How to Become a Firefighter

The real path to a firefighting job — requirements, EMT certification, the CPAT, the academy, pay and timeline — with verified 2025 BLS numbers and an honest look at the demands.

To become a firefighter in the United States you generally need to be at least 18, hold a high school diploma or GED and a valid driver’s license, and then clear a sequence of hurdles: a written exam, the CPAT physical ability test, an oral interview, a medical exam and background check, a fire academy, and a probationary period on the job. Most career departments also expect EMT certification, because the work is mostly medical. Start to finish usually takes one to two years. Firefighters earned a median of $59,280 a year in May 2025, and employment is projected to grow about 4% through 2035, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

A firefighter’s day is mostly medical calls, not fires

Firefighters respond to far more medical emergencies than fires. In 2020, U.S. fire departments handled 26,959,000 runs, and about 64% were emergency medical and rescue calls while only about 4% were actual fires, according to the U.S. Fire Administration’s 2020 run profile. The rest were false alarms, hazardous-condition calls, vehicle crashes and service calls. If you picture the job as mostly flames, you have it backwards: most shifts are EMS runs, lift assists, alarm checks and car extrications, with structure fires the exception.

The staffing picture surprises people too. Of an estimated 1,041,200 firefighters in 2020, 65% were volunteers and only 35% were career (paid) firefighters, per the NFPA’s US Fire Department Profile. Many people enter as volunteers or part-timers first, build experience and certifications, then compete for a paid position. Knowing the real mix of work — and that it leans heavily medical — should shape how you prepare.

What you need before you can apply

Firefighter candidates must clear a baseline that is broadly consistent nationwide. You must be at least 18, have a high school diploma or the equivalent, and hold a valid driver’s license, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics. A four-year college degree is not required for most entry-level jobs; BLS lists the typical entry credential as a high school diploma plus a postsecondary, non-degree training award — in practice, the EMT certification and fire academy below. From there, departments screen for what the job actually demands:

• Emergency medical training. Firefighters typically need training in emergency medical services; EMT certification requirements vary by state and locality, and some departments require it (BLS). Most career departments want at least a current EMT certification.
• Physical fitness. Expect to pass a standardized physical ability test (the CPAT, below) and a medical exam. The work is physically demanding and sometimes dangerous (BLS).
• A clean record. Background checks and drug screening are standard parts of hiring (BLS).

The step-by-step path from civilian to firefighter

Getting hired is a series of gates, and you generally have to pass each one to reach the next. The usual order:

1. Meet the basics — turn 18, finish high school or a GED, get a driver’s license.
2. Earn your EMT certification — most career departments expect it, and it takes months, not years.
3. Apply and pass the written exam — a cognitive and aptitude test used to build an eligibility list.
4. Pass the CPAT — the timed, pass/fail physical ability test described below.
5. Interview — an oral board that weighs judgment, communication and fit.
6. Clear the medical exam, background check and drug screen (BLS).
7. Complete the fire academy — recruits attend for a few months (BLS).
8. Finish probation — new firefighters serve a probationary period on the job (BLS).

The exact sequence and the weight of each step vary by department. Strong candidates often apply to several departments at once, because hiring cycles are competitive and intermittent.

What the CPAT actually tests

The Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) is the physical gate most career departments use, and it is deliberately hard. Developed by the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) and the International Association of Fire Chiefs, it is a standardized, pass/fail test with a maximum time of 10 minutes and 20 seconds. You wear a 50-pound weighted vest throughout, with an additional 25-pound hose pack during the stair climb. The eight events run in a fixed order while the clock runs continuously:

Each event mirrors a real fireground task, from climbing stairs in gear to dragging a victim to safety. Because the clock never stops between events, you need both strength and aerobic endurance. Most candidates train for weeks or months specifically for the CPAT, and many regions let you take a timed practice run before the official test.

Why EMT certification is the real gatekeeper

EMT certification matters more than most newcomers expect, precisely because the job is mostly medical. Firefighters typically need training in emergency medical services (BLS), and since roughly two-thirds of fire-department calls are EMS or rescue runs (USFA, 2020), a department is effectively hiring medical responders who also fight fire. The entry-level credential is Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), certified through state processes that generally build on the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians standard, and a full EMT course typically runs a few months of classroom, skills and clinical time.

Some departments prefer or require the higher paramedic credential, which takes substantially longer — often a year or more of additional training — and can raise both your competitiveness and your pay. Because EMT requirements vary by state and locality (BLS), confirm the rules where you plan to apply, and check whether your target department wants EMT-Basic or paramedic at the time of hire, before you enroll in a course.

Inside the fire academy and the probation that follows

The fire academy is where accepted recruits become working firefighters, and it runs like a demanding full-time job. Entry-level recruits attend an academy for a few months (BLS), combining classroom instruction with hands-on, scenario-based training: fire behavior and suppression, hose and ladder work, search and rescue, hazardous-materials awareness, vehicle extrication, emergency medical skills, and the use and care of self-contained breathing apparatus and protective gear.

Graduating from the academy does not make you fully independent. New hires complete a probationary period during which they work shifts, keep training and are evaluated before gaining permanent status (BLS). Probation can last several months to a year or more depending on the department, and the learning does not stop there — firefighters maintain EMS certifications, requalify on skills, and often pursue specialties such as technical rescue, hazmat or fire investigation over a career.

What firefighters earn, and whether the field is growing

Firefighter pay sits around the national median, with real upside through rank, seniority and overtime. The median annual wage was $59,280 in May 2025, about $28.50 an hour; the lowest 10% earned less than $34,910 and the highest 10% earned more than $101,040 (BLS). Overtime is common because of how shifts are structured, so take-home pay often exceeds the base.

The outlook is steady rather than booming. Employment is projected to grow 4% from 2025 to 2035, about as fast as average, adding roughly 13,100 jobs, with about 26,800 openings projected each year over the decade — most of them from replacing workers who retire or leave, not from new positions (BLS). In practice, jobs open every year, competition for each paid slot is real, and candidates with EMT or paramedic certification and a clean record tend to rise on eligibility lists.

The hard parts: danger, shift work, and the toll you don’t see

Firefighting asks a lot of your body, your schedule and your mind, and an honest guide has to say so. On scene, the work can be dangerous (BLS). The schedule is unusual — often 24-hour shifts followed by 48 or 72 hours off, with common overtime — and that rhythm disrupts sleep, family routines and recovery.

The less visible cost is cumulative. Firefighters repeatedly witness trauma, serious injury and death, and over years that exposure adds up. The toll is real enough that in 2017 at least 103 firefighters died by suicide — more than the 93 who died in the line of duty that year — according to a 2018 Ruderman Family Foundation white paper, which also notes these deaths are widely under-reported. That figure comes from an advocacy report rather than a government dataset, but the pattern is well recognized across the fire service. It is part of why a network like RESPONDin exists — to connect responders with peers and with mental-health and crisis resources for the weight the job carries. Go in with your eyes open: the camaraderie and purpose are genuine, and so are the demands.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to become a firefighter?

Most people need one to two years. EMT certification typically takes a few months, written testing and hiring cycles add several more, the fire academy runs a few months (BLS), and a probationary period follows. Timelines vary widely by department and by how quickly you pass each step. Pursuing a paramedic credential extends the path but can improve your odds of being hired.

Do you need to be an EMT to be a firefighter?

Usually, yes, for paid jobs. Firefighters typically need training in emergency medical services, and EMT requirements vary by state and locality, with some departments requiring it (BLS). Because roughly two-thirds of calls are medical, most career departments want at least a current EMT certification, and some prefer paramedics. Requirements can be looser for volunteer roles, but EMS training is still common.

How much do firefighters make?

The median annual wage was $59,280 in May 2025, about $28.50 an hour (BLS). The lowest 10% earned under $34,910 and the highest 10% earned over $101,040. Pay rises with rank, seniority and specialty certifications, and overtime is common because of the shift structure, so actual take-home can exceed base pay.

What is the CPAT?

The Candidate Physical Ability Test is a standardized, pass/fail physical test developed by the IAFF and IAFC. Candidates complete eight job-related events — including a stair climb, ladder raise, hose drag and rescue drag — while wearing a 50-pound vest, within a maximum time of 10 minutes and 20 seconds (IAFF). It is a common requirement for career firefighter hiring, and most candidates train specifically for it.

Is it hard to get hired as a firefighter?

It is competitive. Employment is projected to grow only 4% from 2025 to 2035, and most of the roughly 26,800 annual openings come from replacing workers who leave rather than from new jobs (BLS). Many applicants compete for each paid position. EMT or paramedic certification, strong physical-test scores, a clean background and applying to multiple departments all improve your chances.

Do you need a college degree to be a firefighter?

No. The typical entry-level education is a high school diploma or equivalent (BLS). A degree is not required, but coursework in fire science, an EMT or paramedic certification, or military and volunteer experience can make you more competitive on eligibility lists. Some departments and officer-track roles value higher education, but it is rarely a hard requirement for entry.

RESPONDin is the online network for first responders — firefighters, EMS, law enforcement, dispatchers and corrections officers — where responders connect with peers, honor the fallen on the line-of-duty memorial wall, find first responder jobs, and reach the wellness and crisis resources the job demands. If firefighting is the path you want, start with your EMT certification and your CPAT training — and build the support network early.

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook — Firefighters (median pay, outlook, requirements); U.S. Fire Administration, Fire Department Run Profile, 2020 (call mix); NFPA, US Fire Department Profile, 2020 (career/volunteer split); IAFF, Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT); Ruderman Family Foundation, white paper on first responder mental health and suicide, 2018.

Published October 13, 2026 on the RESPONDin blog, the network for first responders.