What is the Job of a Firefighter

What is the Job of a Firefighter?

The job of a firefighter is truly one of the most satisfying careers an individual can have.  There was a line in a movie recently that said, "There are no more heroes left in America."  After, September 11, 2001, most Americans found out who the true heroes are – the firefighters.

The job of a firefighter not only includes firefighting in all types of residential and commercial occupancies, but also responding to medical emergencies.  You are usually the first person on the scene giving much needed medical assistance for everything from a heart attack, diabetic emergency, car accident, or industrial accident.  You name it and the fire department responds to it.  Basically, the fire department is the Marines of the safety forces.

When a firefighter arrives on the scene, people are welcoming; they want you there on what is probably one of the worst days of their life. 

The career of a firefighter demands a high level of dedication and professionalism for those who choose it as a career.  A firefighter must possess the courage and stamina to risk their lives for the sake of others.  They must also study long hours and go through extensive periods of training to become effective and efficient professional firefighters. 

The satisfaction you get from this job is unparallel to any other profession in this country.  If you undergo this mission to become a firefighter, it will be something you will never regret. 

How many of you out there have a job where every single day in your career you go into work and you look forward going to work?  I’ll bet not many of you can truthfully say that. 

Ninety-eight percent of firefighters look forward each and every day to going to work.  Can you say that about your current profession?  When you become a firefighter, you become part of a family.  The firefighters you work side by side with become as close to you as your own family members.  There are not many jobs as rewarding as a firefighter – the camaraderie, the helping of others, having pride in what you do, job security, and just an overall good feeling about yourself.

You will typically work two 24-hour shifts per week and average about 9 24-hour shifts in a one-month period. 

The pay scale ranges from $65,000 - $100,000, depending on the municipality and the area of the country where you live.  You will have benefits – health, vision, dental, 2-3 weeks of vacation to start, a retirement plan.  Most firefighter retirement plans are after 25 years or have reached the age of 48 or 52.  How many jobs today offer that type of retirement system at that age where you will receive 60-70% of your pay in your retirement, including health benefits.

You aren’t going to be making that $200,000 paycheck that you may be looking for.  But with the work schedule that firefighters have, this gives you an opportunity, as many firefighters do, to have additional part-time jobs.  Firefighters’ part-time jobs range from having their own small business, being salespeople, construction workers, CPAs, ambulance drivers – you name it and a firefighter does it on their day off.  You can earn about as much as you make with the fire department on your day off, if that’s the direction you choose to take.

The most important thing about having the job of a firefighter is the job security.  One of the things I know I took for granted at times is that when I woke up in the morning, I knew I had a job to support myself and my family.  That’s extremely important in the current job market.  You all know people who have worked for a company for 10, 15 or 25 years and all of a sudden, they find themselves laid off.  They are told that their services are no longer needed.  99.8% of all firefighters ever hired are never laid off.  If you lose this job, it’s because you did something wrong on your day off.

The job outlook for firefighters is always positive.  Departments of all sizes are always hiring firefighters. 

The pursuit of becoming a firefighter can be a successful one – if you truly want it.  This is not a career choice that you sort of want, kind of want – you have to really want it.  The competition is tough, but the people who put in their heart and soul and hours of preparation are the ones who come out on top.

Good luck in your pursuit of the greatest job on the face of the earth!  Remember – luck goes to the prepared!