The job of fire fighter involves the protection of life and property by combating, extinguishing and preventing fires. Work involves training for and participating in fire fighting duties, providing emergency care for sick and injured persons and fire prevention activities on assigned shifts. Other duties include routine maintenance of fire apparatus, as well as drilling and training in new fire fighting techniques and practices.
The job of fire fighter involves extremely difficult physical work as well as the skill to apply previously acquired knowledge to work effectively as part of a team in emergency situations. The physical and mental demands of fire fighting are largely underestimated. Because of this, many fire fighter applicants are overwhelmed by the challenging screening procedures employed in the selection of new recruits. Demanding mental, physical and behavioral standards are absolutely necessary to insure the selection of an individuals who are capable of successfully performing their job duties.
A successful fire fighter, in addition to performing assigned duties, must also be a good student. In this day and age, fire fighters go through almost continuous in-service training constantly adding new facts and modifying his/her existing fire fighting knowledge. This training involves many subjects including the enforcement of constantly changing codes, public education, arson investigation, handling and disposal of hazardous materials, controlling the spread of infectious disease and emergency medical and rescue procedures.
The physical demands of fire fighting are extremely high. Hence fire fighters must be in and maintain top physical form. Fire fighters are often required to perform a series of physical tasks for extended periods of time while wearing heavy protective clothing and gear. And often times, peoples' lives depend on how well fire fighters perform these tasks. Thus rigorous physical training is maintained throughout the career of fire safety personnel.
Fire fighters spend extended periods of time living and working together as a member of a company or team. Effective teamwork is essential in an emergency situation. In addition, fire fighters are in frequent contact with the public for the purposes of educating them in fire prevention and other aspects of the job. Hence, behavioral skills such as the ability to get along and relate to co-workers and the public are important as well.
When pursuing a position as a full-time fire fighter, it is important to note that finding a job in itself can be a full time job. Competition is fierce, and in order to land a job, you can't give up. On average, it can take 5 years or more to get hired on a full-time permanent basis. For every single position available, there are generally between 1000 to 3000 people applying for that one position. Therefore, remember to cast your net far and wide...don't simply apply with the one department you are hoping to work for.
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