How to become a Municipal Firefighter

Step 1
Interested candidate has to appear in a written entrance test conducted by various institutions providing on the job training that may vary from 6 months to 12 months.  The written examination commonly consists of approximately 150-200 multiple - choice questions. 

Step 2
After qualifying written test the aspirants are required to go for a physical endurance test followed by medical examination and psychological examination of the aspirants. This physical agility examination is designed to evaluate the candidate's ability to d fire-fighting activities. This physical agility examination is related to the tasks that are actually performed by fire-fighters.  This test is so designed as to ascertain that the firefighter must have a high level of aerobic energy, strength, and a significant ability to resist fatigue.

Considering the demands of the profession i.e. saving life and property of the public that too without much damage to themselves along with the challenges of the environment, and the weight and constraint of the protective equipment, the need to ensure that fire-fighter recruits are physically capable and medically fit of learning and performing the tasks required is considered the most important part of recruitment criteria.

Step 3
After clearing this physical endurance test and medical and psychological test the aspirants are inducted into the force as a trainee for on job training of various sophisticated instruments to be used in various conditions of exigencies according to their area of work at different places of their requirement.

Although they are primarily responsible and trained for fighting the fire of different kind they can also play major roles in the evacuation of the people safely from other calamities fire just because of their sensitivity towards their job of saving lives from the clutches of death. For performing all these tasks satisfactorily they are equipped and trained to handle variously sophisticated as well as traditional equipment. One of the most important aspects of the firemen's work is to ensure that all rescue equipment is thoroughly checked on a daily basis and maintained in good order to be in a serviceable condition at all times. When approaching a fire scene the firemen have to assess what type of fire they have to deal with and select the appropriate extinguishing agent, since different kinds of fires require different extinguishing agents and methods to accomplish satisfactory results. They may have to fight various types of fires, ranging from wildfires to fires involving buildings, vehicles, aircraft or installations, each of which creates its own problems and difficulties. For doing this entire thing they need to be fighting fit and professionally trained only then they will be able to save the lives of the people with a minimal threat to their own life.

Firefighters must have integrity like honest, trustworthy, reliable and accountable.
They should have physical fitness such as the ability to perform physical tasks.
They possess good communication like people skills and good articulation.
They should have the flexibility/adaptability like low-maintenance, work under stress, compromising, adapt and overcome.
Other skills expected from them are dedication (passion, pride, heart, desire, drive, competence, work ethic); team player; tolerance along with a public image.