Fire Wind water

Author: barneygarcia

Firefighting is no longer just the domain of the male. Just like every other career, trade, or profession women have made inroads into this traditionally male territory. Though some women may be discouraged by the usually male traits required to become a firefighter there are other characteristics that make a good firefighter. If you are not ready to make a full-time commitment to being a firefighter, you can volunteer to see how it fits your life.

A good firefighter must be honest and dependable. Showing up and showing up on time is unisex trait. If you learn quickly and can remember what you learned and apply that knowledge under pressure you are a good candidate to become a firefighter. Because of the nature of the job, a firefighter must be in great physical shape and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Team play is a necessary function of the firefighter as is respect for co-workers and members of the public.

Good communication skills and common sense are traits appreciated in a firefighter. You need to be emotionally stable and a sense of humor is appreciated in this job as it is in any other. Flexibility and open-minded is also needed. No one person can have all of these attributes, and if they did, as a group their strengths would be redundant and their weaknesses magnified. Each person, male or female, can offer some of these traits and contribute to the team and make it strong.

The hours of work for a firefighter can be irregular and shift work is always involved. There are very real risks involved in fighting fires, from buildings collapsing to the chemicals you are exposed to as materials burn. There have been numerous articles in newspapers lately about firefighters getting cancer more often than ordinary citizens. Firefighters are required to learn how to deal with a lot of different types of equipment and materials to deal with hazardous spills.

Firefighters enjoy the comradeship of their co-workers and because they spend time in very dangerous situations they develop lifelong bonds with their fellow firefighters. In the last few years we have seen calendars featuring male firefighters wearing very little and displaying their very developed bodies for various fund raising goals. So, even though firefighting is a dangerous and often life threatening occupation it’s not all work and no play. Firefighting is a career choice with a lot of job satisfaction. Putting your life on the line for others can be very rewarding indeed.

Source: Free Articles

Author: Richard Mcmunn

One of the noblest jobs today is probably that of a firefighter or a paramedic. It is a job that requires an extreme level of physical as well as emotional strength. This is because these jobs involving one of the most important activities that can ever be, i.e. protecting and saving human lives under threatening conditions. Another example of one of the most selfless of activities is that which is carried out by the Ambulance Service.

It is only common for teenagers to be attracted by thrills and risks that are attached to these professions. Knowledge of subject such as community awareness and virtue of equality, fairness and diversity are the prerequisites of these professions. It is important to evaluate oneself to if these qualities are ingrained within the self. These professions might even require the professional to sacrifice oneself while trying to save the lives of others.

The filling in of the application forms correctly giving adequate details is the very first step to becoming a firefighter and a paramedic. It is not as simple as it sounds. A lot goes into writing a proper application form. Sampling a few responses is advised because the candidate understands the certain sections and aspects of the job and his or her fulfilling the required specific criterion is observed quite closely. Following this, the potential firefighter or paramedic needs to undergo a written test along with certain technical exercises like map reading, numeracy and literacy exercises including work related fitness tests. Psychological tests are of optimum relevance for jobs of this kind.

Individual interviews are also conducted to test each candidate’s presence of mind and their ability to perform well in extremely difficult and hostile situations. Firefighters or paramedics should have strong determination and will power, and hence their mental stability and strength is also assessed via numerous tests. Persons who are too emotional are not fit for these professions. As an advice for pre-examination preparation, candidates can always go through sample papers to get a fair idea about what to expect.

Both paramedics and firefighters work under similar crisis situations. These include like accidents and terror attacks and similar difficult moments. Both jobs require an in depth technical knowledge to deal with victims who have been subjected to extreme mental and physical injury. A paramedic deals in giving the victims the all important pre-hospital aid like intravenous injections which can often save lives. Both a firefighter and a paramedic compliment each other, combining their respective expertise in protecting and saving lives.

Both paramedics and firefighters need to have sound technical knowledge and manual handling skills. In fact, firefighters have to adept in handling Community Fire Safety, Smoke Alarms, Home Fire Safety Checks, Property Fire and various other types of rescues as well as Road Traffic Collisions, Integrated Personal Development System and also Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). A paramedic, on the other hand, must be acquainted with the details of the Ambulance Service.

The 9/11 and 26/11 tragedies brought the professions of firefighters and paramedics much recognition. It was only after these massive blows to mankind that common men began to realize the importance of firefighters and paramedics. They symbolize valor, strength and humanity.
(ArticlesBase ID #865174)

Source: articlesbase.com