How to Be a Firefighter in Georgia
Firefighters are essential parts of every community, providing 24-hours-a-day firefighting and life-saving services to those in need. If you dream of working as a full-time firefighter in Georgia, you'll need to meet the basic prerequisites for employment and successfully complete a rigorous training program. As of July 1, 2004 this training program was required for anyone working as a full-time firefighter in Georgia. Requirements for part-time and volunteer firefighters are determined by each individual jurisdiction.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Meet the state requirements for certification as a firefighter. These requirements include being at least 18 years of age, having a high school diploma or GED, undergoing a criminal background check and not having been convicted of a felony within the past 10 years. However, you may be accepted as a firefighter if you participated in the Department of Corrections Firefighting Program while incarcerated in the Georgia prison system.
-
2
Apply for a firefighting position at a state-approved fire department in Georgia. Check the Georgia Firefighter Standards and Training Council (GFSTC) website (gfstconline.org) for a list of departments that meet Georgia's certification regulations. Without certification, you'll be eligible to work as either a part-time or a volunteer firefighter. You may also be hired as a full-time firefighter under the provision that you'll need to successfully complete all of the necessary requirements for certification.
-
-
3
To become a state-certified firefighter, have a medical exam to prove that you're in good health, pass the GFSTC physical agility test, and submit to an investigation by the Training Council to ensure you're of "good moral character." This investigation includes a criminal background check to look for recent convictions related to stealing, lying, cheating or similar offenses. Before you're permitted to begin training as a firefighter in Georgia, you must pass both the physical and mental tests as given by the Training Council. You'll take all of these tests through the fire department where you are employed.
-
4
Have the training officer at your fire department fill out and submit a Student Authorization Form on your behalf so you can register for the Georgia Basic Firefighter Training Course. The eight-week course prepares students for careers as firefighters through a series of classroom instruction, physical fitness and field training. As an employee of a fire department in Georgia, there is no charge to take the course.
-
5
Successfully complete the Georgia Firefighter Certification Examination. You'll be eligible to register for the exam through the Training Council after completing the basic training program. The multiple-choice exam tests your knowledge of information learned during the basic training course. Topics include how to handle hazardous materials, fire behavior, ventilation, search and rescue, fire response and CPR.
-
6
Submit an Application for Firefighter Certification to the Training Council. As part of your application package, you'll need the application information sheet, a personal history release form, a copy of your birth certificate, your FBI background and fingerprint results, your moral character form, a signed medical affidavit, your physical agility form and a copy of your high school diploma or GED.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Private citizens are eligible to take the Basic Firefighting Course, though they must pay for their tuition, meals and related expenses. Keep in mind, however, that you won't be eligible for certification until you join a Georgia fire department as a volunteer, part-time or full-time firefighter.
References
- Photo Credit Siri Stafford/Lifesize/Getty Images
