Abilene Texas Firefighter Salary And Job Requirements

By definition, firefighters are professionally trained individuals to save lives and properties in case of fire. They’re selected among the best to risk their lives in rescue operations. Similar to any other macho image profession, like policemen, who offer risking their lives just to save another. Right after hearing so much of praise regarding these brave people, you should have developed a slight desire to become one yourself.

firefighter career summary Abilene Texas
*Image Credit – BLS.gov

Table Of Contents

How Much Does A Firefighter Make In Abilene?

People express that work doesn’t seem like work anymore if you value what you are doing. However, passion is not enough to sustain a lifestyle. We all need money so we can move, after all money is everything. That’s why when you pick a profession to pursue, it is unquestionable that you think also how much money you can receive from it. For some, it is the only motivation in the morning to get up and go to work. People in the community service sector do not get paid as much. Nevertheless, they do have a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day. {Let us find out how much a firefighter earns.|Without more ado, let us figure out the wages of a firefighter.

firefighter salary Abilene Texas
*Image Credit – BLS.gov

[asd_program_button /]

The mean yearly income of a firefighter is around $49,000 with the median around $46,000. The figures may vary based on the what state he is in or his education qualification or his skills and experience. As we go more, you will find out components affecting salary.

Location Matters

The location of the fire department is a main factor in figuring out someone’s earnings. Factored to that would be the need of the population of fighters. An area exactly where fire occurs frequently will probably get higher salary compared to less event of fire areas. New York has the highest rate among firefighters with 70% above the national mean. On the contrary, Columbia pays the lowest at 38% below the national average.

firefighter average salary by state Abilene Texas
*Image Credit – BLS.gov

Educational Level

To become a firefighter, one usually just needs to have studied a course related to fire science in high school. In this area of firefighting, having attained an education is beneficial. There are 2 significant reasons for this. One is that it is proof of your know-how in the field. Another one is for the department to invest less on you before becoming an asset in the government. Bringing on paying you more. A bachelor’s degree or an associate’s degree in fire science will help you advance your career as well as earn quite a bit more. A master’s degree may help a lot more.

Length of Work Experience

Career history is undoubtedly the determining aspect of how much an employee must receive. Being a firefighter, your income can rise about 50% with experience in the field of 20 years. This is quite high when compared to other jobs which normally see a 15-20% rise in the same period of time.

Accreditation and Training

Being a fireman, you will have to learn the basics of EMT to even apply for the job. However, apart from learning the fundamental, you can go more and learn the advanced accreditations. Possessing these credentials provides you a greater chance of gaining more. It also provides you a “Plan B” if you do choose to change careers later.

Industry

At the end of the day, your company signs your paycheck. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the biggest paying employers for this job aren’t the government but private contractors. This includes firms that deal with waste management, coal as well as oil production, and metal product manufacturing. Regardless, the local and state government are still looking for firefighting people.

Other Advantages

Among the best things about having a government career is that there’s a bunch of other benefits that come with it. You get the services such as insurance plan in your health or even dental check up. However you also get covered sick leaves as well as reimbursement for a few specific tuition fees. The exact advantages vary from department to department.

As you could see, the financial scope of a fireman isn’t as good as that of a health care professional. Nevertheless, at the end of the day, you then become a hero in someone’s eyes. Learn the prerequisites to becoming a firefighter and be the man, the fireman, the savior!

Abilene Firefighter Employment Outlook

firefighter job outlook Abilene Texas
*Image Credit – BLS.gov

The job outlook is an important aspect while determining which profession to get into. You wouldn’t want to choose your favorite career choice just to realize that it going down the drain in a couple of years. You could find out such info from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The career outlook for public servants is always on the rise since because of the ever-growing population. Therefore, what does the future hold for the common fireman? Let’s discover.

[asd_program_button /]

There are presently about 300,000 firemen employed in the USA. There’s a steady development of 5% for the next several years till 2024. This is the average progress rate of any normal career. This means that there will be about 12,000 new jobs by 2024. Nonetheless, this also means that there will be that much more individuals hoping to get the job also. As a result, there will be some competition. This is primarily because of the low education specifications and also the attractions of a public service job. The pay may not be quite high, but the advantages make up for that. It’s approximated that there may be about 100 individuals competing for the same job by 2024.

firefighter job outlook by state Abilene Texas
*Image Credit – BLS.gov

Steps To Becoming a Firefighter

One needs to follow a particular procedure to join any profession. The most important part of these processes would be to complete the education specifications. Without these specifications, hardly any employer will be happy to hire you. As being a firefighter, there aren’t too many education prerequisites that you need to have. Beside, education you must pass other tests such as physical, medical as well as legal test. We’ll go further in details to much better understand the requirements.

Educational Requirements

The fundamental prerequisite becoming a firefighter would be to complete high school and get a relevant degree. The subjects do not matter as such. But if you have fire fighting related subjects earned, that would be useful. That will give you a backgrounder of the profession you’re about to enter.

[asd_program_search_bar /]

After high school, most people decide to get some formal college education in the field before they become a firefighter. The minimum age requirement is EIGHTEEN years. That’s a primary reason why many of the aspirants are not be eligible after graduating in high school. College degrees in fire sciences are a huge plus if you’re planning to be a part of the field. Courses that educate you on how to save individuals, control hydraulic tools like ladders or other related things are a major plus.

If wanted, you may also opt to finish an associate’s, bachelor’s or a master’s degree in the same. The former ones are needed to get promoted to higher positions. At the same time, bear in mind that the maximum age requirement is kept at 28-30 years old. Therefore, if you wish to spend most of your life as a firefighter, you should not focus too much on education.

Needed Training in Paramedic

Each and every firefighter is needed to have an EMT certification. The one needed is the EMT-B or the EMT-Basic. This will help firefighters tend to victims in accidents or fires. A year is needed in order to finish this training. If one desires, they could choose to pursue further studies in the field Emergency Medical Services and be a paramedic. This helps them gain an edge over other candidates and hopefully, a higher salary. Additionally, there are a few medical expert firefighters who are able to take better care of individuals after they have been rescued from the fires.

Texas State Driving License

Many states need the applicants to be able to drive. A driving license to every applicant is required so they can be useful in case of emergency where for an instance no other fire truck driver is out there. The driver’s license also verify other information required in application like for instance the age.

Free of Criminal Record

Firefighters are vetted almost as thoroughly as police officers. Just like policemen, firefighters also undergo life-style check just before getting hired. To get hired, the firefighters cannot have a criminal record. If you feel you have previous records, then better to not pursue this profession as you will immediately be disqualified. People who were pardoned for their crimes are commonly accepted, nevertheless, not all fire departments admit such people.

Abilene Physical Requirements

Among the main characteristics that a firefighter should have is physical strength. Instances like lifting fire victims or even objects to free victims arise most of the time in rescue tasks, consequently, firefighter’s upper body strength is important. Not just body strength is need, firefighter’s endurance must be high as they have to deal lots of factors like running even in harsh environment. All firefighters undergo strenuous physical tests both in the academy and before it.

Free From Health Conditions

Suffocations in rescue tasks happen and firefighters learn how to deal with it. Firefighters have face masks to conquer those circumstances but even so, if have respiratory condition, this may hinder your chances. People having respiratory conditions cannot operate such heavy machinery with precision under suffocating circumstances. That is why it’s a must that an applicant should be clear from any of that respiratory problems.

There a number of boxes that must be ticked while choosing a firefighter. If you really feel you tick these boxes, then go and find out how long it will take you to become a firefighter!

Abilene Firefighter Job Description

Firefighters are the unsung heroes who risk their lives to save other lives. They’re also in command of rescue operations for common daily troubles. Just like what you see in movies, a firefighter saving a kitten in a tree. Aside from this, they are also accountable for teaching individuals to avoid further fires. In some cases, they’re supposed to check sources of fire and dig deep in to the case because of the possibility of an arsonist.

Extinguishing Fires

This is the main function of firefighters. They are always in check waiting for a call for their assistance. When they do get a call, they rush to the area in one of their firetrucks which might contain hoses or ladders. A few of the fire trucks are just meant to deliver injured people.

[asd_program_button /]

Firefighting is a team work. Every member already has its given job. Some individuals are in charge of handling the ladder and rescue operations. Another firefighter is solely for extinguishing the fire, while other perform the rescue of fire victims. Just like any other team which has a leader ordering the operation, their group is in the direction by their commanding officer. They work in shiftings, because of that, each shifting unit has its corresponding officers.

Rescuing People

All firefighters are required to be qualified as an EMT. This is necessary since one of the major duties of the firefighters are to rescue people. Much of the time this comes in handy when taking care of those who are cornered inside the fires. Not all rescue procedures are fire related. There are instances that a fireman comes first in the scene. These casualties might be caused due to natural disasters, motor crashes or several other reasons. The firefighters are supposed to work together and rescue the victims from further harm. Sometimes a firefighter is also a knowledgeable paramedic helping them provide better healthcare to the victims.

Educating People

Fire science is one of the expertise a firefighter has. Their know-how may vary as to how more firefighters pursue this field. Thus, they help a lot of the people by educating them about ways to prevent fires. Firefighters normally do it right after visiting an extinguished fire scene. Or else, they also visit schools and also other locations to positively educate individuals about fires, how to prevent fires and if needed, how to extinguish them.

Fire Investigation

To teach people regarding how to avoid fires, the firemen/firewomen should first find the source of the fire. Knowing the causes can assist firefighters prevent fire for the same situation happen again. Oftentimes, it is possible that criminals with malicious intent set such fires. Working together with police officers, it’s firefighter’s job to figure out what causes the fire or who possibly started it. Firefighters expert in investigations associated with fire are called arson investigators. Together with the police, they work to check into possible arsonists.

As you could see, there’s a wide number of reasons to call these people our everyday heroes. While extinguishing fires in different locations, they ignite one in our hearts. Consequently, if you feel you would like to be like them, begin filling up the list!