Why do firefighters do what they do

Apart from training, retained firefighters only attend the fire station during call-outs and usually have another full-time job. They're employed in rural areas and must live or work within five minutes of the station.

The work can be stressful and dangerous but there is a great deal of job satisfaction to be gained from providing such a valuable service to the community. Individual fire and rescue services advertise vacancies as they arise: look for them on fire services' websites and on social media. Senior roles are advertised on specialist industry websites and in the national press. You can become a firefighter both with or without a degree. You don't need specific academic qualifications to join, although health and safety qualifications and specialist management training could help, as might a more vocational degree focused on fire and rescue.

Emergency service work experience may also be beneficial. Why extracurricular activities will help you get hired. Training is an essential part of the work.

New firefighters start with an intensive training period that's followed by an ongoing learning and development programme. You'll need to meet a fitness standard to be hired, and you'll also need to maintain a standard of fitness in the role.

There are national minimum entrance requirements for firefighters: you need to be at least 17 and a half by the time of application, for example.

The employment, or size, of this occupation in , which is the base year of the employment projections. The projected percent change in employment from to The average growth rate for all occupations is 8 percent. Menu Search button Search:. Summary Please enable javascript to play this video. What Firefighters Do About this section Many firefighters are responsible for providing medical attention.

Work Environment About this section Firefighters respond to emergencies such as car accidents. How to Become a Firefighter About this section Firefighters begin their careers by attending fire academy training. Pay About this section Firefighters Median annual wages, May Firefighting and prevention workers.

Job Outlook About this section Firefighters Percent change in employment, projected Firefighting and prevention workers. CareerOneStop CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area.

Similar Occupations About this section This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of firefighters. Fire Administration National Fire Protection Association For information about a career as a wildland firefighter, visit National Wildfire Coordinating Group For information about professional qualifications and a list of colleges and universities offering 2- or 4-year degree programs in fire science and fire prevention, visit National Fire Academy , U.

Suggested citation: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U. What They Do The What They Do tab describes the typical duties and responsibilities of workers in the occupation, including what tools and equipment they use and how closely they are supervised. Work Environment The Work Environment tab includes the number of jobs held in the occupation and describes the workplace, the level of physical activity expected, and typical hours worked.

Pay The Pay tab describes typical earnings and how workers in the occupation are compensated—annual salaries, hourly wages, commissions, tips, or bonuses. Job Outlook The Job Outlook tab describes the factors that affect employment growth or decline in the occupation, and in some instances, describes the relationship between the number of job seekers and the number of job openings.

Similar Occupations The Similar Occupations tab describes occupations that share similar duties, skills, interests, education, or training with the occupation covered in the profile. Contacts for More Information The More Information tab provides the Internet addresses of associations, government agencies, unions, and other organizations that can provide additional information on the occupation.

On-the-job Training Additional training needed postemployment to attain competency in the skills needed in this occupation. Entry-level Education Typical level of education that most workers need to enter this occupation. Work experience in a related occupation Work experience that is commonly considered necessary by employers, or is a commonly accepted substitute for more formal types of training or education. Number of Jobs, The employment, or size, of this occupation in , which is the base year of the employment projections.

Job Outlook, The projected percent change in employment from to Employment Change, The projected numeric change in employment from to Employment Change, projected The projected numeric change in employment from to Growth Rate Projected The percent change of employment for each occupation from to Projected Number of New Jobs The projected numeric change in employment from to Projected Growth Rate The projected percent change in employment from to Get data.

EMTs and Paramedics. Postsecondary nondegree award. Fire Inspectors. See How to Become One. Forest and Conservation Workers. Forest and conservation workers measure and improve the quality of forests. High school diploma or equivalent. Hazardous Materials Removal Workers. Police and Detectives. Well, there are quite a lot of tasks firefighters handle and the complete list of jobs that they do might surprise you.

The demands of the job mean that most firefighters are working throughout their shift on a wide-variety of tasks. Your 1 priority is keeping your family safe. As a firefighter, I recommend everyone have a home safety kit that can ensure everyone you love gets out quickly and unharmed, in the event of a fire or other emergency. Here is the Safety Kit that I recommend. Also read: The 11 Best Firefighter Documentaries.

There have been far fewer fires to fight than there once were. This is because construction and materials have dramatically improved and are designed to prevent fires as much as possible.

In addition, the majority of places around the country have implemented stricter fire codes. Even things like cars are simply better built and better designed for fire protection than they once were. Then combine this with the increased prevalence of fire detecting and fire fighting equipment employed in structures, vehicles, etc. And this has caused firefighters to become more well rounded as they serve the public in many other ways.

Firefighters are employed to fight fires. This is their first priority and no other emergency service can tackle this work for them. While it is true that there are fewer fires than there once were in America, many firefighters note that the side-effect of this is that the fires they do fight tend to be bigger and more severe than many of the fires that they would once have fought. However, fighting fires is just one part of what modern firefighters do. Here is a video by the Kingsport Fire Department in Tennessee that talks about life at the fire station:.

The crew can also provide other valuable services on medical or trauma related calls including emergency scene management, reducing fire hazards think vehicle accidents, etc. While fire engines are not designed to transport people to the hospital, firefighters receive the same medical training as the EMTs and Paramedics that work on the ambulance.

Note: Some fire departments are equipped with ambulances and handle emergency medical transport as well. There are also a range of calls that are not medical emergencies, and which are not fire-related but which still have to be responded to. They might be called to a building where an elevator is stuck between floors, for example, to help rescue the trapped occupants.

This means that firefighters must be a jack-of-all-trades to handle any situation that arises. They participate in many community events and support charitable causes to help make Calgary a great place to live. Firefighting is not a typical Monday to Friday, 9 to 5, job.

Calgary firefighters work four days in a row; two hour day shifts and two hour night shifts. They eat, sleep, clean, and exercise while on shift at a fire station. They also learn about and train on the latest firefighting equipment and techniques, perform administrative work, and keep the fire station, engine, and all equipment clean and ready for an emergency.

As their career progresses, Calgary firefighters can apply for positions on special teams such as aquatic rescue , heavy rescue , high-angle rescue , and hazardous materials response.

Members of these teams are trained in specialized rescue skills, equipment, and practices. There are many challenges to firefighting. Firefighters work in extreme heat, smoke, dust, dirt, wet, and cold. They work with potentially toxic gases and in tight spaces with very poor or no visibility. We provide the very best protective equipment but firefighters can be at risk for cancer and heart disease as a result of some of the conditions they work in.

We encourage our firefighters to take care of themselves and provide them with services to support their health. Are you looking for information on firefighter recruitment? By beginning this survey you accept our privacy policy.

Caution State of Local Emergency declared Minimize.