I had the chance to attend the Fire Alumni Firefighter Workshop on February 24 and I must say that these guys are offering the real deal in terms of what it takes to get hired. While the event was focused on becoming hired by a fire district, a lot of the information could actually be carried over to other careers.
Fire Alumni was created with the goal of taking the mystery out of the entry level hiring process and help highlight the path to a career in fire services,” said East Contra Costa Fire Protection District Battalion Chief and co-owner of Fire Alumni Brian Helmick. “The Workshop helps potential candidates confirm they want to be in the service while also lets people know it may not be for them.”
This post is not meant to be a sales job, but instead a very brief overview as the 8-hour event featured a wealth of knowledge that likely could have broken down over 8-days because it was that impactful. Also, I was on hand taking pictures so I was unable moving around for a majority of the event but here is what I remember most.
For example, the Being the Ideal Candidate discussion was a paradigm shift from what some may think is considered a perfect fit versus reality. For example, the discussion focused on how a person could be the most qualified candidate on paper, but they also need to be mentally fit which was focused around goal oriented, drive and determination, and strong minded such as willing to put aside differences for the good of the team.
Another helpful tip I found was in the 25-reasons to hire you where I found Number 13 to be a very useful tip which stated that you should be hired because you prepared for the position, not just the test or interview. The full list of 25-was very refreshing.
State Fire Marshal Tanya Hoover gave a brilliant hour-long presentation about what skills are needed to be a firefighter—again; this could carry over to other careers. While she got into some pretty detailed explanations, here talking points focused on five principles.
- Embrace all duties of the job
- Understand the liabilities of the job
- Know the working environment
- Know your responsibilities
- Have the ability to adapt and overcome.
She concluded her presentation about not looking at today, but rather also take into consideration the future such as health care changes, community risk, data junkies and cost of service.
While I could go on about the 8-hr course, I do want to touch on the social media aspect of the session given by Justin Schorr who puts out “The Happy Medic”. His course relates to every person on this planet in the technology age we live in and how It should be used when looking for a job and while having a job—his basic rules came down to if Grandma would be unhappy to see it, it probably shouldn’t be posted. If your boss would not be happy reading it, you probably shouldn’t post it.
Finally, Contra Costa Fire Protection District Battalion Chief Bob Atlas discussed The Playbook, which is a book designed to help a future firefighter in the process of getting hired. The idea behind this special book was to keep one focused and on the path while staying focused on achieving goals.
One of the “cool” things about the event was the lunch break because attendees were able to speak to the instructors freely (as shown below in pictures) and ask lots of questions. Resumes were also shared for tips. In any field, opportunities like that are rare to be able to speak openly to industry experts.
The event featured over 300 attendees with some coming from as far south as Los Angeles and as far north as the state of Washington.
Again, I could go on and on about this event and I apologize if I left speakers and guests off this recap, but I would need another 30,000 words and I’ll spare you. Check out the photos below and be on the look out for the next event announcement on http://firealumni.com/ or follow them on Facebook.
This is an investment anyone could get something out of when looking for a job or simply trying to stay motivated in whatever their goals may be.
Topics Included:
- Being the Ideal Candidate
- Preparation for the Job
- Education
- Chiefs Interviews
- How to Remain Motivated
- Technology in the Hiring Process
- Application and Resume Development
- Discipline and Accountability
- Changing Paradigms
- Written Exam Prep
- The Playbook
Here are some photos of the event:
Fire Alumni was created by Bob Atlas, Battalion Chief, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District and Brian Helmick, Battalion Chief, East Contra Costa Fire Protection District and Fire Alumni. Also involved in the project is Judon Cherry, Fire Engineer/Paramedic, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District and Fire Alumni new media producer; Ron Johansen, Firefighter, San Francisco Fire Department and Fire Program Coordinator at Las Positas College.
For more information on Fire Alumni, visit their website: http://firealumni.com/
