Firefighter

As a firefighter, you could:

• carry out practice drills and respond to emergency call outs
•  control and put out fires
•  rescue people and animals from burning buildings and incident sites
•  deal with natural disasters like floods or storm damage
•  manage chemical or hazardous substance spills
•  give presentations to schools and community groups
•  inspect buildings to make sure they meet fire safety regulations

• knowledge of public safety and security 
• patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• excellent verbal communication skills
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• sensitivity and understanding
• the ability to work well with others
• physical fitness and endurance
• knowledge of teaching and the ability to design courses
• to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Some fire services may only accept applications from people living in the local and surrounding areas.

Generally, there is no upper age limit to join.

You can get into this job through:

• a college course
• an apprenticeship
• applying directly
• a fire service training course

All fire services have a programme that lets you plan and track your career development.

You could work your way up to crew manager, watch manager or station manager.

If you're prepared to move between services, you could become:

• an area manager
•  a brigade manager
•  a chief fire officer

If you're involved in fire safety and prevention work, you can take professional qualifications leading to membership of The Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE).

You could also get a Large Goods Vehicle (LGV) licence for driving fire engines.