Career Opportunities and Work Life

Skills You'll Need

Salary Ranges

The Classroom Experience

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Skills You'll Need - Fire Science The fire fighting profession requires courage, self-discipline, and the ability to make quick and effective decisions. Fire fighters work at a rapid pace once the alarm goes off. It is their responsibility to be levelheaded and calm in the face of danger. Being a fire fighter means being part of a team. Every team member must have excellent verbal and written communication skills. It is this communication and trust in your team that will bring an emergency situation under control.

When communicating with a victim, especially a small child, it is important to be clear, concise, and calm. Fire fighters must also be able to supply correct information in a way the victim can comprehend.

According to Lake Michigan College fire science program coordinator Robert Lane, having "the ability to read and comprehend job related materials like manuals, codes, directives, general orders, textbooks, and professional literature is a must." It is also crucial to understand and apply mechanical principles in emergency situations.

Fire fighters must have physical strength to lift, carry and use backboards to evacuate victims. Fire fighters must be able to perform forcible entry and extrication through the use of digging, striking, battering, prying, and cutting tools.

Fire fighters trained to operate the hose must be understand the fundamentals of pressure, vacuum, flow, suction, displacement, friction loss, backpressure, hydrant pressure, engine pressure, capacity, and nozzle pressure.

Other skills and knowledge that are necessary to be successful are:

• Mental alertness
• Mechanical aptitude
• Physical and mental endurance
• Physical and emotional strength including stamina, speed and coordination
• Pride in public service
• Effective leadership
• Initiative and good judgment