DFEMS launches NMI-wide recruitment of fire cadets

A firefighter demonstrates yesterday how to drag a victim, as Fire Capt. Jesse Mesa explains the victim rescue, which is the final of eight job-related physical agility test components that applicants for fire cadets must pass during the selection process. (Ferdie Dela Torre)

Department of Fire & Emergency Medical Services Commissioner Claudio Norita yesterday formally announced the CNMI-wide recruitment of fire cadets for Saipan, Tinian, and Rota. DFEMS is looking for 20 cadets for Saipan, six for Rota, and three for Tinian.

Norita said he received words from the Office of Personnel Management that over 200 persons applied for the 11th Cycle Fire Academy as of last week.

Norita said the applicants include those who applied for police cadets and other positions in law enforcement but switched over to become fire cadets.

“We’re seeing a lot of that where they’re switching over their current applications to fire cadet position,” he said.

Norita said the selection process will follow after the recruitment announcement closes by end of October.

He said the selection period will depend on how many applicants there are.

“The [fewer number of] applicants, the faster the process,” he said.

The academy will last over three and a half months.

Norita said the cadets will undergo all national certified trainings in accordance with the National Board of Fire Service Professional Qualification and from the National Registry for Emergency Medical Services and Emergency Medical Technician.

“All those training are national certified. We need to meet those criteria,” he said.

This is particularly beneficial to successful cadets, he said, because once they are nationally certified, they will have the credential that will allow then to work elsewhere.

Not that he wants them to leave; Norita said it’s their obligation to recruit the most capable and qualified people.

“We need to put in the best training we can so that the service they provide our people is the best service that we, the government, can offer,” he said.

The selection process has three phases, but prior to qualifying for that process, all applicants must take an English placement test and submit the results to DFEMS Training Section.

The first phase is the physical fitness test, in which all applicants will be tested in the two-mile run, push-ups, and sit-ups.

The second phase is the agility test, in which qualifiers will undergo eight job-related physical agility components—charged line advance, forcible entry simulation, equipment carry simulation, ceiling breach and pull, ladder heel, stair climb with equipment, and victim rescue or dummy drag.

The last phase is the oral test.

Norita said the training on Rota will probably kick off first.

The training unit will go to Tinian and Rota and conduct the same selection process.

Firefighter 2 Paul Sasamoto will be the training commander of the academy. Firefighter Gary Cruz will assist.

The last fire academy in the CNMI was in 2012. At present, Saipan has 88 firefighters, Tinian has 11, and Rota has five.