Firefighter (Firemen) is the brave person of the society that join this profession of firefighting more as a passion than as a career choice to earn only the lively hood for their families. One time volunteer task has taken the shape of a profession in recent decades because of the increasing urbanization and multitasking of the work the firefighter has to perform in the present context. Their job is not confined only to extinguish the fire but also to tackle any other natural or manmade disasters like building collapses, accidents, plane crashes/emergency landing, earthquake etc as they are professionally trained person to tackle such situations. He is a professional who can handle these calamities with utmost efficiency with a minimum of causalities.
To do their duty in an effective manner they have to undergo special training/course. To join these courses they can adopt the following given path and join this noble and dangerous but satisfying career:
Firefighter Eligibility
Educational Qualification
One should be +2 in any stream for joining as a Firefighter-
Age Limits
Between 18 to 27 (May vary from state to state)
Physical Requirements
- Height - Minimum 165 Cms
- Weight - 50 Kgs
- Chest Measurement - 81 Centimetres, with 5 Centimetres expansion
- Vision - 6/6, preferably without any aid
Firefighter Required Skills
- Firefighters must have integrity like honest, trustworthy, reliable and accountable.
- They should have physical fitness such as the ability to perform physical tasks.
- They possess good communication like people skills and good articulation.
- They should have the flexibility/adaptability like low-maintenance, work under stress, compromising, adapt and overcome.
- Other skills expected from them are dedication (passion, pride, heart, desire, drive, competence, work ethic); team player; tolerance along with a public image.
How to become a Firefighter?
One has to follow below-given steps for becoming a Firefighter-
Step 1
Interested candidate has to appear in a written entrance test conducted by various institutions providing on the job training that may vary from 6 months to 12 months. The written examination commonly consists of approximately 150-200 multiple - choice questions. The subjects for the written examinations could include any of the testing subjects listed below:
- Reading Comprehension
- Human Relations
- Problem Solving
- Judgment
- Math
- Memory
- Charts
- Inductive Reasoning
- Deductive Reasoning
- Visualization
- Verbal & Listening Comprehension
- Spelling
- Verbal Reasoning
- Oral and Written Communication Information
Step 2
After qualifying written test the aspirants are required to go for a physical endurance test followed by medical examination and psychological examination of the aspirants. This physical agility examination is designed to evaluate the candidate's ability to d fire-fighting activities. This physical agility examination is related to the tasks that are actually performed by fire-fighters. This test is so designed as to ascertain that the firefighter must have a high level of aerobic energy, strength, and a significant ability to resist fatigue.
Considering the demands of the profession i.e. saving life and property of the public that too without much damage to themselves along with the challenges of the environment, and the weight and constraint of the protective equipment, the need to ensure that fire-fighter recruits are physically capable and medically fit of learning and performing the tasks required is considered the most important part of recruitment criteria.
Step 3
After clearing this physical endurance test and medical and psychological test the aspirants are inducted into the force as a trainee for on job training of various sophisticated instruments to be used in various conditions of exigencies according to their area of work at different places of their requirement.
Firefighter Job Description
Although they are primarily responsible and trained for fighting the fire of different kind they can also play major roles in the evacuation of the people safely from other calamities fire just because of their sensitivity towards their job of saving lives from the clutches of death. For performing all these tasks satisfactorily they are equipped and trained to handle variously sophisticated as well as traditional equipment. One of the most important aspects of the firemen's work is to ensure that all rescue equipment is thoroughly checked on a daily basis and maintained in good order to be in a serviceable condition at all times. When approaching a fire scene the firemen have to assess what type of fire they have to deal with and select the appropriate extinguishing agent, since different kinds of fires require different extinguishing agents and methods to accomplish satisfactory results. They may have to fight various types of fires, ranging from wildfires to fires involving buildings, vehicles, aircraft or installations, each of which creates its own problems and difficulties. For doing this entire thing they need to be fighting fit and professionally trained only then they will be able to save the lives of the people with a minimal threat to their own life.
Firefighter Career Prospects
There are vast employment chances for firefighters in large manufacturing units particularly those involved in the manufacturing of chemicals or inflammable substances like petroleum refineries, petrochemicals and plastic, fertilizers, textiles, LPG and LNG handling and bottling plants, chemicals and other plants where there are risks of fire. Besides, firefighters are also employed by fire departments of local government, insurance companies, aircraft industry, and an area of safety where the possibility of fire or combustion represents a hazard. An experienced Firefighter may also work as surveyors in insurance companies to give the correct assessment of the loss of the clients due to fire incidents in their units etc.
Firefighters’ Job Titles
- Firefighter
- Leading Firefighter (or Crew manager)
- Sub Officer (or Watch manager)
- Station Officer (or Station Manager)
- Assistant Divisional Officer
- Divisional Officer
- Assistant Chief Fire Officer
- Chief Fire Officer (Topmost position in this ladder)
Firefighter Salary
Firefighter gets nearly Rs.20,000 per month to start with and can go as far as Rs.40,000 with experience in the field. Besides this, Firefighters get uniforms, medical aid scheme and pension fund, annual leave and housing subsidy. A firefighter with extraordinary skills and exemplary courage can reach higher positions in the organization.
