What You Need To Know To Become A Firefighter

Lots of people are attracted to the firefighting profession because it is mentally and physically challenging and provides the opportunity to genuinely help the members of their local community. It is therefore not surprising that prospective firefighters face intense competition for available job openings.

The requirements to become a firefighter vary somewhat from department to department, but general application requirements to enter a training program are to: be 18 years of age or older; have a high level of physical fitness; not to have previously been in trouble with the police.

Personal qualities that are sought are mental alertness, self-discipline, courage, mechanical aptitude, endurance, strength, and a sense of public service. Initiative and good judgment also are extremely important.

Most firefighters have a high school diploma, and completing a community college course, or even an associate degree, in fire science will significantly improve your chances of securing a job. A number of colleges and universities also offer 2-4 year courses in fire engineering.

There is both a written exam and a physical test to be passed prior to being accepted on to a training program. The written exam typically consists of around 100 multiple choice questions and covers logic, observation, memory, spatial awareness and mechanical reasoning. As for the physical test, it evaluates your upper body strength, endurance and agility. Each task is timed and tests your capacity to endure sustained physical activity.

Should you be accepted on to a training program, you will spend about 600 hours in training, over the course of 12 to 14 weeks, learning how to become a firefighter. Through classroom instruction and practical training, you will study firefighting techniques, fire prevention, hazardous materials control, local building codes, and emergency medical procedures, including first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). After successfully completing this training, you will be undergo a period of probation at an assigned fire company.

To progress to higher level positions, you are required to gain experience of not just advanced firefighting techniques and equipment, but also building construction, management, public speaking and public relations. Usually, after becoming a firefighter, the first promotion is to engineer, then lieutenant, captain, battalion chief, assistant chief, deputy chief, and, finally, chief.

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