Firefighters
SOC Code: 33-2011 Job Zone 3: Medium Preparation Needed
Control and extinguish fires or respond to emergency situations where life, property, or the environment is at risk. Duties may include fire prevention, emergency medical service, hazardous material response, search and rescue, and disaster assistance.
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Prevailing Wage Levels (National)
DOL/OFLC prevailing wage thresholds for Firefighters. Hourly rates x 2,080 = annual.
FY2027 Weighted Lottery Impact
| Level | Lottery Entries | Est. Selection Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Level I (Entry) | 1 entry | ~16% |
| Level II (Qualified) | 2 entries | ~31% |
| Level III (Experienced) | 3 entries | ~45% |
| Level IV (Expert) | 4 entries | ~61% |
Prevailing Wages by Metro Area
| Metro Area | Level I | Level II | Level III | Level IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $90,022 | $116,064 | $142,126 | $168,168 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $69,971 | $89,835 | $109,678 | $129,542 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $82,659 | $97,448 | $112,258 | $127,046 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $71,011 | $89,190 | $107,349 | $125,528 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $58,906 | $80,662 | $102,398 | $124,155 |
| Vallejo, CA | $69,264 | $85,966 | $102,690 | $119,392 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $74,651 | $86,174 | $97,718 | $109,242 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $62,754 | $77,438 | $92,144 | $106,829 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $63,773 | $77,792 | $91,811 | $105,830 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $62,816 | $76,149 | $89,482 | $102,814 |
Key Skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Critical Thinking | 3.9 | |
| Coordination | 3.6 | |
| Service Orientation | 3.6 | |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.6 | |
| Active Learning | 3.5 | |
| Speaking | 3.5 | |
| Active Listening | 3.5 | |
| Monitoring | 3.5 | |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.4 | |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.2 |
Knowledge Areas
| Knowledge | Importance |
|---|---|
| Public Safety and Security | 4.5 |
| Customer and Personal Service | 4.2 |
| Education and Training | 4.1 |
| Building and Construction | 4.0 |
| English Language | 3.9 |
| Mechanical | 3.8 |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 3.6 |
| Telecommunications | 3.6 |
Education Requirements
| Education Level | % of Workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma | 35.9% |
| Some college | 24.6% |
| Post-secondary certificate | 19.5% |
| Less than high school | 9.4% |
| Associate's degree | 7.2% |
| First professional degree (MD, JD) | 3.0% |
Typical Tasks
- Rescue survivors from burning buildings, accident sites, and water hazards.
- Dress with equipment such as fire-resistant clothing and breathing apparatus.
- Assess fires and situations and report conditions to superiors to receive instructions, using two-way radios.
- Move toward the source of a fire, using knowledge of types of fires, construction design, building materials, and physical layout of properties.
- Respond to fire alarms and other calls for assistance, such as automobile and industrial accidents.
- Create openings in buildings for ventilation or entrance, using axes, chisels, crowbars, electric saws, or core cutters.
- Drive and operate fire fighting vehicles and equipment.
- Inspect fire sites after flames have been extinguished to ensure that there is no further danger.
Technology Skills
Green = Hot Technology in demand
Microsoft Access Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft Windows Microsoft Word Affiliated Computer Services ACS FIREHOUSE Corel WordPerfect Office Suite Email software Fire incident reporting systems Geographic information system GIS software Incident command system ICS software Operating system software Plume modeling software
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