Firefighter salary
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What a firefighter does
Firefighters respond to fires, medical emergencies, crashes and rescues. Most calls are medical, so EMT certification is effectively part of the job.
Day-to-day duties
- Respond to fire, medical and rescue calls
- Operate hoses, ladders and rescue equipment
- Provide emergency medical care
- Maintain apparatus and equipment
- Conduct inspections and public education
Skills employers look for
- Physical strength and endurance
- Teamwork under extreme conditions
- Medical response competence
- Composure in traumatic situations
Requirements Licence required
- High school diploma minimum
- EMT certification — required by most departments
- Fire academy training
- Demanding physical ability test (CPAT)
- Background check and medical evaluation
How to get started
- 1 Get EMT certified — it makes you competitive
- 2 Pass the written and CPAT physical testing
- 3 Complete the fire academy
- 4 Serve a probationary year
- 5 Add paramedic certification, or promote to engineer and officer
Job outlook: Competitive to enter — applications routinely outnumber positions many times over. Paramedic certification is the single strongest differentiator for candidates.
Common questions about firefighters
What does a firefighter do?
Firefighters respond to fires, medical emergencies, crashes and rescues. Most calls are medical, so EMT certification is effectively part of the job. Day to day, that means respond to fire, medical and rescue calls, operate hoses, ladders and rescue equipment, provide emergency medical care and maintain apparatus and equipment.
How do you become a firefighter?
The usual route is: (1) get EMT certified — it makes you competitive, (2) pass the written and CPAT physical testing, (3) complete the fire academy, (4) serve a probationary year. Employers typically look for high school diploma minimum, EMT certification — required by most departments and fire academy training.
Do you need a certification to work as a firefighter?
Yes. Working as a firefighter requires formal certification or licensing — specifically EMT certification — required by most departments. Requirements are set at state level in most cases, so check your own state's rules before committing to a programme.
Are firefighters in demand?
Competitive to enter — applications routinely outnumber positions many times over. Paramedic certification is the single strongest differentiator for candidates.
Do firefighters need to be paramedics?
EMT certification is required almost everywhere, and many departments now require or strongly prefer full paramedic certification. The large majority of calls are medical rather than fire, so it is the most useful qualification to hold before applying — and it materially improves your chances in a very competitive hiring process.
Where are firefighters most in demand?
See the metro and rural areas with the highest concentration of this work, ranked from Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data.
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Pay figures are estimates for guidance only, not an offer or guarantee. Advertised ranges come from job postings on LocalWork; government figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Actual pay depends on experience, certifications, shift and employer.