The basic understanding that comes when looking at what firefighting is all about is that it is the act of putting out fires of all different sizes and types. Many times the general public takes this type of career for granted and don’t realize fully what it entails. For those that are fortunate enough not to ever have to rely on the services of firefighters, while they have an appreciation for what they do, they don’t realize how critically important they are in many different ways.

The Attributes of a Firefighter

It is hard to understand why anyone would choose firefighting as a career. It takes very special people to fill the roles in the firefighting industry. Every country has its own mandate for what the qualifications are that a firefighter must meet. While at one time it was considered to be mostly a man’s job there are now women being readily accepted into the industry and naturally, they are equally as effective at applying the skills that are needed for this type of job.

The Training

Firefighters have to have a specific amount of education to be able to qualify for the training that they are going to be involved in to become firefighters. Each country will have its own set criteria. As a rule, it is a mandate that participants can be no younger than 21 and statistics show that they usually retire by the age of 55. Not only do they have to have the proper education but they have to be able to pass a full medical examination and have the physical attributes that are going to be needed for this strenuous job. They also have to be able to make quick decisions that can be so intense that they can make a difference between life and death.

Firefighting Equipment

Not only do firefighters have to develop the skills for fighting the different types of fires that they will be faced with, they have to learn how to handle all of the equipment that they are going to be able to use as their resources. These are constantly changing and the firefighters have to keep in tune with what these changes are.

Expanding their Understanding

As part of their training and skills firefighters have to learn about the different types of fires that they will be handling and the science behind those fires. They will be exposed to using different methods for fighting fires throughout the course of their career. While they may start off on the front line those that stay within the industry eventually work their way up the ranks which comes with more responsibility.

Volunteer Firefighters

Not all fire fighters get paid for what they do. In some rural communities individuals volunteer to act as firefighters and may not get paid for this.