Highly skilled firefighters are the last line of defense against wildfires, but that line is fraying because the government decided long ago that they’re not worth very much.
I’m a firefighter and emt, non wildland. Yeah, the pay is pretty bad across the board in my area. Starting pay is generally $35k to $42k a year around where I’m at. Their are definitely lower paying jobs, but when you factor in the hundreds of hours of training, certifications, clean background, clean drivers license, and ongoing training, recertification, and being away from home 52 hours a week it’s a pretty big ask for something that requires competent and responsible people that respond to all the medical calls, fires, car wrecks, water rescues, rope rescue, and everything else when someone isn’t sure who to call while driving around in million+ dollar trucks.
Even so, a lot of people still want to become firefighters, but there’s a lot less now than there used to be. A bigger city near me used to get 250 applicants a year 15 to 20 years ago. Nowadays it’s closer to 75 people. The bar has been lowered so far that some of the smaller departments are having to “scrape the bottom of the barrel”. It used to be that you had to already have your fire 1 and 2 certs and an emt license and be at least 21 to get your foot in the door. Now they’re hiring 18 year olds before they pass their tests and giving them a year to get their emt license.
I’m a firefighter and emt, non wildland. Yeah, the pay is pretty bad across the board in my area. Starting pay is generally $35k to $42k a year around where I’m at. Their are definitely lower paying jobs, but when you factor in the hundreds of hours of training, certifications, clean background, clean drivers license, and ongoing training, recertification, and being away from home 52 hours a week it’s a pretty big ask for something that requires competent and responsible people that respond to all the medical calls, fires, car wrecks, water rescues, rope rescue, and everything else when someone isn’t sure who to call while driving around in million+ dollar trucks.
Even so, a lot of people still want to become firefighters, but there’s a lot less now than there used to be. A bigger city near me used to get 250 applicants a year 15 to 20 years ago. Nowadays it’s closer to 75 people. The bar has been lowered so far that some of the smaller departments are having to “scrape the bottom of the barrel”. It used to be that you had to already have your fire 1 and 2 certs and an emt license and be at least 21 to get your foot in the door. Now they’re hiring 18 year olds before they pass their tests and giving them a year to get their emt license.