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Some Frequently Asked Questions
1. Will Florida recognize my firefighter certification from another state, or will I have to go back to fire school?
Florida rarely accepts fire certifications from other states. It is likely that you would have to attend a Florida Fire Academy in order to qualify to take the State test. Many agencies are willing to hire trained people from another state (especially Paramedics) and then pay their tuition to fire school. To find out if your qualifications will transfer, contact the Florida Bureau of Fire Standards and Training
The State will usually allow you to challange the Florida EMT or Paramedic test if you are certified elsewhere. To find out if your state is accepted, contact:
You do not have to have any credentials or experience to take the FloridaFireJobs test, or to be hired. If you are hired without the Florida Firefighter certification, your employer would arrange for you to attend a Fire Academy. Obviously, your chances of being hired are greater if you have some credentials. The basic credentials of the fire service are the Firefighter and EMT certifications. Most community colleges provide all the classes necessary to become an EMT and Paramedic. The Florida State Fire College in Ocala regularly provides the course needed to become a Certified firefighter. There are Fire Academies around the state that are affiliated with the State Fire College, and authorized to provide the same basic training. Some of them provide night and weekend classes for working people. A list of the Fire Training Facilities can be found on the Florida State Fire College website.
There is no pass/fail point for the written test, however, your score becomes part of the information that participating agencies use to make comparisons between candidates.
No. The written test measures general learning and comprehension abilities, not specific knowledge. The physical ability test is designed to simulate common firefighting tasks in order to test the physical ability of the candidate, not skill level. Being skilled at the tasks does not change the physical effort to perform them.
Lee County is a rapidly growing area, so new fire service positions open up every year. Your chances of getting a job depend on a variety of factors including your qualifications, the number of candidates in the pool, and the number of jobs available. We estimate that 100 new positions will be available within the next two years.
Pay and benefits vary among the eleven agencies of the testing cooperative. Generally, starting pay ranges from the mid 30's to the low 40's. Top out pay generally ranges from the mid 60's to the mid 70's. Most agencies are in the Florida State Retirement System with contributions paid entirely by the employer. The defined benefit option provides 75% of the average of the five highest salaried years after 25 years, and at any age. Medical, dental, and prescription drug plans are common, and provisions for dependant coverage varies from none to all being paid by the employer.
The cost of living is low compared to many other areas of the country. Florida has no state income tax, and the sales tax is 6%. The housing market is very competative, which results in many options for the buyer. As an example, a three bedroom, 2 bath home in a nice neighborhood can cost anywhere from 150,000 to 300,000 dollars.
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