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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.

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    Work Activities

    Work Activities

    • Drive and operate fire fighting vehicles and equipment.
    • Dress with equipment such as fire-resistant clothing and breathing apparatus.
    • Inspect fire sites after flames have been extinguished to ensure that there is no further danger.
    • 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.
    • Collaborate with police to respond to accidents, disasters, and arson investigation calls.
    • Collaborate with other firefighters as a member of a firefighting crew.
    • Patrol burned areas after fires to locate and eliminate hot spots that may restart fires.
    • Clean and maintain fire stations and fire fighting equipment and apparatus.
    • Inspect buildings for fire hazards and compliance with fire prevention ordinances, testing and checking smoke alarms and fire suppression equipment as necessary.
    • Take action to contain any hazardous chemicals that could catch fire, leak, or spill.
    • Maintain knowledge of current firefighting practices by participating in drills and by attending seminars, conventions, and conferences.
    • Prepare written reports that detail specifics of fire incidents.
    • Rescue victims from burning buildings, accident sites, and water hazards.
    • Assess fires and situations and report conditions to superiors to receive instructions, using two-way radios.
    • Select and attach hose nozzles, depending on fire type, and direct streams of water or chemicals onto fires.
    • Operate pumps connected to high-pressure hoses.
    • Participate in fire drills and demonstrations of fire fighting techniques.
    • Inform and educate the public on fire prevention.
    • Orient self in relation to fire, using compass and map, and collect supplies and equipment dropped by parachute.
    • Extinguish flames and embers to suppress fires, using shovels or engine- or hand-driven water or chemical pumps.
    • Move toward the source of a fire, using knowledge of types of fires, construction design, building materials, and physical layout of properties.
    • Position and climb ladders to gain access to upper levels of buildings, or to rescue individuals from burning structures.
    • Respond to fire alarms and other calls for assistance, such as automobile and industrial accidents.
    • Maintain knowledge of current firefighting practices by participating in drills and by attending seminars, conventions, and conferences.
    • Position and climb ladders to gain access to upper levels of buildings, or to rescue individuals from burning structures.
    • Assess fires and situations and report conditions to superiors to receive instructions, using two-way radios.
    • Create openings in buildings for ventilation or entrance, using axes, chisels, crowbars, electric saws, or core cutters.
    • Patrol burned areas after fires to locate and eliminate hot spots that may restart fires.
    • Participate in physical training activities to maintain a high level of physical fitness.
    • Protect property from water and smoke, using waterproof salvage covers, smoke ejectors, and deodorants.
    • Salvage property by removing broken glass, pumping out water, and ventilating buildings to remove smoke.
    • Inspect buildings for fire hazards and compliance with fire prevention ordinances, testing and checking smoke alarms and fire suppression equipment as necessary.

    Skills

    • Management of Financial Resources

      Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.

    • Management of Material Resources

      Managing equipment and materials.

    • Social Perceptiveness

      Understanding people's reactions.

    • Critical Thinking

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

    • Equipment Selection

      Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.

    • Active Learning

      Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.

    • Installation

      Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.

    • Writing

      Writing things for co-workers or customers.

    • Instructing

      Teaching people how to do something.

    • Active Listening

      Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

    • Systems Evaluation

      Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.

    • Monitoring

      Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.

    • Persuasion

      Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.

    • Service Orientation

      Looking for ways to help people.

    • Operation and Control

      Using equipment or systems.

    • Negotiation

      Bringing people together to solve differences.

    • Operations Analysis

      Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.

    • Programming

      Writing computer programs.

    • Mathematics

      Using math to solve problems.

    • Judgment and Decision Making

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.

    • Time Management

      Managing your time and the time of other people.

    • Equipment Maintenance

      Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.

    • Management of Personnel Resources

      Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.

    • Troubleshooting

      Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.

    • Complex Problem Solving

      Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

    • Technology Design

      Making equipment and technology useful for customers.

    • Operations Monitoring

      Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.

    • Speaking

      Talking to others.

    • Repairing

      Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.

    • Quality Control Analysis

      Testing how well a product or service works.

    • Systems Analysis

      Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.

    • Reading Comprehension

      Reading work-related information.

    • Learning Strategies

      Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.

    • Science

      Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.

    • Coordination

      Changing what is done based on other people's actions.

    WorkKeys®

    Applied Math
    4
    Workplace Documents
    4
    Graphic Literacy
    5

    Abilities

    • Near Vision

      Seeing details up close.

    • Information Ordering

      Ordering or arranging things.

    • Number Facility

      Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.

    • Reaction Time

      Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.

    • Inductive Reasoning

      Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.

    • Memorization

      Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.

    • Spatial Orientation

      Knowing where things are around you.

    • Arm-Hand Steadiness

      Keeping your arm or hand steady.

    • Multilimb Coordination

      Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.

    • Written Comprehension

      Reading and understanding what is written.

    • Problem Sensitivity

      Noticing when problems happen.

    • Depth Perception

      Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.

    • Glare Sensitivity

      Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.

    • Category Flexibility

      Grouping things in different ways.

    • Far Vision

      Seeing details that are far away.

    • Visual Color Discrimination

      Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.

    • Gross Body Equilibrium

      Keeping your balance or staying upright.

    • Static Strength

      Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.

    • Dynamic Flexibility

      Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Wrist-Finger Speed

      Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.

    • Originality

      Creating new and original ideas.

    • Perceptual Speed

      Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.

    • Control Precision

      Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.

    • Peripheral Vision

      Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.

    • Speech Clarity

      Speaking clearly.

    • Selective Attention

      Paying attention to something without being distracted.

    • Flexibility of Closure

      Seeing hidden patterns.

    • Stamina

      Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.

    • Fluency of Ideas

      Coming up with lots of ideas.

    • Response Orientation

      Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.

    • Written Expression

      Communicating by writing.

    • Gross Body Coordination

      Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.

    • Time Sharing

      Doing two or more things at the same time.

    • Visualization

      Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.

    • Deductive Reasoning

      Using rules to solve problems.

    • Auditory Attention

      Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.

    • Hearing Sensitivity

      Telling the difference between sounds.

    • Sound Localization

      Noticing the direction that a sound came from.

    • Night Vision

      Seeing at night or under low light.

    • Speech Recognition

      Recognizing spoken words.

    • Manual Dexterity

      Holding or moving items with your hands.

    • Dynamic Strength

      Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.

    • Speed of Limb Movement

      Quickly moving your arms and legs.

    • Explosive Strength

      Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.

    • Trunk Strength

      Using your lower back and stomach.

    • Extent Flexibility

      Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Rate Control

      Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.

    • Mathematical Reasoning

      Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.

    • Finger Dexterity

      Putting together small parts with your fingers.

    • Speed of Closure

      Quickly knowing what you are looking at.

    • Oral Comprehension

      Listening and understanding what people say.

    • Oral Expression

      Communicating by speaking.

    Knowledge

    • Foreign Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.

    • Philosophy and Theology

      Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.

    • Biology

      Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

    • Therapy and Counseling

      Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.

    • Economics and Accounting

      Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

    • Communications and Media

      Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

    • Physics

      Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.

    • Food Production

      Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.

    • Design

      Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

    • Psychology

      Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

    • Public Safety and Security

      Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

    • Sales and Marketing

      Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

    • Customer and Personal Service

      Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

    • Production and Processing

      Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

    • Mechanical

      Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

    • Mathematics

      Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

    • Sociology and Anthropology

      Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.

    • Personnel and Human Resources

      Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

    • Engineering and Technology

      Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

    • Telecommunications

      Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

    • History and Archeology

      Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.

    • Administrative

      Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

    • Geography

      Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.

    • Chemistry

      Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

    • Medicine and Dentistry

      Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

    • Administration and Management

      Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

    • Computers and Electronics

      Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

    • Building and Construction

      Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

    • Education and Training

      Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

    • Fine Arts

      Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.

    • English Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

    • Transportation

      Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

    • Law and Government

      Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

    Career Video

    Additional videos and more information available on CareerOneStop

    Pay

    • Ohio Annual Salary 55040/yr
    • Typical Salary
    • Ohio Hourly Wage 26.46/hr
    • Typical Hourly Wage

    Ohio Employment Trends

    • Currently Employed 19,370
    • Yearly Projected Openings 1470

    Typical Education

    Personality

    Realistic: People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.They do well at jobs that need:
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Dependability
    • Self Control
    • Attention to Detail
    • Integrity
    • Concern for Others

    Tools

    • Acoustic sensors
    • Adjustable wrenches
    • Agricultural tractors
    • Air bags for loading
    • Air exhausters
    • Air samplers or collectors
    • All terrain vehicles tracked or wheeled
    • Anemometers
    • Armored recovery vehicle
    • Binoculars
    • Blocks or pulleys
    • Bolt cutters
    • Calibrated resistance measuring equipment
    • Chemical test strips or papers
    • Claw hammer
    • Cold chisels
    • Diagonal cut pliers
    • Digital camcorders or video cameras
    • Ear plugs
    • Electrocardiography EKG units
    • Electronic blood pressure units
    • Extremity restraints
    • Facial shields
    • Fans
    • Fire blankets
    • Fire escape equipment
    • Fire extinguishers
    • Fire fighting chemical truck
    • Fire fighting ladder truck
    • Fire fighting pump truck
    • Fire fighting watercraft
    • Fire hoses or nozzles
    • Fire pump sets
    • Fire retardant apparel
    • Fire retardant footwear
    • Fire suppression hand tools
    • Flares
    • Flatbed trailers
    • Forestry saws
    • Gas detectors
    • Gas generators
    • Geological compasses
    • Glass cutters
    • Global positioning system GPS receiver
    • Glucose monitors or meters
    • Goggles
    • Grounding hardware
    • Hacksaw
    • Hammers
    • Hand pumps
    • Hand trucks or accessories
    • Hard hats
    • Hazardous material protective apparel
    • Hazardous material protective footwear
    • Heat tracing equipment
    • Hold down clamps
    • Hydraulic pumps
    • Intermittent positive pressure breathing IPPB machines
    • Jacks
    • Ladders
    • Life rings
    • Life vests or preservers
    • Lighters
    • Liquid leak detectors
    • Locking pliers
    • Machetes
    • Manlift or personnel lift
    • Medical acoustic stethoscopes
    • Medical gas cylinders or related devices
    • Mercury blood pressure units
    • Metal cutters
    • Metal detectors
    • Mobile medical service intravenous IV kits
    • Mobile medical services automated external defibrillators AED or hard paddles
    • Mobile medical services basket stretchers
    • Mobile medical services cervical or extrication collars
    • Mobile medical services first aid kits
    • Mobile medical services litter
    • Mobile medical services spine boards
    • Mobile medical services suction antichoke devices
    • Mowers
    • Multi gas monitors
    • Needlenose pliers
    • Notebook computers
    • Nylon rope
    • Open end wrenches
    • Orthopedic splint systems
    • Parachutes
    • Personal computers
    • Picks
    • Pipe wrenches
    • Pneumatic hammer
    • Portable data input terminals
    • Power saws
    • Protective gloves
    • Protective hood
    • Pry bars
    • Psychrometers
    • Pulse oximeter units
    • Radiation detectors
    • Radio frequency identification devices
    • Rescue truck
    • Respiration air supplying self contained breathing apparatus or accessories
    • Respirators
    • Resuscitation masks
    • Safety glasses
    • Safety harnesses or belts
    • Safety helmets
    • Saws
    • Screwdrivers
    • Scuba regulators
    • Shovels
    • Sledge hammer
    • Slip or groove joint pliers
    • Sockets
    • Spanner wrenches
    • Specialty wrenches
    • Spill kits
    • Surface thermometers
    • Telescopes
    • Torso and belt restraints
    • Track bulldozers
    • Two way radios
    • Underwater cameras
    • Utility knives
    • Water analyzers
    • Water pumps
    • Weapon or explosives detectors and supplies
    • Weather stations
    • Wedges
    • Wetsuits
    • Wheel chocks
    • Wheel nut or lug wrench
    • Winches
    • Wire cutters
    • pH test strips or papers

    Technology

    • Analytical or scientific software
    • Data base user interface and query software
    • Electronic mail software
    • Geographic information system
    • Internet browser software
    • Office suite software
    • Operating system software
    • Presentation software
    • Project management software
    • Spreadsheet software
    • Word processing software

    Tags

    • InDemand occupations are considered a priority by the state of Ohio.
    • Apprenticeships are available for this occupation. These programs can help you get hands-on experience and build your skills.
    Need help on researching occupations and careers? Download the Guide to Researching Occupations (PDF).

    Need help on how to research education and training programs? Download the Guide to Higher Education (PDF).

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