Being a firefighter is an exciting and rewarding career. Being a Pleasantview firefighter requires more than being just a firefighter. All of our firefighters are also paramedics. Being a firefighter/paramedic is the best of both worlds – the excitement of fighting fires and the gratification of saving lives.
The basic requirements to be a Pleasantview Firefighter/Paramedic are to:
– Have a high school diploma, or equivalent
– Be 21 years of age, but not older than 35
– Be an Illinois licensed paramedic at the time of appointment
– Be a Certified Firefighter II by the Illinois State Fire Marshal
If you haven’t met all the requirements above, don’t fret. Our eligibility list (a hiring list that is established after testing is performed) is good for two years, which will give you some time to attain the required certifications.
While you’re working on your paramedic certification, you’ll want to stay in top physical condition. Your physical fitness will also be measured as part of the testing process.
You will want to take the CPAT (Candidate Physical Ability Test). If you are not in good physical shape, you will want to work hard on fixing that. The CPAT will challenge your physical ability to perform the job of firefighter. When you pass the CPAT, you will be issued a card indicating that you have passed the test. You will need a current CPAT card at the time of hire.
Check our website employment page for future testing dates. When the testing is announced, follow the weblinks provided on the website and carefully read and follow the instructions provided. It is very important that you carefully follow the instructions – an overlooked step in the process can cost you the opportunity to complete the testing process.
If we have a current eligibility list that isn’t expiring soon, check the internet, newspapers, or you can subscribe to a website that sends you e-mail announcements of fire departments that are in the testing process (read the announcements carefully, not all fire departments have the same requirements as Pleasantview). Our suggestion to you is that we would love to have you working for us, but don’t limit your opportunities with other fire departments. The fire service in our area is very competitive with hundreds of people competing for a few openings on a career department. To tell you the truth, many departments operate the same way we do, they just might have different rank structures; different colored apparatus; or differing governing bodies. Believe it or not, all fire departments are basically the same; they use water to put out fires; treat patients with pre-established protocols; and have employees that joined because they enjoy helping people.
Our testing process is normally conducted by I.O. Solutions. The initial testing process includes a mandatory orientation – an overview of the fire service and our department and a written test. When this phase of the testing is complete, an eligibility list is created based on the final testing results of all the candidates that passed each testing phase.
When we have a need to hire a new firefighter/paramedic, the eligibility list is used to select new hires for our fire department, starting at candidate number one.
If you are next on the list, we will offer you a probationary firefighter/paramedic position. You will be asked to either accept or decline the offer. When you accept the offer, we will conduct a thorough background investigation; a review of your training and certifications; an oral interview; and require you to take a physical medical exam.
If you have passed everything up to this point, you will then be required to take a paramedic entry test that will enable you to work as a paramedic within the Good Samaritan Hospital Medical System.
Congratulations, you have made it….you are a Probationary Pleasantview Firefighter/Paramedic, traditionally known as a “Boot”.