The McComb Fire Department is slightly short staffed and in need of new firefighters who are in it for the long haul.
Interim Fire Chief Stephen Adams held career night at Fire Station No. 4 on Parklane Road Monday for anyone interested in becoming a firefighter. Adams told candidates exactly what they were getting into, both short-term and long, in the hopes of acquiring a handful of new career firefighters.
“As far as careers, it is a totally different career than any other,” he said. “There’s nowhere in the world where you can to go bed at night, then be woken up by an alarm, and in four minutes, be inside a burning building — on purpose.
“That’s what we do — we run lights and sirens across town to get into a burning building. Most people are getting out of it at that point, and we’re trying to get in it.”
Entry-level firefighters start with a $26,000 salary plus full benefits provided by the city. They work 24-hour shifts on a rotating schedule of three days on, four days off, meaning a firefighter will work Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday with the next four days off before picking back up the following Tuesday to repeat the cycle.
“With this schedule, as long as you keep the same shift, you’ll know your schedule two years from now,” Adams said.
When the alarm goes off in the station, firefighters have two minutes to get dressed and on the truck. The department’s goal is to be on the scene heading into the flames within four minutes.
A firefighter put on the heavy turnout gear and air tank to show what has to be done in that short time. Luckily, Adams said, the equipment is much lighter than it was 25 years ago.
To be hired at the department, each candidate must pass a general aptitude test from the Civil Service Commission, plus a fitness test and interview all in one day. The tests will be given at the Parklane Road station Nov. 6.
The fitness test requires a 11/2-mile run in 14 minutes, 25 pushups, 25 bent knee sit-ups and three palms-away pull-ups. Adams recommended those truly interested in taking the test in November start training now.
“Start today, start tonight, start tomorrow,” Adams said. “Don’t wait until it’s test day to see if you can do three palms-away pull-ups.”
Adams asked the group if anyone was claustrophobic, and no one replied. He admitted that he knew his personal breaking point, and that if his arms were pinned and he was in a tight space, he would begin to panic.
“Get hired here, and I promise you we’re going to find that point, and we’re going to let you know when you find it,” Adams said. “When you freak out, we’re going to get a hold of you, we’re going to calm you down, and we’re going to train you how to work your way through that.”
Firefighter Douglas Glass spoke to the group about what to expect beyond the fire. He warned that those afraid of blood or dead bodies would not last long in the position.
“You’re going to see some serious stuff, and it’s grown man business. There’s no doubt,” Glass said. “If you’re coming in just to draw a check, or you think firemen just eat and sleep — do we look like all we do is eat and sleep?”
Adams also mentioned that the fire department “runs everything no one else wants to do,” from structure fires to rescues and anything in between.
“When they find a body that’s been dead for eight days or there’s a wreck on the interstate, they call us,” Adams said. “We’ve handled multiple fatalities this last week alone.”
After Adams’ presentation, 15 interested young men went outside to watch McComb firefighter Ron Butler demonstrate the Candidate Physical Agility Test — a grueling part of firefighter training at the State Fire Academy in Pearl after being hired. The test is a compilation of tasks similar to those performed during a building fire. Candidates have 10 minutes and 20 seconds to complete the activities, beginning with a three-minute walk on a stair-stepper with while wearing a 25-pound and a 50-pound vest. After that, the lighter vest is removed, and candidates go from station to station, dragging fire hoses and 165-pound dummies between raising ladders and beating in doors.
McComb has the same equipment used at the academy to train firefighters before taking the test, and Adams said it has helped increase the passing rate in Mississippi.
“When you go up to the academy and watch them run a CPAT, it’s painfully obvious when they’re on that push/pull station, and they’ve never been on one before,” Adams said. “Because we have this stuff, it’s doable. It’s just a matter of repetition and training hard.”
Butler managed to complete the multi-step CPAT in seven minutes and 12 seconds, more than three minutes less than the maximum time allowed. Most surrounding him, current firefighters included, were impressed with the speed for the tough tasks.
Jason Wallace wanted to try out the CPAT after watching Butler breeze through it, and pushed himself to the end with a nine minutes and 10 seconds time. While he was under the time allotted, he was visibly winded from the exertion.
The city is accepting applications at the WIN Job Center on Marion Avenue until Oct. 28. Applicants must be 18 years old and provide a copy of a high school diploma or GED, birth certificate, voter registration card, driver’s license and Social Security card.
“It takes a lot of dedication, a lot of hard work, and a lot of training to be able to do that and do it safely,” Adams said. “It takes partnership between the guys on the shift and trust in each other. Your life is in their hands and vise versa. It’s a commitment from start to finish.”
