PART 2 CLASS 18: IN SIGHT AND SOUND-THE JAMES SHERN FIRE ACADEMY/COMPTON FIRE DEPARTMENT

[drmr]

i start rio hondo july 25.

[WestlakeSig]

@drmr I hear Rio Hondo's got a good program too. I believe they train both for police and fire if memory serves me right.

[paintbllwizard]

i just got like 2 more questions, what should i be doing now to get ready for if i can go to the academy? is there a secret to getting into the academy???

[WestlakeSig]

No secrets to getting in. You just have to be ready and pass the tests they throw at you. What you can do now is to get with the gang at your local fire station and have them school you on the job inside out. That's the best way to go. Get books on the subject and study them cover to cover.

[paintbllwizard]

@WestlakeSig ok, thank you... right now i'm in my weights class, and every night i do push ups..... i've been trying to get into better shape than I already am.... if i do get accepted into a fire academy, what do i need to bring everyday????

[WestlakeSig]

Don't overthink...the gang at the academy will tell you exactly what you need! :-)

[paintbllwizard]

@WestlakeSig right now im 15 years old and am a freshman in highschool. After I graduate college, then what do i do? do i just apply for the fire academy, try to graduate it, and become a firefighter???? im not sure what to do, can you please tell me what to do after college?

[WestlakeSig]

All you have to do is find out from your local department what the requirements are and work from there. Easy enough!

[paintbllwizard]

@WestlakeSig when you say your local department, do you mean the one that you want to work at???

[WestlakeSig]

Exactly!

[paintbllwizard]

@WestlakeSig so, after i graduate college, i call the fire department that i want to work at, they will give me tests, if im good, then they will send me to the fire academy, then after that, i can become a firefighter there????

[WestlakeSig]

There you go!

[paintbllwizard]

@WestlakeSig thanks for everything, i guess after college, ill call the captain and ask the requirements to work there.... So when i ask, he'll set me up with some written tests and physical tests??? Thanks for everything and good luck with training the new people

[WestlakeSig]

The Captain will give you the whole rundown. Depending on where you are, the testing process is standardized and you'll be told where and when those tests will take place.

[paintbllwizard]

@WestlakeSig i got a question again, ive done some researching, and it says i have to do a written exam, cpat, and an oral exam, after that, it says if you pass, then you will be on a hiring list for 2 years... so if you are on the hiring list, then you call the fire dept you want to work for, and they will send you to the fire academy???

[WestlakeSig]

@paintbllwizard Hey there, it's been a minute...good to hear from you. What that means is that you test for the department you want to be with and when you pass you are on the hiring list for that department. You have to do that whole testing bit for each department you want to join and hopefully one of them picks you up.



[paintbllwizard]

@WestlakeSig thanks for everything man, i just moved into a new house, and my neighbor next door is the fire chief for the air national guard, ill ask him some stuff... but to get into the academy, you have to do those testings right????

[WestlakeSig]

@paintbllwizard Wow, you scored on that...having a neighbor who does this for the military. he's going to be a great resource for you to tap. Yep, you have to do those testings. Good luck and and keep me in the loop!

[paintbllwizard]

@WestlakeSig my last question for today is that when i go to college, i want to major in something that would help me possibly help with the career of a firefighter, what should i major in cause i dont no what could help???

[WestlakeSig]

@paintbllwizard Look into fire science...I know a few of teh students out at Shern took it for their course of study.

[paintbllwizard]

@WestlakeSig ok, if i major in fire science, would that mean i would still have to do those exams, interviews, and cpat, or would i just go into the fire academy and then get hired after???

[WestlakeSig]

@paintbllwizard Sorry, you still have to do the tests! :-)

[paintbllwizard]

@WestlakeSig dangt, oh well, ill definitley look into it, thank you

[paintbllwizard]

@WestlakeSig i have planned out that when i go to college, i am going to major in fire science, but what exactly can majoring in fire science help you with????

[WestlakeSig]

@WestlakeSig Oh, fire science can help you in a mriad of areas. First off, you could go into "special duty areas" such as Fire Prevention, Fire Inspection, and even Arson Investigation just to name a few. It's worth having!

[paintbllwizard]

@WestlakeSig i have decided for my first 2 years of college to go to a community college, they offer fire science for a major, and i have decided that is what i will major in, also, would majoring in fire science maybe increase my chances of maybe getting hired???

[WestlakeSig]

@paintbllwizard hey there and good morning...anything you add to your knowledge of firefighting will make you more valuable and hirable. Good going!

[paintbllwizard]

@WestlakeSig thank you for everything sir, i hope that i will be able to do this... i will be training everyday to get stronger and will be studying and doing good in school so i can learn more.. again, thank you for everything and do you think you will be making more james shern fire academy videos????

[WestlakeSig]

@paintbllwizard One never knows. But seriously, the academy hasn't been in session since this film was made. The academy changed schools it was linked too and there are issues with city budgets we are seeing out here. Hopefully it comes back soon as it did a great service to Southern California in general with the training of these cadets.

[paintbllwizard]

@WestlakeSig that sucks the academy hasnt been runnng since, and ive looked at other fire academy videos, but none were as good as these ones.. i hope and pray that it will be running again, and that the state of california can solve some budget probllems

[WestlakeSig]

@paintbllwizard Everyone is really looking forward to this academy coming back. Hopefully they can get all of the issues sorted out and get back to job of teaching the art of fighting fire!

[paintbllwizard]

@WestlakeSig yeah, i would be excited to, they should really opening it back up now cause firefighting is an important job, without firefighters, this world would be engulfed iin flames and be destroyed

[paintbllwizard]

@WestlakeSig hey, ummmm. what exactly is the firefighter 1 and 2 test?? cause the community college i am going to says it takes students through firefighter 1 test and will prepare students to take the firefighter 2 test. can u please explain what those test are? thanks

[WestlakeSig]

@paintbllwizard Let me check this out with a friend of mine who would know. Stand by!

[paintbllwizard]

@WestlakeSig ok thanks

[paintbllwizard]

@paintbllwizard thank you very much.... :) asking these questions have really helped. I hope I can get accepted into the fire academy in Riverton Wyoming and then come back home and become a firefighter in Cheyenne. thank you so much, right now, I am posotive that I will be able to do it.

[paintbllwizard]

I have watched these videos ofthe james shern fire academy many times. I have a question though. when they start climbing the ladders, one person climbs while another holds it. what happens when the last person holding it needs to climb and there is nobody else to hold it, what happens then???? please answer this question, when i grow up i wud like to become a firefighter and i wud really like to know what to do in case i am tht last person.

[WestlakeSig]

The answer is easy...on the drillgrounds, when the last person has been reached, an instructor steps in and braces the ladder so that cadet can make the climb. If this were an actual fire setting, the last firefighter on the ground would take the brace and remain there so the entry team could make the climb.

[paintbllwizard]

@WestlakeSig thank you so much for answering this question. evertime i watch it, i always think of that question. Another question i have is how hard is it to pass the academy, then get a job at the department??? and also, wud it be best to become a volunteer firefighter for about a year, and then become a career paid firefighter, or just try to become a career paid firefighter???

[WestlakeSig]

It's not an easy academy to pass, there is a lot of study and practical testing to get through, but that toughens you up for a department's "drill tower." Now, getting on a department can be hard. The jobs with their great pay and pensions make them hotly contested for when applying time comes. Therefore, you;d better be the best of the best. Volunteer skills and EMT/Paramedic certs will help set you head and shoulders above the rest.

[paintbllwizard]

@WestlakeSig so, it wud be best for me to take EMT/ medical classes in high school and all throughout college, then after college, call the dpt. i want to work at, ask bout being volunteer. try to pass the academy, then become a volunteer for bout a year if i pass the academy and can get the job, and then after bout 1 year, ask the captain if i can become a career paid firefighter??? also, if i take fire science in college, then do i need to go to a fire academy????

[WestlakeSig]

Anything you can do to further your skills in this area would be great, but take your time. There is time. Study, become a volunteer, and look forward to whatever comes next. If you try hard enough, you'll make it.

[paintbllwizard]

@WestlakeSig thank you for answering these questions. I know ive asked alot but its because i really want to become a firefighter after college

[WestlakeSig]

Feel free to check in anytime!

[paintbllwizard]

@WestlakeSig thanks, these are going to be my last questions for a while.... How much does it cost to get into the academy and get all the gear? What are the fire academy hours? And earlier today, i was watching another video. Some of the people ran out of air. What are u supposed to do when you run out of air in ur SCBA or aire tank thing???? Are u supposed to unplug ur thing tht u put into ur mask and not put it back in til u get ur air filled up?????

[WestlakeSig]

I'll get back to you on the cost to attend the academy. I have asked one of the cadets who was in class 17 to see what he had to pay for. I will tell you, the gear (turnouts, helmets) were supplied by the academy. Other things had to be bought. As far as the SCBA goes, the alarm goes off when you are close to being out of air. Generally, you are supposed to back out of the situation and report to IC to get a fresh bottle or refill.

[paintbllwizard]

@WestlakeSig can u please explain what the turnout gear is, and do u get to keep the helmet, turnout gear, pants, jackey, the whole shibang, and what if your in a fire and you run out of air, and you can't get to the Ic right away (please explain what the IC is to). would you have to take off your mask, and not be able to use it til you get your SCBA filled up????

[WestlakeSig]

The turnouts are the helmets, heavy coats, pants, and boots that firefighters wear. There is more, but I think you get it. They are known as PPE's or personal protective equipment. on the subject of running out of air, there is some "buddy sharing" I have seen done among veterans, but generally from the time an alarm goes off, a firefighter should have enough time to get out of a firegorund setting and return to incident command or IC. Remember, these are just guidelines, common sense must rule.

[paintbllwizard]

@WestlakeSig thank you so much for answering these questions, i think ill have to learn the rest if i get accepted to the fire academy in wyoming in about 7 years

[WestlakeSig]

With seven years ahead of you, I think we all expect you to be fully ready for the challenge!

[paintbllwizard]

I have watched these videos ofthe james shern fire academy many times. I have a question though. when they start climbing the ladders, one person climbs while another holds it. what happens when the last person holding it needs to climb and there is nobody else to hold it, what happens then????

[collinsmichael0355]

The instructor that’s not in uniform should be leading by example. USMC LT Col Collins...

[WestlakeSig]

If you're a volunteer now, then you probably have half of the battle behind you. Just keep training and pushing; you'll make it happen!

[kabuto519]

yea the training is hard :) but i still wanna do it cause i m a volenteer atm but wanna do this as my job :)

[YogaGrandmaFilms]

thanks again 4 posting!

[brightshark89]

wow