Union South Carolina Firefighter Salary And Job Requirements

By definition, firefighters are skillfully trained people to save lives and properties in case of fire. They are strong people who can perform rescue operations with style as well as panache. The same as any other macho image profession, like policemen, who offer risking their lives just to save another. You see the accolades these professionals get, would you not like to become like these bold firefighters?

firefighter career summary Union South Carolina
*Image Credit – BLS.gov

Table Of Contents

How Much Does A Firefighter Make In Union?

People say that work doesn’t seem like work anymore if you love what you do. Nevertheless, this passion is not more than enough to provide your finances such as basic needs as well as life style. We all need money so we could move, after all money is everything. Thus, when it comes to picking out a career, individuals are always curious about how much they might receive from it. For some, it is the only motivation in the morning to get up and go to work. Individuals who do community outreach do not earn much. But income is not really their basis of joy and fulfillment. {Let’s find out how much a firefighter earns.|Without further ado, let’s figure out the wages of a firefighter.

firefighter salary Union South Carolina
*Image Credit – BLS.gov

[asd_program_button /]

Around $49,000 is the mean annual income a firefighter would make. A median of about $46,000 is the median. There are many factors that affect this number such as the size of the population as well as the education that a firefighter has undergone. Below is a list of these factors and how they are able to increase or decrease your income as being a firefighter.

Location Matters

The precise location of the fire department is a main aspect in figuring out someone’s wage. Factored to that will be the need of the population of fighters. An area where fire happens often probably will possess higher income compared to less occurrence of fire places. New York has the highest rate among firefighters with 70% above the national mean. While Columbia pays the cheapest at 38%.

firefighter average salary by state Union South Carolina
*Image Credit – BLS.gov

Educational Qualification

To be a firefighter, one usually just needs to have studied a course relevant to fire science in high school. Nonetheless, education is highly valued in this area. Here’s Two reasons why. One is the reason is evidence of your knowledge in the field. Another one is for the department to spend less on you before becoming an asset in the government. Resulting to paying you more. In case you have a degree, whether it’s a bachelor’s or an associate’s degree, that will help you acquire added benefit. How much more when you have a graduate credentials in firefighting.

Length of Work Experience

Work experience is certainly the determining aspect of how much a worker must earn. As a firefighter, your revenue can rise about 50% with experience in the area of 2 decades. This is quite high when compared to other jobs which usually see a 15-20% rise in the same period of time.

Accreditation and Training

As a fireman, you will need to know the basics of EMT to even apply for the job. However, apart from learning the fundamental, you can go further and learn the advanced certifications. Having a deeper list of certifications and trainings give you a chance of getting a greater earnings. Besides, this also provides you another choice should you decide shift careers later.

Industry

When all’s said and done, you must receive your paycheck. Per BLS records, it is not the government employers who pay out firefighters more, however it is the private contractors. Included are firms dealing with production in oil, manufacturing of metal products and also waste management. Regardless, the local and state government are still looking for firefighting individuals.

Other Benefits

Among the best things about having a government job is that there is a bunch of other benefits that come with it. Being a firefighter, you definitely get benefits like dental and medical insurance. However you also get covered sick leaves and reimbursement for a few specific tuition fees. The exact advantages differ from department to department.

As you could see, the monetary scope of a fireman isn’t as nice as that of a physician. On the other hand, by the end of the day, you become a hero in someone’s eyes. Learn the requirements to becoming a firefighter and be the man, the fireman, the savior!

Union Firefighter Employment Outlook

firefighter job outlook Union South Carolina
*Image Credit – BLS.gov

The job outlook is a vital aspect while deciding which profession to get into. You would not wish to pick your favourite career option simply to realize that it going down the drain in a few years. You can find out such information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The career outlook for public servants is obviously on the rise since due to the growing population. Consequently, what does the future hold for the common fireman? Let’s discover.

[asd_program_button /]

There are currently about 300,000 firemen employed in america. There is a steady growth of 5% for the next few years till 2024. This is the average growth rate of any normal profession. Which means that there would be about 12,000 new jobs by 2024. Nevertheless, this also implies that there will be that much more people trying to get the job too. Therefore, there would be some competition. This is mainly because of the low education specifications and the attractions of a public service job. The pay may not be extremely high, but the advantages make up for that. It’s approximated that there might be about 100 individuals competing for the same job by 2024.

firefighter job outlook by state Union South Carolina
*Image Credit – BLS.gov

How To be A Firefighter

Much like any other expert career to go after, a process is important to follow. Main requirement is you must have the necessary education. You need to have your diploma or you will never get employed. Although education is the main requirement, you must not be worried because employer only need at least 1 degree completed. Alongside, education you need to pass other examinations like physical, medical as well as legal test. Let us explore these in detail.

Education Qualification

The basic requirement becoming a firefighter is to complete high school and have a relevant degree. The subjects do not matter as such. Nevertheless, having some courses in fire sciences does help your cause. It will also educate you on how to be a more efficient firefighter.

[asd_program_search_bar /]

After high school, a lot of people choose to get some formal college education in the field before they become a firefighter. The minimum age requirement is 18 years. That is one good reason why most of the aspirants are not be eligible after graduating in high school. If you want to have choices later if you opt to become a firefighter, better select a degree with subjects in firefighting, you might need them. Courses which teach you how to save individuals, control hydraulic devices like ladders or other related stuff are a major plus.

It’s optionally available, you may pursue a graduate studies in that same field. The former ones are needed to get promoted to bigger positions. Simultaneously, remember that the maximum age qualification is kept at 28-30 years of age. That is why you should not over concentrate on getting too much education to be able to be eligible.

Needed Training in Paramedic

All the firefighters should have this EMT certification. It can be either of these 2, EMT-B or the EMT-Basic. This certifies firefighters that they really know what to perform in case of fires or in accidents. The training may last for up to 1 year. Should you chose to be a paramedic at later time, you need to earn education in the area of Emergency Medical Services. The advantages of going into this direction are possible upsurge in salary or added edge over other applicants. There are also a few medical professional firefighters who are able to take better care of individuals after they have already been rescued from the fires.

Licensed to Drive Vehicle In South Carolina State

Many states require the applicants to be able to drive. A drivers license to each applicant is needed so they can be useful in case of unexpected emergency where for an instance no other fire truck driver is available. The driver’s license also verify other information required in application like for instance the age.

Free of Criminal Record

In a few cases, a firefighter is compared as a policeman. They carry out a comprehensive background check just before they are hired. To get hired, the firefighters could not have a criminal history. If you feel you have previous records, then much better not to pursue this career as you will instantly be disqualified. Nevertheless, there are instances where a pardoned individual of his crimes are accepted however, not all department perform that.

Union Physical Prerequisites

Firefighters need to be physically active to carry out thier duty at all times. Instances like lifting fire victims or objects to free victims arise most of the time in rescue tasks, consequently, firefighter’s upper body strength is a must. They are also supposed to have the high endurance to deal with the excessive running around they must do. All firefighters undertake rigorous physical assessments both in the academy and before it.

Free From Medical Conditions

Firefighters should deal with a lot of suffocating cases. Firefighters have masks to overcome those circumstances but even so, if have respiratory condition, this may hinder your chances. Individuals having respiratory problems cannot operate such heavy machinery with precision under suffocating circumstances. That is why it’s essential that an applicant must be clear from any of that respiratory ailments.

There a lot of boxes that need to be ticked while picking out a firefighter. If you feel you tick these boxes, then go and see how long it takes to become a firefighter!

Union Firefighter Work Description

Firefighters are your everyday heroes who work together to set out fires and also help people when they get stuck in such situations. They’re around in rescue missions you see in common incidents, not just fire. Which means that the image of firefighters saving a kitten stuck on a tree usually shown on televisions is actually true. Aside from the common job they are doing, firefighters help teach individuals to prevent fire from happening. They also carry out the investigation as to the reasons of fire, its origin or cause.

Extinguishing Fires

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

[asd_program_button /]

At the scene of the fire, every person has a distinct task. A certain firefighter maybe in control of handling the ladder and hose. Others are responsible for controlling the water flow as well as extinguishing the fire. These individuals work under the control of their respected commanding officers. Given that they work in shifts, each unit has their own commanding officer.

Rescuing People

A certification in EMT is required to all firefighters. Considering that the main task of the rescuer would be to save lives, it is essential that a firefighter has this EMT. Most of the time this comes in handy when looking after those who are cornered inside the fires. Not all rescue operations are fire related. Firemen or firewomen are the first on the scene with some police officers wherever there are any casualties. These casualties may be caused due to natural disasters, motor accidents or a few other reasons. The firefighters are supposed to work together and save the victims from further harm. Sometimes a firefighter is also a qualified paramedic helping them provide better healthcare to the victims.

Educating People

Firefighters are normally knowledgeable in fire sciences. Their know-how may vary as to how further firefighters pursue this field. As a result, they help most of the people by teaching them about ways to avoid fires. This is commonly carried out just after they visit a fire site and extinguish it. Otherwise, they also go to schools and also other areas to actively teach individuals about fires, how to prevent fires and if necessary, how to extinguish them.

Investigating Fires

It is also essential to be aware of the cause of fire. Knowing the causes can help firefighters avoid fire for the same situation happen again. Sometimes, it is possible that criminals with vicious intent set such fires. Working with law enforcement officers, it’s firefighter’s job to figure out what causes the fire or who possibly started it. There are firefighters who are also called arson investigators which specialize fire investigation. Together with the law enforcement, they work to check into possible arsonists.

As you could see, there’s a broad number of reasons to contact these people our everyday heroes. While extinguishing fires in several places, they ignite one in our hearts. Therefore, if learning about their responsibilities fired you up, see what education requirements you have to become one!