csBlaZe
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Yo from Chicago (prospective LFB fireman)Greetings all...
Im a 19 year old prospective London fireman living in the suburbs of Chicago...
Just wondering if anyone could throw out advice, confirmation, etc. etc. etc.
England doesnt seem to have the fire science A.A.S. degree... its a two year community college program that teaches the fundamentals of fire protection/HAZMAT. I am enrolled to start the program in August and will finish it 2011. I will also be getting the Emergency Medical Technician- BASIC certification. I know the London ambulance system is independent of the fire dept... I prefer it that way... but I also want to be an as effective fireman as much as I can. If I really enjoy EMT-B I may also take the paramedic certification class which will take an additional year. Who knows...
Anyways figure ill be 21-22 with an A.A.S. in Fire Science... involvement in my local Community Emergency Response Team, and EMT certification... throw in a citizen fire academy experience in there possibly (was gonna do it but my EMT class is in the way...).
Sound good for an LFB fireman position vacancy?
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Strings
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Hello mate, first of all...welcome.
To get started, Good luck with it all. It's quite a long process but worth it. (that may change!)
All the qualifications you are getting are great, but the EMT side of it doesn't matter. I know of a fire fighter here that has also been a paramedic for a few years before joining the LFB, and when he used his paramedic skills, the LFB tried to charge him with a number of things, so my advice to you is get the qualification, but don't use it on duty, because as far as the brigade's concernedit doesn't mean anything!
but everything else will help with you knowlegde etc. btu you will still have to go through the LFB's lectures on it.
As I said thouugh, good luck with it all and you never know, in a few years, we may see you on the fire ground. 
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BlazingPalace
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Having spent a great time in Chicago last year why would you want to come here? if only they did some form of swap I would bite your arm off. The city seemed really great, and I spent a bit of time chatting with some of your firefighters ( yea I know how sad whilst away still visiting a fire station ) They seemed really busy with plenty of jobs.
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csBlaZe
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US fire depts commonly respond to medical calls.... WAY MORE med then fire fighting. I don't like Chicago... personally... sprawled out... disconnected... not that clean.... etc etc. My family lives in the UK... uncle and his wife in London. I LOVE London... the history... the people...
Hey Strings... so I probably won't spend a year on Paramedic... really isnt worth it in that case. At least EMT-B will teach me the basics... something to add to the resume.
Whats the biggest thing LFB look at in a fireman candidate?
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Straight8
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Err, Yo . .
I see you mention you have 'family' here in the UK.
Have you checked out the immigration position, they're very strict nowadays (although you would'nt think it looking around London) and I feel the 'political asylum' line may not work coming from America.
I have family in Australia, but I can't go and live there.
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csBlaZe
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I'm a dual citizen.
Got passports for US/UK...
Got a US SSN and a UK NI #.
I could move there right now if I wanted to. Just a matter of getting all my stuff (which isnt much) into suitcases... and gettin on a jet.
Oh... there is the Yami 650 which would need to be freighted across...
Id rather get my degree and hit 21... then move....
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BlazingPalace
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| csBlaZe wrote: | US
Whats the biggest thing LFB look at in a fireman candidate? |
I same times wonder what they are looking for myself ! When they turn up at a station they appear to have done f"*k all at training school and have the ability to do nothing other than moan! 
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csBlaZe
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Dude... im going all out at my school...
Woooo...................
No details required... but is the salary for a rookie fireman in London adequate to live on?
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BlazingPalace
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As you family living here, they will tell you best about the cost of living in London which is consistently rated as one of the most expensive cities in the world.
Most firefighters struggle with the cost of living, hence the reason why the large majority carry out some form of secondary employment. Other's live considerable distances from London, I know of several who live in other countries and travel in for their four days.
Its not cheap and most of the young lads on my watch are struggling with affording accommodation / living and a social life.
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csBlaZe
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I cannot agree with you enough...
I decided to do a search for flats in/around London and the prices were absolutely RIDICULOUS... were talking U.S. equivalent of $1300 for 1 ROOM (CANT PLAY DRUMS IN A STUDIO!) A MONTH!
Not that Chicago isn't expensive... but FFs get payed more here... which is also why its CRAZY hard to get a FF job.
This being said, I would still rather make the move. You said you know guys that don't necessarily live in London... that's always a positive option.
This is kind of important:
Are the duties of LFB firemen the same as U.S. cities? Are the operations and ICS relatively similar?
Do you guys run into burning buildings with SCBAs and rescue people? Do you get to use various equipment such as chainsaws/ladder trucks/etc?
Are all firemen cross-trained eventually? Does everyone get a chance at driving the apparatus?
Obviously i'd like to know... because these are the things that make up the job in the U.S.
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BlazingPalace
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This is a really hard one to answer completely; we fight structural fires in a different manner to our brothers in the USA. My understanding is, that your crews will have specific tasks, hose, ventilation, forced entry etc, we tend to do everything but in a different way if that make’s any sense. We do not as a rule carry out aggressive ventilation, certainly not before crews have extinguished the fire.
Firefighters can and do specialize into different roles i.e Fire Rescue Unit, USART, but these will seldom undertake structural firefighting.
Your best bet is to wait until you come over to pay your family a visit and drop into a station for a chat, let any of us know and you will get a warm welcome at any of our stations
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csBlaZe
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Sounds like a plan.
I may visit around this Christmas... if not... definitely next summer. Now it cant come soon enough.
Check it.... say I didnt get an A.S. in Fire Science. Say I maybe got a certificate instead... or lets say I had nothing.... just a HS diploma- volunteer things, and personal charisma/confidence. Would I still have a chance of getting a ff job with LFB?
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Strings
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definately mate. I've got no qualifications at all!
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BlazingPalace
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What you will need to consider is what are you going to do while you wait for applications for the job of firefighter and the length of time it takes the whole process. On average its about 2 years from application to training school, so you need to be over here and working to pay your rent etc.
Qualification does not necessarily mean much, I to have bugger all in the way of qualifications, apart from the ones I gained whilst employed as a firefighter. There is also the point that your qualifications in America may mean nothing over here apart from showing what you been doing with your time.
The appointment as a firefighter is suppose to be about your abilities and attributes rather than exams or courses you have attended, not that I want to put you off doing those courses. I think you will find it just as hard to get into the London Fire Brigade as it is in Chicago.
But give it a go!!
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csBlaZe
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2 years? Can you possibly detail what composes those two years? I know theres an interview.... then a physical test... then 4 month training... (something like that).
Is there alot of opportunity for promotion within the station? Or does not have a degree/certificates preclude that?
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