Salary and Outlook

According to the US Department of Labor, there are 82,800 people employed as first-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers in the United States. The median annual salary is $78,230. Entry level employees earn approximately $47,450 per year and senior employees earn approximately $127,680 per year.

Estimates do not include other potential benefits such as health insurance, overtime pay, or retirement benefits that may be offered by employers.

Job Duties

• Assign firefighters to jobs at strategic locations to facilitate rescue of persons and maximize application of extinguishing agents.
• Provide emergency medical services as required, and perform light to heavy rescue functions at emergencies.
• Assess nature and extent of fire, condition of building, danger to adjacent buildings, and water supply status to determine crew or company requirements.
• Communicate fire details to superiors, subordinates, or interagency dispatch centers, using two-way radios.
• Serve as a working leader of an engine, hand, helicopter, or prescribed fire crew of three or more firefighters.
• Instruct and drill fire department personnel in assigned duties, including firefighting, medical care, hazardous materials response, fire prevention, and related subjects.
• Maintain fire suppression equipment in good condition, checking equipment periodically to ensure that it is ready for use.
• Evaluate the performance of assigned firefighting personnel.
• Direct the training of firefighters, assigning of instructors to training classes, and providing of supervisors with reports on training progress and status.
• Perform maintenance and minor repairs on firefighting equipment, including vehicles, and write and submit proposals to modify, replace, and repair equipment.
• Schedule employee work assignments and set work priorities.
• Inspect and test new and existing fire protection systems, fire detection systems, and fire safety equipment to ensure that they are operating properly.
• Study and interpret fire safety codes to establish procedures for issuing permits to handle hazardous or flammable substances.
• Recommend equipment modifications or new equipment purchases.
• Supervise and participate in the inspection of properties to ensure that they are in compliance with applicable fire codes, ordinances, laws, regulations, and standards.
• Monitor fire suppression expenditures to ensure that they are necessary and reasonable.
• Participate in creating fire safety guidelines and evacuation schemes for nonresidential buildings.
• Maintain required maps and records.
• Drive crew carriers to transport firefighters to fire sites.
• Inspect stations, uniforms, equipment, or recreation areas to ensure compliance with safety standards, taking corrective action as necessary.
• Evaluate fire station procedures to ensure efficiency and enforcement of departmental regulations.
• Direct firefighters in station maintenance duties, and participate in these duties.
• Recommend personnel actions related to disciplinary procedures, performance, leaves of absence, and grievances.
• Perform administrative duties, such as compiling and maintaining records, completing forms, preparing reports, or composing correspondence.
• Direct investigation of cases of suspected arson, hazards, and false alarms and submit reports outlining findings.

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