ITT, we discuss moving to Alaska.

[ADDirishboy]

Yes, that's right, Alaska. Anchorage to be specific. Why? Because of a career opportunity that has arisen.

So, as a lot of you may know, I just recently graduated from the fire academy out here in Phoenix. I am officially a certified firefighter. Cool, right? Well, it would be, if there were actually cities that were hiring in my state. True, Phoenix did just hire 28 guys. But the catch there is that none of them have been trianed. So instead of saving money and hiring guys who have already been through an academy and know their way around a truck, they decide to drop 4.4 million on training new guys and building a new training facility. Hooray fire politics.

But on to the actual dilemma I'm having here. I want to actually be a firefighter, obviously. There are little to no openings in all of AZ right now, so that's pretty much out of the picture. Washington and Oregon are hiring a little, but it still may take a while for me to get hired. It's all a popularity contest in the fire service, and it would take a while to get my name out there. Now for Anchorage. I got a call from my uncle who lives in Anchorage about 3 days ago. They are hiring 18 guys, and my uncle is best friends with the fire chief there. He gave the chief my name and the chief told him that if I move up there, he'll hire me. Not in a few months, not in a few weeks, I'd be in a house fighting fires as soon as I stepped off the plane. Yea.

So, I could be a paid firefighter tomorrow. The only issue I'm having here is, well, I'm not super excited about the whole living in Anchorage thing. I keep going back and forth on it. Yes, I really want to be a firefighter. It would be great experience and look fantastic on a resume when I have some experience and want to move to a different state. But, it's Alaska. I've been there. Not a huge fan.

So NICO, I'm asking for your opinion on the subject here. Do I move to Seattle and try to get a job there even though it may take a year or so? Or do I bite the bullet, and move to Anchorage and start my career now?

[frapjap]

DO IT! Alaska is freggin' awesome. Wilderness, free gun laws, AWESOME fish and seafood to eat (salmon, snow crab and King crab, halibut) some of which you can catch yourself and have for dinner the same day, and for the ones that you can't, you'll get it AT COST! Maybe even less if you save a boat or the right guys house. The scenery and wildlife out there is something I could spend at least a year enjoying just those things.

I'm sure some naysayer will pop in here and say, "theres no women there." But you know what? bishez (classically) love firemen; you'll have no problem. The things you'll experience out there and the stories you'll have to tell will trump a bunch of what you'll get to do here. Oh, and skiing some of the best mountains ever! Summer solstice is a wicked awesome party.

As for your employment- I bet you'll fight a FAAAAR wider variety of fires there than if you were to stay in the continental US, thus gaining that experience that you need to make a name for yourself.

Personally, if my career field took me there, I'd take a job out there any day, especially if I could pack up and go right now with that kind of "in." Doooooeetttttt!

[ThatGuyRoger]

from what you've explained, it seems the positives outweigh the negatives. but I'm sure you'll be leaving behind plenty in AZ and going to alaska, but it is a guaranteed position.It's not like you'll be there forever and it's doing something you know you'll love doing. make no regrets.

congrats on graduating from the academy, I'm still in the candidate phase.

good luck on your decision

[ADDirishboy]

Roger, you pretty much hit it on the head there. I don't really want to move out of AZ. I mean, I'd be more comfortable with going to Seattle cause I actually have friends and family who live there that I could see. I have an Aunt and Uncle in Anchorage and that's it.

I do really want a change though. Moving out of AZ has been a plan of mine for a while now. Never really considered Alaska before now, but hey, if there's a job there, why not.

[krash]

If its what you want, do it man! A co-worker of mine just moved down here from Alaska. Obviously the winters are cold, but he said summers get up to 80 and its gets really nice up there.

[Eikon]

I would communicate through your uncle once more with the fire chief. Say thanks a million for the opportunity.. You are strongly considering the opportunity. Ask how long the offer might remain open? If he'll give you a month or two.. try for the Seattle job and see what happens. If you can get it... do Seattle.. if not, then go start your career in Alaska.

I'm always in favor of going on adventures when you are young. Sure Alaska is rough in the winter, but you'll find upsides to it as well. You don't have to stay there forever... do it for a year, get trained and experienced, and then pick a job in a warmer climate.

[Jesda]

You're young. Take on every adventure that you can.

Anchorage isn't unreasonably cold thanks to the water, but Fairbanks quite brutal.

[PEZi]

I would communicate through your uncle once more with the fire chief. Say thanks a million for the opportunity.. You are strongly considering the opportunity. Ask how long the offer might remain open? If he'll give you a month or two.. try for the Seattle job and see what happens. If you can get it... do Seattle.. if not, then go start your career in Alaska.

I'm always in favor of going on adventures when you are young. Sure Alaska is rough in the winter, but you'll find upsides to it as well. You don't have to stay there forever... do it for a year, get trained and experienced, and then pick a job in a warmer climate.

^ this


how's CO for hiring anyway? just out of curiosity...

[bluepillow]

Go to Alaska but quietly keep trying elsewhere if it's not what you want. Keep your mind open.

[AZ89two4Tsx]

I personally wouldn't do it Tyler.

I could never live in such an isolated place like Alaska. Even if it was a career I wanted, I wouldn't be able to justify the benefit over the cost. It would be a COMPLETE lifestyle change compared to here and honestly, I don't think you would like it very much after the first few months. I mean, how long would you plan on living there? A year? Two years?

Do you want to have to deal with this?



All up to you though. Would definitely be an adventure and a crazy lifestyle change. Can't deny that.

[flohtingPoint]

Alaska: filled with people who thought Sarah Palin would be a good governor.

[krash]

Yea, my friend loves Palin. The locals get money for living in Alaska. Palin thing.

[Jesda]

Alaska: filled with people who thought Sarah Palin would be a good governor.

She was a pretty awesome governor. Not so much VP candidate.

[Urabus GodofTraction]

Do it. Buy a Jeep Cherokee 4x4 cheap in AZ, drive it to Alaska. Enjoy drift-busting, instead of drifting.

[krimsonviper]

TBH, take the opportunity. I missed mine, even though it wasn't in the right position, it was in the field. You'll never know if you'll come across something as awesome. Plus, while you're looking for a job, you won't think you wasted your time, money, and effort in school. Who knows what can happen to you while you're out there. Anything from getting your d**k stuck to a pole, to finding an oil field, and anything in between can happen.

[Otto.]

LOL silly Tyler.

There's no fire in Alaska!

[nissangirl74]

Tyler, you should go to Alaska.
-Do you have a place to stay?
-You'll need a vehicle, the Mitsu won't cut it up there.
-This opportunity would give you on the job experience which will make you more attractive to the Seattle FD at a later date.
-Like Jesda said, go have a wonderful adventure. Enjoy it while you are young, single, and have the means.

I would steer clear of Seattle for now. There is no guarantee of a job there and if you're just going up there to look and hope, you can do that from here.

[BusyBadger]

-Do you have a place to stay?

I heard this guy has place for rent.



All it costs is your sense of self-preservation.

Seriously though, when I was in the Army the only place I heard guys rave about more than Europe was Alaska. To a person, every single one that I knew that was stationed there wanted to go back. Go.

[Urabus GodofTraction]

-Do you have a place to stay?

I heard this guy has place for rent.



All it costs is your sense of self-preservation.

I now walk into the wild.

[snwbrdr435]

I think the mitsu would be fine in anchorage its once you leave there that the problems arise. Alaska is my favorite state. Tyler learn how to fly heli's and then take fly me around.

[nissangirl74]

Alaska is on my short list of "places-to-see-before-I-die". It was the one place my dad wanted to take me to that we never got to go. You need to get your a** up there so we'll have a place to stay once Greg and I get there.

[Bubba1]

[She was a pretty awesome governor. Not so much VP candidate.

Yeah, until she quit during her first term while fighting off 2 dozen ethics investigations. Palin set the bar pretty low if you consider her brief work as guv awesome. But on the positive side, Bristol Palin is cute and available to date.

At this stage of your career, you want to build your resume. And given you have no attachments (we know of) in Arizona, Anchorage sounds like a good opportunity, especially with family up there to help you settle in. I suspect the biggest adjustment factor will be the colder weather. It is true the male-female ratio in Alaska is not as good as Arizona, but Anchorage is not exactly the frozen tundra for females. They do exist up there. You just might have to work a little harder to find the good ones.

As far as cars, you might need to invest in a block heater, some gas line antifreeze, fresh fluids, and seek indoor parking, but I would think your mitsu would be fine.

[sx moneypit]

You are young and single,i say go for it.No one will be holding a gun to your head to keep you there if you don't like it.Have all the fun and adventures you can while you are young!

[Dattebayo]

I'm glad to see you've thought hard about the other 47 states... oh wait-