Scorching Job Growth in Fire Science
The fire fighting field is expected to have 19 percent growth between now and 2018, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is excellent and much better growth than other careers. Many jobs will be created as volunteer fire fighting jobs turn into paid jobs due to the difficulty many volunteer fire squads are having in staffing volunteer positions, due to time and safety constraints. Also, as populations in suburban areas increase, more fire departments will be needed.
Fired up Salaries in Fire Science
Fire fighters have excellent salaries and benefits. The average salary for fire fighters in the United States in 2008 was between $31,000 and $58,000 per year. Those in the highest earning brackets averaged over $72,000, according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook. Also, many fire fighting squads offer overtime pay after fire fighters have worked a certain number of hours during a pay period. Many squads also offer pensions after members have been employed for over 25 years. Generally, there are many more applicants than jobs for firefighting positions. Those who get the jobs have several qualities in common. They score the highest on entrance exams including physical tests. They also have educational training in fire science and even degrees.
Heating up for Educational Opportunities in Fire Science
Due to the demand for individuals entering this competitive field, to be already adequately trained and ready to work, many colleges and universities are offering programs in fire science. Many schools offer a 2 year, associates degree and some are even offering bachelors degree programs. A high school diploma is required to get accepted into these types of programs. The coursework focuses on fire prevention, safety, fire fighting, basic chemistry, hazardous materials, and fire protection. For those wanting to move up the ranks of fire fighting and become an officer and earn a better salary, a degree in fire science is almost required. A bachelors degree program in fire science will generally focus more on personnel management and arson investigation work.
Have you always wanted to be a firefighter and ride on a fire truck? Well, seriously, there's actually a career and education for that type of thing and it's called fire science. In this field, you learn everything; you need to, to be a fire fighter. Things like fire prevention, safety, building construction codes, and fire suppression. If you want to go into fire fighting, then fire science is your thing.
