Becoming a Firefighter: A Comprehensive Guide to Santa Ana College and Beyond

A career in the fire service stands as one of the noblest professions in the world. Dating back to the late 1600s, with Benjamin Franklin establishing the Union Fire Company in Philadelphia in 1736, the fire service has evolved into a multifaceted field with diverse roles and responsibilities. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the path to becoming a firefighter, with a focus on Southern California and Santa Ana College, while also offering insights applicable nationwide.

The Path to Firefighting: An Overview

Becoming a firefighter can take many paths with all the occupations currently available within fire departments. Positions and qualifications vary from state to state, and this information will center on obtaining a job fairly specific to Southern California with some useable information applicable nationwide. Dedication and perseverance are two of the best qualities to possess in the pursuit of becoming a firefighter. The hiring process can be very competitive, and one not to be taken lightly. Hundreds of applicants will apply for positions that, depending on the size of the fire agency, will yield far fewer openings than the number of people who apply. The first step to becoming a firefighter is understanding how the hiring process work, keep trying until hired for the job, and always put 100% of your time and effort into each department you apply. Hard work and dedication will help you succeed; learning along the journey will make you more experienced and marketable as a candidate. The fire service seeks individuals who are hard workers, have integrity, and have learned from their mistakes.

Building a Strong Foundation

The number one thing you can do, and you can begin to now is by keeping a clean record. Remember the fire service is a small world, and word gets around. Inevitably events through your life will catch up with you. The fire service does not expect to find “Perfect People,” however, they do seek to find those who try to be their best and are continually trying to learn and improve themselves. Put 100% effort into all that you do, make it a habit, in all that you do to make a habit of doing your best.

Early Involvement

You can start as young as 14 years of age. The Montebello Fire Department has a Fire Explorer Post where men and women, between the ages of 14-21 can join and learn about careers in the fire service. Other options are through a local Regional Occupational Program, commonly known as ROP. ROP offers classes in fire science coursework and medical programs closely resembling those seen in fire departments today and are available to high school and adult learning students.

Entry-Level Opportunities

When a person reaches 18 years of age, there are entry-level positions offered in both wildland firefighting and municipal fire departments as well. After graduating from high school with a diploma or GED, your opportunity to take examinations for fire department looking for “entry-level” positions begins. Most entry-level positions have minimum requirements of a high school diploma or GED. People hired in entry-level positions attend a structured academy and receive the complete necessary training specific to the agency that has hired you. Examples of entry-level agencies are Orange County Fire Authority, Los Angeles City, Long Beach, and Los Angeles County Fire Departments.

Fire Academies: A Stepping Stone

For positions that are not entry-level, applicants must complete a fire academy available at the community college level. There are a few community colleges that offer fire technology-based education and fire academies with most requiring coursework before admission to the fire academy. These fire academies may be shorter than entry-level academies, and once completed, the number of fire departments you can test with will increase dramatically. Please check with each college, as they will all be different in the programs and requirements specific to their fire technology program.

Choosing the Right Academy

With the options listed above, take the time and research every program available. Some give priority to people with more college units, and some require completion of all fire science classes before admittance and place applicants in a lottery. There are full-time academies as well as part-time academies depending on whether or not you need to work while attending the program. Full time is usually Monday through Friday for eight hours each day averaging from 2-4 months. Part-time academies are often one-two nights a week and both Saturday and Sunday for 8-12 months. Learn and understand what the prerequisites, costs, timeframes, and requirements are of each program. Talk to friends and family who attended one of the programs listed above to see if that program suits you.

The Application and Testing Process

Application - Do not be picky about where you test, apply for every job and take every test you can make it. This plan will help to learn the testing process and gain experience taking the different types of tests departments use. FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS at all times during the application process. Many applicants never even make it through the application process. Make sure you fill out the application as completely and thoroughly as possible. Use black ink or blue ink only as instructed. It is preferable to take the time to type out your application, especially if your handwriting is not the neatest. Turn in the completed application ONLY with the materials requested.

Written Examination

Entry-Level examination may usually be some form of a civil service exam. Some agencies may use a combination of testing materials, and others may write their own. There are several different kinds of written exams that departments use to identify the type of candidates they want, which are almost always written by large test generating organizations. Questions range from 100-150 multiple choice questions focusing on areas of reading comprehension, mechanical aptitude, mathematics, English, and grammar. FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS for the examination. Dress professionally, collared shirt, dress pants, and shoes. DO NOT show up in sandals, shorts, or jeans. You will most likely see personnel from the fire department, and everyone is watching. Some agencies have a dress code for the examination and will turn away candidates not dressed appropriately. There are examination guides that can help you understand the general content and questions examples likely contained within the test.

Physical Fitness Examination

There are different variants of physical fitness exams. Each has different events that simulate different firefighting tasks. Success in an exam will be good for six months to 1 year, and however sometimes various departments require that you take them specifically for their department which your score may determine your time. Depending on how the department operates may dictate separate physical events.

Read also: Explore Santa Clara University

Department Research

So you applied for the position, took and passed the written examination, scheduled or passed your physical ability examination, now what? You MUST prepare for your interview. Researching the fire department, you are testing for shows that you are serious for the position. The best way to conduct departmental research is to visit a fire station. Depending on the size of the department, try to visit more than one station. Montebello has three fire stations, so one will usually do. If the department has multiple stations, such as Los Angeles, or Orange County, pick 2-3 stations to visit. When deciding what station to visit, pick their bigger stations, usually a headquarters, division, or battalion level station. Station visits accomplish many things.

Resume Preparation

One page, one-sided on good quality, conservative paper is sufficient for a firefighter position. Make your resume flow for reading ease on the rater with a solid outline of your contact information, education, work experience, and volunteer experience. Avoid cramming too much on the page or making the font so small, and it is hard to read. A good rule of thumb is “Times New Roman, 12-point font” (10 may be used to fit everything on the page while still making it readable.) Be creative and keep your format organized and straightforward.

The Interview Process

The interview is your time to shine. Many candidates never make it past the written or physical examinations or score high enough to get an interview. Those who do not prepare for the interview will not succeed. You are seeking a career as a professional firefighter. Before your interview, practice your interview. Research “firefighter interview questions and develop that sound realistic, authentic, and genuine. Have people ask you interview questions and video record the answers. These habits and practices highlight body posture and movements, voice tone and clarity, and show you things you never knew you were doing that could damage your interview skills. Research where the interview will be held and test-drive the route to make sure you know the exact location. Ensuring the area and best way to get there is essential if flying or driving to an unfamiliar place. In the morning, wake up early and spend some quiet time going over the questions in your head. Try to eat some breakfast; even something small is better than nothing, regardless if you are nervous. Arrive professionally dressed at the interview a minimum of 15-30 minutes early. Arriving early gives you time to park and check your dress in the bathroom mirror before checking in. You are seeking a career as a professional firefighter. As you enter there will be anywhere from two to five people on the interview panel including the ranks from firefighter through battalion chief, and sometimes even a human resources representative. Introduce yourself, shake their hand, you’re your resume copies ready to hand out, and DO NOT sit down until told to do so unless otherwise told to do so. They may start with directions or go right into the questioning. Be genuine, honest, and keep it simple. Don’t try and fool them or tell them what you think they want to hear. Remember they were in your spot once before and have probably seen and listened to every kind of answer from the most brilliant to the worst ever hear. Interviews are where most candidates experience trouble in the testing process. Be prepared for the raters to ask anything an entry-level firefighter should know, plus anything they may find on your resume. Remember, when answering scenarios, human resource perspective can be different from fire department perspective, so think about your answers. Remember the interview questions you researched beforehand? Your research comes into play here. It would help if you prepared for all interviews by practicing your answers for those questions you can be confident will come up. LISTEN to the question BEFORE you answer. LISTEN & HEAR what is being asked, take a small breath, and respond. When answering start with the person who asked the question, and look at each rater, even if they are not looking at you, or writing notes about your answer, and finish with the original person who asked the question. Not all departments may provide the opportunity for an opening and closing statement, while a good majority will. Other types of questions are situations or general fire department knowledge. Most agencies will invite successful candidates back for an interview with the Fire Chief. Congratulations! You now compete with a smaller group of individuals based on the total number of open positions. This interview usually is with just the Fire Chief. Some Fire Chief interviews may include a Division Chief, Battalion chief, or a mix. The interview will be a “get to know you” type of format you and see if you are right for his/her department.

Background Investigation and Other Tests

After the Chief’s interview is when successful candidates are generally a conditional offer of employment. “Conditional” in that you must still pass the background investigation to get the position. The background investigation is an extensive process in which a background investigator from the city, county, state, or agency considering assigns to your case. You will be given a background packet, usually requesting your entire work history, educational documents, legal documents, and questionnaires. Just like the application process, follow the instructions precisely as following directions is part of it. These are increasingly common in today’s background investigation. There is a pre-polygraph questionnaire that you MUST be 100% honest (as you always should be). Rumors of being able to ‘Beat the Poly,’ or ‘Trick the machine,’ should not be attempted as with advances in technology the polygraph has become increasingly accurate. The Fire Department isn’t looking for “Perfect” candidates. Instead, they seek individuals who are hard workers, have integrity, and have learned from their mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes, but you know now that if you want to be a firefighter, what the expectation is. These are also quite common in today’s fire service. There are many variations of this test ranging from psychological profile to problem-solving, personality traits to general knowledge. Medical examinations provide a baseline assessment of your health. The test results give a comprehensive evaluation of your physical condition concerning blood chemistry, musculoskeletal durability, vision and hearing quality, cardiac, and endurance capabilities. Although some tests may vary from agency to agency, those listed are the most common.

Graduation and Probationary Period

After completion of all testing and academy graduation, candidates are given an official starting date for the start of their career as a professional firefighter. With all the testing behind you, you are far from done. Getting the job is a great accomplishment, and now you have to keep it. Probationary periods vary from department to department generally lasting anywhere from a 12 to 18 months. During this time, you will be rated, tested, and assessed on your appearance, attitude, knowledge, and skills of being a professional firefighter. Each department develops specific criteria that must be accomplished and will subject you to multiple examinations where you must pass to demonstrate your learning retention.

The Role of Emergency Medical Services (EMS)

Emergency Medical Services is a massive part of today’s fire service. Fire departments continually search out ways to enhance service to the community. The best method in accomplishing this is to provide Advanced Life Support (ALS) care, commonly known as Paramedic Service. A vast majority of departments here in Southern California, as well as the rest of the country, have adopted a paramedic program. Training paramedics is a lengthy and costly venture for any fire department. Despite the associated costs of staffing needs, many departments still sponsor firefighters to attend this valuable training while others choose to hire personnel who already possess this licensure.

Alternative Paths and Experience

Another fantastic way to get experience is becoming a Volunteer, Reserve, Seasonal, or Apprentice Firefighter. Other examples are Auxiliary and Paid-On-Call Firefighters.

Santa Monica Fire Department: A Case Study

Work alongside the fire industry’s leading professionals to serve one of California’s pre-eminent urban coastal communities. The hallmark of the Santa Monica Fire Department is extraordinary customer service and cutting-edge fire and emergency services to 93,000 residents and 8 million visitors annually. In 1974, SMFD became the first fire department in the nation to deliver paramedic services via a fire engine company; today it offers not only fire and paramedic services, but also full-time hazardous materials response, urban search and rescue, and a dedicated airport response unit. We are looking for a diverse set of candidates to apply to join the ranks of SMFD. This page offers details on application requirements, the process and timeline. If you are at the beginning of exploring a career change, this page is also for you. Learn about what it takes to be a part of SMFD and apply during a future recruitment cycle.

About SMFD

We believe in helping people by preserving and improving the safety, health and wellbeing of our community. We provide collaborative and innovative fire protection, emergency medical care and life safety services. SMFD has five fire stations which house six fire engines and one ladder truck.

Recruitment Process at SMFD

Candidates must meet the minimum qualifications, apply within the application dates, and pass the written test. Those candidates who pass the written test will be selected to conduct an oral interview. The next step is a Chief’s interview. Finally, candidates must pass a psychological exam, a medical exam, and a background check - including a polygraph test.

Insights from Santa Monica Firefighters

Meet Santa Monica Firefighters Luis Echagarruga and Aurora Skarra-Gallagher. Both have gone through the rigorous process of testing, hiring and training to become fulltime Firefighters with the Santa Monica Fire Department (SMFD). But they weren’t always firefighters. We sat down with them to learn more about their backgrounds and what it takes to be a Santa Monica Firefighter.

Why Firefighting?

Luis Echagarruga: In 1992, I decided to join the Navy for a few years to save money and get some experience. My plan was to go back east and get into a fire academy in Florida. Finally at my 20-year mark, I decided to chase my dream job.

Aurora Skarra-Gallagher: Although I really enjoyed being a programmer (I spent 15 years as a software engineer with both a Bachelor's and Master's in Computer Science), I felt there was something more meaningful I could do. I could work all day and night as a software engineer, but I didn't really feel like I was making a difference. I decided on firefighting because the core work is to help people on a daily basis, and it’s a very physical career, which matched my lifestyle.

The Santa Monica Experience

LE: Outstanding. Every day is unique. Firefighting is not always that life and death struggle to save someone in a smoky room. There are so many other things that we do, from using sophisticated firefighting and rescue equipment to promoting fire safety via talks, advice and training sessions; from inspecting and enforcing safety standards in commercial and residential properties to demonstrating the use of firefighting equipment, performing practice drills, and working with police and ambulance service personnel. I feel very fortunate to have a job as rewarding as firefighting.

ASG: Santa Monica is special because we have a great relationship with our community. I also feel appreciative every time we catch a glimpse of the Pier, the ocean and the beaches.

The Rigorous Hiring Process

LE: RIGOROUS it was! You want to prepare in advance and stay that way. I started with the physical ability test. Then I was invited to take the written test. Once I passed, I was invited to an interview. I had multiple visits with different departments, especially Santa Monica.

ASG: It took me four years to get hired. I started by taking Fire and EMT classes at El Camino College. I continued by attending the El Camino Fire Academy, volunteering at the Hermosa Beach Fire Department as an Ambulance Operator/Fire Intern, and finally by attending Daniel Freeman Paramedic school. Physically, I continued my cardiovascular and high intensity interval training routines, and added a heavier weightlifting component. I also trained with fire equipment such as ladders and hoses and using a weight vest to simulate the heavy gear we wear and carry. I joined a program called Fitness for Future Firefighters first as a participant, and then as a mentor. After getting hired, I had to pass a physical, a psychological exam, and a polygraph test before I was admitted to the grueling Santa Monica fire academy, which prepared me for my year as a probationary firefighter.

Why Join SMFD?

LE: The Chief and his relationship with the City Manager is paramount. In many communities, without these two understanding the shared need and value, it would be a city without structure. The training is phenomenal. Santa Monica picks the right instructors so that you are prepared before your first day as a probationary firefighter. Lastly is the relationship between you and the firefighters you will be working with for the next 20 to 30 years. You become a family, people you can call brother or sister. You can’t beat it!

ASG: People should pursue a career at SMFD if they want to work for a class 1 fire department that has high standards and provides diverse opportunities for specialization such as hazardous materials, urban search and rescue, and aircraft rescue, in addition to structural and wildland firefighting.

The Orange County Fire Authority: Striving for Excellence

The Orange County Fire Authority represents the best of today’s fire service. It is a progressive organization that has earned a reputation for excellence. Today’s firefighter trainees will be among the future leaders of the OCFA, so earning a position as an OCFA firefighter trainee is highly competitive. Beyond the minimum qualifications, the OCFA is searching for candidates who demonstrate high ethical standards and behavior; who are team players; able to work effectively as members of an organization which values diversity; and who embrace the OCFA’s organizational values. OCFA firefighter trainees must be in excellent physical condition, must possess outstanding judgment, and must be able to face difficult and emotionally demanding challenges.

Application Information for OCFA

Only one application per person will be accepted (online only). Qualified candidates will be invited to the written exam. Applicant must complete the supplemental questionnaire and attach a scanned copy (USE PDF FORMATTING) of a valid Biddle Certificate from Mt. San Antonio, Rio Hondo, or Santa Ana College (Biddle Certificates are acceptable for a one-year period from the date of issuance.). The Human Resources Division screens each application to determine whether a candidate meets the minimum qualifications for firefighter trainee and if his/her application is accepted. An applicant should review his/her "profile" under www.governmentjobs.com before beginning the application process and upload attachments - please read supplemental questionnaire for list of required attachment(s).

OCFA Testing Process

Candidates meeting the minimum qualifications with acceptable applications will be invited to take the firefighter trainee written exam. After the written exam, a limited number of candidates with the highest written exam scores (minimum score of 80%) will be referred onto the panel interview. The panel interview is weighted at 50%. Panel interview scores WILL NOT be made available to candidates. The panel interview will be arranged by the Human Resources Division. Panel interviews generally take 30 to 45 minutes to complete. Invited candidates should be prepared to discuss their education, training, goals, objectives, and life experiences which have helped them prepare for this job. If you are invited to Phase I and Phase II of the recruitment process, you will be required to provide proof of identification.

Eligible List for OCFA

Candidates who complete Phase I and Phase II of this recruitment will be placed on an Eligible List based on their final combined scores. The Eligible List will be comprised by Score Groups: A, B, or C Band. A Band will consists of the top scoring groups, B Band will be the middle scoring groups, and C Band will be the lowest scoring groups. The Eligible List duration will be up to a period of two years. The Score Group is established using a statistical method and represents relative equal standing within a group in relation to other candidates.

tags: #santa #ana #college #fire #academy #requirements