Steps to Becoming a Firefighter | Marty Lancton

Becoming a firefighter is a dream for many people. It is an honorable and challenging career with its own set of rewards. But what does it take to become a firefighter? This blog post will outline the necessary steps to achieve this goal.

1) Ensure you are fit to be a firefighter

Firefighting is a physically demanding job that requires you to be in top shape. You will be expected to carry or drag heavy equipment and regularly climb up and down multiple flights of stairs. So, you must possess some degree of physical fitness before attempting your application. An anaerobic capacity test is often the first step to becoming a firefighter. You can sign up for this test at your local fire station, and they will help you get in shape with some basic training programs.

2) Meet the requirements and take the test

To become a firefighter, you must meet some essential educational prerequisites. Typically, this means completing high school (or the equivalent) and some post-secondary training in firefighting like CPAT certification. You can also take a written exam, the first step to becoming a firefighter. The requirements for this exam differ from state to state, but they are typically open to anyone above 18 years of age who has completed their high school diploma or GED.

3) Prepare for a firefighter career

By this stage, you will have become a firefighter or at least be well on your way to doing so. You can prepare for this challenging yet rewarding career by taking courses in the fire sciences, including chemistry and thermodynamics. This experience will help you better understand why fires behave in specific ways when trying to extinguish them.

4) Become trained as an EMT

If you are called to fight a fire in a residential home or business, it will be up to you to save any potential victims of this disaster. To do so, you must have some training in emergency medical services. Becoming an EMT is your first step in fulfilling that goal. Depending on your state's requirements, you can complete this course by taking one of the many EMT courses available. You can also find employment with many emergency medical services organizations while completing this training.

5) Get firefighting training at a firefighting academy

Once you have completed your EMT course, you can move forward to find employment as a firefighter. Most fire departments require recruits to complete training at a firefighting academy. This is where you will learn how to put out fires safely and efficiently using the proper equipment and tools. You will also learn about subjects like hazardous materials.

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About Marty Lancton

Patrick "Marty" Lancton is a Houston, Texas native and a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience as a union President and Vice President, business owner, partner, board member, and state-certified firefighter. He's incredibly involved in and passionate about the lives of the first responders, especially firefighters, from all around the Houston, Texas area.

Marty Lancton's journey as a firefighter and paramedic with the first responders began in the year 2000, when he joined the City of Cedar Park Fire Department in Cedar Park, Texas. After three fulfilling years, he then moved to the City of West University Fire Department in West University, Texas. He stayed at the fire department until 2009 before moving to the City of Houston Fire Department, and has remained there to this day.

Marty Lancton has served in a number of positions of authority within the first responders community. For example, since 2015, Marty has served as the Chairman of the Executive Board for the Houston Professional Firefighters Association Charitable Foundation. Not only that, but also in 2016, Marty was elected President of the Houston Professional Firefighters Association, and in 2017, he even joined the State Association of Firefighters as the Vice President for the Executive Board of Directors. Marty Lancton also joined the Texas AFL-CIO as Vice President of the Executive Board of Directors. In 2019, Marty accepted a senior fellow position from the British American Project. Most recently, Marty made huge career advancements by joining the American Leadership Forum and the United States Executive Committee of the British American Project as a Senior Fellow in 2020. To learn more about Marty Lancton, visit his websites!