Although firefighters are known for rushing into burning buildings, extinguishing flames and rescuing people and animals, those are not the only job functions they fulfill. Furthermore, their working conditions can vary depending on the types of emergencies they respond to.
Firefighters receive competitive salaries depending on the city or state they are employed in and the industry they work for. The benefits of being a firefighter further include the intrinsic rewards of saving lives and preventing fires through the presentation of fire safety education programs.
As of May 2020, the median annual wage firefighters earned was $52,500, according to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, or BLS. The top 10 percent of firefighters earned $93,790 annually or more. Spectator sports was the highest-paying industry for firefighters, paying a mean annual salary of $70,360. Furthermore, the highest paying state for firefighters was New Jersey; employers in New Jersey paid firefighters $86,880 as of May 2020.
Advertisement Article continues below this adFirefighters may work outdoors to extinguish fires in areas like forests, farms and highways. For example, if a chemical truck turns over and ignites, firefighters would work to put the fire out. Because they could inhale fumes and chemicals, firefighters wear face masks, air tanks and protective foot and clothing gear. They may work in extreme temperatures as they battle blazes.
They may also be required to climb onto roofs, including burning roofs, or inside buildings to put out fires or rescue animals and people. In addition to responding to emergencies, firefighters also run practice drills, attend training programs and maintain the fire stations they are assigned to. Depending on where they are employed, they might work 24-hour rotating shifts.
Advertisement Article continues below this adBenefits firefighters can receive include health and dental insurance coverage and disability payments should they be injured on the job. If they belong to labor unions, firefighters can also receive job security and negotiated wages. Perks of being a firefighter also include eligibility for academic scholarships for themselves or their dependants, according to the Fire Science Degree School website. Additionally, after firefighters complete 25 years of service, those in government agencies can generally qualify to receive a retirement pension.
Personal rewards of being a firefighter come from helping members of the community stay safe. Many firefighters deliver fire prevention programs to schools, businesses and community organizations. For example, firefighters in the City of Martin speak to school children about the importance of not playing with matches and having a plan to exit their home in case of a fire.
Although some employers will hire people who only have a high school diploma to be firefighters, other employers want firefighters to have undergraduate degrees in subjects like fire science or public safety administration. Depending on where they work, prospective firefighters may also be required to take and pass written and physical examinations. Furthermore, the BLS reports that the number of jobs for firefighters is expected to grow by approximately 8 percent from 2020 through 2030. This growth rate is on par with than the rate of growth expected for other jobs around the country.