Background check?

[firej1212]

Hey everyone, I have a question that I've been real nervous to ask anyone so being able to stay anonomous in here is awesome.
Anyway I'm 24 and just finished my firefighter 1 academy so of course I'm out applying everywhere right now but when I was 16 I got in a fight and beat some guy up pretty bad so I went to jail (well actually fire camp cdc/cdf) for a little over a year. It wasnt a felony because I was a minor but I was wondering if that is going to kill my chances of getting hired at any descent departments? It really sucks and I am ashamed of the whole thing but I cant change the past.
If anyone has any experience on issues like this or any idea how it will affect me please let me know. I really appreciate it.

[firemedic301]

You definitely have a situation. If you are a Medic you would have a better shot at getting through the process. If you are not, well you have a HUGE mountain to climb. There are soooo many "clean" guy's out there testing for depts. I appreciate the fact you have taken responsibility for your act and now comes the repercussions of it. Knowing you have this in your past you know you have to spend alot of FACE time with a perspective dept. ride out and let the guy's get to know "YOU" for you not your past, and when you ride out do it with a respected crew, it might have some pull with the guy's doing your background check and it CAN make a difference. Also don't worry about being anonomous and if that hurts you in here!!! The only thing that will hurt you in here is if you act like a piece of crap. You came in here and your post seems very "stand-up-ish". If you are testing for a specific dept. post it and get input from the guy's at that dept and let them know who you are and be proud and confident (not of what you did but, who you are and don't be **BLEEP****BLEEP****BLEEP****BLEEP**y). Genuine guy's in the fire service respect people that don't hide behind their posting name!!!!
Good luck

P.S. DON'T lie about it and think a dept won't find out about it, it is a small world. Remember the Fire service is not a perfect world there are a lot of guy's out there that have been hired with worse things on their record.
Hell I know of a guy that has been FIRED from 4 Depts in 4 years. However, he was a Medic (I guess if you can call him that:eek:) now he works AMR in San Bernardino City.

[firej1212]

Thanks for the reply I really appreciate it. As far as being a medic I will be doing that next year so if I dont get hired til then I guess it will help out. I'm not gonna let it prevent me from trying in the meantime though. Your response is pretty much what I expected as far as soooo many guys with a clean record applying for the same position and man does it suck, its probably the most annoying thing in the world to me to actually be even somewhat considered a criminal of any sort:mad:.

It may take some time and extra effort but I'm determined to be a firefighter no matter what it takes!

[Ash702]

Hey Brother, I understand where you are coming from. After I turned 18, I was arrested and "Detained" overnight for a high school prank gone wrong. No body was hurt, but I was charged with 3 felonies:eek: Everything was dropped by the DA, but did have an official arrest on the books. During my background, I brought in the arrest record and showed it to the chief that was interviewing me. Put it all on the table and got through it just fine.
Now your cir**BLEEP****BLEEP****BLEEP**stances are certainly different. You might want to find out to what extent it is on your record and come up with a way to describe the incident where you don't sound like a trouble making thug. I'm saying to be up front about it, without saying "I beat the shiit out of a guy and did a year in juvie!" Take responsibility for it in as positive a way as you can. If you scored high enough and they like you in your oral, sometimes things will go your way.
I also agree with firemedic301, if you become a medic, your chances will increase.
Good Luck....and don't ever hesitate to ask for help or advise in here. Take what you want out it. Use what you can and throw the other $hit away!

[firemedic301]

My next bit of advise is if you are planning to go to Medic school, then my opinion is you should get working with AMR or whatever ambulance company is in your area. The money isn't the greatest but, the experience will be invaluable!!!!!! And, it is a great way to meet and get to know they FD guy's you'll run with. It will also give you some perspective of the otherside of the business. Spend a few years on the "BOX" paying some dues and it will make it that much sweeter when you get your FIRE job.

[firej1212]

Thank guys, this site is awesome!

[trkmant46]

firej1212:

If and when your background comes into play, you need to be honest with the investigator that is handling it. We have all done some stupid things as teen agers and depts nationwide will always take that into consideration.

They will look at what you have done with your life since that day and whether or not you have made a positive change for yourself. Depts have hired guys with DUI's and more in the past, it comes down to what you have done since that fateful day!

If you have completed your FF-1 training, there are some GREAT ways to gain valuable experience as a FF. although I am not against AMR or other ambulance experience you need to look for experience as a FF. Nationwide there are several Large depts that have "internship" programs or "live-in" programs that allow you to work as a FF, you just have to live in the station for a short amount of time. I would love to have done this when I was younger. Work in DC, MD or NY seeing what its like their!
Then there is also CDF which is a VERY VALUABLE resource for getting experience as a FF. I know now a days depts like to see some experience as a FF. It shows that you have done the job and have soome experience to offer.

Either way, keep all your options and open and dont be afraid to do "brush" thing or even commercial Firefighting like at exxon. The more experience the better.

Good Luck

[firemedic301]

Trkmant46 is correct about the Reserve programs around different FD's. But, again MEDIC school, MEDIC school, MEDIC school!!!! If you want to test against 25 guy's for every one spot go to MEDIC school or you can test against 200 guy's for one spot as a FF. This is the day and age of ALS in the fire service!!! Bottom line is the public is much more apt to pay for FF/PM's then to add FF's and so are Fire Chiefs. Just my honest opinion from here in Southern California (which is all I know about). I spent 3 years under the CDF umbrella (when San Bernardino Co. was managed by CDF) I was lucky enough to get the respect of CDF station 5 Capt's and BC George Pond (as his driver) to go on almost all there Strike team assignments for a couple years, and the experience I gained was invaluble but, I still think Private Ambulance is where it is at!!!! Get comfortable walking in on medical aids (you know the thing we all do 85% of the time) Fire experience will come and most Depts put on their own "TOWERS" to teach you "THEIR" way.
Check out San Bernardino County Fire Department for "PAID CALL" experience and the cool thing with County is with in a year, you can be an Engineer. And be fast tracked to a fulltime spot if you BROWN nose the right people (sorry, did I say that out loud???) GOOD LUCK again.

[trkmant46]

I agree with firemedic on one point, Medic school is very important, because over the last 15 yrs depts have been hiring alot of the nurses! Saves us money...
However, I dis-agree about the ambulance service. Unless you are unable to get hired by a dept. either as a seasonal, LT, or whatever then go to an ambulance company and work as a volunteer, PCF or Reserve until then.
It's very easy to get stuck into the gurney jockey career. I know, I DID it for 4yrs! So dont get me wrong, I think ambulance experience is great, but if you can get on as a ff you would be ahead of the rest!
But remember, who is first onscene 95% of the time in most california cities-Fire...
Look, experience can come in many different feilds and we want well rounded Firefighters! Get experience as an FF/EMT and not just 6mos either. In order to be a sucessful Nurse(medic), you need to have at least a 1 yr of running calls and doing the assesments. I have precepted way too many students that just cant grasp it with less than 1yr of running calls.
The internship/Live in programs throughout the country allow you to actually fight fire, train and eventually even get hired. Its all up to you!