Way, way too much competition. Besides being the one gov't occupation the public has unalloyed respect for, firefighters get great pay and benefits and a lot of free time. Plus there aren't that many positions available, and many of the ones that do open up often go to 'legacies' and others with insider connections. Even before the recession, advertised positions routinely got hundreds of qualified applicants.

Physical standards aren't that hard - look up CPAT, finish in under 10:40 and you have a shot. The biggest hindrance is that most larger (high-paying) departments are historically white and male and departments are looking to diversify. If you're a white guy, opportunities are proportionally harder and you may need to get your paramedic license to have a chance.

Great work if you can get it, though, most places work 8-10 days per month and you get to sleep on the job (unless a call comes in). IT people will definitely have a hard time with this work, though, the field does not attract a lot of intellectuals.