Uk firefighter
 

Hi everyone, I'm new here and after a bit of advice. I'm thinking of moving to the USA, California to be exact. I'm a firefighter in the uk and was wondering if there are any of you who know if I could transfer to the USA as a firefighter? I know that the USA fire service is different to the uk I.E ladder coys, etc. I'm sure I heard of someone doing this a while ago but I may be mistaken. Has anyone here known or done a transfer of this kind? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Jamie

Re: Uk firefighter
 

Are you a US Citizen?

Or is your spouse?

Re: Uk firefighter
 

Could you work as a firefighter in the US? I should think the answer is probably yes.

Would your skills as a firefighter allow you to immigrate to the US? Undoubtedly no.

Re: Uk firefighter
 

Realistically, unless you're either born in Ireland, married to a USC or a USC, chances are slim to none of getting a visa to come here based on being a firefighter.

If you did manage to get here, ability to work would depend on the state and what they require for qualifications.

Welcome to BE though and good luck!

Re: Uk firefighter
 

Just curious, what makes you want to be a firefighter in the USA, specifically in California?

Rene

Re: Uk firefighter
 

I'm in California with a few firefighter friends and there are an awful lot of unemployed firefighters about now. Lots of departments cut staff and even closed stations.
Friends Ds is a new firefighter and works another job to support himself and pay for his car payment. He only get a few hours a week at the station and they are now saying, anyone without a paramedic qualification too won't stand a chance at work soon, so this coming school year he's doing his paramedic training.

Re: Uk firefighter
 

Thanks for the response. I'm not a US citizen and neither is my wife so that's a no go. I am an electrician by trade if that would help?! I have visited ca a bit and loved it, iv also taken an interest in the American firefighters techniques and jobs they attend, would love to live in a beautiful place and carry on my dream job.

Re: Uk firefighter
 

Not really gonna happen.

Re: Uk firefighter
 

Hi and welcome,

Here are the two major problems: there are thousands of unemployed firemen in the USA and any government agency who wants to hire you has to say, with a straight face, that they cannot find a qualified American to be a firemen so they have to bring one in from overseas (a claim that even if you got them to make the US government would likely reject). Turn it the other way--in the age of austerity in the UK and massive redundancies, which fire brigade is going to import, at a substantial cost, firemen from Australia and Canada rather than hiring someone who is a UK citizen?

If you really want to come, you could try some of the following:

Study at a US university (expensive and you cannot work).
Develop a hyper-specialized fire fighting skill, such as oil platform fire fighting and then try to get a job with a multinational oil company.
Get a university degree in the sciences or engineering and come over with a different trade (think computer programming or engineering).
Get a new wife who is a US citizen.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

Good luck.

Re: Uk firefighter
 

England is a beautiful place. :)

Re: Uk firefighter
 

And not quite as in as much a financial mess as California ;)

Re: Uk firefighter
 

It is. Just a shame the weather sucks! :rofl:

Re: Uk firefighter
 

yeah, no hurricanes, tornados, dust storms, 6 ft snow difts, 105f scorchers,

I don't know how they stand it.

Re: Uk firefighter
 

Colorado is probably looking for firefighters about now.


Jim.

Re: Uk firefighter
 

Our firefighters are all unpaid volunteers......mate who was an ex-seafarer (already trained) joined up and even had to pay for his own training/conversion and buy his own uniform and equipment. And he had to pass the paramedics exams as the fire truck normally gets to any of the shouts ahead of the ambulances.

Re: Uk firefighter
 

But it's irrelevant to the OP whether America needs ten thousand new firefighters or has ten thousand too many. Similarly (previous post) it's irrelevant whether he gets his paramedic certification or not.

Re: Uk firefighter
 

no offense either, but if my local council hired a foreign firefighter with 2 million people in ohio on the dole, it would be like committing political suicide.

Re: Uk firefighter
 

Of all the countries in the English-speaking world, the greatest disparity between visiting and living in is to be found in America, as many here will tell you.

Where were you, your wife, your parents, and your wife's parents, born?

Re: Uk firefighter
 

Wow! That's half the population of New Zealand!:eek:

Re: Uk firefighter
 

Just in case you haven't seen it yet, here is the list of visa options for the US. http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Pulaski's_Ways%3A_How_to_Live_and_Work_in_the_USA

As you can see, neither a firefighter nor an electrician would qualify for any of those, so you'll need to think of a Plan B if you really want to move to the US.

Best of luck.

Re: Uk firefighter
 

Not sure if you need to be a US citizen for a f fighters job, you might have a better chance in a smaller state than CA, openings come often as the retirement packages are so good many f fighters retire at an early age as they all have second jobs to work at, I think you have to pass a f fighter one course before even applying to get on the list.

Re: Uk firefighter
 

The Fire Dept where I am is Volunteer, that does not mean money and goods do not change hands however.

Re: Uk firefighter
 

You mean bribes ? Not where I live, knowing someone won't help either, the men can't even get their own kids on the job.

Re: Uk firefighter
 

The flip side, many of those smaller towns, in those smaller states are all volunteer and the level of skill varies from a couple of properly trained people to the completely inept getting a volunteer position because they're popular in town.

One advantage though out in the sticks, being able to get fire fighter plates for your car. FIL hasn't been the town fire chief for 15 years now, but he still has his fire chief plates and hasn't gotten a speeding ticket because of them :lol:

Re: Uk firefighter
 

Yes I can imagine volunteers haveing car plates, doubt you'd see paid guys having anything like that, some do have small stickers in the rear window, but never plates.

Re: Uk firefighter
 

they don't need plates. the local dibble will know who the first responders are. They'll see them enough.

Re: Uk firefighter
 

Around here and up in Maine, firefighter plates are needed for them to get the red lights on the grill, as they're volunteers, only a person or two man the fire truck.

Most drive straight out to a shout from where ever they're working in their own motor in the sticks, hence the need for the plates.

Re: Uk firefighter
 

Free Gas for you and your Family is one of the biggies.

Re: Uk firefighter
 

That's not bad going! Don't get that around here :lol:

Re: Uk firefighter
 

Brush fires, earthquakes...

Re: Uk firefighter
 

Sheesh, big fuss about nothing. What's that compared to a WHOLE summer of rain. :p

Re: Uk firefighter
 

My friend was having a right good moan about the 'worst summer ever' and the Olympics :lol:

Re: Uk firefighter
 

Where did you hear that, I've. Never heard of such a thing as Them getting free gas, what Sate is that in ?

I know in England anyone can get free fire alarms put in also the FD supplies free batteries for them , so I assume there not hard wired one, but still there free.

Re: Uk firefighter
 

Just under his name, where it says Colorado....

Re: Uk firefighter
 

At disaster response training earlier this year, we were told that 95% firefighters are also first responders. I never thought to ask if that included volunteers. Our city firefighters, who are paid, have to be certified first responders.