Fire Fighting Training: Start Your Career as a Fire Fighter

The recent Western Cape fires have thrust a spotlight on the importance and need for firefighters in South Africa. If you feel the calling to become a firefighter, read through this quick guide on creating a fire fighting career in South Africa. Get the best fire fighting training from Emcare.

Fire Fighting in South Africa:

Fires are a common occurrence in South Africa. Fires occur often in grassland, woodland, and fynbos areas, and these areas make up a huge percentage of South African land. These fires occur naturally in these areas but can also be started by accident due to careless activities.

South Africa also experiences two typical fire seasons. The Western Cape can experience fires in the dry summer months while the rest of South Africa can experience fires in the dry winter months. The fire seasons are determined by the rainfall patterns in South Africa.

Fires have far-reaching devastating effects. Fires can result in the loss of both human and animal lives. Fires can cause damage to businesses which can affect livelihoods overnight. Fires can result in a loss of history from destroyed historical artefacts to your family photos burned in a house fire. From naturally occurring fires to accidents to arson, firefighting is a critical profession in South Africa.

South African Fire Fighter Requirements:

1. Age: You must be eighteen years or older to be a firefighter.
2. Education: All firefighters are required to have a minimum of a matric level pass.
3. Drivers Licence: All firefighters are required to have a valid driver’s licence.
4. Physical Test: You need to pass the physical tests which will assess your physical aptitude for the fire fighting position. These physical tests vary slightly according to where you will be working.
5. Claustrophobic: Claustrophobia is the extreme fear of confined spaces. Firefighters cannot suffer from claustrophobia.
6. Acrophobia: Firefighters cannot suffer from acrophobia, which is an abnormal fear of heights.
7. Training: All firefighters must receive adequate training

Emcare:

Emcare is a trusted South African health and safety training company. Emcare offers a wide variety of specialised health and safety training courses aimed at providing South Africans with relevant health and safety knowledge and skills.

Emcare can teach a wide variety of South Africans due to the many training centres situated in all major cities. If you are located near Johannesburg, Polokwane, Port Elizabeth, Durban, Cape Town, or Hoedspruit, you can easily access one of the Emcare training facilities.

All Emcare health and safety training is offered by experienced teachers who offer unique, professional, and interactive courses. Emcare offers high-quality accredited courses so that you and your company can walk away with excellent health and safety training.

Emcare Fire Fighting Training:

Emcare offers a variety of fire fighting training courses. Emcare offers fire fighting training suitable for individuals, businesses, and people looking to make fire fighting their career. These are the Emcare fire fighting training courses suited to those looking to increase their basic understanding of fires, taking steps to prevent fires at home or the workplace, and increasing confidence in how to act when faced with an emergency fire.

1. Basic Fire Awareness Course (BFP).
2. Basic Fire Fighting Course (BF1).
3. Advanced Fire Fighting Course (AFF).
4. Hazardous Material Handling Course (HMH).

Fire fighting training is critical to becoming a firefighter. Emcare offers courses suitable for pursuing a professional fire fighting career. These two Emcare courses will provide you with adequate training which includes firefighter health and safety, understanding fire behaviour, forcible entry, rescue, and many more relevant skills needed for high-quality fire fighting training.

Fire Fighter 1 SP & Hazmat Awareness SP Course (FF1).

Fire Fighter 2 SP & Hazmat Awareness SP Course (FF2).

It is important to note that these two courses are only available at the Polokwane branch due to the need for specific equipment for adequate training.

Places to Work in South Africa:

Every local municipality will have a fire fighting department which is a great place to find fire fighting work. Other industries also require firefighters, such as forestry departments, rescue organisations, and some airports.

Fire Fighting Career Opportunities:

As in all industries, you can climb up the ladder (or slide down the fireman’s pole) in your firefighting career. All firefighters will start as Junior Fire Fighters. The successive levels are Fire Fighters, Senior Fire Fighters, Leading Fire Fighter, and Station Officers. Achieving higher levels of fire fighting seniority are dependent on your course levels and your years of experience as a firefighter.

On the Job:

Firefighters have a range of duties and responsibilities which means that every day on the job as a firefighter can be different. Some days can be dangerous, emergency-facing experiences whilst others include conducting fire drills and assessing fire safety in buildings. Here is a list of a few things you can expect to do on the job as a firefighter.

• Attend to emergencies.
• Locate and rescue animals and individuals from fires.
• Inspect damaged buildings after a fire.
• Participate in fitness training.
• Drive the fire truck or other emergency vehicles.
• Ensure all emergency equipment and fire trucks are readily available and in excellent condition.
• Investigating the cause of a fire.

Being a Fire Fighter:

To become a firefighter, you need more than just training. There are certain personal characteristics that are best suited to being a firefighter. A great personality suited to becoming a firefighter includes these characteristics.

• Discipline: You need to have a strong sense of self-discipline to keep yourself physically fit.
• Trustworthiness: Trust amongst your firefighting team is critical in life-threatening situations.
• Problem-solving: No emergency goes according to the textbook, therefore quick problem-solving skills are critical in dangerous scenarios.
• Team Player: There are no glory-seekers when it comes to firefighters.
• Passion: Fire fighting is an excellent career, but it also needs to be a calling. Your passion will help keep you motivated towards being the best firefighter possible.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Being a Firefighter:

We have listed the top advantages and disadvantages of being a firefighter in South Africa.

Advantages:

Protecting Lives:

Firefighters are the first-responders to any fire emergencies. This puts firefighters at the forefront of any rescuing that needs to be done. Lives are always at risk when there is a fire and firefights are there to reduce the number of lives that are lost during a fire. Firefighters demonstrate that not all heroes wear capes.

Protecting Properties:

Alongside the lives which firefighters save, their quick response and informed actions can reduce the amount of damage that properties can suffer during a fire. Protecting business properties can help reduce the impact fire has on the business’s future and prevent job loss.

Protecting homes from excess damage can reduce the costs the homeowner will have when replacing all the household items. Certain household items are irreplaceable; therefore, firefighters reduce the homeowner’s heartache of losing precious items.

Aspirational:

Many children boldly shout “firefighter” when they are asked what they want to be when they grow up. Firefighters are people who are revered in a community. The community understands the risks firefighters face and are inspired by the dedication which firefighters show towards keeping their community safe.

Job Security:

Unfortunately, there is an abundance of opportunities for fires to occur in South Africa. The only positive side to this is that there will always be a need for firefighters in South Africa. This offers a degree of job security for all South African firefighters.

Physically Fit:

You are required to stay in peak physical condition as a firefighter. Fire fighting is a physically demanding job. You are operating heavy machinery and equipment, climbing stairs and ladders, possibly carrying people, and wearing heavy personal protective gear.

Fire fighting also requires stamina. Some fires can take up to days to be controlled and you need to be physically fit to handle this gruelling experience. Your fitness levels will ensure that you can be a team player and not a liability to your fire fighting team.

Being physically fit is a necessity to being a firefighter, but it is also a personal advantage. You get to enjoy the physical benefits which come with leading an active and healthy lifestyle.

To complete the Emcare fire fighting training courses you need to provide a fitness declaration.

Minimal Education Requirements:

Compared to many other professions, becoming a firefighter has minimal education requirements. The fire fighting training courses offered by Emcare are between seven to nine weeks long, which is a relatively short amount of time to acquire excellent training to meet the education requirements.

Comradery:

Your role as a firefighter is important, but you would struggle to make a difference without your fire fighting team behind you. Being a firefighter means being a part of a group that will protect each other, create lasting friendships, and is a support system for one another.

Disadvantages:

Dangerous:

Fire fighting is a high-risk, high-reward career. You are facing life-threatening circumstances and need to ensure that every action you take keeps yourself, your team, the property, and the affected individuals safe.

The high danger of fire fighting highlights the importance of receiving excellent fire fighting training. Emcare offers fire fighting training which is accredited by all relevant organisations and the government. You can trust the fire fighting training you receive from Emcare.

Suffering:

Firefighters are exposed to extreme amounts of suffering. No matter how well-trained you are, how immediate your response is, and how prepared your team is, sometimes you cannot save every life and every building from a fire.

This exposure to suffering can have dire effects on your personal wellbeing. Your physical fitness is important, but so is your mental fitness. Seek help often from trusted sources to help your process and cope with the suffering you experience as a firefighter.

Focusing on the lives and buildings you save over the suffering your experience is one way to keep your attention on the positivity and honour of a fire fighter’s position in society.

Missed Family Moments:

Firefighters work irregular and long hours. This can make having a balanced lifestyle difficult. Paired with the irregular working hours is the fact that you need to be always on-call. Your department needs to be able to reach you in case of an emergency. If you have a family, you may often miss out on special family moments.

Average Pay:

Although there is a degree of job security with being a firefighter, the pay is fairly average but sufficient to lead a comfortable lifestyle. Your firefighter pay will also depend on where you work.

If you are considering making a career of being a firefighter, receive the best fire fighting training from Emcare.