Careers as First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Fire Fighting and Prevention Workers

First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Fire Fighting and Prevention Workers are responsible for supervising and assigning task to fire fighters and other workers both in municipal areas and forests.

A supervisor for municipal firefighters must evaluate a situation and assign fire fighters appropriately to control and extinguish the fire, as well as assigning firefighters to rescue people within buildings caught on fire. As with the majority of firefighters, a supervisor typically is certified as an Emergency Medical Technician and provides emergency medical care when needed.

A supervisor of forest firefighters must be knowledgeable in prescribed burns and forest fire prevention. They must stay knowledgeable of forest fire laws and the latest firefighting techniques.

A First-Line Supervisor/Manager of Fire Fighting and Prevention Workers typically receives special training when they become a firefighter, but many start with a certification from a vocational school or an associate’s degree. A municipal firefighting supervisor is also expected to be certified as an Emergency Medical Technician. Check out what’s being offered in many locations.