How to Become a Firefighter: Career Guide, Courses, After 12th, Jobs, Salary, Scope

Steps to Become a Firefighter

Those aspiring students who want to become a firefighter, here we will discuss the steps you should follow to start your career as a firefighter.

Step 1: Before starting your decision to be a firefighter, you should have to know about their benefits, what certification or training they have to pursue to be successful in this field. So you will have to conduct your research.

Step 2: You must have to make sure that what are your interests are and that you understand the risks and dangers to the field.

Step 3: There is no set of subjects that you should choose to become a firefighter. A person from any background and any field choose to become a firefighter. Having knowledge of safety, fire, hazard management, disaster management and having a driving licence can help a lot in becoming a firefighter.

Step 4: Candidates can choose to study BSc or BTech courses at their graduation level. The companies usually prefer to hire those who have some training certificate degree in fire and safety measures along with a Bachelor degree. So you will also be required to get the appropriate certification.

Step 5: Preparing for the entrance test is one of the important steps required to study the subject at the bachelors level. There are several entrance tests for these courses: KEAM, VITEEE, WBJEE etc which are conducted once a year for this program. Candidates must be careful to get good marks in the entrance exam.

Step 6: Selecting a recognised institute is important as numerous universities offer similar courses, however, choosing a good college requires more than just courses. A decent college has a decent placement record, good resources, training services and so on. 

Step 7: Recruiters looking for those who may have around 1-2 years of related work experience. Candidate’s looking for certification will also be required to have 1-2 years of industry experience as an officer or related.

Types of Firefighters

There are many jobs that a firefighter does and can choose a career in the same professions some of which are Volunteer firefighter, Wildland firefighter, Firefighter engineer, Airport firefighter, Fire Captain, Fire investigator, Public Information OfficerStructural Firefighters, Shipboard Firefighters, Reserve Firefighter etc. The accompanying types would enable the students to narrow down their choices, and hence, allow them to pick a particular job role.

Fire Inspector/Investigator

Fire Inspector/Investigator work to prevent accidental fires and investigate the reasons for these circumstances. They commonly work from a fire marshal's office inside a town or city ward in their dual role, they offer services to city safety and building authorities as well as law implementation and emergency administrations. They must carefully move through a building or structure to inspect all regions that may be vulnerable to the outbreak of a fire. They take careful notes of wiring, wiring outlines, heating and boiler provisions within the structure, and how well the building is organised for rapid evacuation when necessary.

Firefighter Paramedic

A firefighter paramedic is an individual who combats and contains fires and gives emergency clinical aid. Their main role is to take steps to prevent fires and to instruct the general population about fire anticipation. They are responsible for working and keeping up with firefighting and other emergency equipment and facilities, ensuring optimal performance in protecting life and property.

Firefighter Engineer

Firefighter Engineers work is to design a building in such a way that reduces the risk of catching fire or spreading fire. They are also responsible for firefighting vehicles such as fire engines, which help them in transporting firefighters, carry equipment and pump water at fireplaces. They make sure that their transport is clean and running efficiently, the gas contains the fuels and all other systems are working properly.

Fire Captain 

Fire Captains’ obligations differ, depending on the size of their fire station. They perform fire safety examinations. They train new firemen. They are responsible for equipment checks. They should ensure that the fire engines and related equipment are in acceptable working condition. They direct regular examinations of specific equipment, such as hoses and stepping stools. They check fire engine maintenance logs and must be acquainted with different chemicals used to fight fires. 

Public Information Officer

A public information officer generally works under government organisations, they are fundamentally liable for maintaining positive public relations between the government and the citizens. This typically works within an office type of environment. This person will typically work freely but will answer to the city manager, mayor, or other head of government.

How to Become a Firefighter in India?

A career as a firefighter provides the students with a decent career option in India. Students must hold at least one certificate course degree that is recognised by the Industrial Training Institute to become a firefighter in India. However, to become a firefighter the students must know physics and mathematics. The following are the various steps that will help in providing an answer to how to become a firefighter in India 

School Level Preparation

• At the school level, students have to start their preparation as firefighters although there is no hard and fast rule required for the eligibility of firefighters.
• However, candidates from the science stream can get preferred for this course. One can, however, look into improving their CPR or driving skills.
• The students can start to prepare for different subjects like physics, mathematics, biology etc.
• Candidates can research the subject and be prepared for what they will be required to do. 

How to Become a Firefighter After your 12th?

After finishing your school preparation, candidates can now be able to take a short term professional course that would help them in the related discipline. Full-time degree courses will be instructed over 3 months to 4 years. Discussed below is how to prepare for the programs.

UG Preparation

• At the UG level, candidates aspiring to become a firefighter should first focus on clearing the entrance exams and getting admitted in a bachelor’s degree course. 
• It can be either a Diploma or a Bachelor. The students can also enrol in alternative courses such as a B.Tech or BSc etc 
• Students along with their studies should start focusing on developing medical or driving skills
• For the preparation of the entrance test, the student must go through every important topic of the syllabus and start working on each portion of the important topics.
• Apply for and qualify in any relevant entrance test for admission to the safety management course. Choose B.Tech in Safety and Fire Engineering or equivalent specialisation.
• After enrolling in the program the students must take care of the facts that must maintain at least 60% CGPA at their graduate-level so that they can get offers from top institutes after completing the degree.
• After completing the bachelor's degree, apply to undergo fireman training at any ITI school.
• Take the fireman licence written test, driving license and medical examination.

PG Preparation

• Although most professional firefighters have only a bachelor's degree, earning a Masters degree in safety programs also allows graduates to get a Senior Position in Organization with a salary hike.
• The candidates can pursue MBA Safety Management courses as alternatives
• The eligibility criteria for MBA Safety Management is at least 50% minimum aggregate in Bachelor from a recognized institute by UGC.
• They also have to qualify for CAT, XAT or equivalent entrance tests for admission.
• Getting into a good university in master will benefit you a lot as they tie-up with various corporate organizations and conduct internships, assignments through which graduates can achieve real-time experience
• After getting admission into the course, students can also look to enrol themselves in any training college.

Courses to Become a Firefighter

There are various types of courses available which individuals can pursue to graduate based on their level to be a firefighter. Given below are the list of relevant courses for the same:

Diploma in Fire and Safety Management

Diploma in Fire and Safety Management program is a 1-2 year full-time program in which students will get training about the prevention of fire and safety methods to deal with natural disasters. This program offers you a proper study about how to evacuate people during emergencies and control the situation. The average course fee of this program is INR 40,000. After completion of this program, students will have the option to start their career as safety supervisors, instructors, safety officers, safety consultants, firemen, Fire officers etc with a good salary package.

Admission Process

Admissions to this Diploma program are solely done based on your marks in the last qualifying examination. A merit list will be prepared by the institute to offer admission. Students can apply for the program through both online and offline mode by directly logging into their interested college’s official website.

Eligibility Criteria 

• Has 10+2 or undergraduate degree from a recognized university.
• Obtain a minimum aggregate percentage of at least 50% aggregate. No entrance exams are conducted for admission. 

BSc in Fire Safety And Hazard Management

BSc in Fire Safety And Hazard Management is a 3-year full-time undergraduate course. It is apractical oriented course, and the students will have the option to get hands-on experience in safety drills and industrial visits. The annual course fees of this program are around INR 20,000 to INR 2.5 Lakhs. After completing this program students will have the option to get jobs in the safety departments of various private and public companies in firefighter, hazard consultant, fire safety instructor etc job positions. 

Admission Process 

Admissions in BSc Fire Safety And Hazard Management courses are done through both merit and entrance exams. Candidates who are interested in getting admission to BSc Fire Safety colleges can apply by both offline and online methods. Some of the colleges offer admissions based on your last qualifying examination.

Eligibility Criteria 

• Students must pass their 10+2 level examination with at least 50% to 60% of marks, from a recognized board.
• They must clear the relevant entrance examination and obtain a score above the college cut-off marks

BTech in Safety and Fire Engineering

BTech Safety and Fire Engineering is a 4-year duration professional course. This is an industry-based course that provides students with an environment to create an atmosphere of safety against fire. The total course fees of the programs range between INR 1 to 8 Lakhs. After completion, they usually get employed in areas like constructing firms, fire safety training institutes, forest departments, defence forces, fire brigade etc with a salary of INR 3-6 LPA.

Admission Process

The admission process of a BTech Safety and Fire Engineering in universities or institutes will generally be based on students’ performance in the entrance test. Some of the colleges also offer admission based on a merit list prepared by the last qualifying examination.

Eligibility Criteria

• The basic eligibility criteria for this is to have an aggregate mark of 45% in 10+2 from a recognized board
• Students must have science subject in their previous academics school

Entrance Exam 

As the course is BTech, some colleges require candidates to write an accepted entrance exam. They are:

• WBJEE: West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination) is a state-level entrance exam that is conducted once a year.
• KEAM: KEAM is an annual, state-level entrance exam conducted by the Commissioner of Entrance Examination (CEE), Kerala.
• VITEEE: VITEEE or Vellore Institute of Technology Engineering Entrance Examination is a national level exam conducted by VIT University.

MBA in Safety Management

Master in Business Administration of Safety Management is a 2-year full-time management based program. It teaches us various safety parameters of an organization that help to keep up the safe work environment in any organization. The total course fees for pursuing this program is around INR 1 to 8 Lakhs depending on the institution.

Admission Process

Most of the colleges offering this program provide admission based on relevant entrance exams. Students after clearing the entrance can get admission. However, some may also offer either through merit marks of last qualifying exams or through direct basis.

Eligibility Criteria

• Candidates must have done bachelor levels of education completed from a recognized educational Board.
• They must have any main subjects of study at the bachelor level.
• At least 50% marks (45% for reserved students) at the bachelor level.

How to Become a Firefighter Abroad?

According to US Labor Statistics, a career as a firefighter is expected to boom between 2019 – 2029, the job opportunities as a firefighter will grow 6% more producing 2,300+ jobs. The reports also stated that the salary offered to various firefighters all across the world is around INR 4,50,000 per annum. 

There are many courses offered to candidates who want to pursue a career in fire fighting. This tremendously helps your prospects and scope in the profession as it is one of the most sought after courses. 

USA

To become a firefighter in the USA Student must have an undergraduate or postgraduate degree in a related field.

• They must have a valid score in English Proficiency test scores
• The duration of courses like Fire and Safety Engineering, Fire Fighting, Fire Prevention etc is of a maximum of 4 years
• The average course fees of pursuing these courses are INR 6 to 28 Lakhs

To be eligible for bachelor or master in the USA, associate degree student is needed to-

• Have a 10+2 degree if applying for undergraduate courses.
• Have a bachelor's degree in a relevant field of study from a recognized university with at least 80% and higher
• Provide several GMAT/GRE score
• Submit IELTS, TOEFL or equivalent examination test scores

Top Colleges

UK 

Some top specialisation courses offered for a career in firefighting are Fire Engineering, Fire Safety, Fire Fighting etc.

• The duration of the following programs is between 6 months to 4 years.
• Applications needed to be submitted on the university website
• The average course fee is between INR 5 to INR 26 lakhs

Students applying for the programs in the United Kingdom ought to meet the subsequent requirements for the applying course:

• Intermediate degree
• Bachelor's degree in relevant field with 60% aggregate
• Basic knowledge of the related field
• Scores of entrance tests needed for education in the United Kingdom
• GRE or GMAT score
• Average GMAT: 680
• Average GRE: 325
• Proof of English proficiency through IELTS.

Top Colleges

Canada 

To pursue firefighting courses from Canada, students need to pursue 10+2 in any stream with a relevant subject. For pursuing master's degree courses, they must have done graduation in any relevant discipline. The admission process to pursue firefighting courses in Canada is based on the scores obtained in 10+2 and graduation and also in the entrance examination.

• Students need to have a prior bachelor's or master’s degree in relevant specialization with 75% to 80%.
• At least a letter of recommendation from your academic professors
• Test Scores of TOEFL and IELTS etc,
• Valid student visa and citizenship certificate, etc.

Top Colleges 

Australia 

Australia offers full-time UG level to PG degree programmes in the fire and safety management field

• Candidates have to submit test scores of IELTS, TOEFL etc.
• A few of the programmes require students to have prior work experience in their resumes. In such a case, documents should be submitted online on the official website.
• The average course fee varies between INR 6 to INR 23 lakhs.

To be eligible for a bachelor’s or master’s in Australia, associate degree student is needed to-

• Students must have a relevant subject at last academic institutions
• At least two letters of recommendation
• tests scores of TOEFL and IELTS etc
• Valid student visa and relevant certificate, etc.

Top Colleges 

Benefits of Being a Firefighter 

After seeing such growth and globalization of the constructing firms over the years, hiring a firefighter to increase sales added value to the organization. The students having the drive for constant increase disasters and a flair for communication also good driving skills should pursue this degree. Below are given some of the valid reasons which will you in choosing this career

• Being a firefighter is not just a challenging profession, but also has its perks like good salary, learning opportunity, people-orientation, analytical skills and the most important learning CPR skills.
• A career as a firefighter is a fast-paced and demanding field. However, the pay is something decent. The average pay for a firefighter, irrespective of experience, is INR 3.5 LPA. A mid-level can earn up to INR 5,00,000. A firefighter with 10 years of experience can earn up to INR 8,00,000 per annum.
• Growth in construction agencies is in high demand and there will be a lot of requirements for firefighters in the fire brigades or other relevant sectors. So selecting this profession is safe and will be the best career option in this era.
• When students keep acquiring experience in any field, job security will not be an issue in this profession. A firefighter with a noteworthy portfolio and years of work experience are in much demand. Students with over 10 years of experience upwards of INR 8 LPA and more
• The positive impact of the career of having a firefighter in the industry will not only help in various sectors of the working hierarchy but will also help the organization prosper.
• FireFighter as a career option is very challenging. Earning unique experience by identifying, assessing, managing risks, and gaining a vivid set of knowledge will help you to grow in this industry and to make you ready for the next step in this sector.

Skills Required for a Firefighter

To become a firefighter you must hold some useful skills needed in this career. There are a variety of specializations one will attain to focus on one side of the firefighter. 

The following are some skills for the firefighter career.

Salary of Firefighters in India

The starting salary of a firefighter in India varies from INR 3,52,000 to INR 5,00,000. The salary however may change upon the sectors and how much experience a person has.

Average Annual Salary

Specializations-wise Salary 

Gender-wise Salary

Experience-wise Salary