Careers > First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers

First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers

$80.15K Median Salary 5.3K Job Openings (Annual Projection) 8.3% Job Growth

Find Colleges for this Career Find Certificates for this Career

About This Career

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of workers engaged in firefighting and fire prevention and control.

Reported Job Titles

Engine Boss, Fire Battalion Chief, Fire Captain, Fire Chief, Fire Lieutenant, Fire Marshal, Fire Prevention Chief, Fire Suppression Captain, Forest Fire Specialist Supervisor, Section Forest Fire Warden

Career data shown for:

Skills You'll Need

Click on skills to find related courses.

Abilities

Oral Expression

Oral Comprehension

Problem Sensitivity

Near Vision

Deductive Reasoning

Inductive Reasoning

Information Ordering

Speech Clarity

Speech Recognition

Written Comprehension

Written Expression

Fluency of Ideas

Category Flexibility

Far Vision

Manual Dexterity

Originality

Perceptual Speed

Selective Attention

Trunk Strength

Arm-Hand Steadiness

Explosive Strength

Static Strength

Visualization

Control Precision

Extent Flexibility

Finger Dexterity

Flexibility of Closure

Gross Body Equilibrium

Multilimb Coordination

Speed of Closure

Time Sharing

Visual Color Discrimination

Knowledge

Public Safety and Security

Customer and Personal Service

Education and Training

Building and Construction

Administration and Management

English Language

Mechanical

Law and Government

Personnel and Human Resources

Administrative

Medicine and Dentistry

Psychology

Chemistry

Mathematics

Transportation

Skills

Active Listening

Critical Thinking

Social Perceptiveness

Coordination

Judgment and Decision Making

Management of Personnel Resources

Monitoring

Reading Comprehension

Service Orientation

Speaking

Complex Problem Solving

Instructing

Time Management

Active Learning

Writing

Learning Strategies

Negotiation

Persuasion

Operations Monitoring

Systems Evaluation

Technology Skills

Data base user interface and query software

Presentation software

Analytical or scientific software

Geographic information system

Spreadsheet software

Electronic mail software

Office suite software

Project management software

Helpdesk or call center software

Word processing software

Internet browser software

Map creation software

Tools

Fire pump sets

Fire suppression hand tools

Power saws

Pry bars

Fire extinguishers

Ladders

Heat tracing equipment

Notebook computers

Fire hoses or nozzles

Protective gloves

All terrain vehicles tracked or wheeled

Lighters

Fire retardant apparel

Rescue truck

Weather stations

Mobile medical services first aid kits

Intubation laryngoscopes

Mobile medical services automated external defibrillators AED or hard paddles

Glucose monitors or meters

Anemometers

Mowers

Medical gas cylinders or related devices

Electrocardiography EKG units

Manlift or personnel lift

Pulse oximeter units

Geological compasses

Agricultural tractors

Cargo trucks

Mobile medical services litter

Respirators

Air exhausters

Busses

Fire fighting watercraft

Life rings

Electronic blood pressure units

Hazardous material protective footwear

Flatbed trailers

Track bulldozers

Mobile medical service intravenous IV kits

Medical acoustic stethoscopes

Resuscitation masks

Mercury blood pressure units

Mobile medical services spine boards

Respiration air supplying self contained breathing apparatus or accessories

Pneumatic hammer

Nylon rope

Fans

Gas generators

Flares

Life vests or preservers

Mobile medical services basket stretchers

Goggles

Air bags for loading

Armored recovery vehicle

Specialty wrenches

Minivans or vans

Weapon or explosives detectors and supplies

Fire fighting water tank truck

Sledge hammer

Safety harnesses or belts

Fire fighting chemical truck

Digital camcorders or video cameras

Metal cutters

Mobile medical services cervical or extrication collars

Fire fighting ladder truck

Binoculars

Saws

Winches

Wheel chocks

Multi gas monitors

Global positioning system GPS receiver

Claw hammer

Hazardous material protective apparel

Fire escape equipment

Mobile medical services suction antichoke devices

Wheel nut or lug wrench

Acoustic sensors

Two way radios

Hard hats

Psychrometers

Safety glasses

Surface thermometers

Bolt cutters

Utility knives

Shovels

Safety helmets

Desktop computers

Personal computers

Abilities

Oral Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Oral Comprehension: The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Problem Sensitivity: The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
Near Vision: The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Deductive Reasoning: The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Inductive Reasoning: The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Information Ordering: The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Speech Clarity: The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Speech Recognition: The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Written Comprehension: The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Written Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Fluency of Ideas: The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
Category Flexibility: The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
Far Vision: The ability to see details at a distance.
Manual Dexterity: The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
Originality: The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
Perceptual Speed: The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
Selective Attention: The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
Trunk Strength: The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without "giving out" or fatiguing.
Arm-Hand Steadiness: The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
Explosive Strength: The ability to use short bursts of muscle force to propel oneself (as in jumping or sprinting), or to throw an object.
Static Strength: The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.
Visualization: The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
Control Precision: The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
Extent Flexibility: The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
Finger Dexterity: The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
Flexibility of Closure: The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
Gross Body Equilibrium: The ability to keep or regain your body balance or stay upright when in an unstable position.
Multilimb Coordination: The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
Speed of Closure: The ability to quickly make sense of, combine, and organize information into meaningful patterns.
Time Sharing: The ability to shift back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information (such as speech, sounds, touch, or other sources).
Visual Color Discrimination: The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.

Knowledge

Public Safety and Security: Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Education and Training: Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Building and Construction: Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
Administration and Management: Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
English Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Mechanical: Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Law and Government: Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Personnel and Human Resources: Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
Administrative: Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
Medicine and Dentistry: Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
Psychology: Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Chemistry: Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
Mathematics: Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Transportation: Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

Skills

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Management of Personnel Resources: Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Instructing: Teaching others how to do something.
Time Management: Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Learning Strategies: Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Negotiation: Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
Persuasion: Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Operations Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Systems Evaluation: Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.

Technology Skills

Data base user interface and query software: Blackboard software; Database software; Microsoft Access; Yardi software
Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint
Analytical or scientific software: Statistical analysis software; TapRooT
Geographic information system: ESRI ArcView; Geographic information system GIS systems
Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel
Electronic mail software: IBM Notes; Microsoft Exchange; Microsoft Outlook
Office suite software: Microsoft Office software
Project management software: Mavenlink; Microsoft Project
Helpdesk or call center software: Help desk software
Word processing software: 3M Post-it App; Evernote; Google Docs; Microsoft Word
Internet browser software: Web browser software
Map creation software: ESRI Site Scan for ArcGIS; OpenDroneMap

Tools

Fire pump sets: Emergency fire pumps; Fire pumps
Fire suppression hand tools: McLeod tools; Pulaski tools
Power saws: Chain saws
Pry bars:
Fire extinguishers:
Ladders: Extension ladders
Heat tracing equipment: Infrared thermometers
Notebook computers: Laptop computers
Fire hoses or nozzles: Fire hoses
Protective gloves: Safety gloves
All terrain vehicles tracked or wheeled: All terrain vehicles ATV
Lighters: Spark lighters
Fire retardant apparel: Flame retardant coveralls
Rescue truck: Fire trucks
Weather stations: Portable meteorological stations
Mobile medical services first aid kits: Emergency first aid kits
Intubation laryngoscopes: Laryngoscopes
Mobile medical services automated external defibrillators AED or hard paddles: Automated external defibrillators AED
Glucose monitors or meters: Blood glucose monitors
Anemometers: Thermoanemometers
Mowers: Rear brush hog mowers; Rear flail mowers; Side-mount rotary mowers; Tractor-mounted mowers
Medical gas cylinders or related devices: Oxygen tanks
Electrocardiography EKG units: Electrocardiography EKG machines
Manlift or personnel lift: Manlift buckets
Pulse oximeter units: Pulse oximeters
Geological compasses: Underwater compasses
Agricultural tractors: Logging tractors
Cargo trucks: Logging trucks
Mobile medical services litter: Multi-level wheeled cots; Stair chairs
Respirators: Half-face respirators; Respirator hose masks
Air exhausters: Exhaust units
Busses: Motor coaches; Shuttle buses
Fire fighting watercraft: Water rescue boats
Life rings: Life buoys
Electronic blood pressure units:
Hazardous material protective footwear: Chemical protective boots
Flatbed trailers: Utility trailers
Track bulldozers: Wide track bulldozers
Mobile medical service intravenous IV kits: Intraosseous kits
Medical acoustic stethoscopes: Mechanical stethoscopes
Resuscitation masks: Ambu bags
Mercury blood pressure units: Manual blood pressure cuffs
Mobile medical services spine boards: Spinal immobilization equipment
Respiration air supplying self contained breathing apparatus or accessories: Self-contained breathing apparatus
Pneumatic hammer: Underwater jackhammers
Nylon rope: Mooring pendants; Nylon ropes
Fans: Centrifugal ventilators
Gas generators: Power generators
Flares: Pyrotechnic distress signals
Life vests or preservers: Life jackets
Mobile medical services basket stretchers: Stokes baskets
Goggles: Safety goggles
Air bags for loading: Air/steam bags
Armored recovery vehicle: Bomb response vehicles
Specialty wrenches: Oil filter wrenches
Minivans or vans: Work vans
Weapon or explosives detectors and supplies: Explosive detection systems; Explosive trace portals
Fire fighting water tank truck: Water tenders
Sledge hammer: Steel sledge hammers
Safety harnesses or belts: Climbing belts
Fire fighting chemical truck: HAZMAT response vehicles
Digital camcorders or video cameras: Digital video cameras
Metal cutters: Aviation snips
Mobile medical services cervical or extrication collars: Emergency medical services cervical collars
Fire fighting ladder truck: Ladder trucks
Binoculars:
Saws: Multi-purpose saw sets
Winches: Hand winches
Wheel chocks:
Multi gas monitors: Electrochemical gas monitors
Global positioning system GPS receiver: Global positioning system GPS receivers
Claw hammer: Claw hammers
Hazardous material protective apparel: Personal protective suits
Fire escape equipment: Safety line evacuation kits
Mobile medical services suction antichoke devices: Airway suction units; Battery-powered portable suction units; Fixed-suction equipment
Wheel nut or lug wrench: Lug wrenches
Acoustic sensors: Acoustic testers
Two way radios:
Hard hats:
Psychrometers:
Safety glasses: Protective safety glasses
Surface thermometers: Field thermometers
Bolt cutters:
Utility knives: Precision knives
Shovels: Snow shovels
Safety helmets:
Desktop computers:
Personal computers: