCC/Broward College, FMTI, MCfatter etc. You will do a semester there for EMT school. Once you complete EMT-B, either continue onto Paramedics (4 semester class) or start at Fire Academy. Be VERY aware this is not an easy career field to get into anymore. I would try and get your name on the Fire Academy list ASAP. At BFA Broward Fire Academy, there is almost a 2 year wait time.

Try Miami Dade Fire Academy, Broward Fire Academy (Davie) because they are the closest to you. Again, I am going to reitterate, this career is not easy to get into anymore.

One of your best options is to join the explorer program/cadet program at your local fire dept (miramar if they have one). That will give you alot of experience/familiarize you with everything and TRUST ME, will give you a jump on everybody else. Like I said, this was just a quick rundown, if you want to talk more, pm me.
Listen to this guy. My uncle is a FireMedic for Temple Terrace FD and thats basically the route he went.
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Old Dec 19, 2008 | 08:50 PM
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If you are only 17 and have a while before you turn 18 try to see if your area departments have a program like we do. It is called the "Explorer Program". Lets younger kids get experience before entering into any schools.
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Old Dec 19, 2008 | 10:28 PM
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Originally Posted by rabbit102
Anyone in this thread hired?
I went the police route but my dad is a 14 year vet. with the dept here.

He said the same thing. Go to community college for your EMT basic. Then check out florida fire school . com for academys near you. complete academy then apply at dept near you. Then go for your paramedic because they will pay for it.
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Old Dec 19, 2008 | 10:36 PM
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my brother is doign something called dual credit, high school for half the day and college the other half.at the college first aid class on tues and thursday and weds. night fire science for 3 1/2 hrs. and its free
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