Becoming a Firefighter

This resource page is geared to help individuals learn about careers in the fire service. Links included on this page go either to citations in our online catalog or to external sources of information. If you see a title you'd like to read and it is not available online you can try obtaining a copy of it via Interlibrary Loan (ILL). If you want more information on how to borrow items from our collection through the Interlibrary Loan process, click here .

Selected resources Opens in a New Window

What's it like being a firefighter

General
  1. A day in the life – selected books
  2. Firehouse by David Halberstam - book
  3. Into the fire - DVD
  4. Life lines : stories from the firehouse - book
  5. Pride and ownership: a firefighter's love of the job - series
  6. The Probationary Firefighter: Building Blocks to Success – online article
  7. The rookie firefighter: Preparing for the role – online article
Job descriptions
  1. Military firefighters - Website
  2. Firefighters - selected titles
  3. Fire Investigators & Fire Marshals - selected titles
  4. Other fire and EMS careers - selected titles
Wages and salaries
  1. The Municipal Year Book 2010 – Section 3 – Fire Department Personnel, Salaries, and Expenditures for Cities 10,000 and Over 2009, pgs. 144-162 – book
  2. 2008 National Run Survey - PDF
  3. JEMS 2010 Salary & Workplace Survey: An Employee's Journey - PDF

 

Finding employment

  1. Federal Employment and qualifications - Website
  2. FireJobs.com - website
  3. Firehouse Jobs Showcase - website
  4. International Association of Fire Fighters - employment announcements- Website
  5. Search USAJOBS to find and apply for federal firefighter jobs - Website

Becoming a firefighter

  1. The complete guide to becoming a firefighter - book
  2. Becoming a firefighter - book
  3. Becoming a firefighter - 10 must-do things - online article
  4. Best options for becoming a firefighter - online forum
  5. How to become a firefighter - online article
  6. How to Become a Volunteer Firefighter - website
  7. IFSTA's Orientation & Terminology text - book
  8. Other books on becoming a firefighter - books
  9. So, you want to become a firefighter - online article
  10. So, you want to be a Firefighter? VA Dept. of Programs - website

Exam prep resources

  1. Firefighter exams - book
  2. McGraw-Hill's firefighter exams - book
  3. Firefighter exam and interview books - selected titles
  4. Fire Investigator Exam Prep and Study Guides - selected titles
  5. Other related careers - selected titles

 

Education and training

  1. USFA State Points of Contact (POC) - website
  2. Find a Regionally Accredited School or Online Program - website
  3. Accredited Schools: College-Based Training Programs - website
  4. Regional Accredited Schools: Associate's Degrees - website
  5. Regional Accredited Schools: Bachelor's Degrees - website
  6. Accredited Schools: Graduate Degrees - website
  7. Degrees at a Distance Program: Colleges and Universities – What is the DDP - website
  8. Fire Service and Higher Education Pathfinder - website
  9. Professional Status: The Future of Fire Service Training and Education – by Dr. Denis G. Onieal - PDF
  10. Many are called, but few are chosen - website
  11. Degrees of Deception - website

 

Other related careers

  1. EMS (a day in the life) - articles
  2. EMS careers - articles
  3. Dispatching (a day in the life) - articles
  4. Society of Fire Protection Engineers - careers PDF
  5. Dept. of Labor (DOL): Occupational Outlook Handbook 2010-11 Edition – Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics - PDF
  6. 2009 JEMS 200-City Survey: Zeroing in on What Matters - PDF
  7. EMS World – State EMS Office Survey - website

How to find more info in our catalog

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If you don't quite see what you're looking for among these selected topics then try searching our online catalog. Select the Subject search option from the menu that appears when you click on the link above. Next, use the subject term of Firefighters, or Emergency Medical Services or Emergency Medical Technicians in combination with keywords of your choice in the Keyword limit box that appears on the Subject search page. Keywords such as "job descriptions", qualifications, "test procedures," "fire service education," "agility tests" and so on.