I was a firefighter for over 2 years in Northern Utah working as a EMT-IA/Firefighter. I got out of the field because I just wasn’t happy. People laugh at me now because I am in HR management, a job I landed after graduating from College. Trading in my fire coveralls for a suit or a almost polar opposite type of job….
I would strongly recommend that you find a local academy (each state has a few at a minimum) and get your FF1, FF2, Hazmat Op and Awareness. After that get your EMT B and get your IA as well. The field is going very strongly to the medical side and if you don’t have that cert you are behind. Matter of fact if you don’t have all the above mentioned you are behind. See if a local department has a academy and EMT class, that way you start to build a relationship with the guys/gals. The cruel reality of this job my friend is its almost 100% who you know and not what you know. I knew 100’s…YES 100’s of great guys who were qualified that had some sort of attitude/clash with someone on the team and that prevented them from being hired at particular departments.
I tested all over the western United States because, as you know, it’s VERY competitive. I was one of ten hired out of a testing class of two thousand. You need to be mentally and physically fit, but a team player.
Don’t get you EMT P at this time, get the above and then get hired and have your department pay for it. Almost every department in the country will eventually pay for you to become a EMT-P
Good Luck,
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