| There are several things that you must know or | | | | pound sandbag and/or dummy approximately ten |
| do before becoming a public safety officer in your | | | | to fifteen feetd. Go over a wall that is six feet in |
| community. Public safety officers can be any | | | | heighte. Run across a balance beam without |
| individual that works for an agency that is public in | | | | fallingf. Withstand a test where you are pepper |
| nature. Individuals that work as firefighters, in law | | | | sprayed in the faceg. Undergo a test where you |
| enforcement, corrections, and even emergency | | | | are taseredh. Complete a certain amount of |
| response and preparedness teams are all | | | | pushups, sit-ups, and other physical exercises in a |
| considered to be public safety officers. Here, I will | | | | set amount of time |
| introduce you to the 3 important things you must | | | | You must know what is expected, be healthy, |
| know or do before becoming an officer that | | | | and ready to face the requirements that are |
| serves the safety of the public. | | | | designated for your particular field. |
| 1. Education: | | | | 3. Psychological Aspects: |
| The first important thing that you should learn | | | | If you are going into public safety service, you |
| about is the education that is required to become | | | | should take special care to consider the |
| certified to work in public safety. The education | | | | psychological aspects of the position in which you |
| that you will need to acquire will be dependent | | | | are selecting. You may be exposed to extremely |
| upon the field that you select to work in, as well | | | | high levels of stress, physical violence, witnessing |
| as the agency that you will work for. | | | | crimes taking place, verbal and emotional abuse, |
| You will need to determine the coursework that | | | | and even come face to face with death - natural, |
| you need to complete in any special academy and | | | | suicidal, and homicidal. |
| or educational institution. You should also take into | | | | It is important that you know and understand |
| consideration the cost of the schooling and if the | | | | these situations may occur right from the start - |
| agency covers any part of the tuition. Keep in | | | | and at any time while you are in service. If you |
| mind that there may be special grants and/or | | | | feel as if you cannot handle this type of |
| loans that you may qualify for in order to help | | | | psychological pressure, it may be best if you opt |
| pay for the overall cost of the education that is | | | | to do something other than public safety. |
| required. | | | | If you consider the above 3 important things that |
| 2. Physical Requirements: | | | | you should know or do before becoming a public |
| The second important thing that you will need to | | | | safety officer, you will quickly be able to |
| know prior to becoming a public safety officer is | | | | determine if this type of profession is for you. If |
| the physical requirements. Many of the positions in | | | | it is, I encourage you to do more reading on the |
| these fields require a high level of health, as well | | | | career. You can do this by visiting websites that |
| as high levels of physical endurance. For example, | | | | cover the career in more detail. |
| as a law enforcement officer, you are typically | | | | Note: You are free to reprint or republish this |
| required to:a. Be able to run a mile in nine minutes | | | | article. The only condition is that the Resource |
| or lessb. Push a full size vehicle approximately ten | | | | Box should be included and the links are clickable. |
| to fifteen feetc. Drag a one hundred and fifty | | | | |