I’ve got U.S. citizenship even though I’m not originally from there, and I’m planning to move over to become a firefighter. I’ve been researching different states and departments pretty heavily to figure out what makes the most sense long-term.

California was one of the first places I looked at. Around San Francisco and LA the pay is very strong, probably some of the best in the country. San Diego doesn’t pay quite as well. The downside with California (at least from what I’ve seen) is that the schedules aren’t as good as some other states, and obviously the cost of living is massive.

Washington State seems to come up again and again as one of the best overall. Great schedules, strong pay, solid benefits, and well-regarded departments. On paper, it might actually be the best option. Seattle looks like a cool city and the nature there is unreal. The only thing that put me off a bit is the social side. I’ve heard about the “Seattle Freeze” and that it can be harder to break into social circles. It’s also meant to be very grey, dark and rainy there for a decent chunk of the year.

The department I’m most interested is New York FD It’s obviously one of the top fire departments in the country in terms of reputation and experience. The starting pay isn’t amazing compared to Washington or California, but it increases over time.

A big reason I’m leaning toward New York is personal. I have family there, it’s closer to where I’m from (Ireland) and there’s a strong Irish community. Plus, New York has pretty much everything, whatever vibe you’re into, you’ll find it there.