Description
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.
Interests
- Realistic
Work Values
- Support
- Relationships
- Achievement
Work Styles
- Stress Tolerance
- Dependability
- Self-Control
- Attention to Detail
- Integrity
Tasks
- Rescue survivors 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.
Work Activities
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
- Assisting and Caring for Others
- Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Performing General Physical Activities
Detailed Work Activities
- Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
- Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
- Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.
- Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
- Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
- Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
- Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Technology Skills
- Data base user interface and query software
- Presentation software
- Electronic mail software
- Office suite software
- Spreadsheet software
Abilities
- Problem Sensitivity
- Oral Comprehension
- Arm-Hand Steadiness
- Deductive Reasoning
- Far Vision
Skills
- Critical Thinking
- Coordination
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Service Orientation
- Active Learning
Knowledge
- Public Safety and Security
- Customer and Personal Service
- Education and Training
- Building and Construction
- English Language
Most Common Education Level
The “Most Common Education Level” refers to the level of education held by the majority of workers in a given occupation. For example, if the highest percentage of workers in a role have an Associate’s Degree, that suggests this is the typical educational requirement. Knowing this helps you plan how many years of education you may need to pursue that career.
Certificates
Certificate name
Firefighter Type 2Certifying Organization
National Wildfire Coordinating Group
Type
Advanced
Certificate name
Certified Hazard Recognition SpecialistCertifying Organization
National Fire Protection Association
Type
Core
Certificate name
Certified Fire MarshallCertifying Organization
International Code Council
Type
Advanced
Certificate name
Airport Fire OfficerCertifying Organization
Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting Training Alliance
Type
Advanced
Certificate name
STCW - Advanced FirefightingCertifying Organization
United States Coast Guard National Maritime Center
Type
Advanced
Income Percentile
The income percentiles show how earnings are distributed within a profession. The 10th percentile means that 10% of workers earned less than that amount. The median (50th percentile) indicates that half of workers earned more, and half earned less. The 90th percentile reflects what the top 10% of earners in the field make.
| Income Percentile | Annual Income |
|---|---|
| Low (10%) | $48,208 |
| Median (50%) | $57,645 |
| High (90%) | $73,106 |
Income by Experience
This table shows how income typically grows with experience—from entry level (0–2 years), to mid-level (3–5 years), to senior level (6–8 years), to expert level (8+ years).
| Experience | Income |
|---|---|
Entry Level  | $61,144 |
| Mid Level | $65,054 |
| Senior Level | $63,992 |
| Expert Level | N/A |
Employability
There are currently 326,800 jobs in this career path. Over the next 10 years, that number is expected to increase to 340,500 positions, reflecting a projected growth of 4%.
The Projected Job Growth figure refers to the expected increase or decrease in employment within a specific career field over a certain period of time.
Projected Job Growth of 4%
Related Careers
The career information and data on this site incorporates information from O*NET Web Services, Lightcast, CareerOneStop, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). For more details regarding the data sources and the specific information sourced, click here.
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