Firefighters: Jobs, Career, Salary and Education Information
Following is everything you need to know about a career as a firefighter with lots of details. As a first step, take a look at some of the following jobs, which are real jobs with real employers. You will be able to see the very real job career requirements for employers who are actively hiring. The link will open in a new tab so that you can come back to this page to continue reading about the career:
Top 3 Firefighter Jobs
Volunteer Firefighter (up to 20) - Norfolk County - Simcoe
To have your application considered
Firefighter - City of Port Coquitlam - Port Coquitlam
The Port Coquitlam Fire & Emergency Services Department is accepting applications from highly motivated, energetic and dedicated men and women to
Firefighter - City of Victoria, BC - Victoria
Please review the Victoria Firefighter Application Guide found at http://www.victoria.ca/EN/main/residents/public-safety/fire/recruitment.html and
See all Firefighter jobs
What Firefighters Do[About this section] [To Top]
Firefighters control and put out fires and respond to emergencies where life, property, or the environment is at risk.
Duties of Firefighters
Firefighters typically do the following:
Drive firetrucks and other emergency vehicles
Put out fires using water hoses, fire extinguishers, and water pumps
Find and rescue victims in burning buildings or in other emergency situations
Treat sick or injured people
Prepare written reports on emergency incidents
Clean and maintain equipment
Conduct drills and physical fitness training
When responding to an emergency, firefighters are responsible for connecting hoses to hydrants, operating the pumps that power the hoses, climbing ladders, and using other tools to break through debris. Firefighters also enter burning buildings to extinguish fires and rescue individuals. Many firefighters are responsible for providing medical attention. Two out of three calls to firefighters are for medical emergencies, not fires, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
When firefighters are not responding to an emergency, they are on call at a fire station. During this time, they regularly inspect equipment and perform practice drills. They also eat and sleep and remain on call, as their shifts usually last 24 hours. Some firefighters may provide public education about fire safety, such as presenting about fire safety at a school.
Some firefighters also work in hazardous materials units and are specially trained to control and clean up hazardous materials, such as oil spills and chemical accidents. They work with hazardous materials removal workers in these cases.
Wildland firefighters are specially trained firefighters. They use heavy equipment and water hoses to control forest fires. Wildland firefighters also frequently create fire lines—a swath of cut-down trees and dug-up grass in the path of a fire—to deprive a fire of fuel. They also use prescribed fires to burn potential fire fuel under controlled conditions. Some wildland firefighters, known as smoke jumpers, parachute from airplanes to reach otherwise inaccessible areas.
Work Environment for Firefighters[About this section] [To Top]
Firefighters hold about 327,300 jobs. The largest employers of firefighters are as follows:
Local government, excluding education and hospitals 90%
Administrative and support services 4
Federal government, excluding postal service 3
State government, excluding education and hospitals 2
These employment numbers exclude volunteer firefighters.
Volunteer firefighters share the same duties as paid firefighters and account for the majority of firefighters in many areas. According to the National Fire Protection Association, about two thirds of firefighters are volunteer firefighters.
When not on the scene of an emergency, firefighters work at fire stations, where they sleep, eat, work on equipment, and remain on call. When an alarm sounds, firefighters respond, regardless of the weather or time of day.
Injuries and Illnesses for Firefighters
Firefighters have one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations. They often encounter dangerous situations, including collapsing floors and walls, traffic accidents, and overexposure to flames and smoke. As a result, workers must wear protective gear to help lower these risks. Often, the protective gear can be very heavy and hot.
Firefighter Work Schedules
Firefighters typically work long periods and varied hours. Overtime is common. Most firefighters work 24-hour shifts on duty and are off the following 48 or 72 hours. Some firefighters may work 10/14 shifts, which means 10 hours working and 14 hours off.
When combating forest and wildland fires, firefighters may work for extended periods. For example, wildland firefighters may have to stay for days or weeks when a wildland fire breaks out.
How to Become a Firefighter[About this section] [To Top]
Get the education you need: Find schools for Firefighters near you!
Firefighters typically need a high school diploma and training in emergency medical services. Prospective firefighters must pass written and physical tests, complete a series of interviews, go through training at a fire academy, and hold an emergency medical technician (EMT) certification.
Applicants for firefighter jobs typically must be at least 18 years old and have a valid driver's license. They must also pass a medical exam and drug screening to be hired. After being hired, firefighters may be subject to random drug tests and will also need to complete routine physical fitness assessments.
Education for Firefighters
The entry-level education needed to become a firefighter is a high school diploma or equivalent. However, some classwork beyond high school, such as instruction in assessing patients' conditions, dealing with trauma, and clearing obstructed airways, is usually needed to obtain the emergency medical technician (EMT) certification. EMT requirements vary by city and state.
Entry-level firefighters receive a few months of training at fire academies run by the fire department or by the state. Through classroom instruction and practical training, recruits study firefighting and fire-prevention techniques, local building codes, and emergency medical procedures. They also learn how to fight fires with standard equipment, including axes, chain saws, fire extinguishers, and ladders. After attending a fire academy, firefighters must usually complete a probationary period.
Those wishing to become wildland firefighters may attend apprenticeship programs that last up to 4 years. These programs combine instruction with on-the-job-training under the supervision of experienced firefighters.
In addition to participating in training programs conducted by local or state fire departments and agencies, some firefighters attend federal training sessions sponsored by the National Fire Academy. These training sessions cover topics including anti-arson techniques, disaster preparedness, hazardous materials control, and public fire safety and education.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations for Firefighters
Usually, firefighters must be certified as emergency medical technicians. In addition, some fire departments require firefighters to be certified as a paramedic. The National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT). certifies EMTs and paramedics. Both levels of NREMT certification require completing a training or education program and passing the national exam. The national exam has a computer-based test and a practical part. EMTs and paramedics may work with firefighters at the scenes of accidents.
Other Experience for Firefighters
Working as a volunteer firefighter may help in getting a job as a career firefighter.
Advancement for Firefighters
Firefighters can be promoted to engineer, then to lieutenant, captain, battalion chief, assistant chief, deputy chief, and, finally, chief. For promotion to positions beyond battalion chief, many fire departments now require applicants to have a bachelor's degree, preferably in fire science, public administration, or a related field. Some firefighters eventually become fire inspectors or investigators after gaining enough experience.
Important Qualities for Firefighters
Communication skills. Firefighters communicate conditions at an emergency scene to other firefighters and to emergency-response crews.
Compassion. Firefighters, like EMT's and paramedics, need to provide emotional support to those in emergency situations.
Courage. Firefighters' daily job duties involve dangerous situations, such as entering a burning building.
Decisionmaking skills. Firefighters must be able to make quick and difficult decisions in an emergency. The ability to make good decisions under pressure could potentially save someone's life.
Physical stamina. Firefighters may have to stay at disaster scenes for long periods of time to rescue and treat victims. Fighting fires requires prolonged use of strength.
Physical strength. Firefighters must be strong enough to carry heavy equipment and move debris at an emergency site. They also carry victims who are injured or cannot walk.
Firefighter Salaries[About this section] [More salary/earnings info] [To Top]
The median annual wage for firefighters is $48,030. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $23,700, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $81,110.
The median annual wages for firefighters in the top industries in which they work are as follows:
Federal government, excluding postal service $49,520
Local government, excluding education and hospitals 48,790
State government, excluding education and hospitals 48,230
Administrative and support services 29,130
Union Membership for Firefighters
Most firefighters belong to a union. The largest organizer of firefighters is the International Association of Fire Fighters.
Job Outlook for Firefighters[About this section] [To Top]
Employment of firefighters is projected to grow 7 percent over the next ten years, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
Although improved building materials and building codes have resulted in a long-term decrease in fires and fire fatalities, firefighters will still be needed to respond to fires. Fires can spread rapidly, so controlling them quickly is very important. Wildland firefighters will still be needed to combat active fires and manage the environment to reduce the impact of fires. Firefighters will also continue to respond to medical emergencies.
Job Prospects for Firefighters
Job prospects for firefighters will be good despite the number of volunteer firefighters that qualify for career firefighter jobs. There will be positions open from those leaving the occupation.
Physically fit applicants with some postsecondary firefighter education and paramedic training should have the best job prospects.
Employment projections data for Firefighters, 2016-26
327,300 350,900 7 23,500
Careers Related to Firefighters[About this section] [To Top]
EMTs and Paramedics
Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics care for the sick or injured in emergency medical settings. People's lives often depend on the quick reaction and competent care provided by these workers. EMTs and paramedics respond to emergency calls, performing medical services and transporting patients to medical facilities.
Fire Inspectors
Fire inspectors examine buildings in order to detect fire hazards and ensure that federal, state, and local fire codes are met. Fire investigators, another type of worker in this field, determine the origin and cause of fires and explosions. Forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists assess outdoor fire hazards in public and residential areas.
Forest and Conservation Workers
Forest and conservation workers measure and improve the quality of forests. Under the supervision of foresters and forest and conservation technicians, they develop, maintain, and protect forests.
Hazardous Materials Removal Workers
Hazardous materials (hazmat) removal workers identify and dispose of asbestos, lead, radioactive waste, and other hazardous materials. They also neutralize and clean up materials that are flammable, corrosive, or toxic.
Police and Detectives
Police officers protect lives and property. Detectives and criminal investigators, who are sometimes called agents or special agents, gather facts and collect evidence of possible crimes.