How to Become a Firefighter in Arizona – Career and Jobs

Being a dry and arid region, the state of Arizona experiences more than its fair share of fires. With the land divided between deserts and forests, and beaten down by the harsh blows of the sun, Arizona has an acute need for skilled and rigorously trained firefighters. Things here can get out of hands, pretty fast. As of now, there are only 245 fire stations throughout the state, employing around 7,570 firefighters. The requirement for trained firefighters could never be met.

But with that being said, firefighting is a tough field to break into. To become a firefighter in Arizona, you will have to train hard, both physically and mentally. Given the extreme circumstances and the fact that fires in this state can turn ugly very quickly, only those applicants are chosen who are the best of the lot. Here, we will discuss how to become a firefighter in the state of Arizona.

Arizona Firefighter Requirements

To become a firefighter in Arizona, you must:

• be at least 18 years old
• have a valid driver’s license
• be a high school graduate or hold a GED
• have good CPAT (Candidate Physical Ability Test) scores
• have CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) certification
• have EMT (Emergency Medical Training) certification
• have great communication skills
• be physically fit
• have basic mathematics and reasoning skills
• have no history of criminal activities

How to Become a Firefighter in Arizona?

It is not a necessity for you to have a college degree in fire science/firefighting to become a firefighter in Arizona; you only need to hold the certifications mentioned above. If you meet the criteria, you can fill out the application form for any fire department in the state. Once you have applied, you will be required to appear for a written exam, which will broadly test you in the following areas like communication skills, reading and writing skills, basic mathematics, and reasoning.

The written exams are usually of moderate difficulty, aiming to see if you are fit for the job or not. There is no generalized course, and if you have a high school diploma or GED, you should be able to pass this exam without a hiccup.

Once you clear the written exam, you will move on to the next round, which is the physical test. You will be judged on the basis of your physical health here. If you make it through the physical examination, you will advance onto the final leg of the recruitment process, which is a face-to-face interview with an experienced firefighter. If you manage to prove that you have what it takes to be a firefighter, then you are good to go.

But before you get your appointment letter, a thorough background screening will be done to check if you have any criminal records. After that, you will receive your appointment letter, and you’ll be off to the academy for proper training.

Firefighter Training in Arizona

Even though it is not necessary for you to have a Bachelors or an Associates degree in Fire Science to be a firefighter, it is a substantial advantage and increases your chances of getting hired. Given the high bar and the demands to be a firefighter in Arizona, applicants benefit from being trained before they apply for a job. Furthermore, there are many other branches of a fire department you can choose from, like:

• paramedics
• fire investigators
• fire detectives, etc.

On the other hand, those who want to take their skills up a notch and aim at getting jobs higher in the hierarchy, Masters’ and Ph.D. degrees have a lot to offer for them. People can also opt for a career in the administrative wing. Firefighter training at academies gives equal importance to both the classroom and field environment. They are prepared to face real fires as well in physical drills.

Top Firefighter Schools in Arizona

Some of the top firefighter training academies Arizona have been listed below:

Firefighter Salary in Arizona

According to Career Explorer, an Arizona firefighter get paid the average annual income of $45,230. Firefighters usually start by earning $23,400 annual at the beginning of their careers and go on to making $65,880 annually. The average hourly wage for firefighters in the state of Arizona is $21.75, which usually starts from $11.25 per hour and goes up to $31.67 hourly.

One of the critical factors that influence a firefighter’s salary is experience. Given below is the data about how much firefighters earn at various levels of their journey:

Firefighter Jobs and Career in Arizona

According to the data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the firefighter job market in the USA is likely to expand at the sluggish rate of 7% between 2012 and 2020. But you don’t need to get disheartened due to this. People with skills and proper training are always appreciated and find employment in any field of work.

References:

• https://www.careerexplorer.com/careers/firefighter/salary/arizona/
• https://www.bls.gov/oes/2017/may/oes332011.htm
• https://dema.az.gov/
• https://www.firescience.org/fire-science-degrees-and-programs/arizona/
• https://www.tucsonaz.gov/fire/tucson-fire-department-training

Related Resources –

• Firefighter in Arkansas
• Firefighter in California