Michael Zoladkiewicz

November, 1999

English 111 section 14

As a child, I was not exactly sure as to what I wanted to do in life. Just like everyone else, it was something new every day. After completing high school, I went into the military and spent four years in an infantry unit. It made me realize that with all the relocating that you do in the military, I would not be able to do a job that continually kept me behind a desk. I want a job that is going to keep me on my toes, and is not going to be the same exact thing day in and day out. That job is firefighting.

To become a firefighter, there are many steps that one needs to take. At the entry-level for a municipal job, you must first go through an application process. The application process consists of many different steps. You must be able to "pass written tests, physical agility tests, and medical exams to include drug screening," and go through many interviews (Herman and Abraham 342). Most fire departments will also conduct polygraph testing (lie detector tests).

"There is always a lot of competition for firefighting positions because most departments only require that you are 18 years of age and have a high school diploma. Unfortunately, there are always more qualified applicants than positions that are available" (Herman and Abraham 342). Firefighters have a very low turnover rate because people do not usually leave unless they retire or are transferred. It is also hard for the fire departments to hire as many people as they would like to have due to funding from the city. "The problem is projected to exist until the year 2005" (Herman and Abraham 342). The "average annual openings for firefighters in the United States are 10,210, and for the state of Virginia, it is considerably lower at 260" (America’s Career Infonet). One good thing about being a fire fighter in Virginia is the pay. "Nationally, in 1997 fire fighters were paid between $21,900-$39,900. The State of Virginia paid between $27,500-$44,200" (America’s Career Infonet).

Once hired into a fire department, there will be a lot of on going training to include "fire techniques and prevention, hazardous materials awareness, EMT procedures, use of fire fighting apparatus and equipment, and even learning local building codes" (Herman and Abraham 342). Upon completion of training and exams you will more than likely be on a probation period determined by the fire department you work for. Fire fighters work in many different conditions. "Most of the time will be spent at the fire station, but when a call comes in you may be required to be on your feet for very long periods. Fire fighters are also required to work in adverse weather conditions responding to hazardous material incidents, medical emergencies, and fires" (Herman and Abraham 341).

Projecting myself ten to fifteen years down the road, I would like to become an officer and work in fire prevention and investigation. The City of Hampton has an accelerant detection K-9 that travels from city to city to sniff out possible arson. There is a lot of training that comes along with having a K-9 for fire investigation. First and foremost, you must go to school for fire investigation. You and the K-9 must also go through training programs together. The City of Hampton sends the investigator and the K-9 to a state police academy where the K-9 will learn it’s specific tasks.

According to Captain Mike Gabany, from the Hampton Division of Fire and Rescue, along with fire fighting and especially fire investigation, "You must be on top of your written communications skills." As a member of the fire service, "You may have to write a detailed report for any number of situations" (Gabany). If someone is to be paid overtime, you must write a report as to what hours a certain individual has worked. The same thing goes if someone is going to take leave or go on vacation. There are reports written all the time on the physical fitness and conditions of the departments’ fire fighters. "The most exacting and technical reports are those written as to the conditions of a fire scene or the investigation thereafter" (Gabany). The primary audiences for such writings are the police and the fire administrators themselves.

When you are head of fire prevention and investigation, you do a tremendous amount of oral communication as well. If television crews are at the scene of a fire, "You may have to conduct interviews for the mass media" (Gabany). Telephone interviews are also frequent and have the potential to be heard on the news. Another thing is being interviewed by a "formal group of citizens, when it comes to something like a news conference" (Gabany).

You can never say that fire prevention is not a serious issue; however, you do get to have some fun with it. As a captain in fire prevention, "You will be able to do oral and public presentations, both formally and informally" (Gabany). Formal presentations are usually done at a certain individual’s or business' request. Subject matter may be as complex as local building codes or as simple as how to operate a fire extinguisher. "If you do happen to do an informal presentation, most of the time it is conducted over the telephone" (Gabany).

Knowledge of computers is also essential. "E-mail plays a big role when it comes to memos that are sent from inside the department pertaining to just about anything, from dress codes to correct procedures. You also need computers for spreadsheets and databases. The Internet is an absolute necessity when it comes to arson investigation and keeping up with nation- wide events" (Gabany).

As you can see, there is a lot more to fire fighting than just putting out fires. Training is never ending, whether it is mental or physical, and the potential of not continually working at a fire station is also there. Communication skills are an absolute must no matter what level you may work at. You need to be up to date on computer software to be able to produce the information needed for databases and spreadsheets. Most importantly is knowing how to weave through the Internet and find information that is going to help you reach your objective.

America's Career InfoNet: Occupation Report. Accessed on 25 Oct. 1999. <http://www.acinet.org>.

Gabany, Mike. Personal Interview. 22 Oct. 1999.

Herman, Alexis M., and Katherine G. Abraham. Occupational Outlook Handbook. 1998.

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