The year was 1990, I was twenty seven years old, tired of working a Monday through Friday 8 - 5 job and looking for a rewarding and exciting career. My firefighter neighbor was always off (or it seemed like it), working his side lawn maintenance job on his terms, and in good cheers about the firefighting profession. It was only a matter of time before I started  researching the firefighting profession. My biggest obstacle was telling my dad that the $50,000 that he spent on my five year college education was not a good investment. Fortunately, my parents understood and provided the essential support that I needed to make a career change.

I kept working my private sector job while attending EMT school in the evenings. I didn't have much of a social life for four months. But making lots of sacrifices, working hard and staying determined are needed to succeed. After EMT school, I entered the fire academy full-time. This required quitting my private sector job, and attending fire school, Monday through Friday, from 8 - 6. I had saved up enough money to make the mortgage payments and pay the monthly bills for about four months. After fire school, I obtained a job with a private ambulance company as an EMT, while attending paramedic school for the next twelve months. Of the three fire service disciplines, I have to admit that the paramedic program was the most challenging.

Also, while completing my paramedic studies, I began to apply for firefighter/EMT jobs throughout the State of Florida. Completing the job applications were  very tedious and time consuming. But I had to get them completed and submitted. I was determined and was willing to make the necessary sacrifices and put in whatever work load to succeed. Back then, competiton for firefighter jobs were very high. For every one opening, there were probably 50-100 candidates applying. And most of the fire departments were looking for firefighter/paramedics, and not firefighter/EMTs.   Two months after passing my state paramedic certification exam, i was offered a job.

It took me two arduous years of hard work and sacrifices, but I was determined to become a firefighter. If you are seriously looking into becoming a firefighter, you will need the following personal traits:

1) never quit attitude

2) an attitude to work harder than everyone else

3) stay in good physical conditioning

4) be good to your family because you're going to need them a lot

5) commitment to make the necessary sacrifices

6) stay out of trouble and keep your traffic record clean