What You Need to Know About Municipal Firefighters
Job Description: Control and extinguish municipal fires, protect life and property and conduct rescue efforts.
A Day in the Life of a Municipal Firefighter
- Move toward the source of a fire, using knowledge of types of fires, construction design, building materials, and physical layout of properties.
- Respond to fire alarms and other calls for assistance, such as automobile and industrial accidents.
- Administer first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation to injured persons.
- Lay hose lines and connect them to water supplies.
- Participate in fire drills and demonstrations of fire fighting techniques.
- Participate in physical training activities to maintain a high level of physical fitness.
What Every Municipal Firefighter Should Know
Below is a list of the skills most Municipal Firefighters say are important on the job.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Types of Municipal Firefighter Jobs
- Rescue Worker
- Plugman
- Ladderman
- Fire Fighter
- Tiller Man
Job Demand for Municipal Firefighters
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 327,300 jobs in the United States for Firefighters.
New jobs are being produced at a rate of 7.2% which is lower than average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 23,500 new jobs for Municipal Firefighters by 2026. The BLS estimates 24,300 yearly job openings in this field per year.
The states with the most job growth for Firefighters are Texas, Florida, and California.
Watch out if you plan on working in New Jersey, Vermont, or Maryland. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
How Much Does a Municipal Firefighter Make?
The typical yearly salary for Firefighters is somewhere between $25,170 and $88,920. The median salary is $49,620.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for jobs of this type in different U.S. states.
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
|
California |
$81,580 |
|
New Jersey |
$76,530 |
|
Washington |
$73,850 |
|
New York |
$73,710 |
|
Nevada |
$66,830 |
|
Oregon |
$66,330 |
|
Connecticut |
$63,630 |
|
Hawaii |
$62,670 |
|
Maryland |
$61,780 |
|
Colorado |
$61,160 |
|
Massachusetts |
$60,080 |
|
Illinois |
$56,710 |
|
Pennsylvania |
$56,090 |
|
Rhode Island |
$55,240 |
|
Florida |
$53,340 |
|
Texas |
$52,520 |
|
Virginia |
$51,510 |
|
Alaska |
$51,110 |
|
Missouri |
$51,100 |
|
Indiana |
$49,460 |
|
Montana |
$49,230 |
|
Delaware |
$48,800 |
|
New Hampshire |
$48,640 |
|
Nebraska |
$47,880 |
|
Ohio |
$46,310 |
|
Michigan |
$45,440 |
|
Arizona |
$45,150 |
|
South Dakota |
$44,710 |
|
Iowa |
$43,970 |
|
Wyoming |
$43,810 |
|
Oklahoma |
$43,450 |
|
North Dakota |
$42,980 |
|
Alabama |
$41,740 |
|
Idaho |
$40,490 |
|
Wisconsin |
$40,310 |
|
Tennessee |
$40,280 |
|
Georgia |
$38,060 |
|
Utah |
$37,960 |
|
Kansas |
$37,930 |
|
Arkansas |
$37,800 |
|
Minnesota |
$37,690 |
|
Vermont |
$37,070 |
|
West Virginia |
$36,820 |
|
Maine |
$36,750 |
|
New Mexico |
$36,590 |
|
South Carolina |
$36,300 |
|
North Carolina |
$35,500 |
|
Kentucky |
$33,520 |
|
Louisiana |
$30,600 |
|
Mississippi |
$30,370 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Municipal Firefighters
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Municipal Firefighters:
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft Windows
- Microsoft Word
- Geographic information system GIS software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Access
Becoming a Municipal Firefighter
What education or degrees do I need to become a Municipal Firefighter?
How Long Does it Take to Become Municipal Firefighter?
Who Employs Municipal Firefighters?
Related Careers
Those who work as Municipal Firefighters sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:
- Occupational Health and Safety Technicians
References
Image Credit: Via Wikimedia Commons
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