First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers

What the job really is

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of workers engaged in firefighting and fire prevention and control.

At a glance

• Sector: Protective Service
• O*NET-SOC code: 33-1021
• O*NET job zone: 3 — medium preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Assign firefighters to jobs at strategic locations to facilitate rescue of persons and maximize application of extinguishing agents.
• Provide emergency medical services as required, and perform light to heavy rescue functions at emergencies.
• Assess nature and extent of fire, condition of building, danger to adjacent buildings, and water supply status to determine crew or company requirements.
• Communicate fire details to superiors, subordinates, or interagency dispatch centers, using two-way radios.
• Serve as a working leader of an engine, hand, helicopter, or prescribed fire crew of three or more firefighters.
• Instruct and drill fire department personnel in assigned duties, including firefighting, medical care, hazardous materials response, fire prevention, and related subjects.
• Maintain fire suppression equipment in good condition, checking equipment periodically to ensure that it is ready for use.
• Evaluate the performance of assigned firefighting personnel.
• Direct the training of firefighters, assigning of instructors to training classes, and providing of supervisors with reports on training progress and status.
• Perform maintenance and minor repairs on firefighting equipment, including vehicles, and write and submit proposals to modify, replace, and repair equipment.
• Schedule employee work assignments and set work priorities.
• Monitor fire suppression expenditures to ensure that they are necessary and reasonable.

Tools and technology

Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, Aerial lifting apparatus, Affiliated Computer Services ACS FIREHOUSE, Air bag lifting systems, Air chisels, Air purifying respirators, All terrain vehicles ATV

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Firefighters
• Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists
• Fire Inspectors and Investigators
• Fire-Prevention and Protection Engineers
• First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers
• First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives
• Emergency Management Directors
• Occupational Health and Safety Specialists

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 3 (medium preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

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Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.