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Career

First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipHigh pressure

What they do

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

Kinds of work

  • Enterprising: Leading, persuading, selling and starting new projects or businesses.
  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $93,530 Median per year · $44.96/hr Most earn $53,430–$140,010

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Analyze burn conditions and results, and prepare postburn reports.
  • Maintain fire suppression equipment in good condition, checking equipment periodically to ensure that it is ready for use.
  • Serve as a working leader of an engine, hand, helicopter, or prescribed fire crew of three or more firefighters.
  • Perform administrative duties, such as compiling and maintaining records, completing forms, preparing reports, or composing correspondence.
  • Direct firefighters in station maintenance duties, and participate in these duties.
  • Recruit or hire firefighting personnel.

Job outlook

United States
4% more jobs by 2035, about as fast as average · about 6,600 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Local government, excluding education and hospitals92.6%
  • Other support services3.1%
  • State government, excluding education and hospitals2.0%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipExperience before this job: 1 to 2 years

You usually can't start right out of school as a Fire Captain or other fire supervisor. Most people first work as firefighters for about 1 to 2 years, then move up into a supervisory role after showing skill and leadership.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    A diploma is the basic requirement to enter fire training, and strong grades and physical fitness help you stand out to fire departments.

  2. Fire academy and EMT certification

    About 6 months to 1 year

    Completing a fire academy or certificate program and getting EMT certification teaches firefighting skills and medical care, which departments look for when hiring.

  3. Firefighter

    1-2 years

    As a firefighter you respond to fires and emergencies, build hands-on experience, and learn how your department works, which is the experience needed before promotion.

  4. Fire Captain

    Ongoing

    As a supervisor you lead a crew, direct firefighting and prevention activities, train and evaluate team members, and make decisions during emergencies.

Where it can lead

  1. Battalion Chief

    Several years as a fire captain or lieutenant of experience first

    You oversee several fire companies across a larger area, making bigger tactical decisions and managing more staff and budgets.

  2. Fire Chief

    Many years of fire service leadership of experience first

    You run the entire fire department, handling planning, policy, budgets, and community relations, and usually need strong management and administration skills.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take health or biology classesScience and health courses build the background you need for EMT training and fire service work.
  • Join a school or community CPR or first aid courseBasic medical certification shows early commitment and prepares you for emergency response.
  • Volunteer with a local fire department or Explorer programMany departments have youth programs where you can learn about the job and meet firefighters.
  • Get in shape and practice teamworkFirefighting is physically demanding, and working well in a team is essential for leading a crew later.
  • Find a part-time job that builds responsibilityJobs that require reliability, following safety rules, or working under pressure show employers you can handle the job.

In college

  • Earn an EMT certificationEMT training is often required or preferred for firefighter jobs, and it gives you hands-on medical skills right away.
  • Take courses in fire science, emergency management, or public safetyThese classes teach fire behavior, safety rules, and emergency planning that supervisors use every day.
  • Volunteer or work with a fire or EMS departmentVolunteer firefighting or EMS work gives you real experience and helps you learn how departments operate.
  • Join a leadership or student clubTaking on roles in student groups helps you build the leadership and communication skills supervisors need.
  • Apply to a fire academy or firefighter entrance processStarting the hiring process early lets you enter the career sooner and gain the 1 to 2 years of experience needed for supervisor roles.

Tips for getting started

  • Get your EMT certification early, since many fire departments require it or give hiring preference to people who have it.
  • Stay physically fit and practice teamwork and clear communication, because fire crews depend on both and supervisors are chosen partly for these skills.
  • Look up typical pay for this career on its page in the app, where you can see local and national figures. I don't have those numbers myself.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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