First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers

Overview

First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers has a national median salary of $93,530 per year, with +3.7% projected job growth from 2025–2035. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists a postsecondary certificate as the typical education needed to enter this occupation.

Description

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of workers engaged in firefighting and fire prevention and control.

Work Values

• Independence
• Support
• Achievement

Work Styles

Responsibilities

Tasks

• Provide emergency medical services as required, and perform light to heavy rescue functions at emergencies.
• Maintain fire suppression equipment in good condition, checking equipment periodically to ensure that it is ready for use.
• Assign firefighters to jobs at strategic locations to facilitate rescue of persons and maximize application of extinguishing agents.
• Communicate fire details to superiors, subordinates, or interagency dispatch centers, using two-way radios.
• Serve as a working leader of an engine, hand, helicopter, or prescribed fire crew of three or more firefighters.

Work Activities

• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
• Getting Information
• Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
• Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
• Training and Teaching Others
• Assisting and Caring for Others

Detailed Work Activities

• Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
• Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.
• Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
• Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.

T-A-S-K

Technology, Abilities, Skills & Knowledge

Education

Education Levels of Current Workers

The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists a postsecondary certificate as the typical education needed to enter this occupation. The chart below shows the highest level of education held by people already working in this field, ages 25 and older. It includes workers who earned more education than the job requires and workers who entered the field under earlier requirements, so the largest bar is not the entry requirement. For example, if someone finished a bachelor's degree and then started working in this field, they are counted under “Bachelor's degree” here, but the job itself typically asks for a postsecondary certificate.

Certificates

Certifications applicable to First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers:

Video Resources