| If you are serious about becoming a | | | | - Be interviewed by a board of Fire |
| firefighter, it's important you | | | | Officers |
| understand the requirements for this | | | | - Be interviewed by the City Manager, |
| job. Naturally, firefighter requirements | | | | the Human Resource Director, and the |
| vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction | | | | Fire Chief |
| but, as you will see, there are some | | | | What do these requirements have in |
| commonalities. | | | | common? |
| First, here are the requirements to | | | | - You must take and pass a physical exam |
| become a firefighter in the New York | | | | - You must take some form of written |
| City Fire Department (NYFD). | | | | examination |
| To apply to take the next New York City | | | | - You must pass a physical agility test |
| Firefighter Exam, you must be between | | | | - You must have at least a high school |
| the ages of 17 and a half and 29. | | | | diploma |
| To be hired as a New York City | | | | - You will most certainly have to |
| Firefighter | | | | undergo an oral interview |
| You must: | | | | Which is most important? |
| - Pass both the written and physical | | | | Of these requirements, the most |
| exams | | | | important is the written exam because if |
| - Pass a medical exam and background | | | | you do not score highly on it, you will |
| investigation | | | | be eliminated as a candidate for a |
| - Be at least 21 years of age | | | | firefighter position. |
| - Be a U.S. citizen | | | | The written exam |
| - Have at least 15 college semester | | | | Piqua, OH seems to have the easier exam |
| credits earned as a result of | | | | as it requires only that the applicant |
| satisfactory completion of course work | | | | pass a civil service. New York City's |
| at a college or university accredited by | | | | requires the candidate to pass a written |
| an accrediting body recognized by the | | | | exam. In this case, the exam is designed |
| U.S. Secretary of Education and the | | | | specifically to test firefighter |
| Council for Higher Education or full | | | | applicants. The biggest majority of |
| time military service with an honorable | | | | municipalities also use a similar test |
| discharge; or 6 months of full time, | | | | designed specifically for firefighter |
| satisfactory paid work experience | | | | candidates. These firefighter exams are |
| - Hold a motor vehicle driver's license | | | | tough. They typically take three hours |
| valid in New York State | | | | or more to complete and consist of 100 |
| - Be a resident of one of the five | | | | of more questions. If you would like to |
| boroughs of New York City, or live in | | | | see a sample of this test, I recommend |
| Nassau, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, | | | | the book Barron's Firefighter Exams by |
| Suffolk or Westchester County | | | | James J. Murtagh, which includes samples |
| - Be a Certified First Responder with | | | | of the NYC Fire Department Exam. |
| Defibrillation (CFR-D) | | | | In summary |
| The city of Piqua, Ohio firefighter | | | | The short answer to the question of what |
| requirements | | | | is required of a firefighter applicant |
| In comparison, here are the firefighter | | | | is that you must be in good health, you |
| requirements for a small city | | | | must pass a tough written exam, you need |
| - Take out an application | | | | to have a clean driver's license, you |
| - Return application along with a copy | | | | need to be able to pass an agility test |
| of your birth certificate, copy of your | | | | or a test that simulates the skills |
| diploma or equivalent, and a copy of | | | | required to be a firefighter and you |
| your high school records | | | | will need to do well in an oral |
| - Take a civil service test. (This test | | | | interview. |
| will cover general knowledge of all | | | | Standing out from the crowd |
| types of subjects and current events.) | | | | Getting a job as a firefighter is very, |
| - If you place in the top of the group | | | | very competitive these days. If you want |
| according to how many openings there | | | | to stand out as a candidate - and win |
| are, then you move on to the next steps | | | | that coveted badge - you should have |
| - Pass a physical fitness - agility test | | | | some college, especially courses related |
| - Pass a physical exam | | | | to firefighting. And it will most likely |
| - Pass a polygraph and psychological | | | | help if you have EMT or paramedic |
| test | | | | experience. |