Moving from Kailua Kona to Oahu to pursue firefighter/medic career.... (Honolulu: employment, school)

[elias_lamb]

Hello all,
Just a little background info. I am a 20 year old guy from Alaska who currently lives in Kailua Kona Hawaii. I moved here about a year ago. While I do really like it, I see the Big Island as a place for adventure and exploration outside of voggy kona, and my job here as a server keeps me trapped in kona with no room for advancement really. I make pretty good money here but it's not my dream by any means. I want to become a firefighter/medic and move to honolulu once I save up more to attend emt and paramedic training. I was thinking kopiolani community college or one of the other colleges there that offers this training. This would all be after I would qualify for in-state tuition (currently i'm still an Alaska resident i think) and I know it would be hard to support myself and go to school, but I see oahu as the only place in the islands to really pursue what I want, a career in firefighting with a big city department. Is this a good idea? What do you all think??? Any thoughts/insight from firefighters on Oahu, or any of the islands would be appreciated.

[hotzcatz]

You could check to see when you become qualified for in-state tuition and check to see if there are any college classes you need to take for the fire fighter/ medic certifications you are considering. If you are qualified for in-state tuition and if there are some classes available on this island, you could start here where you have at least a job and some support before you switch islands to finish the training. I don't even know if you have to take college courses, this is just a possible thing to look into.

[atp162]

If you want to train to become both a FF and an paramedic in Hawai'i, the only departments where they work dual roles is the Hawai'i Fire Dept (i.e., where you are on the Big Island) and the Federal Fire Department on O'ahu, where they cover the military bases. Neither of them are what you would call "big city" departments. Honolulu Fire Dept. does not utilize cross-trained FF/paramedics; their personnel are trained only to the EMT-Basic level. EMS is a separate division under the Emergency Services Dept. and the paramedics are also not cross-trained as FFs.

Kapi'olani Community College in Honolulu and Hawa'i Community College in Hilo are the only 2 institutions that train paramedics, and you must have a State of HI EMT certification (not just National Registry certification) and at least a few years of 911 experience before they accept you as a paramedic student. Honolulu Community College has a Fire Science associate's degree program, but quite frankly it does not give you any real advantage in being hired by any of the various fire departments.

Firefighting is a highly desirable career with no real shortages in personnel and their recruitment is sporadic and unpredictable. Sign up on the county employment websites to be alerted via email when they post job recruitment announcements. If you want to go the EMS route, which has many more employment opportunities, go to the Kapi'olani CC EMS Dept. webpage and look up what are the pre-requisite courses you need to take before applying for EMT school. Do a Search on this forum for "EMTs" and "paramedics" and you should be able to find more info and usable links.

[nightlysparrow]

If you'd be willing to try California for a temp (no experience needed) firefighter job to give you experience:
CAL FIRE - Fire Protection Careers - Seasonal Firefighter Hiring

Then look for work on the Federal site:
WildfireX -- Connecting Wildland Firefighters and Employers In the Effort to Fight Wildfires

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by nightlysparrow

If you'd be willing to try California

That is what came to my mind- if you really want to be a firefighter, probably the mainland is your best bet.

[Futuremauian]

In California, I have read about firefighter jobs opening up and 1000+ applications coming in, from as far away as Australia. These are coveted jobs, and nepotism is strong. I personally know people who waited for years for one of these jobs, a few with success, and most without. In my county, one firefighter from the upper echelons just retired with a retirement income exceeding $250K per year. (And full retirement comes at age 50.) Good luck!

[elias_lamb]

Thanks for all the great advice guys! Yeah I like the lifestyle here but I'm beginning to think that it wouldn't be an ideal place for a career in firefighting. I would have to continue to support myself while going to school in honolulu (if I wanted to be a paramedic), which would be nearly impossible with the cost of living there. Moving back to Alaska where I'm from would probably be a better option for firefighting. If I were to go to honolulu, any ideas for good short term medical programs that might require an associates or something that have a better outlook for Hawaii, (or oahu), in general?? I'm interested in the kailua area of oahu, but know I would realistically need a good job that pays well in honolulu. I'm fairly smart and ambitious but don't want to give up four years of my life for a bachelors, looking more for short term training or trade school that would allow me to stay in Hawaii. I'm leaning towards the medical field b/c it's something I think I would really enjoy. Thanks for any and all advice...

[atp162]

If you get into Kapi'olani CC's EMT program and subsequently get hired by the City & County of Honolulu, after a few years of F/T work as an EMT you can get paid via the C&C's work-study program to go to paramedic school (paramedics are called MICTs, or Mobile Intensive Care Technicians, here.) If you work for American Medical Response, the private ambulance provider, they have a stipend program that the prospective student can apply for that allows for them some salary while going through the MICT training program. MICTs are in great shortage here as well as nationwide. It's a job that demands a very well-rounded individual, mentally, physically and socially, to do well, and it's a hell of a lot harder than becoming an FF.

KCC's Allied Health program offers a 2-yr RN degree, radiological (x-ray) tech, respiratory therapist, medical assisting, and CNA (certified nurse aide) programs, to list some of their more popular offerings. Their RN, XR tech and respiratory tech programs are highly competitive and have many applicants. CNA training, however, is only 1 semester and there are a fair number of positions open in hospitals and care facilities.

I wouldn't take the stand that it would be a waste of time to "give up 4 years of my life for a bachelor's." The time will pass whether you go to school or not. The better educated you are, especially in regards the medical field, will make you all that much more in demand as a potential employee, and the number of opportunities will be greater if you have the degree vs. don't. Higher education is never a waste, and having the degree shows you made the effort and put in the time and energy. Prospective employers look for things like that.

[whtviper1]

Too bad you weren't here in 2007 when the city was proposing paying people to train to be a EMT - maybe there is something like that now.

City's offer: Get paid to become a Honolulu EMT | The Honolulu Advertiser | Hawaii's Newspaper

[hotzcatz]

I heard they were going to be hiring a lot of plumbers on Oahu or some such. Ask the Plumber's Union if they would be interested in training you.