Fire Department Jobs and Where to Find Them
Becoming a firefighter has been a career choice for 1,160,450 people in the United States. That is the total number of firefighters in active duty today, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
Where can you find fire department jobs, and what kinds of jobs are available?
The great thing about a career in firefighting is that there are many positions available in the fire service. It can be hard to choose just one! Over the course of your career, you will work in different jobs within the fire department.
Types of Fire Department Jobs
Other positions include Driver Engineer, Lieutenant, Captain, Battalion Chief, Assistant Chief, and Fire Chief. These ranks are higher and require more experience and education.
Firefighters can also work for the federal government. Wildland firefighters combat fires in national, state and local parks and lands. Their specialty is exterminating and preventing forest fires. Positions with the wildland fire service are highly competitive.
Where to find fire department jobs
You can find jobs for the fire department by looking for listings on the websites of your local fire departments. One of the best ways to get hired is to get to know a particular fire department by becoming a volunteer firefighter when you are in training or connecting with the fire department through learning and other types of volunteering.
Job board sites also list firefighting jobs. You would visit your preferred job board site, such as Indeed, or a fire service specific one like FireRescue1, and search for open positions near your locality. Check to see what positions you qualify for and would be interested in, then follow the application directions.
Start your career as a firefighter by enrolling in an approved fire training program. You will learn what it takes to become a firefighter and what fire departments are looking for in their recruits. Firefighters must pass both a written examination and a physical ability test in order to get hired as firefighters.
