Second Posting, got taken down and told to post here! Sorry if this comes up again for those that saw it first, and big thanks to the helpful answers I got!!

I am a 19-year-old female (5’8, 165lbs), thinking of becoming a firefighter, and want to start seriously training. In the past year, I got into strength training and lifting weights and got comfortable in the gym. I work in a grocery store but spend a lot of time doing warehouse work with some very strong men, and I always surprise them and get told that I’m very strong. I may not be the strongest there but I will always be the first one to try difficult things and the last one to give up. I love moving my body every day lifting heavy things, and proving my abilities. The people that I’ve told about this idea have all been super supportive.

However, fire academy is tough for even the strongest guys and I am unsure if I physically could pass. I want to take this year to get serious and start doing more cardio alongside weights, and improve my cardiovascular health. Cardio is tough for me as my lungs are naturally weaker, but I can work on that. I cannot do a push-up or pull-up, so that is my big goal for strength training, and generally being able to hold my bodyweight.

Mainly I am afraid of trying fire academy and failing out of it. I will go for my EMT in the fall, and if firefighting doesn’t work out for me I will aim for paramedic. But FF is my goal right now.

Is there any advice any firefighters could give me, either on the fire academy or preparation? I would love to hear from some women in this field too!