What is a Personal History Statement?

The Personal History Statement (PHS) is a detailed background document some fire departments require later in hiring. It covers your employment, education, residences, references, driving and financial history, and any past conduct, and it is used as the basis for a background investigation.

Should you disclose past mistakes on a PHS?

Yes. Disclose everything the form asks about, truthfully and with brief context. Background investigators verify what you write, and an omission they find raises a question about your truthfulness in addition to the original issue.

How long does the PHS take to complete?

Plan for many hours, sometimes spread over days, because it asks for dates, addresses, names, and details going back years. Gathering your records before you start makes your answers more accurate and the form quicker to complete.

What documents should I gather before starting the PHS?

Most people need employment dates and supervisor contacts, past addresses, education records, a driver's abstract, and reference details, though the exact list depends on your department's form. Pulling these together before you begin keeps your answers accurate and consistent.

Does every fire department use a Personal History Statement?

No. Some departments use a full PHS, others fold similar questions into an application or background questionnaire, and the depth varies widely. Always work from your own department's form and instructions rather than assuming a standard exists.

Will a past mistake automatically disqualify me from firefighting?

Not automatically, unless your department lists that issue as a disqualifier. Check your department's posting and background standards for any listed disqualifiers or time limits. Whatever the issue, disclose it as the form asks, with brief, factual context.

The Firefighter Personal History Statement (PHS): What It Is and How to Complete It

The Personal History Statement (PHS) is a detailed background form that some fire departments require later in hiring. It asks about your employment, education, addresses, references, driving, finances and any legal history, and investigators check your answers. To complete it well, gather your records first, answer every question completely and truthfully, and keep your answers consistent with what you say later in the process.

What is the Personal History Statement?

The PHS is a detailed background document that some departments require later in the hiring process. It asks for a detailed account of your life: employment history, education, every address you have lived at, references, driving record, financial history, and any past legal or conduct issues. It becomes the basis for a formal background investigation, in which investigators verify what you have written.

Not every service uses a document called a PHS. Some fold the same questions into a long application or a separate background questionnaire, and the depth varies from a few pages to a booklet that takes an evening to complete. This guide describes what these documents usually cover. Work from your own department's form and instructions for the specifics.

What does a PHS typically ask for?

A PHS gathers the information an investigator needs to confirm who you are and how you have conducted yourself. The exact sections vary, but most forms cover the same areas, and each one lets the department check what you wrote against a record or a person.

Employment history. Jobs going back several years, often with dates, addresses, supervisor names, and reasons for leaving. Periods of unemployment usually need to be accounted for as well.
References. Personal and professional references who can speak to your character and reliability, sometimes with a rule against listing relatives.
Residences. Every address you have lived at over a set period, which investigators may use to speak with neighbours or confirm your history.
Education. Schools attended, credentials earned, and dates, which can be checked directly with the institutions.
Driving record. Licence details and a driving history, since many firefighting roles involve operating apparatus. A driver's abstract is commonly requested alongside the form.
Criminal and legal disclosure. Any charges, convictions, or involvement with the justice system, typically including matters some people assume are minor or sealed.
Financial and background context. Some forms ask about financial history or other conduct as part of assessing judgment and reliability.

Because these categories differ in wording and scope from one department to the next, read every question on your own form literally and answer exactly what it asks.

Why complete, truthful disclosure matters

A background investigator's job is to verify your statements against records and people. If an answer is incomplete or misleading and the investigator finds out, you will have to explain why it was incomplete as well as the original issue. Read the declaration you sign, which may state the consequences of a false or incomplete answer.

Disclose every item the form asks about, including old or minor matters, and give brief, factual context. An item you leave out that an investigator finds becomes a question about your truthfulness.

The document is signed, and you are attesting that your answers are true, so answer every question on the assumption that an investigator will check it independently.

How does the PHS connect to the background check and interview?

The PHS is the starting point for a background investigation and can be used as a reference during your interview, so what you write stays on your file for the rest of the process. Investigators use it to decide who to contact and what to confirm.

An investigator generally starts from what you wrote and checks each part: calling former employers, confirming addresses and education, pulling your driving record, and speaking with references and sometimes people you did not list. Anything that does not match becomes a question you will be asked to explain. In an interview, panels may return to items from your statement, so be ready to explain anything you disclosed, plainly and in the same terms you used on the form. What you say in the interview should match what you wrote.

How do you prepare and gather your documents?

Gather your records before you start writing so your answers come from documents rather than memory. Answers from memory often get dates and details wrong, and investigators check those details against records.

Set aside enough time, because a thorough form can take many hours spread over several days. Before you begin, gather the information you are likely to need:

Addresses for every place you have lived over the period the form covers, with move-in and move-out dates.
Employment records: employer names and addresses, job titles, start and end dates, and supervisor contacts.
Education records: institutions, programs, credentials, and dates.
A current driver's abstract and your licence details.
Reference details: full names, current contact information, and how each person knows you.
Documentation for any legal, financial, or conduct matter you will disclose, so you can describe it accurately.

Keep your own copy of everything you submit. You may be asked about the same details again later, and your later answers should match what you submitted.

How to complete it well

Gather your records first. Old addresses, employment dates, references, and any relevant documents. Filling gaps from memory leads to errors that an investigator will ask you to explain.
Be complete. If you are unsure whether a question covers something, include it and explain.
Give factual context. For anything in your past, state what happened plainly and, where appropriate, what you learned or changed.
Do not use countermeasures. Do not try to manipulate any part of the background process. Answer each question as it is asked.
Review before you submit. Small inconsistencies in dates or names can lead to extra questions.

What are the most common PHS mistakes?

Common PHS mistakes are ordinary errors of omission and inconsistency. They can make a candidate look evasive even when nothing was hidden.

Leaving gaps. Unexplained stretches of time between jobs or addresses can look like something hidden. Account for the whole period the form asks about, even when nothing notable happened during a stretch.
Omitting minor issues. Do not assume a small or old matter is not worth mentioning. If the form asks, disclose it and add context.
Inconsistent details. Dates, names, and spellings that differ between sections, or between the PHS and later paperwork, lead to extra questions. Work from records and check them against each other.
Vague references. Outdated contact information or references who are not expecting a call slow the investigation. Confirm each person's details and tell them to expect a call.
Rushing the form. Filling it out from memory the night before leads to errors. Leave enough time to check every answer against your records.
Editing your history. Do not reword or leave out facts to make your history look better. Report what happened, as the form asks.

Summary: how to approach your PHS

To complete a Personal History Statement, disclose everything the form asks about, give brief, factual context, and prepare your records so your answers are accurate. Not every department uses a PHS, so check your department's requirements. If you want to prepare, you can work through it section by section in the PHS workbook.