Suggested Pathway to Obtaining a Permanent,
Fully Paid, Firefighter Position:
Entering Fire Technology students are reminded that the below listed pathway to obtaining a permanent, fully paid, full time position has proven to be very successful to previous Fire Technology students who were willing to devote at least 6 years of intensive study, personal sacrifices, and time toward this goal. While this is not the only way to achieving the above stated career goal, it has proven to be the most successful.
First Objective:
Obtain your Wildland Academy (Fire 113) and Firefighter I Academy (Fire 140) Certificates. Fire 050, Fire 113 and EMT 212 are a prerequisites for Fire 140
Second Objective:
Obtain a Firefighter Internship Position with a fire department to start your process of getting your State Fire Marshal Firefighter I Certification which will take at least one year to complete.
Third Objective:
To supplement any student loans and grants, you should apply for a seasonal firefighter job with CALFIRE and USDA Forest Service. Applications are accepted each Fall and Early Winter.
Fourth Objective:
Once the above objectives have been reached, apply for acceptance into a reputable Paramedic School.
Fifth Objective:
While waiting for acceptance into a Paramedic school, take all of your Fire Technology Core Courses and General Education requirements for an AS Degree.
1st Alternative Objective:
If you are unable to get into a Paramedic school, apply for acceptance into a 4 year college such as Cal State University-Los Angeles or Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and obtain your Bachelor of Science degree in Fire Technology,
all the while working seasonal summer jobs with the USDA Forest Service or CALFIRE.
No Guarantees Implied or Given:
While attainment of all of the above objectives has proven to be very valuable to obtainment of a permanent, full, time, fully paid firefighter position, students are reminded that there are no guarantees implied or given.
This page last updated 10/13/08 by Jamie Smith.