Shortly before the market collapsed, Jordan Elrod left the world of corporate banking as an investor to become a firefighter.

"My parents weren't as thrilled, but I wanted to be outside helping people," said the 27-year-old Boca Raton native, who graduated from the Palm Beach Community College fire academy in April. "It's the best decision I ever made."

He says that despite leaving one profession rocked by uncertain job security and entering another flooded with more applicants than positions.

Elrod hasn't landed a job yet, but he -- and 109 others -- hopes to get one of the two entry-level jobs open at the Key West Fire Department, which usually receives 10 to 15 applicants.

"In all my years here, we've never had anywhere near that number," Chief David Fraga said.

Government budget cuts, job freezes, a faltering economy and large numbers of fire academy graduates have caused a spike in the number of firefighters looking for work, Fraga said.

Monroe County Fire Rescue also has been overwhelmed by the number of applicants for its two entry-level jobs. Vacancies usually attract 30 to 40 applicants. This time, Chief Jim Callahan received 300 resumes.

"I've worked in St. Petersburg and we'd get about 200 or so, so this is quite a lot for the Keys," Callahan said. "St. Pete is a much larger department."

Most applicants are Florida residents, but both departments are receiving resumes from as far away as Tallahassee and Pensacola.

The situation didn't surprise C.W. Blosser, director of the Florida State Firefighters Association.

"No one is expanding their force, because of cuts," Blosser said. "We're seeing this all over Florida. Some departments are laying off guys. Everybody is feeling the economic downturn in some way. Those that aren't laying guys off are not expanding, either."

Marathon and Islamorada Fire Chief William Wagner said he's been getting six to eight random applicants a week even though he has no openings.

"It started about a year and a half ago, about the time the economy really took a downturn," Wagner said. "I think we're seeing a spike in people going to the academy looking for job security and that's adding to it as well."

Monroe County Fire Rescue pays entry level firefighters $36,500, Callahan said. The department employs 74 firefighters. Key West, with 59 full-time firefighters, starts them at $39,000, said Key West Fire Marshal Mike Davila.

"I've been impressed with all of them," Fraga said of the applicants. "In a perfect world I'd offer them all a job."

Arthur Vogler, a 28-year-old Miami resident, said he has been looking for a job for three months. He and Elrod were at the Key West fire station on Kennedy Drive Tuesday taking some physical fitness tests -- in full gear and 90 degree heat. Both said they were thankful for the opportunity.

"You got to keep plugging away. The jobs are limited and there's giant competition. The last place I was at got 250 applications," Vogler said. "My goal was to find a job in two years. You have to keep yourself dedicated, but it does get discouraging sometimes."

Both departments hope to have their positions filled within the next two weeks.

"These guys are dedicated," Fraga said. "It's as a sincere bunch of people you'll find. They take it very personal, very serious. It's a tough economy right now."

alinhardt@keysnews.com