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A relative in the Fire Service?
Rob was doing a coaching session with a LA City candidate. On
his visit to several LA City fire stations, they told him to make sure he
mentioned that his two cousins work for LA City! I believe that would be instant
suicide.
Question: My father is a thirty-year veteran of the fire department. My grand
father was a twenty-six year veteran of the police department. Would it be a
good idea to incorporate that information into an answer on the oral exam?
Thanks Rod
It’s tricky. It’s a balancing act. It could hurt you. Too many candidates club
the oral board over the head with a dad or other relative who is or has been a
firefighter. The panel can interpret this as asking for more points.
With my son Rob we used it this way: I’ve wanted to be a firefighter most of my
life because members of my family have been firefighters. He never said who. If
they wanted to know they would ask. They only asked once. That department hired
him.
We approved the way another candidate used his signature story:
When I was 10 years old, my father as a captain on the Boston Fire Department
took me to work with him. That afternoon we got a call. We rolled out with a lot
of other rigs to an apartment fire. I saw my dad get off the rig, direct people
for rescue and extinguish the fire. I knew right then that I would not be
satisfied until I achieved my badge. — Steve
Who else could tell Steve’s story? No one. He was there. After we worked on this
story in private coaching, Steve was able to recreate the excitement, emotion,
enthusiasm, and color of the actual event. You were on the rig with Steve; you
saw the flames, and hairs on the back of your neck start standing up. Again,
firefighters love firefighter stories. We do. If you can tell the oral board a
signature story from your life experience that relates to the answer, it can
catapult you past the “Clone” candidates.
More interview tools here:
http://www.eatstress.com/oraltools.htm
Check out the 101 Inside Secrets How to Get a Badge here:
http://eatstress.com/faq.htm
http://www.eatstress.com
"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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