So you want to be a firefighter and you have decided that in your aggressive pursuit of that goal, the military will be your stepping stone to set you apart from the thousands of other applicants. Now that you have decided to sign on the dotted line, raise your hand and serve, how do you decide which branch to join or which military occupation specialty to choose? As a career firefighter and military member who has served in two military branches and performed duties in everything from meteorology to firefighter, let me offer you some guidance.
Don’t limit your options
In my previous article I stated that what makes a military veteran attractive to most fire departments is not necessarily the job skill they performed for Uncle Sam, but the military service itself. It demonstrates that the applicant is at a minimum physically fit, can follow orders and understands rank structure, and can clean up after themselves and make their bed. What that veteran did for the military is, many times, an added bonus. Any job skill performed in the military is applicable to the fire service because that person is trained to perform that skill under duress, to a high degree of accuracy, and with tremendous consequences. Just like performing a fire attack or search and rescue.
In choosing the military to assist your pursuit of a fire service career, do not limit your options of joining the military just to be a firefighter. While there is an obvious incentive and benefit to this, the fact is the available positions for firefighters in the military are limited, and you have to qualify for the position which many do not, and some are unable to complete the training. So, in the event you cannot become a military firefighter, do not discount the military as a viable option to assist you in achieving your goal of becoming a firefighter.
There are some civilian fire departments that do not give special consideration for previous firefighter experience or certifications because they send all applicants through their own fire academies, and thus some prefer medical certifications or other specialty certifications over fire certifications. So, knowing the hiring process for the departments of your choice and what will give you an edge is important. It's also important to consider the fundamentals and lifestyle of the military branches you’re considering. For example, being a firefighter in the Navy will not matter much if you have a propensity for seasickness and a dislike of close quarter living.
Pros and cons
There is no doubt the military firefighting career field offers some of the best training available in the country. And, you will have access to some top-notch training and certifications throughout your service time. Many Department of Defense (DOD) fire departments provide not only fire suppression services, but advanced life support services, dive teams, hazardous material response teams, specialized rescue teams, and prevention services.
You will also receive actual experience, working in a fire department, providing emergency services on a military installation to include base housing areas. Many of these departments have mutual aid agreements with surrounding communities, and some have automatic aid, and some have the only specialized teams in their region. Personally, my military fire department provided mutual aid to the deadly Sugar Refinery fire in Georgia that made national headlines in 2008, as well as assisted at a large fire at the local Ports Authority in 2015. Currently, my civilian department has mutual aid agreements with the local bases, and we worked under the military firefighters when the Blue Angels crashed outside the base in 2007.
However, while military firefighters are generally highly certified and educated, they are often limited in experience due to the lack of fires on military bases because of their focus on prevention and lack of large incidents that require their assistance off base. Military firefighting rules will, at times, contrast civilian firefighting rules where the mission, such as keeping the planes flying in war time, often have priority over life safety in a dorm.
That is not to demean or in any way devalue military firefighters. They are also trained to deploy anywhere in the world and build a fire department from scratch to provide fire protection in hostile, demanding, and challenging environments. If you can fight back-to-back fires involving bombs and vast amounts of jet fuel, then respond to chemical spills, all while in bunker gear worn over a full chemical suit, then you are good at what you do and are as dedicated to the profession as anyone.
But, again, the key is will any of this assist you in your application process for the departments of your choice? Would all this training and knowledge benefit you in a department looking for raw, new recruits whom they will send to their own academy? Would a fire chief want to hire a trained military company officer for a probationary firefighter recruit position? Would any of it matter on a hiring eligibility list where you are anonymously placed on the list based upon a test score and veteran’s preference points only? These are questions you need to answer.
During your military service there are plenty of opportunities to up your value for a fire service career. Use the military to not only increase your fire service resume, but also to balance yourself out as a well-rounded applicant with multiple skills and options in life. Consider using the military to provide you with a valuable job skill outside of firefighting that will not only catch a fire chief’s eye and make you more versatile, like computer networking, but also give you an additional job skill for secondary civilian employment (which most all firefighters have) or a job skill to have in the event that the worst happens and you can no longer be a firefighter.
The biggest benefit to military service for any employer is the service itself. Today’s military offers many avenues for service men and woman to build well-rounded foundations upon which to construct their future. But, it always comes down to the applicant. Those with a desire and a plan will be successful in anything, especially with access to the vast amount of tools that the military provides. Do not look at your potential military service in a limited fashion based upon a firefighter position, but all that you can achieve and add to your resume.
Both the military and the fire service are comprised of men and women dedicated to the principle of service and protecting those in need, and as both compliment the other in their core missions, so does the feeling of pride and accomplishment of belonging to something bigger than yourself.
As I told the men and woman I recruited and enlisted in the Marine Corps during my days as a recruiter; “You may love it or you may not love it, but you will never regret it.”
The author joined the U.S. Marine Corps out of high school and served on active duty for 12 years in the meteorological, aviation search and rescue, military police, and recruiting career fields. After receiving an honorable discharge from the Marines he joined the Georgia Air National Guard as a medic, and then transferred to the fire protection career field where he now serves as the Assistant Fire Chief of Training. With 27 years of service the author has been to 10 different countries and served in three military campaigns. He plans to keep going as long as they let him wear a uniform.
DANIEL BYRNE is an Engineer/Paramedic and Community Support Officer for the Burton Fire District, Beaufort County, SC, and an Assistant Chief of Training for the Georgia Air National Guard 165th Fire Department. Byrne is a third generation firefighter and holds both an associates and bachelors degree in Fire Science, and a Fire Officer and Fire Instructor III certified. Byrne has received state and local awards for public relations and educational programs as well as community partnerships; and has been both a conference presenter and keynote speaker. You can connect with Byrne on Twitter at: @FireService360 or on Facebook at: FireService360.
