Fire Protection Career Opportunities
LPSCS Principles Course
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Contact TEA Copyrights with any questions you may have.
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Educational Trends
To be the most attractive job
candidate, consider education
beyond high school.
Paramedic training
Training Certificates
Associate’s or Bachelor’s Degree
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Who Employs Firefighters?
Over 300,000 career firefighters
nationwide
90% work for cities or counties
with populations of 50,000 or more
Federal Firefighters
Private Industry
Military/Federal Firefighters
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Women in Firefighting
 Women have been firefighters for
longer than most people realize: in fact,
for almost 200 years.
 The first woman firefighter of record is
Molly Williams, who was a slave in
New York City then became a member
of Oceanus Engine Company #11 in
about 1815.
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Woman Firefighters in Texas
 Over 300 women firefighters in Texas
 100+ women firefighters in Houston
and Dallas
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Municipal Firefighters
 90% of firefighters work for
municipalities
Common minimum requirements:
 18 years old
 6 month academy
 12 month probation
 High school diploma or GED
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Volunteer Firefighters
Over 1 million firefighters in the
U.S. and over 800,000 are
volunteers
Experience can help get a paid
position
100-150 hour training course is
typical for volunteers
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Public Fire Protection Careers
 Firefighter Trainee – Fire Department
 Firefighter – Fire Department
 Firefighter – Federal/Military Fire Departments
 Fire Heavy Equipment Operators
 Wildland Firefighters (Forestry Aids)
 Fire Prevention Specialists
 Fire Hazardous Materials Specialists
 Fire Department Training Specialists
 Public Fire Safety/Education Specialist
 Dispatch/Telecommunicator
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Wildland Firefighters
 Often hired during fire season
 Know basic first aid and CPR
 18 years old
 Work for hourly rate plus overtime and
hazard pay
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Military/Federal Firefighters
 Over 2,000 firefighters employed by
the military or federal government
 Additional firefighters needed each year
 Must have a score of 39 or more on the
ASVAB
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Private Fire Protection
Careers
 Firefighter in plant protection and fire brigades
 Professionals with fire technology backgrounds in loss
prevention, fire inspection, emergency plan development,
claim adjusting, and investigation in arson-related cases
 Systems Engineers design and install fire protection systems
 Fire Protection System Maintenance Specialists maintain
systems for private industry
 Inventors and Innovators contribute their inventions and
ideas to the fire service and private industry
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Private Industry Firefighters
Work at:
Oil and chemical refineries
Large corporations
Airports
Shipyards
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Fire Protection Career
Opportunities
 Career opportunities are available for motivated
individuals with fire service degrees, training, and
industry certifications in both the public and private
sectors.
 Properly prepare yourself for the greatest opportunities.
 A good education and related experiences are great
assets. Make sure you note them on your applications
and mention them in your interviews.
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Resource
 1418001775, Introduction to Fire Protection (3rd Edition),
Klinoff, Robert
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