:wave: I am.
Are you joining a volunteer or paid service? If you are volunteering, the the ups will be the satisfaction of saving lives and property. The downs will be those times you can't. Seeing the devastation of someones property and life is quite emotional. Also if you are squeamish, don't bother. You'll see a lot of dead people in car accidents, fire and other strange incidents. No pay. Long hours sometimes with no sleep. You better like doing EMS-emergency medical service because that usually justifies budgets and you'll do more of that than anything. I'm also a paramedic and that is a HUGE plus when looking for a job with a fire dept.
If you are trying to get hired at a city service, you'll need a clean record and CREDIT. Yes fire dept's check your credit and if it sucks you don't stand a chance. If you are irresponsible with your money then they consider you irresponsible over all. The hiring process is usually very long and brutal. They want to know EVERYTHING and don't be surprised if they call your teachers from grade school. If you can make it through the initial written and then physical, which yes, can be a major bitch, you then go to an oral interview. In that they will usually have several firefighters. One will be an asshole trying to tear you down. They will look at your reaction and responses. Keep your cool and be confident. Make eye contact. Don't back down on your answers. Don't lie! A polygraph will be in your future.
As far as ups/downs at a paid service. They are pretty much the same as volunteer excepte you are getting paid well and usually have nice benefits and retirement.
The biggest UP is that you be a part of a brotherhood. FF's are a very tight group who take care of each other. They become family. I wished I'd had gotten into it a lot younger though.
Me on the right in rookie school.
