Description
Lead and coordinate firefighting, rescue, and fire prevention operations, supervising crews, resources, and safety to protect life, property, and the environment.
- • Assign crews to strategic positions to support rescues and maximize suppression efforts.
- • Provide emergency medical services and perform light to heavy rescue at incidents.
- • Size up incidents, building conditions, exposures, and water supply to set crew and apparatus needs.
- • Relay incident details to command, crews, and dispatch via radio.
- • Serve as working leader of engine, truck, wildland, or prescribed fire crews.
- • Train and drill personnel in firefighting, EMS, hazardous materials, prevention, and related topics.
- • Ensure suppression equipment is serviceable; conduct regular checks.
- • Coach and evaluate assigned personnel performance.
- • Plan, schedule, and report on firefighter training.
- • Perform minor maintenance on apparatus and equipment; propose repairs or replacements.
- • Create schedules and set operational priorities.
- • Monitor and justify suppression and station expenditures.
- • Help develop fire safety plans and evacuation procedures for facilities.
- • Maintain maps, preplans, and operational records.
- • Operate crew carriers or apparatus to transport personnel and equipment.
- • Inspect stations, PPE, equipment, and facilities for safety compliance; correct deficiencies.
- • Review and improve station procedures and enforce regulations.
- • Direct and participate in station maintenance and housekeeping.
- • Recommend disciplinary actions, commendations, leave, and grievance resolutions.
- • Complete administrative reports, logs, forms, and correspondence.
- • Oversee investigations of suspected arson, hazards, and false alarms; submit findings.
- • Recommend equipment upgrades and new purchases.
- • Supervise inspections of occupancies for fire code compliance.
- • Witness and test fire protection and detection systems and equipment.
- • Interpret fire codes and set procedures for permits involving hazardous or flammable materials.
- • Assess burn conditions and outcomes; prepare after-action or post-burn reports.
- • Continuously evaluate fire size, location, behavior, and risks.
- • Maintain current knowledge of fire laws, tactics, and safety best practices.
- • Plan, direct, and supervise prescribed burns when authorized.
- • Participate in recruiting, interviewing, and hiring personnel.
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Public Service & Safety
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Source
Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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Sources & Standards:
This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
