All About Municipal Firefighters
Job Description & Duties Control and extinguish municipal fires, protect life and property and conduct rescue efforts.
Life As 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.
- Rescue victims from burning buildings, accident sites, and water hazards.
- Inspect buildings for fire hazards and compliance with fire prevention ordinances, testing and checking smoke alarms and fire suppression equipment as necessary.
- Drive and operate fire fighting vehicles and equipment.
- Participate in fire drills and demonstrations of fire fighting techniques.
- Lay hose lines and connect them to water supplies.
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What Skills Do You Need to Work as a Municipal Firefighter?
Municipal Firefighters state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
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.
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.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
Related Job Titles
- Ladderman
- Rescue Worker
- Tiller Worker
- Volunteer Firefighter
- Fire Apparatus Engineer
Municipal Firefighter Employment Estimates
In the United States, there were 327,300 jobs for Municipal Firefighter in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 7.2% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 23,600 new jobs for Municipal Firefighter by 2026. The BLS estimates 24,300 yearly job openings in this field.
The states with the most job growth for Municipal Firefighter are Utah, Texas, and Nevada. Watch out if you plan on working in New Jersey, Maryland, or Alaska. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Salary for a Municipal Firefighter
The salary for Municipal Firefighters ranges between about $25,170 and $88,920 a year.
Municipal Firefighters who work in New York, New Jersey, or Washington, make the highest salaries.
How much do Municipal Firefighters make in each U.S. state?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $41,740 |
| Alaska | $51,110 |
| Arizona | $45,150 |
| Arkansas | $37,800 |
| California | $81,580 |
| Colorado | $61,160 |
| Connecticut | $63,630 |
| Delaware | $48,800 |
| Florida | $53,340 |
| Georgia | $38,060 |
| Hawaii | $62,670 |
| Idaho | $40,490 |
| Illinois | $56,710 |
| Indiana | $49,460 |
| Iowa | $43,970 |
| Kansas | $37,930 |
| Kentucky | $33,520 |
| Louisiana | $30,600 |
| Maine | $36,750 |
| Maryland | $61,780 |
| Massachusetts | $60,080 |
| Michigan | $45,440 |
| Minnesota | $37,690 |
| Mississippi | $30,370 |
| Missouri | $51,100 |
| Montana | $49,230 |
| Nebraska | $47,880 |
| Nevada | $66,830 |
| New Hampshire | $48,640 |
| New Jersey | $76,530 |
| New Mexico | $36,590 |
| New York | $73,710 |
| North Carolina | $35,500 |
| North Dakota | $42,980 |
| Ohio | $46,310 |
| Oklahoma | $43,450 |
| Oregon | $66,330 |
| Pennsylvania | $56,090 |
| Rhode Island | $55,240 |
| South Carolina | $36,300 |
| South Dakota | $44,710 |
| Tennessee | $40,280 |
| Texas | $52,520 |
| Utah | $37,960 |
| Vermont | $37,070 |
| Virginia | $51,510 |
| Washington | $73,850 |
| West Virginia | $36,820 |
| Wisconsin | $40,310 |
| Wyoming | $43,810 |
What Tools do Municipal Firefighters Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Municipal Firefighters:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Web browser software
- Microsoft Access
- Email software
- Microsoft Windows
- Spreadsheet software
- Geographic information system GIS software
- Corel WordPerfect Office Suite
- Fire incident reporting systems
- Incident command system ICS software
- Plume modeling software
- Affiliated Computer Services ACS FIREHOUSE
How do I Become a Municipal Firefighter?
Individuals working as a Municipal Firefighter have obtained the following education levels:
What work experience do I need to become a Municipal Firefighter?
Where Municipal Firefighters Are Employed
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
You May Also Be Interested In…
Those who work as a Municipal Firefighter sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:
References:
Image Credit: Airman 1st Class Sergio A. Gamboa via Public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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