Industrial Firefighting Jobs

Firefighting jobs have always been very competitive with thousands of applicants for each job available. One area which is constantly recruiting firefighters is private industry. Firefighters protect refineries, airports, hospitals, and other complexes worldwide. Seeking a position in the fire service? Why not a job as an industrial firefighter?

PREPARATION

To become an industrial firefighter, your first step is to obtain training. The current industry trend is for certifications issued by the National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications (NPQS) Pro Board http://www.theproboard.org/ and/or International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) http://www.ifsac.org . These certifications are not only critical for entry level firefighters, but for those wishing to transition into the next logical step, Department of Defense firefighting. The basic training required for an industrial firefighter consists of certification as a Firefighter I; Emergency Medical Technician 1 (EMT-1); and Hazardous Materials First Responder Operational. Individuals that certify as EMT’s should obtain certification through the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians at http://www.nremt.org/Content/NREMT_Home.nremt. For those that are interested in Firefighter and Hazardous Materials certifications, visit Open Fire Academy at http://openfireacademy.com/, and Training Division at http://www.trainingdivision.com/ for more information.

Once these basic certifications are achieved, your next logical progression for training certifications include Firefighter II, Fire Inspector I & II, Airport Firefighter, Driver Operator, and Fire Officer. Each of these certifications is available through the previous training programs, and at local community colleges and universities. The Pro Board and IFSAC websites list accredited training institutions for your convenience. Training in the Incident Command System (ICS) and National Incident Management System (NIMS) is also required. This training is available through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) which has Independent Study courses online that provide certificates of completion for this training, go to http://training.fema.gov/IS/crslist.asp .

Firefighters are required to successful complete a variety of tests, including physical agility tests. During your preparation, it is recommended that you participate in a variety of physical conditioning activities regularly to prepare yourself both physically and mentally for these tests.