Firefighter
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This page provides an overview of the Firefighter profession, including typical job responsibilities, required skills, and educational pathways.
Please note that this is not a job posting, but rather an informational guide to help you understand what a career in Firefighter entails
What Does A Firefighter Do
Control and extinguish fires or respond to emergency situations where life, property, or the environment is at risk. Duties may include fire prevention, emergency medical service, hazardous material response, search and rescue, and disaster assistance.
Job Tasks
- Rescue victims from burning buildings, accident sites, and water hazards.
- Dress with equipment such as fire-resistant clothing and breathing apparatus.
- Assess fires and situations and report conditions to superiors to receive instructions, using two-way radios.
- Move toward the source of a fire, using knowledge of types of fires, construction design, building materials, and physical layout of properties.
- Respond to fire alarms and other calls for assistance, such as automobile and industrial accidents.
Annual Salary
- Median wages (2019) $24.45/hr., $50.850 annual
- Projected growth (2019-2029) Faster than average 5%-7% growth
- Projected job openings (2019-2029) 24,200
Required Education
High school diploma/GED, Fire Academy (Application Process)
Resources
The Occupational Information Network is a free online database that contains hundreds of occupational definitions to help students.
Learn More >>The Occupational Outlook Handbook is the government’s premier source of career guidance featuring hundreds of occupations.
Learn More >>My Next Move is an interactive tool for job seekers and students to learn more about their career options.
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