Kayla Greig
Challenge Wednesday Writer
“I have no ambition in this world but one, and that is to be a fireman. The position may, in the eyes of some, appear to be a lowly one; but we who know the work which the fireman has to do believe that his is a noble calling.” - Chief Edward F. Croker.
Firefighting is an incredible career and in this article you'll discover that being a firefighter takes a lot of hard work, dedication and commitment. By the time you’ve finished reading this, you'll be ready to pursue a career in firefighting.
Becoming a firefighter may seem easy, but it’s not! To be successful you need to have the following qualifications; pass a fitness test, have an A*- C GCSE result, pass a medical check, have a full driving licence, pass enhanced background checks and in most countries, you must be between the ages of 18 and 35. You may also believe that firefighters just fight fires for a living; as well as hosing down fires and running into burning buildings, they can sometimes be called to abnormal situations such as car collisions.
The job itself comes with a lot of responsibilities and challenges. Sometimes, you won't always save the victim you're trying to save but as a firefighter your number one priority should be safety. It's important that you don't take a risk that could potentially hurt the victim or yourself, if the way you approach something isn't the safest way, change your tactic.
As well as challenges and responsibilities, being a firefighter has favourable parts to it. In London, the salary can vary from £27,000 to £37,000 depending on how high up in the ranks you are and in Newcastle, it's around £24,000 as a trainee firefighter. When fully trained, this pay rises to £32,000. Alongside pay, the job comes with the feeling of happiness and joy as you manage to save another victim, or you realise your plan was the plan needed to make the save.
To summarise, firefighting has a lot of responsibilities, perks and challenges. Someday in the future, I'd like to be running into burning buildings and abseiling down walls. Many firefighters say that their firehouse is like a second family, and for some, their first.
READ MORE LIKE THIS...
READ MORE BY...