INTRODUCTION TO FIRE PROTECTION AND EMERGENCY SERVICES
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In the minds of some people, being a fire fighter is the highest calling. This is summed up by the former chief of the FDNY (1899–1911) Edward F. Croker*: “When a man becomes a fireman his greatest act of bravery has been accomplished. What he does after that is all in the line of work.” In modern times this would be changed to “When men and women become fire fighters...” and rightfully so; women are taking an ever-increasing role as fire personnel in all areas of the fire and rescue services. This chapter will examine the components of career preparation and goal setting and the importance of higher education to the professionalization of the fire service. Many students confuse training with education. Training is the process of skills development; manipulative training is the use of tools and equipment. Conversely, education includes memorizing specific pieces of information, developing an understanding of concepts or philosophies, and developing the powers of reasoning and judgment.
Taking a course in psychology, which would better prepare a fire fighter to deal with the diverse workforce and community he or she serves, would be considered education. A complete fire service oriented curriculum will cover both education and training. An additional benefit to pursuing education, as well as training, before and during a fire service career is that it aids in developing critical thinking skills and the ability to communicate clearly and concisely both verbally and in writing. Both of these skills are sought in the fire fighter selection process and on promotional examinations.
Many fire departments are adding the requirement of either a bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree to high-ranking positions. As a company or chief officer, you may be required to perform budgeting, personnel administration, public contact, policy creation and revision, and other tasks that require a higher order of thinking and communication ability in both writing and speaking. College-level curriculum requires that the student demonstrate competency in critical thinking, decision making, and other skills highly desirable in a fire officer. Having completed an advanced college degree indicates that you have performed to a higher level in at least some of these areas. It is recommended that students get started early and just keep going instead of being in a position of not being eligible for promotion later because of the lack of a higher education degree.
Another critical distinction that must be made in preparing for a career in the fire service, and pursuing promotion once employed, is certification versus a college degree. A level of certification is based primarily on training. To be certified as a Fire Fighter I, emergency medical technician (EMT), paramedic, etc., a person must have successfully completed a course of training. This usually involves classroom training, field training, and testing—both in knowledge and in practical skills. Certification varies by state and organization.
Some organizations require the prerequisite training and experience combined with the completion of a task book, referred to as performance-based certification, which requires the skills to be demonstrated in a workplace and/or classroom environment to prove competency.
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