Career Exploration
Firefighting
Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security
The Basics:
As a Firefighter you will be extinguishing and controlling fires as well as treating the injured and operating emergency vehicles. Those in this career could earn around $47,000 annually, and about $23 an hour. This is the national average but your location highly dictates your wages. Most Firefighters may work 48 hour shifts followed by 96 hours off. From 2014-2024 the growth rate is at an average of 5%.
Qualifications:
You need a High School diploma or equivalent as well as a Basic EMT Certification (EMT Certification may be necessary depending on your states requirements). You also must complete Fire Academy training and have basic knowledge of Hazardous Materials Awareness and Hazardous Materials Operations. Finally, once on the job, you will receive long-term on the job experience.
Resources:
"Firefighters : Occupational Outlook Handbook : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics." U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, n.d. Web. 15 Sept. 2016.