Very true article. I am currently a volunteer firefighter while still active duty. Haven't seen any tax breaks (would be nice), but it is very rewarding. My military skills have really been my strength with the fire dept. A bit misleading on the pay, however. To make that kind of money, you would have to be in on one of the larger cities. Most salaries for a fireman are around $30K.
My firefighting experience has actually carried back into my military career as well. Having a better understanding of emergency management has proven handy on multiple occasions.
Oh, just incase someone wonders, I am not a military firefighter. I work POL (fuels).
Community service that I really enjoy, plus I get free training and certifications!
I am a former member of the Oklahoma Volunteer Fire Service doing twelve years as well as a guardsman with thirty years and have put both services to work during emergancy situations. Primarily dealing with wildland fires, floods, severe ice storms and tornadoes. Some people dont realize how much the fire service mirrors the military. The chain of command is the same and when you have a incident where the military and fire service are working it togeather it helps when there are firefighters who were or are in the military and the same with the military. This system works as it did in 1988 at Yellow Stone.
After reading the article, I was intrigued by the choice of topic the author wrote on. Back in 2003, I wrote a very similar article on for Fire Engineering magazine on the similarities between the military and the fire service title, "Leadership vs. Management: Bridging the Gap". In the article I highlighted the operational configuration in both services and contrasted the differences between Leadership and Management training and development in both. It is interesting that this theme is apparent to so many who look at the details on how both organizations are run. Kudos on a well put together article.
SFC THOMAS NELSON HR NCO CBWTU-VA tom.s.nelson@us.army.mil Firefighter by training, NCO by the Grace of GOD
Interesting article, but it sounds like a recruting push for fightfighters. There is no doubt that these services has some similarities, most professional orginization do, the same can be said about sports, foot ball, basket ball or any team oriented sport, but to make the analogy that the Military and firefighters are the same thing, well thats not true. I think you can make a comparison, but beyound that things change. The Military require a level of DISCIPLIN that is unparalleled by any group or organization, there are some things that you can probably get away with as a firefighter that you will never away with as a Soldier, it is those things that attracted me to the Army, it was time to grow up. Having said that I'll say this, that will probably help the authors cause if he's trying to recruit firefighters. The Military is a call to duty, when I turned eighteen it was my time to join. We don't do it for the money, and thats what a lot of people do not understand, however the retirement plan is pretty good(the Military).
The four Indicaters, Leadership traits are vital to the Army and the Military as a whole however, I think they can be adapted to fit any team organization, including Firefighters, Law Enforcement, but you can't through them at your recruits and expect them to understand, they must be taught and made sure they are understood, and when the time comes applied. Well, time to go work now and see if I can save Uncle Sam some money.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: wtpworrier,
Currently I am not a firefighter, but trained intensively in damage control teams on board destroyers and frigates (greyhound navy). One cannot just call the local fire department when on station in the Gulf. We were the fire department. So when we are fighting for our very lives when we get the call, I am more than optimistic of my/our firefighting and damage control skills, and wonder if the civilian community's skills can rival ours.
I am a Navy Vet. The writer hit the nail on the head on this topic. I am now a paid firefighter and am a vol. for 2 other fire depts. Being with the fire dept is like being on board ship everyone has a job to due. You have to depend on the other firefighters on your shift to do what they have to due on the fire ground so you can do your stuff. To sum this up we work as a team just like in the navy. I would love to see more Vets in the fire service EGH ( everyone goes home) this is a saying in the fire service.
Well, its an ok article at best. Unless you plan to join a very small or medium size dapartment, then you have ALOT of preparation to do before beginning your journey through the system. Most larger departments and FPD's look for recurits with their fire science associates and a minimum EMT-I or Paramedic certification. Also, most states require some level of physical agility certifiaction completed within the previous 12 months. If your a current firefighter in any of the military branches, you then have to ensure your IFSAC certifications are accepted in the jurisdiction you desire to apply for. Most states do, but California and Florida dont. Even after all this, you will still be required to complete an academy for the department or jurisdiction, and there's no guarantee that you'll be hired. Competition is fierce, and there's a ton of qualified folks out there still flippin burgers or driving an ambulance while they wait for an opening.
Well after 13 years of being on a Type 1 Interagency Hotshot Crew, I can say that the Hotshot world is like no other. Decision making and maintianing situational awareness under stressful, complex situations is a daily occurrence. I had 8 years in DOD Air Force fire...and never really got any real fire exp. The Hotshot world prepared me for any situation...including Incidents of National Significance (Hurricanes, floods etc as an Incident Commander or Division Supt) After leaving the shot world I was able to walk right into a Federal Agent job with DHS. From Hotshot to Agent...different tactics...Same fundamentals of decision making.
There ARE a lot of similarities, and the part about needing experience isn't really true. Sure, those things are advantages, but they aren't critical. The critical things in getting hired are: ability to take a civil service exam (doing the practice materials for the ASVAB will work well for most tests), Health (so you can pass the medical exam) and fitness. Most departments offer the physical ability test themselves, particularly in the east, while others will refer you to a company that administers them. Many departments also offer veterans' preferences because they are governmental organizations. The poster who suggested that you need a lot of education or experience to be hired is probably in the middle or western US. The one piece of prior education I would consider most valuable is a current certification with the National Registry of EMTs, which the Army and Navy are now doing as part of the curriculum for medics. Depending on the department and the local demographic, sometimes a foreign language is also very desireable.
As for the similarities and discipline, there are a lot. Training in either will give you a leg up when entering the other realm, as long as you keep an open mind about the differences. There are some ways that discipline is tighter in each, and there is a LOT more variation from department to department in the fire service than in the military from post to post; it's more like the differences you see between the different services. There are arguments I have with the article, such as the shallow understanding of the roles you can play, but the essential discipline isn't one of them.
I'd love to see more military personnel hire onto my department. I think that in general they are a huge asset. I've been putting hints in the ear of the officer in charge of recruiting to make a push for it, and I plan to ramp up the campaign. If anyone is interested in some information and/or tips, please feel free to message me.
I will give you the best piece of advice if you want to get a job with a suburban/inner city fire dept....................................................GO TO PARAMEDIC SCHOOL....................
