FireZineMar08

Estimated reading time 1 - 3 minutes for any segment!

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In This Issue
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1. Quick Presentation Skills Tip

2. Entry Level Skills Tip

3. Robs Corner

4. Promotional Level Skills Tip
     (Entry level should read this too)

5. New Badges

6. Humor

7. Resource Websites for Candidates

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1.      Quick Presentation Skills Tip
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Game Day---Are you Ready

It wouldn't take you long sitting on an oral board panel or working with candidates to discover even with all their qualifications how many candidates are not prepared to take a firefighter interview.

Even when you attempt to give them a plan it doesn’t always sink in until they come up empty handed and hit a wall.

Some friends introduced an aspiring firefighter candidate Steve to us 5 years ago. A plan was established. Every once in awhile I would hear or run into Steve and checked on how he was progressing. I didn’t think he was getting the message about preparing for the interview.

Steve started adding on credentials, became a volunteer, worked a couple of seasons for CDF and landed a position with a regional park FD. He was still testing for a larger department but kept coming up empty handed even with an impressive resume. Hey, Steve are you using that recorder still? How about sitting down and we can go over some of the questions? Time was never right.

Then, Steve got into the running for big great department. The only thing between him and that badge was the oral. On Thanksgiving morning I ran into Steve at Starbucks. His interview was the following Monday. Forty were going in for 10 positions. Steve was sitting in the high 20’s.

I told Steve to sit down because I wanted to run 3 oral board questions by him. By the third question he said he was spent, his head was spinning and sure wasn’t ready for his interview. I told him our son Captain Rob was on his way to our house for Thanksgiving and if he had some time I would call him to drop by. Rob’s family was running late so I called Steve to come over. With both of us in the room, Rob starts a coaching session with the audio/video recording. The first question Steve goes silent. OK, lets try another. Same response. Oh, boy. I announced I was leaving the room.

Things finally got rolling. The big thing Rob brought out was Steve was doing a lot of spinning his wheels before he got around to answering the questions. Steve kept saying, thank you, thank you, I’m so glad I’m here.

Monday was game day. Steve calls and say that although he didn’t spin his wheels as much he’s not sure how good he did. I told him he probably did better than he thought.

We’ll good enough to nail number 9 position and starts the academy next week.

Steve said I had told him 5 years ago what he needed to do but it wasn’t until that morning at Starbucks that he realized how much time he had wasted in not preparing for the oral interview.

How much time have you wasted by not being ready on game day and you didn’t know it? How much money could you have save in your pursuit of being a firefighter if you hadn’t wasted opportunities by not scoring high enough like Steve and didn’t know it?

How much more money could you and your wife had spent over the last year or so by getting that badge? I asked a candidate who was from California and moved to Florida to get a job. Now he was trying to come home. He flew out from Florida to do coaching with Rob. He said as a Firefighter/Medic in Florida he was pretty comfortable. When I told him I know firefighter/medics that were making more than $140,000 a year (yea, with OT) he got real quite and then said that’s $80,000 more than I make now.

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Check out http://www.eatstress.com and learn how entry
level and promotional candidates are improving their interview scores up
to 15 points and nailing that badge!

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Want Captain Bob to come speak to your group? See
http://www.eatstress.com/seminar.htm

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2. Entry Level Skills Tip
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What does this have to do with anything?

That’s what a few posters wrote after I put up this video link:

http://my.break.com/content/view.aspx?ContentID=453552

I responded with: Ah, think scenario?

Still confused I posted:

Here's what I saw in the video as a possible oral board question in this hiring section:

Oral board question:

You’re a firefighter Paramedic/EMT on scene of a vehicle accident with injuries on the freeway when another rig arrives with an officer to assist you and blocks traffic for scene safety. When a police officer on the scene orders the rig to be moved to open a lane of traffic is refused he arrests the fire officer.

What do you do?

Considerations: Stay focused on scene safety, patient care, extrication and transport as ordered.

Someone posted yea, that get asked all the time. Ha

A few posters came back and said they were asked similar scenarios. Then this:

This is at least the third time I have heard about this video, I have received it twice via email. Do you really think that the Officers that are involved in any hiring process are not going to use this as an example or question. If you don't think they will use it, then you are not very prepared for anything that they will ask you. I have been asked questions regarding stealing, drinking in the station, you name it. This is something that a majority of the Fire Service has seen and has an opinion on.

My response:

It’s not uncommon for an agency to ask an oral board question that has to do with a situation that happened on their department i.e. You’re on a call and you see a bag of what looks like pot fall out of your buddies shirt pocket. What do you do? This actually happened on this department.

I believe there are only about 30 oral board questions. Plus or minus a couple. But these 30 can be disguised into hundreds of different questions.

ffbam24 pointed out two different ways he was presented this scenario question. There are many, many more. Other ways it can be disguised are an irate citizen, emotional family member on the scene, etc. So, if you go back and watch the video again you will see the crew focused on scene safety, patient care and extrication to clear the scene.

Here is a simple way to break a disguised question down. Dissect the question down to its simplest term, one word, of what the question is really about. Once you have removed the disguise, you can place it in one of the 30 plus oral board questions you already have practiced answers with a hand held recorder that goes everywhere you car keys go.

Check Rob’s Corner below for his posting on this topic.

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If someone asks you what you need to help you get a firefighter badge, tell them you want our Gold Package with the companion “It’s Your Turn in the Hot Seat” CD Series!!! Check it out here!:
http://www.eatstress.com/special_offer.htm

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While You’re here get a 10 day test drive of selected inside secrets how to get a badge. Learn more here:

http://www.eatstress.com/testdriveintro.htm

Bottom line getting a badge is all presentation skills!

Check out http://www.eatstress.com/faq.htm for the FREE 101 Inside
Secrets How to Get a Badge!

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Ask Captain Bob any questions

E-mail Mailto:captbob@eatstress.com

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The secret Formula to get a badge here: http://www.eatstress.com/formula.htm
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3. Robs Corner
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I have heard a number of questions asked that were a direct result of something that has happened with that department.

From a department near Columbine, Colo. Just after the school shootings, “What are your felling on gun control?” followed by “What would a person with the opposite opinion say?”

Others from other departments:

“You arrive early for a shift and hear guys from the other shift making derogatory comments about a gal working at another station. What do you do?”

“You are new at a station and you hear people talking about how they all abuse sick leave. What do you do, if anything?”

“We know at this point most of the people we are offering jobs to are going to be on other lists. If we offer you a job, will you leave if offered another position?” This was question asked by a department that had suffered the loss of the last 5 new hires to bigger departments.

Asked by San Diego fire, “Are you aware that we pay very little and our retirement is in huge trouble? Did you know there is a good chance we will have to lay people off in the near future? If so, why are you here asking for a job?”

It doesn’t hurt to know a little about the department you are testing for. If they have been in the news for something recently, they may ask a question based on that incident. But at the same time you don’t want to get too involved. One guy worked for a neighboring agency, he was asked a question about an incident the department had experienced. He knew the people invloved and didn't like the way the department had handled it. He got caught up in defending the guy and used his name. That was the end of his interview and chances with that department.

Where ever you might be stuck in the hiring process from the written or video testing, physical agility CPAT, oral interview, psych interview, background, polygraph, or medical, you can find new powerful information on Captain Rob’s new web site here: www.myfireinterview.com

CAPTAIN ROB (Thank you)
NRTC@SONIC.NET

http://www.myfireinterview.com

For more on entry level coaching visit
http://www.myfireinterview.com/private%20coaching.htm

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4. Promotional Level Skills Tip
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I have some questions regarding the assessment center. I hope you can give me ideas to answer these questions that can make the difference in getting the badge.

1. It states to wear the" uniform of the day" to the oral. Would that be
class" A "(dress uniform) or class" B "(station wear)?

CB Reply: It depends on what's traditional for your department. Uniform
of the day usually means class B, but ask.

2. For the Incident Management/Technical exercise, candidates will be
given written information and possibly a graphical representation of an
incident if necessary. The information package will also include a
question asking the candidate to state how he/she will address the
incident presented in the scenario making sure to address the following
issues if they apply to the scenario:

a. Size - up
b. Your priorities
c. Strategy and tactic
d. Apparatus placement
e. Water supply

Would you express your answer as if you were communicating with a radio
dispatch center and the first arriving on scene (i.e. : Engine 1 to
dispatch, Engine 1 is on the scene 2 1/2 story wood frame residential
structure". and so on) or in a chronological order (“My size -up is a 2
1/2 story wood frame residential structure, My priorities would be life
safety, confinement and exposure protection" etc.)

CB: On many of these they might first show you all sides of the
building. Then you get to decide when to attack the fire. Make sure to
ask to see all sides again before you decide. Make sure you express a
plan first before going into tactics. It could be as simple as "I would
confine the fire to the apartment or origin." Then, they might show you
a picture and say you have five minutes. What would you do? Then
another picture further along in the fire where they will give you
another five minutes to tell them what you would do, etc.

3 .I don't know if this exam is going to be if front of a panel or not.
I do know that we will be recorded on a computer. If there is a panel is
it better to enter the room and sit down at the table or stand and give
your presentation?

CB: Most candidates will sit. If given the option and you're
comfortable standing it could change the dimension of the segment in
your favor.

4. In the scoring section for the tactical exercise, under # 2
Decision-Making / Planning and Organizing it states "Develops a
strategic plan that takes life safety, extinguishment, exposures
protection, and conservation concerns into consideration. Formulates
plans based on available resources and information." That is out of
order according to the books I have read. Life safety, confinement,
extinguishment is the order in John Normans book on tactics. What order would you follow?

CB: See the fire first. Then make your decision on what you see and
department policy. Never forget the best rescue and control of the fire
is an aggressive attack on the fire. Too many candidates are overly
concerned about concentrating on getting boxes checked off on the rating sheet for staging, rehab, search and rescue, salvage, Ric team, etc that they lose control of the fire. In other words go put the fire out.

Promotions

Capt Bob,I just wanted to let you know that you can finally add me to the long list of Capt Bob success stories! It has been a long 11 months, but I was officially notified today of my promotion to Lieutenant. Your program, but more importantly your coaching session, gave me the confidence I needed to get through the oral and physiological portions of the exam. The chief informed me today that I scored number one through all 3 portions of the exam. I believe that your program, along with countless hours of studying and hard work made the difference. I begin tomorrow morning at 8 am. Thanks again for your help and support. I will certainly recommend your program to the members who are preparing for the next exam.

Best regards,Jeff Kaplan,Lieutenant

Englewood (NJ) Fire Department

Got the Badge

Captain Bob; I am writing to inform you of my promotion to CAPTAIN here @ Salt Lake City Fire Department, on January 8,2008. THANK YOU!!!!!

Fraternally Marc Morger

Captain, B-Platoon

Salt Lake City Fire Department

Wait! While you're here Captain Bob wants to give you a 10 day FREE test drive of selected inside secrets how to get a promotional badge. Learn more here: http://www.eatstress.com/promointro.htm

For more on our promotional program visit
http://www.eatstress.com/promo.htm

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5. New Badges
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I did it!

Captain Bob,

this was the first position I applied for. . .

A little background about myself. . .

I am 39 years old, married to my wife for 13 years and have two elementary school aged boys. Three years ago I was sitting behind a desk at a very comfortable career job of 10 years. . . and unhappy. After many late night discussions with my wife, we decided to move to a rural community with a lower cost of living in order for me to pursue a more fulfilling career. At the time I didn’t know it would be firefighting. A few months after moving I went to my local fire department and signed up to be a volunteer. Volunteering did for me what 7 years of school (BS & MBA) and 12 years of working in private industry couldn’t do. . . it showed me the opportunity for a career that is the most personally fulfilling thing I have ever been a part of.

About a year ago I decided I was going to pursue a career position in the fire service. I got EMT-B certified through my local department, put myself through a community college fire academy (where I graduated top of my class) and began picking up as many per-diem shifts as I could for experience. Of course, I purchased your book and CD and followed it religiously.

About three weeks ago I passed the written for a local, rural department and was then invited to the oral board. After the oral board last week I was invited to the Chief’s interview which was yesterday morning. Yesterday afternoon the chief called and offered me the badge and I start next Wednesday!

By the way, this was the first position I applied for. . .

While we have never met and only spoke very briefly on the phone, I want to thank you for your help. While I believe I am a qualified candidate, I truly would not have been able to perform in the oral as well as I did without your help. Sincerely, Lance

Oh yeah, I still get choked up about every 5 minutes thinking about it. . .

Got the Call:

Here's what I feel helped me the most.

1-Do something every day (every day) to move forward in the process. Whether it is workout, study, volunteer, practice, talk to experts, just do something.

2-Suck it up and spend the money to buy Capt. Bob's program.

3-Start early on practicing for your orals. Use the tape recorder even if you think you don't need it. (I was sure I didn't need it until I used it.)

4-Keep believing and don't lose the faith.

5- Go to the gym again and again, and again....

I know the hard part is to come with both the academy and probation.
Thanks again, GBWW

I Made it!

Capt. Bob, I finally secured my conditional offer of employment yesterday at 4pm. I could have never made it without your help. I'm a 36 year old energizer bunny with all the pressure in the world on my shoulders. Your program is the real deal. I tested for 15 years before I received the gold package. Thank you very, very , very, much from the bottom of my heart. I can't put my feelings into words right now and I hope you understand. Make sure you write me back to tell me what my badge number will be. Training starts March 5th. Tony Grazziano

Tony’s badge is 2,535 in our program.

Capt Bob,Just wanted to let you know the good news. I came out number three on the engineers exam and have been given a badge. There was three immediate openings and there will be two more this year. I was in the first round! Who would of thought after four short years three different departments I would get promoted to engineer. I also have gotten married and now have a daughter. For anyone that doesn't believe your program works is out of there mind. I am living proof that it works and has worked multiple times. I can't thank you enough for all the help and countless phone conversations you have given me. With a little hard work and motivation you can achieve anything. The next step is Captain and even though I'm not ready yet I will be when the time comes. To everyone out there that wants this job don't stop Trying and don't give up it is the best job in the world and is worth doing what it takes to get a badge. Thank you and you will be hearing from me. Please pass this on to your son Captain Rob who did my entry level coaching, and thank him as well I know you have helped many candidates and will surly help many more to achieve there dream. Chris

I got the badge!

Captain Bob, and Captain Rob,I am still overwhelmed and at a loss for words. One thing I can say is thank you! I am now coming back home where I started as a Reserve Firefighter. The service that you two provide is so valuable. After purchasing your gold package and driving out to Captain Rob's house in Gurneyville for a private coaching session my scores sky rocketed. I noticed that I had an edge over the competition. By using your service as well as the service wwwFireCareers.com I was able to stay on top of the game. I continue to send prospective candidates your way and will continue to do so in the future.

Thanks again! I have to go and begin packing!! Jared

More badges here: http://eatstress.com/testbest.htm

To see how candidates have improved their position in gaining a badge
visit
http://www.eatstress.com/newpage152.htm

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Check out the current "Bonus Nugget" oral board tip
http://www.eatstress.com/bonusnugget.htm

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6. Humor

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Because I am a man

Because I'm a man, when I lock my keys in the car, I will fiddle with a

coat hanger long after hypothermia has set in. Calling AAA is not an

option. I will win.

_________________________________________________________

Because I'm a man, when the car isn't running very well, I will pop the

hood and stare at the engine as if I know what I'm looking at. If

another man shows up, one of us will say to the other, 'I used to be

able to fix these things, but now with all these computers and

everything, I wouldn't know where to start.' We will then drink a

couple of beers and break wind, as a form of holy communion.

_________________________________________________________

Because I'm a man, when I catch a cold , I need someone to bring me

soup and take care of me while I lie in bed and moan. You're a woman.

You never get as sick as I do, so for you, this is no problem .

____________________________________________________ _____________

Because I'm a man, I can be relied upon to purchase basic groceries at

the store, like milk or bread. I cannot be expected to find exotic

items like 'cumin' or 'tofu.' For all I know, these are the same thing.

_________________________________________________________________

Because I'm a man, when one of our appliances stops working, I will

insist on taking it apart, despite evidence that this will just cost me

twice as much once the repair person gets here and has to put it back

together.

_________________________________________________________________

Because I'm a man, I must hold the television remote control in my hand

while I watch TV. If the thing has been misplaced, I may miss a whole

show looking for it, though one time I was able to survive by holding a

calculator instead (applies to engineers only)

_________________________________________________________________

Be cause I'm a man, there is no need to ask me what I'm thinking about.

The true answer is always either beer, sports, sex, cars or sex. I

have to make up something else when you ask, so just don't ask.

________________________________________________________________

Because I'm a man, you don't have to ask me if I liked the movie.

Chances are, if you're crying at the end of it, I didn't... and if you

are feeling amorous afterwards . . then I will certainly at least

remember the name and recommend it to others.

__________________________________________________________________

Because I'm a man, I think what you're wearing is fine. The color is

just fine. I thought what you were wearing five minutes ago was fine,

too. Either pair of shoes is fine. Jewelry adds to the outfit, any

pieces are fine. With the belt or without it, looks fine.

It does not make your rear end look too big. It was the pasta and

potatoes and margaritas that did that. Your hair is fine. You look

fine. Can we just go now?

__________________________________________________________________

Because I'm a man, and this is, after all, the year 2008, I will share

equally in the housework. You just do the laundry, the cooking, the

cleaning, the vacuuming, and the dishes, and I'll do the rest. Like

wandering around in the garden with a beer, wondering what to do.

_______________________________________________________________

This has been a public service message for women to better understand

Men.

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7. Resource Websites for Candidates: http://www.eatstress.com/hotlinks.htm

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==> SHARE YOUR TIP or STORY. Send it to captbob@eatstress.com

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Nothing counts til you have the badge . . . Absolutely Nothing!
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Code 3 Publishing. Fire Captain Bob Smith, Speaker, Author, Publisher
Information Products on How to Get a Badge.
Web site: http://www.eatstress.com Over 300 pages of helpful
information.
Phone: 888-238-3959 local 925-846-3959 Fax: 925-846-9650
E-mail Mailto:captbob@eatstress.com

Remember, absolutely nothing counts 'til you have the badge. Nothing!

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Although our products are sold separately, I would suggest you order Gold Package Program and our companion "It's Your Turn in the Hot Seat" CD series here: Special offer program

SALE!! The Gold Package Program with companion "It's Your Turn in the Hot Seat" CD series. Our Best Program Bargain Offer Ever!!!! Get our entry level Gold Package Program with the companion CD series "It's Your Turn in the Hot Seat" CD series with this blow out special! It's more than 30% off the regular price! Check it out here

This program is also available on an easy payment plan

"Nothing counts 'til you have the badge . . . Nothing!"

Fire "Captain Bob" Author, Becoming A Firefighter
http://eatstress.com/goldpackage.htm

www.eatstress.com

888-238-3959

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