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Occupation AtlasFirefighters

O*NET · 33-2011.00

Firefighters

Control and extinguish fires or respond to emergency situations where life, property, or the environment is at risk. Duties may include fire prevention, emergency medical service, hazardous material response, search and rescue, and disaster assistance.

Also called Airport Firefighter · Crash Fire Firefighter · Fire Apparatus Engineer · Fire Chief Aide · Fire Engine Pump Operator · Fire Engineer · Fire Equipment Operator · Fire Hydrant Operator
31 more

Fire Management Specialist · Fire Medic · Fire Rescue Tech · Fire Rescue Technician (Fire Rescue Tech) · Fire Suppression Tech · Fire Suppression Technician (Fire Suppression Tech) · Fire Tech · Fire Technician (Fire Tech) · Fireboat Operator · Firefighter Diver · Firefighter Paramedic · Fireman · Forest Fire Suppression Specialist · Forest Firefighter · Forestry Fire Tech · Forestry Fire Technician (Forestry Fire Tech) · Hot Shot · Marine Firefighter · Municipal Firefighter · Oil Fire Specialist · On-Scene Supporter · Rescue Firefighter · Smoke Chaser · Smoke Eater · Smoke Jumper · Volunteer Firefighter · Water and Fire Tech · Water and Fire Technician (Water and Fire Tech) · Wildland Firefighter · Wildland Firefighter Specialist · Wildland Specialist Firefighter

Job Zone 2 — Some Preparation NeededHolland code RCS35 skills on file

Compare with another occupationCompare with Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters

Job Zone

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Zone 2: Some Preparation Needed

Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma, some previous work-related skill or experience, and a few months to a year of training with experienced workers.

Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.

Occupational interest profile

RCSRealistic · Conventional · Social — the three strongest interests, in order

  • R Realistic6.49
  • C Conventional3.47
  • S Social3.39
  • E Enterprising3.01
  • I Investigative2.92
  • A Artistic1.31

RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.

Education and experience

The education level respondents say the job requires, and the most common answer for experience and training.

  • Less than a High School Diploma11%
  • High School Diploma or the equivalent70%
  • Post-Secondary Certificate12%
  • Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree7%
Related work experience
None (54%)
On-site or in-plant training
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (29%)
On-the-job training
Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year (27%)

Typically associated skills

All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.

  • Coordination3.94.0Level 4 looks like: Work with others to put a new roof on a house
  • Critical Thinkingbasic3.63.8Level 4 looks like: Evaluate customer complaints and determine appropriate responses
  • Active Listeningbasic3.63.3Level 4 looks like: Answer inquiries regarding credit references
  • Active Learningbasic3.63.1Level 4 looks like: Determine the impact of new menu changes on a restaurant's purchasing requirements
  • Monitoringbasic3.53.5Level 4 looks like: Monitor a meeting and revise the agenda to ensure important topics are discussed
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.53.1Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a loan application for degree of risk
  • Service Orientation3.53.1Level 4 looks like: Make flight reservations for customers using an online booking site
  • Speakingbasic3.53.1Level 4 looks like: Interview applicants to obtain personal and work history
  • Social Perceptiveness3.13.5Level 4 looks like: Be aware of how a coworker's promotion will affect a work group
  • Complex Problem Solving3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Lay out tools to complete a job
  • Reading Comprehensionbasic3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Understand an email from management describing new personnel policies
  • Operation and Control3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Navigate the settings on an office printer to print on both sides of the paper
Show the other 23
  • Operations Monitoring3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Monitor completion times while running a computer program
  • Time Management3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Keep a monthly calendar of appointments
  • Learning Strategiesbasic2.93.0Level 2 looks like: Learn a different method of completing a task from a coworker
  • Instructing2.83.0Level 2 looks like: Instruct a new employee in the use of a timekeeping system
  • Equipment Maintenance2.82.9Level 2 looks like: Add oil to an engine as indicated by a warning light
  • Systems Analysis2.82.6Level 2 looks like: Determine how loss of a team member will affect the completion of a job
  • Writingbasic2.63.1Level 4 looks like: Write an email to staff outlining new directives
  • Persuasion2.62.8Level 2 looks like: Solicit donations for a charity
  • Troubleshooting2.62.8Level 2 looks like: Identify the source of a leak by looking under a machine
  • Equipment Selection2.62.6Level 2 looks like: Select a tool to adjust a loose part on a bicycle
  • Negotiation2.52.6Level 2 looks like: Present justification to a manager for altering a work schedule
  • Quality Control Analysis2.52.5Level 2 looks like: Inspect a draft email for errors (e.g., grammar, punctuation)
  • Systems Evaluation2.52.5Level 2 looks like: Determine why estimates for the time to complete a task are overly optimistic
  • Mathematicsbasic2.42.6Level 2 looks like: Count the amount of change to be given to a customer
  • Sciencebasic2.02.1Level 2 looks like: Conduct standard tests to determine soil quality
  • Management of Personnel Resources2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Encourage a coworker who is having difficulty finishing a project
  • Repairing2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Tighten a screw to get a door to close properly
  • Management of Material Resources2.01.8Level 2 looks like: Reserve a room for a management meeting
  • Management of Financial Resources1.80.9
  • Technology Design1.60.6
  • Operations Analysis1.50.5
  • Programming1.40.4
  • Installation1.3—

Tasks

29 core · 1 supplemental

What people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).

  1. Rescue survivors from burning buildings, accident sites, and water hazards.4.5
  2. Dress with equipment such as fire-resistant clothing and breathing apparatus.4.4
  3. Administer first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation to injured persons or provide emergency medical care such as basic or advanced life support.4.4
  4. Move toward the source of a fire, using knowledge of types of fires, construction design, building materials, and physical layout of properties.4.3
  5. Respond to fire alarms and other calls for assistance, such as automobile and industrial accidents.4.3
  6. Drive and operate fire fighting vehicles and equipment.4.3
  7. Search to locate fire survivors.4.3
  8. Select and attach hose nozzles, depending on fire type, and direct streams of water or chemicals onto fires.4.2
  9. Maintain contact with fire dispatchers at all times to notify them of the need for additional firefighters and supplies, or to detail any difficulties encountered.4.2
  10. Maintain knowledge of current firefighting practices by participating in drills and by attending seminars, conventions, and conferences.4.2
  11. Extinguish flames and embers to suppress fires, using shovels or engine- or hand-driven water or chemical pumps.4.2
  12. Operate pumps connected to high-pressure hoses.4.2
Show the other 18
  1. Assess fires and situations and report conditions to superiors to receive instructions, using two-way radios.4.1
  2. Create openings in buildings for ventilation or entrance, using axes, chisels, crowbars, electric saws, or core cutters.4.1
  3. Inspect fire sites after flames have been extinguished to ensure that there is no further danger.4.1
  4. Position and climb ladders to gain access to upper levels of buildings, or to rescue individuals from burning structures.4.1
  5. Collaborate with other firefighters as a member of a firefighting crew.4.1
  6. Patrol burned areas after fires to locate and eliminate hot spots that may restart fires.4.1
  7. Participate in fire drills and demonstrations of fire fighting techniques.4.1
  8. Take action to contain any hazardous chemicals that could catch fire, leak, or spill.4.1
  9. Train new employees to control and suppress fires.4.1
  10. Prepare written reports that detail specifics of fire incidents.4.0
  11. Protect property from water and smoke, using waterproof salvage covers, smoke ejectors, and deodorants.4.0
  12. Inspect buildings for fire hazards and compliance with fire prevention ordinances, testing and checking smoke alarms and fire suppression equipment as necessary.4.0
  13. Collaborate with police to respond to accidents, disasters, and arson investigation calls.3.9
  14. Inform and educate the public on fire prevention.3.9
  15. Salvage property by removing broken glass, pumping out water, and ventilating buildings to remove smoke.3.9
  16. Clean and maintain fire stations and fire fighting equipment and apparatus.3.9
  17. Participate in physical training activities to maintain a high level of physical fitness.3.7
  18. Orient self in relation to fire, using compass and map, and collect supplies and equipment dropped by parachute.3.9

Knowledge

Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.

  • Public Safety and Security4.15.1Level 4 looks like: Inspect a building site for safety violations
  • Customer and Personal Service3.45.0Level 4 looks like: Be responsible for 10 children at daycare
  • Medicine and Dentistry3.43.4Level 4 looks like: Fill a tooth cavity
  • Transportation3.44.1Level 4 looks like: Drive a semi-truck through a busy city
  • Mechanical3.34.3Level 4 looks like: Replace a valve on a steam pipe
  • Communications and Media3.23.8Level 4 looks like: Host a music radio show
  • Education and Training3.24.0Level 4 looks like: Lead a quality improvement seminar
  • Building and Construction3.13.2Level 4 looks like: Fix a plumbing leak in the ceiling
Show all 33
  • Telecommunications3.13.5Level 4 looks like: Install a wireless internet router
  • English Language3.03.4Level 4 looks like: Edit an article for a news website
  • Geography3.03.2Level 4 looks like: Find a specific country on a world map
  • Administration and Management2.92.5Level 1 looks like: Approve a reimbursement request
  • Law and Government2.83.5Level 4 looks like: Prepare documents and title papers for the purchase of a new house
  • Computers and Electronics2.73.3Level 4 looks like: Use a computer to format a document
  • Personnel and Human Resources2.62.6
  • Psychology2.63.5Level 4 looks like: Understand the impact of alcohol on human responses
  • Therapy and Counseling2.63.1Level 4 looks like: Provide job counseling to the unemployed
  • Chemistry2.42.7
  • Engineering and Technology2.42.5Level 1 looks like: Install a door lock
  • Mathematics2.42.3Level 1 looks like: Add two numbers
  • Physics2.42.7
  • Administrative2.32.0Level 1 looks like: Direct phone calls to the appropriate staff member
  • Design2.11.8Level 1 looks like: Draw a straight line 4 3/16 inches long
  • Economics and Accounting2.11.7Level 1 looks like: Answer billing questions from credit card customers
  • Production and Processing1.91.6Level 1 looks like: Put a computer back into its packing materials
  • Biology1.81.4Level 1 looks like: Feed domestic animals
  • Foreign Language1.71.1Level 1 looks like: Say "please" and "thank you" in a foreign language
  • Sociology and Anthropology1.71.2Level 1 looks like: Identify two cultures in a story as being different
  • History and Archeology1.61.2Level 1 looks like: Take a class in US history
  • Philosophy and Theology1.61.4Level 1 looks like: Watch a TV show on family values
  • Food Production1.50.9Level 1 looks like: Grow herbs in the kitchen
  • Sales and Marketing1.40.9Level 1 looks like: Sell cakes at a bake sale
  • Fine Arts1.2—

Abilities

Enduring capacities the work calls for.

  • Problem Sensitivity4.14.5Level 4 looks like: Notice from a subtle difference in a client's mood that something is bothering them
  • Stamina4.04.0Level 4 looks like: Climb 6 flights of stairs
  • Static Strength4.04.3Level 4 looks like: Pull a 40-pound sack of fertilizer across the lawn
  • Control Precision3.94.0Level 4 looks like: Adjust farm tractor controls
  • Oral Comprehension3.94.0Level 4 looks like: Understand a coach's oral instructions for a sport
  • Oral Expression3.94.0Level 4 looks like: Give instructions to a lost motorist
  • Trunk Strength3.94.0Level 4 looks like: Shovel snow for half an hour
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness3.83.6Level 4 looks like: Thread a needle
Show all 52
  • Deductive Reasoning3.83.8
  • Far Vision3.83.8Level 4 looks like: Read the slides on a presentation from across a room
  • Information Ordering3.83.8Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
  • Manual Dexterity3.83.3Level 4 looks like: Pack oranges in crates as quickly as possible
  • Multilimb Coordination3.84.0Level 4 looks like: Operate a forklift truck in a warehouse
  • Reaction Time3.84.0Level 4 looks like: Press a button to stop operation when a warning light goes off
  • Inductive Reasoning3.63.8Level 4 looks like: Determine the prime suspect based on crime scene evidence
  • Near Vision3.63.6
  • Dynamic Strength3.54.0Level 5 looks like: Climb a 48-foot long ladder
  • Flexibility of Closure3.53.9Level 4 looks like: Look for a golf ball in tall grass
  • Speech Clarity3.53.1Level 4 looks like: Make stadium-wide announcements during a sporting event
  • Speech Recognition3.53.1Level 4 looks like: Identify a former customer's voice over the phone
  • Spatial Orientation3.43.3Level 3 looks like: Find your way through a dark room without hitting anything
  • Auditory Attention3.33.6Level 4 looks like: Listen for your flight announcement at a busy airport
  • Depth Perception3.33.1Level 4 looks like: Operate a crane to move materials from a truck bed to the ground
  • Extent Flexibility3.33.9Level 4 looks like: Reach for a box on a high warehouse shelf
  • Gross Body Coordination3.33.3Level 4 looks like: Swim the length of a pool
  • Written Comprehension3.33.1Level 4 looks like: Understand an apartment lease
  • Category Flexibility3.13.1Level 3 looks like: Classify flowers according to size, color, and smell
  • Explosive Strength3.13.4Level 4 looks like: Jump onto a 3-foot high platform
  • Gross Body Equilibrium3.13.3Level 4 looks like: Walk on ice across a pond
  • Rate Control3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Keep up with a car that changes speed
  • Response Orientation3.13.3Level 4 looks like: Use either the brake or gas pedal when your vehicle is skidding
  • Selective Attention3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Watch security monitors for intruders throughout the night shift
  • Visualization3.13.8Level 4 looks like: Follow a diagram to assemble a metal storage cabinet
  • Finger Dexterity3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Put coins in a parking meter
  • Hearing Sensitivity3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Diagnose what's wrong with a car engine from its sound
  • Perceptual Speed3.03.6Level 4 looks like: Read five pressure indicators in 10 seconds to make sure each is within safe limits
  • Speed of Closure3.03.1Level 3 looks like: Recognize a song after hearing only the first few notes
  • Time Sharing3.03.1Level 3 looks like: Watch street signs while driving at 30 miles an hour
  • Visual Color Discrimination3.03.4Level 4 looks like: Trace electrical circuits marked by various colored wires
  • Written Expression3.03.4Level 4 looks like: Write a job recommendation for a subordinate
  • Fluency of Ideas2.93.0Level 2 looks like: Name four different uses for a screwdriver
  • Memorization2.93.0Level 4 looks like: Recite the first names of the five people you just met
  • Peripheral Vision2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Keep in step while marching in a band
  • Glare Sensitivity2.82.9Level 2 looks like: Drive on a familiar road on a cloudy day
  • Sound Localization2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Listen to a sound system to determine which speaker is working
  • Speed of Limb Movement2.82.9Level 2 looks like: Saw through a thin piece of wood
  • Originality2.62.9Level 2 looks like: Use a credit card to open a locked door
  • Wrist-Finger Speed2.62.6Level 3 looks like: Carve roast beef in a cafeteria
  • Number Facility2.52.5Level 3 looks like: Calculate a discounted price
  • Dynamic Flexibility2.42.3Level 2 looks like: Hand pick a bushel of apples from a tree
  • Mathematical Reasoning2.42.5Level 1 looks like: Determine how much 20 oranges will cost when they are priced at 5 for 4 dollars
  • Night Vision2.42.9Level 2 looks like: Read street signs at dusk (just after sunset)

Work activities

Kinds of activity the work is made of.

  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment4.44.4Level 4 looks like: Drive an 18-wheel tractor-trailer
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.35.4Level 4 looks like: Select the location for a major retail store
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge4.25.3Level 4 looks like: Keep current on changes in maintenance procedures for repairing sports cars
  • Getting Information4.14.4Level 4 looks like: Review a budget
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events4.14.5Level 4 looks like: Judge the suitability of food products for an event
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials4.14.5Level 4 looks like: Inspect equipment in a chemical processing plant
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings4.05.6
  • Performing General Physical Activities4.05.2Level 4 looks like: Paint the outside of a house
Show all 41
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates3.94.6Level 4 looks like: Report the results of a sales meeting to a supervisor
  • Documenting/Recording Information3.94.1Level 4 looks like: Document the results of a crime scene investigation
  • Assisting and Caring for Others3.85.1Level 4 looks like: Help a medical patient find in-home assistance or healthcare
  • Handling and Moving Objects3.85.5Level 4 looks like: Arrange books in a library
  • Training and Teaching Others3.84.4Level 4 looks like: Teach a social sciences course to high school students
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization3.64.1Level 4 looks like: Present information to potential clients about available services
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards3.64.1Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a complicated insurance claim for compliance with policy terms
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People3.64.5Level 4 looks like: Determine the value of property lost in a fire
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work3.64.6Level 4 looks like: Plan and adjust a personal to-do list according to changing demands
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public3.63.7Level 4 looks like: Sell shoes in a crowded shoe store
  • Controlling Machines and Processes3.54.6Level 4 looks like: Operate a drilling rig
  • Processing Information3.54.1Level 4 looks like: Calculate the adjustments for insurance claims
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment3.53.7Level 4 looks like: Change the oil on a tractor
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies3.44.1Level 4 looks like: Develop the plan to complete the merger of two organizations over a 3-year period
  • Coaching and Developing Others3.33.8Level 4 looks like: Provide on-the-job training for administrative workers
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates3.33.9Level 4 looks like: Manage a small team of employees in a dynamic workplace
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others3.23.9Level 4 looks like: Organize the cleanup crew after a major sporting event
  • Developing and Building Teams3.23.3Level 4 looks like: Lead an assembly team in an automobile plant
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others3.23.0Level 4 looks like: Interpret how foreign tax laws apply to U.S. exports
  • Thinking Creatively3.24.2Level 4 looks like: Adapt popular music for a high school marching band
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others3.14.0Level 4 looks like: Get two subordinates to agree about vacation schedules
  • Scheduling Work and Activities3.14.0Level 4 looks like: Prepare the work schedule for salesclerks in a large retail store
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships2.94.1Level 4 looks like: Maintain good working relationships with almost all coworkers and clients
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others2.93.5Level 4 looks like: Recommend a new software package to increase operational efficiency
  • Analyzing Data or Information2.84.0Level 4 looks like: Determine the interest cost to finance a new building
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information2.83.4Level 4 looks like: Estimate the time required to evacuate a city in the event of a major disaster
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment2.63.3Level 4 looks like: Specify the furniture and equipment for a new school
  • Monitoring and Controlling Resources2.62.8
  • Performing Administrative Activities2.63.0Level 4 looks like: Complete tax forms for a small business
  • Working with Computers2.62.8
  • Staffing Organizational Units2.42.5Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that has minimal staffing requirements
  • Selling or Influencing Others2.32.2Level 1 looks like: Convince a coworker to assist with an assignment
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment2.22.1Level 1 looks like: Use display settings to adjust a television picture

Work context

The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.

  • Health and Safety of Other Workers4.6
  • Physical Proximity4.6
  • Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities4.3
  • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.3
  • Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team4.3
  • Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers4.2
  • Deal With External Customers or the Public in General4.1
  • Freedom to Make Decisions4.1
  • Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results4.1
  • Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions4.1

Technology

15 tools

Software used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.

Hot (7)

  • Microsoft Access
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Windows
  • Microsoft Word
Other tools (8)
  • Affiliated Computer Services ACS FIREHOUSE
  • Corel WordPerfect Office Suite
  • Email software
  • Fire incident reporting systems
  • Geographic information system GIS software
  • Incident command system ICS software
  • Plume modeling software
  • Web browser software

Related occupations

O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.

  1. First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers
  2. Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists
  3. Fire Inspectors and Investigators
  4. Fire-Prevention and Protection Engineers
  5. Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers
  6. Emergency Medical Technicians
  7. Paramedics
  8. Occupational Health and Safety Specialists
  9. Forest and Conservation Workers
  10. Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians

ESCO equivalents

From the official ESCO–O*NET crosswalk, strongest match first. A broader occupation takes in this one; a narrower one is a part of it.

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.