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 Nature of the Work
Every year, fires and other emergencies take
thousands of lives and destroy property worth
billions of dollars. Fire fighters help protect the
public against these dangers by rapidly responding
to a variety of emergencies. They are frequently the
first emergency personnel at the scene of a traffic
accident or medical emergency and may be called upon
to put out a fire, treat injuries, or perform other
vital functions.
(Photo Above: Elm Valley Firefighters -
click to enlarge)
During duty hours, fire fighters must be prepared to
respond immediately to a fire or any other emergency
that arises. Because fighting fires is dangerous and
complex, it requires organization and teamwork. At
every emergency scene, fire fighters perform
specific duties assigned by a superior officer. At
fires, they connect hose lines to hydrants, operate
a pump to send water to high-pressure hoses, and
position ladders to enable them to deliver water to
the fire. They also rescue victims, provide
emergency medical attention as needed, ventilate
smoke-filled areas, and attempt to salvage the
contents of buildings. Their duties may change
several times while the company is in action.
Sometimes they remain at the site of a disaster for
days at a time, rescuing trapped survivors and
assisting with medical treatment.
 Fire fighters work in a variety of settings,
including urban and suburban areas, airports,
chemical plants, other industrial sites, and rural
areas like grasslands and forests. They have also
assumed a range of responsibilities, including
emergency medical services. In fact, most calls to
which fire fighters respond involve medical
emergencies, and 65 percent of all fire departments
provide emergency medical service. In addition, some
fire fighters work in hazardous materials units that
are trained for the control, prevention, and cleanup
of materials; for example, these fire fighters
respond to oil spills. (For more information, see
the Handbook statement on hazardous material removal
workers.) Workers in urban and suburban areas,
airports, and industrial sites typically use
conventional fire fighting equipment and tactics,
while forest fires and major hazardous materials
spills call for different methods. (Photo
Above, Right: Firefighters get hands on
pump training with Fire Academy Outreach Class -
click to enlarge)
In national forests and parks, forest fire
inspectors and prevention specialists spot fires
from watchtowers and report their findings to
headquarters by telephone or radio. Forest rangers
patrol to ensure that travelers and campers comply
with fire regulations. When fires break out, crews
of fire fighters are brought in to suppress the
blaze with heavy equipment, hand tools, and water
hoses. Fighting forest fires, like fighting urban
fires, is rigorous work. One of the most effective
means of battling a blaze is creating fire
lines—cutting down trees and digging out grass and
all other combustible vegetation in the path of the
fire— to deprive it of fuel. Elite fire fighters
called smoke jumpers parachute from airplanes to
reach otherwise inaccessible areas. This tactic,
however, can be extremely hazardous because the
crews have no way to escape if the wind shifts and
causes the fire to burn toward them.
Between alarms, fire fighters clean and maintain
equipment, conduct practice drills and fire
inspections, and participate in physical fitness
activities. They also prepare written reports on
fire incidents and review fire science literature to
keep abreast of technological developments and
changing administrative practices and policies.
Most fire departments have a fire prevention
division, usually headed by a fire marshal and
staffed by fire inspectors. Workers in this division
conduct inspections of structures to prevent fires
and ensure compliance with fire codes. These fire
fighters also work with developers and planners to
check and approve plans for new buildings. Fire
prevention personnel often speak on these subjects
in schools and before public assemblies and civic
organizations.
Some fire fighters become fire investigators, who
determine the origin and causes of fires. They
collect evidence, interview witnesses, and prepare
reports on fires in cases where the cause may be
arson or criminal negligence. They often are called
upon to testify in court.
Working Conditions
Fire fighters spend much of their time at fire
stations, which usually have features in common with
a residential facility like a dormitory. When an
alarm sounds, fire fighters respond rapidly,
regardless of the weather or hour. Fire fighting
involves the risk of death or injury from sudden
cave-ins of floors, toppling walls, traffic
accidents when responding to calls, and exposure to
flames and smoke. Fire fighters also may come in
contact with poisonous, flammable, or explosive
gases and chemicals, as well as radioactive or other
hazardous materials that may have immediate or
long-term effects on their health. For these
reasons, they must wear protective gear that can be
very heavy and hot.
Work hours of fire fighters are longer and vary more
widely than hours of most other workers. Many work
more than 50 hours a week, and sometimes they may
work even longer. In some agencies, fire fighters
are on duty for 24 hours, then off for 48 hours, and
receive an extra day off at intervals. In others,
they work a day shift of 10 hours for 3 or 4 days, a
night shift of 14 hours for 3 or 4 nights, have 3 or
4 days off, and then repeat the cycle. In addition,
fire fighters often work extra hours at fires and
other emergencies and are regularly assigned to work
on holidays. Fire lieutenants and fire captains
often work the same hours as the fire fighters they
supervise. Duty hours include time when fire
fighters study, train, and perform fire prevention
duties.
Employment
Employment figures in this statement include only
paid career fire fighters—they do not cover
volunteer fire fighters, who perform the same duties
and may constitute the majority of fire fighters in
a residential area. According to the U.S. Fire
Administration, 70 percent of fire companies are
staffed by volunteer fire fighters. In 2004, total
employment in firefighting occupations was about
353,000. Fire fighters held about 282,000 jobs,
first-line supervisors/managers of fire fighting and
prevention workers held about 56,000, and fire
inspectors held about 15,000.
About 9 out of 10 fire fighting workers were
employed by municipal or county fire departments.
Some large cities have thousands of career fire
fighters, while many small towns have only a few.
Most of the remainder worked in fire departments on
Federal and State installations, including airports.
Private fire fighting companies employ a small
number of fire fighters and usually operate on a
subscription basis.
In response to the expanding role of fire fighters,
some municipalities have combined fire prevention,
public fire education, safety, and emergency medical
services into a single organization commonly
referred to as a public safety organization. Some
local and regional fire departments are being
consolidated into countywide establishments in order
to reduce administrative staffs, cut costs, and
establish consistent training standards and work
procedures.
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