If anyone wants to be an ideal candidate for a challenging career as a professional firefighter IF HE OR SHE ……
- Wants to help others and serve his own community
- Enjoy working as a vital part of a team
- Enjoy continuous learning in both a classroom setting and on the job
Other than these a firefighter must have mental alertness, self discipline, courage,mechanical aptitude,strength,and a sense of public service.
Initiative and good judgment are also needed as they have to take quick decisions in emergencies.
They must be dependable and able to work effectively under dangerous and difficult conditions.
The job of a Firefighter is a challenging career. Firefighters must be able to respond quickly and coordinate their activities as an effective work team.
Firefighters perform work activities in a number of areas:
- Fire Prevention
- Building Inspections
- Firefighting
- Hazardous Materials Mitigation
- Disaster Response (catastrophic events such as earthquakes, floods or other disasters).
In addition to frequent contact with the public, firefighters spend extended periods of time together. A neat appearance and a pleasant personality are excellent qualities, as is the ability to get along with those whom they work with and serve. Also, a firefighter must be able to accept orders without question and work effectively as a member of a team of professionals
There are many institutes where educational facility dedicated to providing fire science education to both representatives of public agencies and the private fire science practitioner. The Institute provides real investigation experience, through courses and seminars, on subject matters related to fire science including investigation, prevention and litigation.
Students receive both classroom and hands-on training with burn cells and real appliances during the two and three day seminars held in the fully interactive teaching laboratory.
The process of becoming a Recruit Firefighter is a well-established routine based on federal, state and local laws, ordinances and policies. The following general requirements are :
- Must have a High School diploma.
- Must be 21 years of age by the application filing deadline date.
- Must have a valid driver's license and the ability to operate a motor vehicle.
- Many fire departments require a bachelor’s degree in fields such as fire science or public administration for promotion to positions above battalion chief.
- A master degree is required for executive officer.
The applicants has to pass a written examination, tests of strength,physical stamina, coordination,agility and medical examination. Today’s firefighter must be a skilled, competent professional able to respond to every kind of emergency. A number of colleges and universities even some states have extensive firefighting training and certificate programs.
Firefighters can expect to receive training on a daily basis, and at times units are required to attend special night drills and classroom courses. There are also regularly scheduled duties throughout the day.
They have to take training at a training centre or academy where they study firefighting technique, fire prevention,hazardous materials control,local building codes, emergency medical procedure including first aid cardiopulmonary resuscitation.The use of axes,chain shaws,fire extinguishers,ladders and other firefighting and rescue equipment is also taught.
After completing the training successfully recruits are assigned to a fire company for a probation period and sometimes they join as apprentice for 5 years.
After probation the order of promotion in most fire departments is:
Firefighter,Driver or Engineer,Lieutenant,Captain, Battalion Chief,Assistant Chief,Deputy Chief ,Chief..
Some firefighters become fire investigators who determines the origin and cause of fire by collecting evidence,interviewing witness and then preparing reports on fire.
Article provided by Future-tech Inc.
