Limited Careers

[Newfoundking]

Well as a few of you may know, I am red/green colour blind. This does not mean I see only black and white, or I can't see any red or any green. I can easily look at something, and tell you if it is red or green, however it is when the two are put together that it becomes much harder to tell. This is not true for every shade of red and every shade of green. And this also does not apply just to red and green, other colours are harder to tell, like for instance when the sky turns purple, it will more than likely still look blue to me.

Because of this, I cannot work in certain careers, such as police officer. I can also not legally fly a commercial plane, or to my knowledge any plane.

Basically, I am opening this thread up for contribution and questions. I would like to know of any other careers I would not be able to do, and I can then compile a list. Please don't add if you don't know for sure, only if you do know 100% please. Also, any questions you have about anything related to this topic, go ahead and ask them and I'll do my best to answer it

[Guest matt31896]

Can't be a Military Fighter Jet Pilot. BTW GeraldTIII's about me page beer song is hilarious.

[Newfoundking]

...or to my knowledge any plane.

[Guest matt31896]

Total crap! That's my second time missing an important detail! The first was deleted by pyrothijs for offending a web user .

[Newfoundking]

don't worry about it... I'll let this one slide, however remember, if you run away from me into a field when I start beating you for making rules, then I may not know when to stop

Haha seriously though, it's nbd don't sweat it

[theocd]

As far as I know you cannot become a train driver either. This is because unlike traffic lights, which always have the order from top to bottom RED-AMBER-GREEN, train signals vary in order due to the age at which they were built. Some also include either one or two Ambers at different heights, so a train drivers colour vision must be perfect to detect signals from 1/2 a mile away and stop the train in time. So if the red's next to the green on the next signal, as you say you might have trouble telling them apart.

One of my friends at school is red/green colour blind so I understand the difficulty in determining colours. (The pH scale was one such problem)

Hope that helps,

The OC-D

[C.F.D]

Well, obviously you won't be a painter or interior decorator. And you wouldn't want to be an electrician, or a police officer, a soldier, paramedic, firefighter either. For the most part though, very few careers are eliminated because of color blindness. You will have already adapted to it, and are aware of your own limitations- so you can always make adjustments for the odd situation when color determination is important.

Pilots need to know whether other aircraft or coming towards or going away from them at night. They do this by knowing that planes have a different colored wing light on the left compared to right wing.

Cops would have a hard time identifying subjects if they couldn't rely on the color of their clothing. Your "blue" shirted bank robber might be wearing gray, or blue and green stripes, according to your description.

But there are still lots of other career options that are not color critical, and you will be able to adapt for those few situations when color becomes an issue. Not really a big deal.

I'm Deaf here, and according to NFPA Health Standards, i can't join a Fire Department because i wear Hearing Aids...Well guess what? I joined the Calgary Fire Department and became the FIRST Deaf Junior Firefighter/Fire Cadet. After several years of struggling, i got in. Next step: Firefighter

Its my dream to become a Paid Firefighter /Volunteer Firefighter.

When i got in at first, when CFD found out for sure that I have a hearing ‘disability’ its just pure insensitivity, almost like they are trying to test me to be able to say I can’t do the job. They will turn their backs when talking, make me have to have them repeat themselves, which they give me a look, or lately if i ask if they can repeat it they yell “never mind I’ll just do it”. Its like “Um I can do it.”

But now, i have alot more respect from CFD, and i have alot of pride being with CFD as Fire Cadet. Things is now alot easier because they adapted to socialize and to work with/around me. I'm blessed.

There are only couple hundreds of Deaf Firefighters in North America (525 million people lives in North America). One of them is a Fire Chief now. Another one is a Paramedic/Firefighter. The list goes on. They're heroes because they busted their balls off just to land the position as a Firefighter, after fighting the challenges and restrictions thanks to the fitly NFPA So I'm busting my ass off to make sure my dream comes true.

I know there are people out there who believe deaf and hard of hearing people have no place in the fire service or other careers. But hello, common decency anyone? It’s this sort of infantile behavior that reinforces the notion that emergency responders are a good ol’ boy network. I’m fortunate that I haven’t seen this in my current department.

This applies to both firefighters and deaf people alike. Even if you don’t agree with what a person represents, treating them in a way less than you would treat your own neighbor only serves to dehumanize you.

So Regardless what other people or organization says about restriction, i say screw em, and be the possible of the impossible.

Me Rappelling down.

[Newfoundking]

As far as I know you cannot become a train driver either. This is because unlike traffic lights, which always have the order from top to bottom RED-AMBER-GREEN, train signals vary in order due to the age at which they were built. Some also include either one or two Ambers at different heights, so a train drivers colour vision must be perfect to detect signals from 1/2 a mile away and stop the train in time. So if the red's next to the green on the next signal, as you say you might have trouble telling them apart.

One of my friends at school is red/green colour blind so I understand the difficulty in determining colours. (The pH scale was one such problem)

Hope that helps,

The OC-D

I can luckily say we haven't had trains in Newfoundland for quite some time, so as long as I stay here that career would not be an option to me regardless

Well, obviously you won't be a painter or interior decorator. And you wouldn't want to be an electrician, or a police officer, a soldier, paramedic, firefighter either. For the most part though, very few careers are eliminated because of color blindness. You will have already adapted to it, and are aware of your own limitations- so you can always make adjustments for the odd situation when color determination is important.

Pilots need to know whether other aircraft or coming towards or going away from them at night. They do this by knowing that planes have a different colored wing light on the left compared to right wing.

Cops would have a hard time identifying subjects if they couldn't rely on the color of their clothing. Your "blue" shirted bank robber might be wearing gray, or blue and green stripes, according to your description.

But there are still lots of other career options that are not color critical, and you will be able to adapt for those few situations when color becomes an issue. Not really a big deal.

I'm Deaf here, and according to NFPA Health Standards, i can't join a Fire Department because i wear Hearing Aids...Well guess what? I joined the Calgary Fire Department and became the FIRST Deaf Junior Firefighter/Fire Cadet. After several years of struggling, i got in. Next step: Firefighter

Its my dream to become a Paid Firefighter /Volunteer Firefighter.

When i got in at first, when CFD found out for sure that I have a hearing ‘disability’ its just pure insensitivity, almost like they are trying to test me to be able to say I can’t do the job. They will turn their backs when talking, make me have to have them repeat themselves, which they give me a look, or lately if i ask if they can repeat it they yell “never mind I’ll just do it”. Its like “Um I can do it.”

But now, i have alot more respect from CFD, and i have alot of pride being with CFD as Fire Cadet. Things is now alot easier because they adapted to socialize and to work with/around me. I'm blessed.

There are only couple hundreds of Deaf Firefighters in North America (525 million people lives in North America). One of them is a Fire Chief now. Another one is a Paramedic/Firefighter. The list goes on. They're heroes because they busted their balls off just to land the position as a Firefighter, after fighting the challenges and restrictions thanks to the fitly NFPA So I'm busting my ass off to make sure my dream comes true.

I know there are people out there who believe deaf and hard of hearing people have no place in the fire service or other careers. But hello, common decency anyone? It’s this sort of infantile behavior that reinforces the notion that emergency responders are a good ol’ boy network. I’m fortunate that I haven’t seen this in my current department.

This applies to both firefighters and deaf people alike. Even if you don’t agree with what a person represents, treating them in a way less than you would treat your own neighbor only serves to dehumanize you.

So Regardless what other people or organization says about restriction, i say screw em, and be the possible of the impossible.

OH shoot, there go my dreams of being the top interior decorator lol

Electrician, never thought of that one before.. oh well.

Cop I figured, I was kinda sad when I read that I need to have perfect colour vision to work as one..

I always thought soldiers would have use for colourblind individuals... Like I can spot camo much easier than someone with normal colour.

Paramedic, I understand, by why not firefighter?

I guess I'll stick to flying only when no one else can, and the plane depends on me XD

Now as for the police one, I can see blue between gray, I can still see all my colours, just some are screwy... I'm still trying to figure out which ones.. .It's different from person to person.

No, I knew you were a firefighter with the CFD, but I never knew you were deaf. I've been wanting to be a firefighter for the longest time, and that was basically the whole reason of this topic, to see if I was barred from it. Now unless they send me alone into a room searching for people, and the room is completely red, and they are completely green, I'll be able to handle my job. It's not like I'll have to identify a lot of things colour based, that wouldn't have some other way to identify it that was more reliable.

Well if you could get in being deaf, then I don't see a reason I can't if I'm red/green colourblind. I have adapted to everything else so far, including designing a very colourful spot for my highschool (don't know how I did it, but I did) and apparently it turned out good. So I suppose I'll give it a try. Afterall what's the worst that'll happen, I get in shape, get certified as a firefighter, then go get another job. I won't give up.

PS anyone else here have any form of colourblindness? If you don't wanna announce it here, then feel free to send me a pm, love to find someone else that goes through the same things I and many others do too.... So far I have only met one other person...

[C.F.D]

As you know every fire has its color or better said consists of a whole range of colors. The colors not only tell us something about the burning substance but also are very closely related to the heat of a fire. For example a red fire can have a temperature between 977°F (525 °C) with a just visible red and 1830 °F (1000 °C), a cherry, clear red.

Also smoke has a color which can tell you a lot about the elements making up the smoke you see. And as any smoke can be very heavily toxic it is important to be able to distinguish different shades of color. At different stages of a fire the smoke color changes and therefore it is important for a firefighter to be able to interpret colors appropriately.

This are only two reasons why good color vision can help you to be a professional firefighter.

I found this story about someone who is Colorblind:

I’ll give you a bit of history on myself. I have recently taken schooling to become a firefighter, and seem to have run into a wall due to a color deficiency which I have. Funny things is I went to an ophthalmologist about 2 years ago and was cleared for the D-15 test with 0 errors.

But the next time I took it I convinced myself that it was suppose start with blue and end in green as the doctor did not say it was to fade into red. For some reason thats what I thought it was the last time I took, while I was doing it though I knew it was incorrect. When the doctor pulled it from me obviously it was horribly wrong. So he sent me for further testing during which i did D-100 plus lantern. The D-100 I used one eye at a time and it was difficult. End result I have been diagnosed with severe color blindness. And yet I can do the D-15 online with 0 errors and the confusion test with decent results as well as 1 wrong in ten.

Wondering where you might recommend getting some solid answers as there seems to be a lot of ignorance in the medical field and the fire department. I went through fire school with no problem, as well as the rest of the courses I took with no problems what so ever, and now they tell me that my colorblindness is a hazard. Anyway, right now I am quite frustrated and looking for answers as this is what I want to do—yet I feel that I being discriminated based on ignorance of color blindness.

Now this sounds pretty unfair. You accomplish everything just perfectly and only your color blindness should disqualify you to become a firefighter?

[Newfoundking]

It is, after all. If you can do the job, without any problems that are major, then why shouldn't you be allowed in?

[Grim_Wizard]

Me Rappelling down.

Oh my gosh I hated rappeling because I was doing it on our tower with a substandard rope, it snapped and I fell and broke both my legs (1 was a compund with the bone sticking out) and a few ribs and it hurt a lot. After that we now have department requlations banning nylon of almost all types.

[Newfoundking]

I would actually love to go rappelling at the training centre here, unfortunately you need to be a firefighter with the department to do so, so I am currently stuck with rock walls, and cliff, and the occasional old building (safe though)

[Guest matt31896]

I was doing it on our tower with a substandard rope, it snapped and I fell and broke both my legs (1 was a compund with the bone sticking out) and a few ribs and it hurt a lot. After that we now have department requlations banning nylon of almost all types.

Jeez, now I under stand why you hated rappeling! :frown: I probably refuse to even do rock climbing after that.

[Shadow16]

I'm colour blinded also and wish ti join my local police force. As far as I'm aware they don't reject you if your colourblind I'm applying to become a Special Constable, basically volunteering my free time to be out and about with regular police officers in case no one knows . But as I said don't think they reject you due to colour blindness as long as it's not a bad case i've emailed them to comfirm this.

@GerardTIII Great photo you've take there beat you enjoyed rappelling off that tower

[Newfoundking]

That photo was from CFD, that's him rappelling in Calgary...

And well some police forces may let you on for special jobs, but here you need perfect colour vision, or they will automatically reject you.. It says in their requirements to be hired.. As for the National police force RCMP, I assume they operate under the same rules... Therefore I have 0 chance to work with the police as an officer

[C.F.D]

Oh my gosh I hated rappeling because I was doing it on our tower with a substandard rope, it snapped and I fell and broke both my legs (1 was a compund with the bone sticking out) and a few ribs and it hurt a lot. After that we now have department requlations banning nylon of almost all types.

I'm sorry for giving you flashbacks....

[Grim_Wizard]

It's cool, BTW I did mean braded rope, we're only alowed to use nylon ect. because hemp and other fibers burn (That's what had weakened it.) The only thing I can think of is if I had laanded on pavement with an air cylender on.

[Newfoundking]

That would've been bad.. Hey at least your fine and still with the department

[jab16]

You can be a author we all know your good at that. or......

you could train hard and become a sharpshooter like me

[Newfoundking]

Haha, well thanks for the compliment, but even though I may be an okay writer.. not so good at the selling part, which I need before any publisher will publish my book... Not need, but it'll help, and my eBook isn't doing good at all...

And the sharpshooter thing is controversial, seeing as CB is sometimes a kill factor for that excuse the pun

And authors that don't tp list like steven king can expect like 15 grand or so a year per book.. That's for somewhat popular books... Not enough to keep a living

[Guest matt31896]

don't worry about it... I'll let this one slide, however remember, if you run away from me into a field when I start beating you for making rules, then I may not know when to stop

Haha seriously though, it's nbd don't sweat it

Might not want to because unless there is a sign saying none of this allowed, I usually have a knife or stun gun on me, want to screw with me now?

[Newfoundking]

I'm going to take that as a joke, and just let you know that the challenge at the end might've been a bit much...

And BTW I found another career today that I can fall back on incase all my other options fail... A Bosn

[Guest matt31896]

Stun gun yes, knife mabye, I'll let you figure it out, but I wouldn't fight you, I would head for the hills. BTW Bosn????? Also New Found Land is Canada or not? Reason for knife, I live in the part of Hanahan that is full of street violence and kidnappers, so when I walk down the street, I have one for my self defense, and sorry for my last post's ending, that's me being me.

[Newfoundking]

Okay..

Newfoundland is one word... Pronounced like this: Newfinland... Not new Finland, exactly like this: New Fin Land

A lot of people that aren't from here have no idea how to pronounce it

And yes it is a part of canada, for the past 50 years... A waste and not a good choice if you ask me.

And Bosn it short for Boatswain which is the person in the navy who drives the ships and fires the guns more or less... That's the shortest way to describe it.

[Guest matt31896]

I suck at grammar.