Quick ? Regarding The Texas Firefighter Civil Service Exam

[Gtracer]

Anyone here been through this process before? I am thinking of changing careers and after talking to a few LEO friends I have become interested in this line of work.

I have looked for exam guides online but I am only able to find one that cost $139.00 for the book alone. I have trouble paying this much for a book when I am not sure if this is a decent route.

Anyone who has gone through the process have any tips or guidance they can help me with as I am a bit overwhelmed by the amount of literature that is out there for these test?

edit: This is for the Texas Exam process

[Gtracer]

No one?

[Treasure Chest]

I don't know anyone that's gotten a book and sat for the exam. In our city, they have an apprentice program where you can get hired on uncertified, and they put you through the program. Most of the guys I've known either went through the full program and hired on as Probies because the pay scale was better.

[Gtracer]

In our city, they have an apprentice program where you can get hired on uncertified, and they put you through the program.

I have not read this anywhere on the local web page so I think my best option might be to walk into a firehouse and start asking questions...just not sure of what type of reception/response I will get

[hotrod66stang]

https://www.iosolutions.com

[Treasure Chest]

I have no idea how common it is. I know a few guys who went through the Kilgore college program, then worked and volunteered at the VFD either because of a lack of openings, and/or to be more hire-able/hired at an experienced pay scale.
I'd go in and talk to someone locally to see what the best route is for getting your foot in the door.

[Gtracer]

I have no idea how common it is. I know a few guys who went through the Kilgore college program, then worked and volunteered at the VFD either because of a lack of openings, and/or to be more hire-able/hired at an experienced pay scale.
I'd go in and talk to someone locally to see what the best route is for getting your foot in the door.

Thanks for your opinion. I felt this was probably the best solution, just needed a little gut check before I walked in there and looked like an idiot. I even Googled it prior to asking anyone just to make sure I covered my bases.

Thank you for your help once again!

[Danny46]

Very curious as to what the OP is asking about as well. Would love to join up with an FD even on a volunteer basis. Will be taking EMT-B next semester at TCCD

[Gtracer]

Very curious as to what the OP is asking about as well. Would love to join up with an FD even on a volunteer basis. Will be taking EMT-B next semester at TCCD

I was basically looking for anyone with personal experience (preferably local) as to how they joined or know someone who joined the service and how they went about doing it.
After researching online (google) I found out that there are two test here locally and one being the Civil Service Exam and the other being geared towards the postition itself. Of course there is the PFT but that is a no brainer.

Once you take the test I have learned that your name goes on a list based soley off of your scores and it is a ranked list of course. My confusion came as to what happens next? Is it better to do a "intership" or what.

I come from an office job and I am tired of this crap. I am a couple years short of 30 and I would like to get my ass moving in a direction that is more fulfilling.

[Gtracer]

Very curious as to what the OP is asking about as well. Would love to join up with an FD even on a volunteer basis. Will be taking EMT-B next semester at TCCD

What do you know, Googled again and found this:

http://www.fireserviceinfo.com/hiring.html

[hotrod66stang]

I was basically looking for anyone with personal experience (preferably local) as to how they joined or know someone who joined the service and how they went about doing it.

Once you take the test I have learned that your name goes on a list based soley off of your scores and it is a ranked list of course. My confusion came as to what happens next? Is it better to do a "intership" or what.

See the link above. The only person that scored higher than I did used the practice exam from that site and memorized it. He said it was almost the exact same, down to the question. The problems had different numbers, but the same question and solution. I/O solutions provides the test for numerous departments nationally. Different departments have different tests and hiring processes.

Some tests are just basic math, spelling/grammar, reading comprehension, while others throw in other features. San Antonio, for example, has a memorization portion at the very beginning of the test. All tests will include a "civil service" portion asking you about yourself and what the right actions are in certain situations.

Some hiring processes rank you from the initial test and then it's pass/fail from there on out on every other portion until you get to the interview board who will decide to offer you the job. Some processes take the top portion from the test (or even everyone who makes a 70 and above) and then do the interview first and grade your answers and rank you from that for the rest of the process. You just need to look at each dept. and see what kind of process they use.

Volunteering is completely different, and I've never volunteered, but that's more of the "internship" you're asking about. You wait until there's a paid position open within the dept. and then apply for it. Tiny cities and some counties are strictly volunteer, smaller cities may be a combination, and you just wait for the paid spot to open and apply, larger cities are all paid positions with no volunteers.

If you get on with a large city, they will send you through all necessary training. Small cities will require you to have your certifications already to be hired. Some volunteer depts. will send you through training after 6mos-1year of volunteering, and pay for it all (~$4,000 value at least).

[Gtracer]

Yeah, I hope Irving has some sort of assistance as I can not afford college with my pay right now. I just got engaged and bought a house 2 years ago so I am trying to sew it all together with as few hicups as possible.

BTW Irving is where I am trying to join just to be clear

[Unicorn Jeff]

The best and cheapest route is wait for a big city to do their hiring. Fort worth, Dallas, Arlington, giving, and ect... you take the civil exam and if you score high enough then you move on to the next step. Problem is, is that you usually test with 2000 - 4000 other people lol. The test usually consists of 105 questions that range from math, word problems, grammar, and random English stuff.

[Taylor]

I don't know anyone that's gotten a book and sat for the exam. In our city, they have an apprentice program where you can get hired on uncertified, and they put you through the program. Most of the guys I've known either went through the full program and hired on as Probies because the pay scale was better.

Firehouse.com forums. Good luck.

[Unicorn Jeff]

Forgot to add also another 50 questions of personality stuff. Also with the bug cities, if you make it they pay you and send you to the emt/fire academy.