Joined Aug 2007
2K Posts | 28+
Somewhere down in Texas
As many of you know, I have just taken the civil service test for Killeen, Texas, to qualify for a fire fighter position. As I posted in an other thread, I passed the test.
This test was really critical for me to pass because I am 34 years old. The Civil Service has an employment age cut-off at 36, which means i have to be hired before my 36th birthday. The test is only given in Killeen once a year so if I would have failed this one, I would be 35 about to turn 36 when I took it again. Yes there are other municipalities around me that are both civil service and non-civil service. Killeen is my hometown and I really want to work there.
I am also about 75 days from gaining my fire certification. I obtained my EMT-B about three years ago. By the time Killeen actually starts hiring from the list of this test, I will be fire certified and will have preference over those that have no certs.
I took the test on Tuesday but the grades and list position was not available until yesterday afternoon. I was always a C-D student in school and did not finish college. Studying has always been difficult for me. I now have a 14 month old son and work from 7:30 am to 5pm. 6 days a week and am doing my fire academy on-line at night. I have a pretty full schedule BUT DID MANAGE TO STUDY FOR THIS TEST. The best I could imagine I scored was 70%-80%. I was real skeptical on getting anything much over 75%.
I called city hall yesterday afternoon and found my results. 138 took the test. 78 passed. I scored 89% which put me in the 10th spot on the hire list! The top 8%!!!! I have never been in the top 10% of anything in my life!!!! EVER!!!!
Killeen is growing fast and is at a current population of about 125,000. They are building 3 new stations to add to the 7 already existing. The employement opportunities are there. Killeen FD is a big department.
My delima is this: I resign from my current employment of 16 years to go to my skills camp in November. Assuming Killeen starts hiring in January, I will be unemployed for a couple of months to a year when they exhaust their hire list. The good news is that by placing myself at the top of the list and having EMT-B and Fire certs., at the most I will be without a job is 45-60 days! Well, its really not a delima! Duck has offered to pay me for my work in the boot shop, so i won't really be unemployed until Killeen calls. This would be good for me to be in the boot shop full time for a couple of months. It will help me sharpen my skills. I will be working there when I get this fire gig anyway. Also, Killeen will send me to Paramedic school which was ultimately my goal all along anyway!
Man, things have really started happening fast. It really exciting for my family and myself. Its scary at the same time. I generally don't like change. Did I mention that I have been at my current job for 16 years? LOL
Thanks for reading, fellas! I am very pleased with my test and just wanted to share with everyone.
DL
This test was really critical for me to pass because I am 34 years old. The Civil Service has an employment age cut-off at 36, which means i have to be hired before my 36th birthday. The test is only given in Killeen once a year so if I would have failed this one, I would be 35 about to turn 36 when I took it again. Yes there are other municipalities around me that are both civil service and non-civil service. Killeen is my hometown and I really want to work there.
I am also about 75 days from gaining my fire certification. I obtained my EMT-B about three years ago. By the time Killeen actually starts hiring from the list of this test, I will be fire certified and will have preference over those that have no certs.
I took the test on Tuesday but the grades and list position was not available until yesterday afternoon. I was always a C-D student in school and did not finish college. Studying has always been difficult for me. I now have a 14 month old son and work from 7:30 am to 5pm. 6 days a week and am doing my fire academy on-line at night. I have a pretty full schedule BUT DID MANAGE TO STUDY FOR THIS TEST. The best I could imagine I scored was 70%-80%. I was real skeptical on getting anything much over 75%.
I called city hall yesterday afternoon and found my results. 138 took the test. 78 passed. I scored 89% which put me in the 10th spot on the hire list! The top 8%!!!! I have never been in the top 10% of anything in my life!!!! EVER!!!!
Killeen is growing fast and is at a current population of about 125,000. They are building 3 new stations to add to the 7 already existing. The employement opportunities are there. Killeen FD is a big department.
My delima is this: I resign from my current employment of 16 years to go to my skills camp in November. Assuming Killeen starts hiring in January, I will be unemployed for a couple of months to a year when they exhaust their hire list. The good news is that by placing myself at the top of the list and having EMT-B and Fire certs., at the most I will be without a job is 45-60 days! Well, its really not a delima! Duck has offered to pay me for my work in the boot shop, so i won't really be unemployed until Killeen calls. This would be good for me to be in the boot shop full time for a couple of months. It will help me sharpen my skills. I will be working there when I get this fire gig anyway. Also, Killeen will send me to Paramedic school which was ultimately my goal all along anyway!
Man, things have really started happening fast. It really exciting for my family and myself. Its scary at the same time. I generally don't like change. Did I mention that I have been at my current job for 16 years? LOL
Thanks for reading, fellas! I am very pleased with my test and just wanted to share with everyone.
DL
In all seriousness though, it's great to see when hard work pays off. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.
