5 answers
Brayden
Student
Oak Harbor, Ohio
10
Questions
Updated
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What type of education do most fire departments look for the most?
What do they look for?
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4 answers
Ryan Pfeiffer, MA
Firefighter Lieutenant / EMT
117
Answers
Fort Collins, Colorado
Updated
Ryan’s Answer
Hey Brayden. I'll echo what most the other respondents have said here. At a minimum, most fire departments just require a high school diploma or GED.
However, a significant number of fire departments around the country either want to hire you and have you start working as soon as possible without going through months of training first, or they would like to have had you prove your worth in the industry so they don't hire you because you thinking firefighting just sounds cool and then find out you can't hack it after a few weeks. Therefore, many departments want you to get your Firefighter I and Emergency Medical Technician certifications first (some really big cities and east coast departments don't run medical calls and won't require EMT, but that's becoming more and more rare.). Each one of these certifications is probably available at a nearby community college, and each takes about one semester - so 1-year of school after high school.
If you get your EMT and FF certs through a college, you'll probably get 20-30 credits towards an Associates Degree in Fire Science, Public Safety, or something similar. This means that with another year or so of school, you could also wrap up an Associates Degree, which can help set you apart in the application / hiring process.
That said, I can tell you that having a fire science degree when applying for an entry level firefighting position won't stand out all that much - it's kind of boring and all stuff you should learn on the job eventually anyway. Plus, if you ever get injured, fired, or just decide firefighting isn't for you, you now have a degree that's basically useless outside of the fire industry. So I'd say pick a degree in something that is relatable to firefighting, that you're also interested in, and might want to pursue a career in if you ever had to leave the fire service. For example, maybe exercise science, nutrition, construction management, business, etc. You'll still "get the points" for having a degree, but you'll also have a conversation starter and something the hiring committee can remember you by other than just "oh look, another applicant with no life experience, a degree in fire science, and no interests or hobbies *yawn*).
If you like education, you can always get more and go as high as you want! I have a Bachelors in Homeland Security and a Masters in Trauma Counseling. Considering getting another Masters soon. This is definitely not required in most places though, unless you desire to become a Battalion Chief or above.
Hope this helps!
However, a significant number of fire departments around the country either want to hire you and have you start working as soon as possible without going through months of training first, or they would like to have had you prove your worth in the industry so they don't hire you because you thinking firefighting just sounds cool and then find out you can't hack it after a few weeks. Therefore, many departments want you to get your Firefighter I and Emergency Medical Technician certifications first (some really big cities and east coast departments don't run medical calls and won't require EMT, but that's becoming more and more rare.). Each one of these certifications is probably available at a nearby community college, and each takes about one semester - so 1-year of school after high school.
If you get your EMT and FF certs through a college, you'll probably get 20-30 credits towards an Associates Degree in Fire Science, Public Safety, or something similar. This means that with another year or so of school, you could also wrap up an Associates Degree, which can help set you apart in the application / hiring process.
That said, I can tell you that having a fire science degree when applying for an entry level firefighting position won't stand out all that much - it's kind of boring and all stuff you should learn on the job eventually anyway. Plus, if you ever get injured, fired, or just decide firefighting isn't for you, you now have a degree that's basically useless outside of the fire industry. So I'd say pick a degree in something that is relatable to firefighting, that you're also interested in, and might want to pursue a career in if you ever had to leave the fire service. For example, maybe exercise science, nutrition, construction management, business, etc. You'll still "get the points" for having a degree, but you'll also have a conversation starter and something the hiring committee can remember you by other than just "oh look, another applicant with no life experience, a degree in fire science, and no interests or hobbies *yawn*).
If you like education, you can always get more and go as high as you want! I have a Bachelors in Homeland Security and a Masters in Trauma Counseling. Considering getting another Masters soon. This is definitely not required in most places though, unless you desire to become a Battalion Chief or above.
Hope this helps!
Lola S.
Analyst
3
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Lola’s Answer
I'm taking an EMT course right now, and I've learned that getting CPR or EMT certified can really help you stand out when applying for a first responder job. Plus, having any volunteer experience in emergencies, like ski rescue or security, can be a big advantage too.
Philip Gauthier
Nuclear Plant Work Week Manager
19
Answers
Prairieville, Louisiana
Updated
Philip’s Answer
It depends on the Fire Department and what State/City it is in. Usually, Fire Departments only require a High School Diploma (or GED). However, that is the minimum requirement. If there are a lot of applicants, the department may choose someone with more experience or a college education.
Some Examples of Degrees that Fire Departments would be most interested in:
-Fire Protection Technology
-Emergency Management
-Disaster Management
-Any sort of Engineering degree
Some Examples of Degrees that Fire Departments would be most interested in:
-Fire Protection Technology
-Emergency Management
-Disaster Management
-Any sort of Engineering degree
Tiffani Walker
Associate Ancillary Benefits
2
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Tiffani’s Answer
Most Fire departments look for high school diplomas and provide the training once you pass a written exam. I would say check your local fire department to confirm their requirements.