Career Profile: Fire Fighter	Home	Español
		Informal perspective of what an occupation might be like.

What I Do: Don't play with matches! How many times did you hear that as a kid? It may sound like a cliché, but I always tell parents and kids the same thing. You see, I'm a fire fighter, and I've seen too many tragedies caused by carelessness. I work at Fire Station 11 in my city. Our crew answers alarms to put out fires and rescue people. Afterwards, we clean and maintain our equipment. We have regular practice drills and attend classes periodically to learn new fire-fighting techniques. Like firefighters in most communities, we often give presentations to the public about fire safety.

Best and Hardest Parts of My Job: Being a fire fighter is very dangerous, no doubt about it. Every fire is different, and we never know what to expect when the alarm in the station goes off. But saving lives is worth every risk we face! When we're racing to a fire with our sirens screaming, and traffic pulls over to let us through, it's almost like people are cheering us on, rooting for us to win the battle against our blazing enemy.

How I Got Started: Becoming a fire fighter is not easy! Applicants have to take a written test, a medical examination, and physical fitness tests that demonstrate their strength, endurance, and agility. Most fire departments require applicants to be eighteen years or older and have a high school diploma. Once an applicant is hired, he or she undergoes rigorous training. It's a proud day when an applicant finally becomes a full-fledged fire fighter!