Become a Firefighter HQ
become a firefighter hq
Firefighter Salary – How much do firefighters make?
“How much do firefighters make?”. Entry level firefighter salary depends on location. In general big cities and suburban area fire departments will pay more than rural or underdeveloped areas. Annual starting salary can range from $30,000 to mid $40,000. Benefit packages normally include medical coverage, paid vacation, pension, and other benefits.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wages, 33-2011 Firefighters May 2012, there were 297,7000 employed firefighters. The mean hourly wage was $23 and mean annual wage of $47,850. Below are the top 5 states with the highest firefighter employment level.
Top 5 states with the highest firefighter employment level and annual mean wage:
California – $72,540 − 26,550 employed firefighters
Texas – $46,790 − 24,880 employed firefighters
Florida – $51,190 − 23,780 employed firefighters
Ohio – $42,660 − 18,410 employed firefighters
Illinois – $47,560 − 16,700 employed firefighters
According to the bureau the top 5 – paying states were California, New Jersey, New York, Washington, and Connecticut. Higher paying salaries are normally to compensate for higher cost of living. Salary increases can be expected with advanced specialized training and increased management responsibility. In my opinion, firefighters are underpaid for the amount of risk and long hours on the job. As many firefighters work 24-48 hour shifts they also get 24-72 hour rest periods. During these rest periods many firefighters can earn extra income by doing small handyman jobs or starting other small businesses. Some of these successful businesses include Firehouse Subs, firehousemovers.com, and trainingdivision.com. You’ll find many on your firefighter team have an entrepreneurial spirit and find creative ways to make extra income. You’ll learn the many new skills during your employment can be used for opportunities in the future. The key is to keep learning and always strive to improve.
You should remember, becoming a firefighter shouldn’t be about the money. You should take the opportunity to become a firefighter only if you’re passionate about the job and serving others.
What other questions do you have about firefighter salaries? Please leave a comment and let me know.
What it takes to become a firefighter. New Ebook coming this fall.
For those wondering if a career in the fire service is for you. I’m excited to announce an ebook that will help you make that decision. The book should be out by Fall 2013. If you have any suggestions for the book, please feel free to leave a comment or a note on my contact page.
Firefighter Fitness Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT)
Back in the day most career fire departments had their own firefighter fitness test requirements. Most career fire departments now have candidate physical ability tests (CPAT) administered to prospective candidates. They include eight continuous on a path, exercise drills that must be completed in 10 minutes and 20 seconds and is pass or fail.
During the test, candidates are required to wear a 50 lb. vest. with long pants, shoes with no open toes, hard hat w/chinstrap, and gloves. Wearing jewelry is prohibited. The 50 lb. vest is used to simulate wearing self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA).
Each exercise station is separated by 85 ft. and requires the candidate to walk between each station. To ensure safety and minimize exhaustion, running between stations is not allowed.
The Eight Firefighter Fitness-CPAT Exercises:
- Stair Climb – The exercise is conducted on a stepping machine requiring 60 steps for 3 minutes. In addition two – 12.5 lb. weights on the shoulder are required. The exercise is completed and the candidate advances to the next station.
- Hose Drag – The candidate places the end of a 200 ft. hose on their shoulder and drags the hose 75 ft. around a barrier, making a 90 degree turn and dragging it another 25 ft. to a 5 x 7 ft. box, on one or two knees the candidate pulls the hose 150 ft. until the 50 ft. hose mark crosses the finish line. The exercise is completed and the candidate advances to the next station.
- Equipment Carry – Two saws are removed from a cabinet and placed on the ground one at a time. Both saws are then carried and required to walk 75 ft. around a barrier and return to the starting point. Both saws are placed on the ground and returned to the cabinet one at a time. The exercise is completed and the candidate advances to the next station.
- Ladder Raise – The candidate walks to the top rung of a 24 ft. aluminum extension ladder, walking the ladder, rung by rung up to a stationary wall. The candidate must stay positioned in a 3 x 3 ft. box near the wall and raise the ladder until it hits the stop and returns the ladder back to its original position. The exercise is completed and the candidate advances to the next station.
- Forcible Entry – The candidate uses a 10 lb. sledgehammer striking a measuring device while in a designated boxed area until the buzzer sounds. The exercise is completed and the candidate advances to the next station.
- Search – The candidate crawls on hands and knees in a tunnel maze 4 ft. wide,3 ft. high, 64 ft. long with two-90 degree turns. In addition there are two areas with significantly reduced space. The exercise is completed and the candidate advances to the next station.
- Rescue Drag – The candidate grabs the handles at the shoulder of a 165 lb. mannequin and drags the mannequin 35 ft. up around a barrier returning the mannequin 35 ft. back to the finish line. The complete body of the mannequin must cross the finish line. The exercise is completed and the candidate advances to the next station.
- Ceiling Breach and Pull – The candidate uses a pike pole to push up a 60-lb. hinged door three times and then use the pike pole to pull an 80-lb. ceiling device pulling the pike pole downwards five time. The routine is conducted 4 more times for a total of 5 times. The exercise is completed after the last pull and the proctor calls out “Time”.
Two stop watches are used, one used for official time and the other for back-up. Any time greater than 10 minutes 20 seconds is a fail. The firefighter fitness CPAT is challenging. To become a firefighter requires significant training in cardiovascular, strength, flexibility and endurance. Stop by often as we look to provide more information about firefighter fitness to help you become a firefighter.
September 11 2001
In memory of the 10-yr anniversary of those who died on Sept. 11 2001.
We shall never forget.
Central Texas Wildfires – Local Firefighters Update
Via Michael Webb: UPDATE MONDAY (9/5), @austintexasgov: AFD has reached adequate number of reserve firefighters, NO need to continue calling 978-1187 or 974-0400 at this time (Area code 512–same #). PLEASE CIRCULATE SO THE FIREFIGHTERS CAN DO THEIR JOB INSTEAD OF ANSWERING PHONES.
NFPA Conference and Expo – Boston, MA
Spent Sun. – Tues. getting to see some of the new products and ideas in Fire Protection and Fire Prevention at the Boston Convention Center. Had a great time meeting with many fire chiefs, fire marshals, firefighters, vendors and suppliers in the Fire Industry. Of the notable products included: digital fire extinguisher training aids, a portable stove fire suppression system, and a cooling vest that can lower the body temperature 14 degrees. I will be posting individual posts about each so make sure to check in.
NFPA Conference and Expo – Boston Convention Center – Boston, MA
June 12-15, 2011
The Firefighter Family
A Day for Steven
Becoming a firefighter is a very dangerous occupation and requires many other tedious tasks, however there are some benefits of belonging to the Firefighter Family and Brotherhood. Several weeks ago, took the family to a fundraiser for a local Colony, TX firefighter with serious health issues. The event was called “A Day for Steven”. Steven recently had heart surgery and it’s unknown if he can return back to service. This extended leave and medical bills have caused financial hardships for Steve and his family.
Fundraiser Activities
One of the event activities was at a local restaurant where you could meet Steve and his family during lunch time. Part of the proceeds for the day would go to the fundraising efforts. There was a live band, silent auction, and plenty of good food and beer served on the outdoor patio. Fire trucks and an ambulance were parked at the front of the restaurant. In addition a Careflite Medical Helicopter flew in and landed in an open field near the restaurant. Parents and children were allowed to take a tour of the equipment,vehicles, and helicopter and ask on duty staff questions.
Thank You…
While people were eating lunch, Steven spoke to the crowd. The speech was brief and to the point. He thanked them for their support and how the events exceeded his expectations. He also indicated how proud he is to have support and be with the greatest fire department in the world. He truly loves his firefighter family and brothers. You could feel the sense of pride and family values in the air. It was a great family filled day. Thank you Steven for your service and teaching us what is truly important in life and showing us what it’s like to be part of the Firefighter Family.