Choosing to become a firefighter will give you the chance to enjoy a very challenging and rewarding career, keeping people and property safe from harm, learning more about what it takes to become a licensed firefighter may be the first step that you take towards the job you have always dreamed of having. A great deal of class time as well as working experiences and hours in the field must be logged before you may be able to get a license. The training and physical conditioning needed to pass a firefighter test may be considerable.
Firefighting academies differ from their requirements, class structure and number of field hours needed for recruits to becomes licensed. The amount of time and effort needed to complete a state approved academy may vary depending on where you live, so making sure to look into your states requirements is not a concern that you will want to overlook. Class room and course work portions of any academy may range from between a single semester lasting roughly six months, to longer courses for higher levels of certification and states that require more intensive training for firefighters.
Class time is not the only challenge that is facing would be firefighters, field training, physical fitness and time spent with real professionals on the job will also need to be taken into account. The workload needed to complete all these portions of the program can be considerable, so you would be best served by preparing yourself for an extended challenge. Real world skills are just as important for firefighters as what can be learned in the classroom.
Systems, departments and state wide licensing organizations are increasingly requiring firefighter to receive certification as an EMT as well. While some academies offer this program in concert with fire suppression training, you may end up having to enroll in a separate program to ensure you are able to achieve any additional certification that is required to begin working in the field.