Anyone here firefighters?

[90MarkVII]

I have spent 18 years with Fort Worth Fire Department.
In that 18 years I have never had a single moment of doubt about if I were in the right place.
99% of the Firefighters out there feel the same way.

[helosailor]

If I hadn't hurt my back in the Navy, I'd be a FF now. It sucks, because that was one of my favorite things when I was in.

[Tremor14]

Grayhorse is Mckinney FD as well. not sure if he stuck around...

[95DRGT]

My son is doing the AFD program through high school. It has been great, well taught, well disciplined and he loves it. It has really turned him around structure wise.

He's on the last piece of it (EMT) and will graduate HS in May. Soon after he has to pass state tests and then get on somewhere but I'm very impressed how AFD has done the program and put them through the paces mentally and physically.

[sosoe]

I thought about being a cop once.

key word, ONCE.

Lulz..

[dcs13]

Don't most FD's only hire already certified firefighters ?

[Tremor14]

You can go to Collin College and get the cert though

[D. Lil]

Take steps to get your paramedic ASAP or look for cities who will sponsor you through the academy and EMT (Mckinney, Plano, Dallas, Mesquite will all do this).

http://www.tcfp.texas.gov/job_postings/jobs.asp

[D. Lil]

FYI, Plano is probably the highest paid department in Texas

[Baron Von Crowder]

My son is doing the AFD program through high school. It has been great, well taught, well disciplined and he loves it. It has really turned him around structure wise.

He's on the last piece of it (EMT) and will graduate HS in May. Soon after he has to pass state tests and then get on somewhere but I'm very impressed how AFD has done the program and put them through the paces mentally and physically.

my wife's a high school teacher in aisd, and she was telling me about that program. Sounds pretty awesome to me.

[matts5.0]

I'd rather go through a department that offers its own academy.

My money would be on southlake being the highest paid.

[BoostedD1]

My bets on park cities. They are crosstrained firefighters/popo.

[TexasPyro]

Southlake used to be public safety, Fire/popo, not sure if they still are or not. I know the City of Fate is too, its somewhat common.

[akfodysvn]

Without getting into too much of a political discussion, the FWFD pension is just fine and it is not underfunded. Certain political entities within the governing body and City Council have (as usual) used half truths and misrepresented facts to further their own agenda.
DO NOT believe everything you read in the Fort Worth Startlegram.
This is my last public comment on this matter in any forum.

I will agree that Austin has a fantastic pension and a fantastic Department.

And the statement about regretting it if you don't try is spot on.

I am glad its okay. I got my information at the IAFF ALTS convention last year so my info was as accurate as could be had and very interesting. Not going to try and start a debate but at that time it was far more underfunded than most pensions. All of them are underfunded to an extent but honestly FWFD had a great pension previously and still may. I am curious how negotiations went and what the result was in pension reduction. We just finished negotiations up here.

Take steps to get your paramedic ASAP or look for cities who will sponsor you through the academy and EMT (Mckinney, Plano, Dallas, Mesquite will all do this).

http://www.tcfp.texas.gov/job_postings/jobs.asp

Paramedic is a great help but do not do it just to land a job. Most guys who use it to get a job end up unhappy.

OP-start applying everywhere even if you don't want to work there. The processes are very similar for testing and interviews. That's how you are going to get you spot so all the practice you can get is great. The guys who don't prep and practice rarely get hired. If you guys have volume depts start doing that. You need a way to separate yourself from other candidates and there are lots of ways to do that. My biggest thing would be to not get discouraged and practicing interviews. Plan on spending the next 4 or 5 years trying. Persistence pays.

[SlowLX]

If you don't get on with Fort Worth look into Arlington or another city in the Tx Municipal Retirement System that has their own academy. As has already been said by people on both sides, Fort Worth's pension may offer great benefits for now but they have a lot of work to do ensure the fund is adequately funded in 20 to 30 years. A lot of govt pensions are currently underfunded but Fort Worth has more work to do than most. The state wide system for most cities may not offer better benefits when you retire but it's in much better financial health than most of not all of the large cities individual systems around the state.