Motivation: The Firefighter's Mindset
How to develop the determination and resilience needed to outlast the challenging firefighter application process and why it's all worth it in the end.
The Competition Reality
You have to realize you're competing against people who will and are working WAY harder than you. To make yourself competitive, understand the type of people that are getting interviews:
- Crazy lunatics working 60 hour weeks in confined space while doing patient transfer on the side while taking courses on the weekend
- On call emergency spill responders dishing out hundreds if not thousands of dollars for interview prep and additional courses
Age Is Just a Number
To the young applicants, you may be competing against men and women in their 30s and 40s who have established careers and a work ethic that robs them of sleep until they get on. Take this seriously and commit yourself to the process.
In contrast, more mature applicants may be competing against younger applicants with financial freedom and the energy to get it done and check all the boxes their freedom allows.
The Do or Die Attitude
WORK HARD AND SMART, and you will make up for it once you hit the jackpot and get on a department. And trust me, you WILL get on a department. Adopt the DO OR DIE attitude and embrace the suck. It'll make the reward that much sweeter.
The Investment Worth Making
Put in the time now and you'll make it back later. This process sucks. And it's meant to. Remember you're applying for arguably one of the most desired jobs in Canada.
You'll spend money on OFAI, York, Interview Prep, Chapter 5 courses, and a plethora of other seemingly meaningless crap. Every time you apply and get passed on makes it all seem worthless. Every time you fail OFAI you'll wonder, what the hell am I doing.
But hang in and know that many firefighters do this for YEARS before they get a single interview. Outlast the suck and learn everything you can on the way. This is how great firefighters are made.
Once you get on, you'll realize it - all of the money burnt, all of the weekends spent doing courses/working while your buddies were busy getting crosseyed - it was all the best investment you've ever made in yourself.
The Ultimate Reward
There's a reason almost every firefighter you'll talk to says it's the best job in the world. All the uncertainty, the burnt weekends, time and money spent, and stress endured will be more than worth it. Take it from us, it's a rite of passage. You're applying for a life of no regrets and an experience that will give you the greatest sense of pride and purpose you can ask for.