Victoria

[Fablish]

Hi Everyone,

Just wondering if anybody has any info on Victoria Fire Department. (Aug 9th to 20th Recruitment)
1. How many they are hiring?
2. When do they expect to start testing candidates?

Regards,

Fablish

[five_alarm]

VICTORIA FIRE DEPARTMENT
FIREFIGHTER INFORMATION PACKAGE
Updated January 18, 2006

Applications will be accepted between
May 1, 2006 – May 12, 2006

IMPORTANT NOTES – Please read the following:
The Victoria Fire Department reserves the right to alter the testing
procedure and qualifications at anytime without notice

Application Forms:
Application forms are available at the following locations:
- On-line http://www.city.victoria.bc.ca/cityhall/departments_fire.shtml (http://www.city.victoria.bc.ca/cityhall/departments_fire.shtml)
- Our main Fire Station located at 1234 Yates Street
- The City of Victoria, Human Resources Department, 627 Pandora Avenue.

Applications submitted prior to May 1st or after May 12th will NOT be considered

Applications must be submitted to:
The City of Victoria,
Human Resources Department,
627 Pandora Avenue,
Victoria BC, V8W 1N8

Source: city.victoria.bc.ca (http://www.city.victoria.bc.ca/common/pdfs/fireinfo_pkg_jan2006.pdf) pdf

[mutts252]

that PDF leaves me wondering a litte bit - are NFPA 1001 1 & 2, high angle rescue, confined space, industrial FF, and auto-ex *ALL* required before applying? ... confusing wording on that part.

[firefighter26]

Been talking with Victoria as I am applying as well (or at least planning on it) and you know, I forgot to ask that!

I don't have the one I printed here in front of me and their online PDF seems to be offline, but the take I got on it was that those are courses they would like to see, IE, where it says "recommended but not limited too" or whatever it says. You'll also notice that they don't recognize online courses either.

The biggest draw back from myself is my lack of a class 3 DL. And YES, it is a requirement to even make it beyond the initial review stage (I phoned and asked)

The other big thing holding a lot of people back is the phyisical exam, not that it is hard, just the none-exam part sounds like a pain. It needs to be conducted by Uvic (university of victoria) and requires an appointment booked through the VFD at the cost of about $200.00 even before you submit your application. I don't know if CPAT or anything else is accepted as it doesn't say, but with the way the entire applications seems very specialized towards Victoria I would be that CPAT wouldn't count.

My application will depend on getting the class 3 in time. If I don't, then I will keep my eye open for Victoria in the next year or so (they seem to do these recruitments every few years but I am never sure how many they hire) or wait for Nanaimo to come around again (remember, they are planning that influx of new money and equipment).

Good luck to anyone who applies!!!

[ssifire]

that PDF leaves me wondering a litte bit - are NFPA 1001 1 & 2, high angle rescue, confined space, industrial FF, and auto-ex *ALL* required before applying? ... confusing wording on that part.

Even if they're not pre-requisites, you'll need them to get hired. Too many other's will already have them.

[firefighter26]

Even if they're not pre-requisites, you'll need them to get hired. Too many other's will already have them.

Exactly! There are so many people on Vancouver Island who have many years of service with their volunteer FDs (or PoC) and stacks upon stacks of certificates it makes it hard to beat out the locals, especially the determined ones! Not that I am saying going somewhere else to apply is any easier; but like it says in their own recruitment package "preferance will be given to City of Victoria residents." And there are many many many surrounding manicupalities with some great guys in their departments that I know will be applying for sure.

I figured 2006 was going to be my year as I stood a better chance now than ever before; but alas I still have a few pieces left to the puzzle. :(

[PEMS17]

According to another forum they are accepting on-line courses for level 1 and 2. They have changed their policy since that document was made. Good luck

[mutts252]

"preferance will be given to City of Victoria residents."

i think it says "consideration will be given to..." Victoria residents. .... does this mean they *won't* consider those from outside of Vic.? ... sheesh what lousy wording in that document :(

[firefighter26]

I honestly have no idea.

My thought is that they are not likely to find very many people with all those qualifications who actually live in the city of victoria. 99% of them will be either from surrounding areas with volunteer or PoC FDs or from further away (mainland, other parts of canada, perhaps washington state). But the actual tallent pool of people meeting all those requirements and already living in victoria has got to be pretty slim in my opinion since they don't have any volunteers to draw upon and in order to volunteer else where, like Langford (3 stations) you need to live there as well. so who else could they draw upon expect people like me with some of the qualifications and a victoria address to use?

I got nothing against victoria FD, they are a great bunch of guys and have always been friendly when I stop by (especially if I have donuts for them!) but it seems like the process is a little out of wack from what everyone else seems to be doing... then again, maybe it is just their way to avoid sifting through thousands of applications so they can hire 3 new FFs (for example, I have no idea how many they are hiring).

[PEMS17]

THEY ARE HIRING 3!!!!! 26 SAID IT:p

[mutts252]

THEY ARE HIRING 3!!!!! 26 SAID IT:p

AHHHH START THE RUMOUR MILL!! QUICKLY! tell all your friends, it's all just a front to hire the chief's nephews! :rolleyes: ;)

[Scuba]

AHHHH START THE RUMOUR MILL!! QUICKLY! tell all your friends, it's all just a front to hire the chief's nephews! :rolleyes: ;)

Wonder if 1.5 of those positions will be filled by women?

[ssifire]

Wonder if 1.5 of those positions will be filled by women?


Ya and the other 1.5 will be minorities.

[PEMS17]

Will the .5 be divided by transverse, frontal or midsagittal plane?Wonder if 1.5 of those positions will be filled by women?

[MRWJ]

No the other 1.5 will be ex Shamrock players!

[jwt]

The other big thing holding a lot of people back is the phyisical exam, not that it is hard, just the none-exam part sounds like a pain. It needs to be conducted by Uvic (university of victoria) and requires an appointment booked through the VFD at the cost of about $200.00 even before you submit your application. I don't know if CPAT or anything else is accepted as it doesn't say, but with the way the entire applications seems very specialized towards Victoria I would be that CPAT wouldn't count.



Good luck to anyone who applies!!!


Im pretty sure the UVic physical is the firefit physical, like the university of alberta physical.. ive done that one. Its pretty tough. Been told though by people who have done both the CPAT and the U of A, that the CPAT is not as difficult as the UofA one.

[firefighter26]

Im pretty sure the UVic physical is the firefit physical, like the university of alberta physical.. ive done that one. Its pretty tough. Been told though by people who have done both the CPAT and the U of A, that the CPAT is not as difficult as the UofA one.

I am not exactly sure..... it seems like each cycle Victoria changes what their physical standards test involves.... years ago it used to be done on a stair machine, pulling hose around the training yard, carrying some equipment through a relay course, then going up to the tip of one of their aerials.... now it is an all day event farmed out to Uvic.

I have had this conversation with various FDs before about what is reasonable to expect out of a recruit. I know the tallent pools are pretty full of people with loads of certificates and what not, but what is reasonable to expect or demand someone have before giving them a chance.

[MRWJ]

Welcome to the "York U" physical!