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Firefighter Education Requirements & Suggestions
As with most employment opportunities, the higher the education level, the better; particularly in regard to salary and promotions.
The same can be applied to the career of a firefighter, mainly due to the fact that most departments require
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certain certifcations and credentials, such as the emergency medical technician (EMT), and at the very least a high diploma or GED. On top of that,
having a college degree will increase a fire fighter hopeful's chances of obtaining employment in this career field and can offer more advancement
opportunities. In order to keep pace with applicants, or perhaps stay a step ahead, strive to earn a useful fire education by pursuing a bachelor's
degree of any kind, preferably in the field of fire science, public administration, or even a fireman apprenticeship. If you have an associates
degree, that can be a great start as well, since many firefighters will have an opportunity to further their education by attending night school,
should they have the desire. In addition to earning a 4 year degree in fire science, those aspiring to be the next fire chief should consider earning
a masters in public administration in order to be better prepared to run a fire department and maintain positive relations within the community.
What You Can Do:
- Obtain a bachelor's degree [fire science, fire safety & public administration are relevant]
- Take at least one fire science college course
- Take a foreign language class [being bilingual is always a plus]
- Consider taking a weight training class to build muscles and a solid core
- Get good grades and learn effective study habits (will come in handy for the fire academy)
- Participate in group projects and develop good communication skills
- Memorize the Firefighter's Prayer
- Learn as much as you can about the fire department you are applying for (motto, statistics, history, goals, etc.)
- Consider pursuing a master's degree in public administration