Careers Related to Firefighters[About this section] [To Top]

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Many firefighters earn a degree in fire science to advance their career. It’s also wise to become an EMT. Having both a fire and EMS background will improve your odds of being hired. Some departments might even require an EMT certification; larger departments may require a paramedic’s license.

• EMTs and Paramedics. Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics care for the sick or injured in emergency medical settings.
• Fire Inspectors.
• Forest and Conservation Workers.
• Hazardous Materials Removal Workers.
• Police and Detectives.

When not fighting fires, firefighters spend all day responding to medical emergencies and other types of calls, checking equipment, vehicle maintenance, housework/cleaning, writing reports, training and education, physical fitness, public safety demos, and station tours.

10 firefighter types

• Volunteer firefighter.
• Inspector.
• Wildland firefighter.
• Firefighter engineer.
• Airport firefighter.
• Firefighter/EMT.
• Firefighter/paramedic.
• Fire investigator.

fire chief

Firefighting is a rewarding career that offers a very high level of job satisfaction. Being a firefighter is a great job if you enjoy helping people and serving your community, but be aware that it can be demanding, stressful, and even dangerous at times.

The short answer is that paramedics are trained to handle medical emergencies and firefighters, as it says in the name, are trained to fight fires. However, increasingly firefighters are becoming dual-roled as EMTs or paramedics.

As a paramedic, you’ll earn more money than an EMT, which might affect your decision about becoming a paramedic vs. Paramedics generally make an average of about $40,000 annually, but can earn as much as $70,000 or more a year. EMT pay averages $33,000 a year, with the top earners taking home $51,000 a year.

Firefighter EMTs vs Ambulance EMTs The primary difference between the two is the time required for training and the overall job responsibilities. Firefighters also earn an average of $10,000+ more per year than EMTs due to the additional training and job expectations.

Not all firefighters are required to be paramedics, but most departments do require you to be an EMT. However, many fire departments, particularly in the US, are giving priority to recruiting firefighters who are licensed paramedics and some departments do require it.

There are other reasons EMS pay is so low. Certification is minimal — it only takes 120 to 150 hours of training to become an EMT (paramedics require significantly more). Ambulances in rural communities are often staffed by volunteers, which depresses wages for those who do pursue the role as a career.

Top 5 Highest Paying Industries for Paramedics

Many EMS workers, a category which includes both EMTs and paramedics, say their low pay reflects a lack of appreciation for their work, which can be just as dangerous as and at times even more dangerous than the work of police officers and firefighters.

Our methodology is different than most other training programs, but results in a graduation rate of nearly 100 percent and a first time pass rate on the NREMT certification exam of over 90 percent (versus national average of only ~70 percent). …