Transitioning Troops & Spouses interested in the Fire Services Career will be excited to hear about this program. We are partnering with Fire Academies and Technical Schools who offer this program across the country. Veterans who are Post and Pre 9/11 are welcome as well.

1. Troops to Firefighters:
Introducing our
Troops/Veterans/Spouses
interested in the Fire
Services to the Fire and
EMS Career Field

2. Mission Statement
To ensure that all interested transitioning military
troops and veterans in the Troops to Firefighters
Training Program are certified to Firefighter l/ll and
EMT.
We will transition participants into a career and
assist them with their journey to gainful
employment with local, state and federal agencies.

3. Troops to Firefighters
Training Program Staff
Retired Chief Winston Minor
City of Atlanta Fire Department
Founder & CEO
Ret. Deputy Chief Curtis Maffett
Columbia, SC Fire Department
VP, Training
Retired Chief David Harris
Lockheed Martin Fire Department
Co-Founder & VP, Finance
Ret. Deputy Chief Joe Pryor
Baltimore City Fire Department
VP, Human Resources
KC Butler, Army Veteran
VP, Program Operations &
Job Placement

4. Why is the program needed?

5. Veteran Unemployment
Source: The Washington Post 11/2013
This 2013 chart from the Council of Economic
Advisers shows that the unemployment rate for
recent veterans remains incredibly high —
around 10 percent — and remains noticeably
higher than it is for non-veterans in the same
demographic group.
The jobless rate for all U.S. veterans was just
6.9 percent in October 2013 — slightly lower
than it is for the population as a whole.
Lack of civilian work experience: Returning
veterans have plenty of traits that should make
them attractive to employers: discipline,
leadership, and even specific training in areas
like health care or information technology. But
they also typically have less civilian work
experience. And for many companies, that
makes a big difference — when the economy
is weak, employers are less likely to take risks
when hiring.

6. Firefighter/EMT
Employment Stats
Employment of firefighters is projected
to grow 7 percent from 2012 to 2022,
slower than the average for all
occupations.
Although, competition for jobs will likely
be intense. Physically fit applicants
with high test scores and paramedic
training should have the best job
prospects.
Most job openings will be created by the
need to replace Firefighters who retire,
transfer to supervisory positions, or
leave the field for other reasons.
Applicants can improve their
employment opportunities by completing
a Fire Fighting program at a community
college, and by obtaining emergency
medical technician (EMT) certification.
Minor & Associates has a wealth of contacts with Fire Departments across the
United States that consistently communicate their needs for firefighters.
Some of the benefits our staff offers are the ability to make contact with Fire
Departments nationwide to obtain information on:
• Knowledge on when hiring will take place.
• The number of individuals that will be hired.
• The qualifications that will be needed.
• Salary ranges
• Work schedules

7. The Training Program

8. Troops to Firefighters
Program Summary
• Will provide Pre Training
Screening for all candidates
• Coordination of all aspects of
the Program
• Provide Psychological
Screening
• Firefighting and EMS
Orientation
• Coordinate Monthly Meetings
with all Candidates
• Assist with all Job Placements
at conclusion of Program

9. Pre Training Screening
Troops to Firefighters
• All candidates will be
prescreened to ensure they
meet all qualifications
• Will assist all candidates in
Technical School enrollment
• Coordinate all background
checks for eligibility
• Assign all participants a
Technical advisor
throughout the program

10. Troops to Firefighters
Consulting
• The staff will provide 80 contact hours per
class
• Consulting includes:
• Recruiting Candidates
• Interview prep and Resume assessment
and counseling
• Referrals to employment
services/Institutions
• Facilitating Certifications
• Guiding recruits to open firefighter roles

11. Enrollment Requirements:
Can vary state to state
• Transitioning Troop or Spouse
• High School Graduate or GED
– and the transcripts
• Provide proof of Citizenship
• Provide proof of Residents
• May require a college placement exam (COMPASS) if the candidate
hasn’t taken college courses or an ACT/SAT
– If the candidate has taken college courses the transcripts may be
required. If candidate has earned 30 semester hours or 45
quarter hours under a degree curriculum from an accredited
institution, they will be exempt from this requirement.
• Physically capable of passing the Candidate Physical Ability Test
(CPAT).

12. Conclusion of the
Program
• Nationally Certified Firefighter
I/II & EMT
• NPQ & Pro Board Certified
which will make each student
eligible to work in all 50
states
• Graduates will be assisted in
Job Placement

13. Pilot Programs and Facilities
Program: Firefighter I/II & EMT
Atlanta, Georgia – Atlanta Technical College
Columbia, South Carolina –
Midlands Technical College/South Carolina Fire Academy
Tuscaloosa, Alabama – Alabama Fire College
There are 8 Districts throughout Alabama
for convenience

14. Employment Prospects: Upward mobility
• The Fire Department roles listed below are dependent
upon municipality or DOD assignment (paramilitary
organization):
Fire Chief
Battalion Chief
Assistant or Deputy
Fire Chief
Lieutenant Colonel
Major
Captain
Lieutenant
Fire Inspector
Fire Investigation
Fire Marshall
Operations & Training
Firefighter/Paramedic
Firefighter/EMT
Firefighter/Driver

15. What A Firefighter/EMT Does?
Firefighters protect the public by responding to fires and other emergencies. They
are frequently the first emergency personnel on the scene of an accident.
Duties:
• Drive fire trucks and other
emergency vehicles to
emergencies
• Extinguish fires using hoses
and pumps
• Find and rescue victims in
burning buildings or in other
emergency conditions
• Treat victims’ injuries with
emergency medical services
• Prepare written reports on
fire or emergency incidents
• Clean and maintain
equipment
• Conduct drills and training in
fire fighting techniques
• Provide public education
on fire safety
• When responding to an
emergency, firefighters
do tasks assigned by a
superior officer. They
might be responsible for
connecting hoses to
hydrants, operating
pumps to power the
hoses, climbing ladders,
or using tools to break
through debris. Other
firefighters might be
responsible for providing
medical attention.
• Most calls firefighters
respond to are medical, not
fire, emergencies.
• Firefighters’ duties may
change several times while
they are at the scene of an
emergency. In some cases,
they might remain at
disaster scenes for days,
rescuing trapped survivors
and assisting with medical
treatment.
• Firefighters may specialize in
responding to forest fires or
hazardous materials
incidents.

16. Work Environment
• Firefighters held about 310,400 jobs
in 2010.
• About 91 percent of paid firefighters
worked for local governments in
2010. Most of the remainder worked
for federal or state governments.
• Firefighters also work at airports,
chemical plants, and other industrial
sites.
• They work in both cities and rural
areas.
• These employment numbers include
only paid career fire fighters. They do
not cover volunteer fire fighters.
• Volunteer firefighters have the same
duties as paid firefighters and
account for the majority of
firefighters in many areas.
• According to the National Fire
Protection Association, about 70
percent of fire departments were
staffed entirely by volunteer
firefighters in 2008

17. Work Environment
• When not on the scene of an
emergency, firefighters work at fire
stations, where they sleep, eat,
and remain on call. When an
alarm sounds, firefighters
respond, regardless of the
weather or the hour.
Injuries
• Firefighters generally have a
higher rate of injury and illness
than the national average. They
often encounter dangerous
situations, including collapsing
floors and walls, traffic accidents,
and overexposure to flames and
smoke.
• Firefighters wear protective gear
to help lower these risks. The
protective gear can be very heavy
and hot.
Work Schedules
• Firefighters typically work long and
varied hours, often about 50 hours
a week. Most firefighters work 24-
hour shifts on duty and are off the
following 48 or 72 hours. Others
work 10-hour day shifts for 3 to 4
days, followed by 14-hour night
shifts for 3 to 4 nights before
receiving 3 to 4 days off.
Additional hours may be required
when responding to a fire or
medical emergency.

18. Salary and Benefits
• All Occupations are included in the U.S. Bureau of
Labor Statistics guide.
• The median annual wage of firefighters was $45,250 in
May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half
the workers in an occupation earned more than that
amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent
earned less than $23,050, and the top 10 percent earned
more than $75,390.
• In 2010, 67 percent of firefighters were union members or
covered by a union contract.

19. Employment Prospects:
Upward mobility
• Prospective firefighters will face
tough competition for positions.
• Many people are attracted to the
job’s challenge, opportunity for
public service, relatively low
formal educational requirements,
and pensions that are usually
guaranteed after 25 years of
service.
• As a result, a department often
receives hundreds or thousands of
applicants for a single position.
• Physically-fit applicants with high
test scores, some post-secondary
firefighter education, and
paramedic training have the best
prospects.

20. FAQ
• How long is the course? 4 – 8 months dependent on the course
location and the skillset of the candidate
• How much will this cost? 2500.00+ which is dependent on course
location and the skillset of the candidate. Is it covered by GI Bill or
other Grants? Yes, we will only partner with accredited institutions.
• What are the certifications? Nationally Certified Firefighter I/II &
EMT, NPQ & Pro Board Certified
• Can you take training without the EMT? Yes, but it’s not
recommended for this career path. The majority of the municipal
fire departments in this country require Firefighter/EMT.
• Is there an age limit to be a Firefighter? No

21. FAQ
• What are my prospects of getting a job? Very
strong. We have 4 Retired Fire Chiefs on staff
and their network is very deep. They will champion
all of our graduates. We also have a staffing
specialist that will put together a hiring package for
each graduate at the conclusion of the program for
presentation to the active fire chiefs eager to hire
returning troops.
• Are the firefighter certifications good in all 50
states? Yes!

22. FAQ
• Will my military experience assist me in becoming a firefighter? Yes!
Candidates who have served our country in the Armed Forces have a
huge advantage over those who have not. It is generally believed that
while military veterans may not have as many certificates and fire
science units as the other candidates (they were busy serving our
country), they offer so much more.
• Why become a firefighter? One of the best careers if you’d like to
continue to serve. The fire service is a para-military organization. Many
of the common terms in the fire service, such as captain and
lieutenant, were taken directly from the military. Words like code,
honor, commitment, and integrity are as important to the fire service as
they are to the military.

23. FAQ
• How fit do I need to be to become a firefighter? Physical fitness is
emphasized in the military. As a result military men and women are
usually in very good shape. This is extremely important to the fire
service, because the number one reason entry-level candidates fail
out of the academy is due to poor physical fitness.
• Can I apply if I have a disability? Yes! But you must be physically able
to pass the Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT). We can refer
candidates to other possible roles within the fire department such as
911 emergency services or alternative fueling.
• If I have a criminal record can I still apply to be a firefighter? Yes, but
it depends on the severity of the charges.

24. Contact US
Winston@troopstofirefighters.org
Dave@troopstofirefighters.org
KC.Butler@troopstofirefighters.org
Joe@troopstofirefighters.org
Curtis@troopstofirefighters.org

25. Thank you so
much!