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First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers

Also called: Engine Boss, Fire Battalion Chief, Fire Captain, Fire Chief

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

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Median pay BLS, 2025$93,530
Openings a year BLS, 2025–356,600
Typical education to start BLSPostsecondary nondegree award
AI exposure BLS, Aug 2026 Low
Projected job growth BLS, 2025–35 +3.7%

What the data says: AI could halve the time on 15 of its 30 tasks, yet jobs are projected to grow 3.7% by 2035. How to think about this →

About this projection

BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”

It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”

On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”

Recent conditions

  • In 2024, 0.4% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024
  • From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 4.3 hires for every 10 job openings in government, which employs about 96% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.

How to read these

Pay compared with all occupations BLS median wages Pays more than 80% of 825 occupations
lowest-paidhighest-paid

Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates

$48k$133knot published

Median pay in every state
StateMedianMiddle half earnJobs
Alabama$73,320$55,500 to $89,2301,440
Alaska$92,760$60,310 to $97,630310
Arizona$96,470$73,320 to $103,4002,670
Arkansas$61,890$49,730 to $79,120920
California$127,630$100,450 to $169,3808,170
Colorado$102,580$84,160 to $125,7701,900
Connecticut$98,500$94,090 to $107,9901,310
Delaware$74,670$63,660 to $100,100not published
District of Columbia$126,560$114,620 to $133,570380
Florida$98,560$77,120 to $122,0909,540
Georgia$67,200$57,440 to $79,3003,730
Guam$82,350$76,130 to $91,87080
Idaho$92,630$60,690 to $114,430520
Illinois$123,500$95,810 to $131,6903,240
Indiana$88,310$74,270 to $99,7501,290
Iowa$76,010$68,050 to $99,230600
Kansas$78,880$58,250 to $97,5201,450
Kentucky$60,850$46,400 to $78,9401,250
Louisiana$59,750$48,870 to $72,0801,810
Maine$74,790$60,340 to $85,890410
Maryland$120,530$98,670 to $126,1102,380
Massachusetts$96,600$82,470 to $117,8303,370
Michigan$77,550$61,970 to $96,3001,830
Minnesota$78,800$66,820 to $101,7801,120
Mississippi$48,250$36,730 to $61,1101,550
Missouri$75,970$60,120 to $95,7601,950
Montana$82,820$73,610 to $93,640320
Nebraska$80,810$73,540 to $98,630370
Nevada$93,920$78,660 to $128,5001,080
New Hampshire$93,720$77,270 to $101,330450
New Jersey$133,210$128,090 to $160,7202,210
New Mexico$58,430$51,290 to $75,980820
New York$132,520$104,230 to $147,4104,100
North Carolina$59,560$49,490 to $85,4805,050
North Dakota$82,880$64,260 to $103,780130
Ohio$84,490$70,000 to $99,1403,960
Oklahoma$85,310$73,100 to $100,2002,000
Oregon$100,260$86,190 to $119,0101,160
Pennsylvania$101,050$80,370 to $103,9001,340
Puerto Rico$48,640$45,340 to $53,130230
Rhode Island$85,170$75,140 to $93,770770
South Carolina$65,160$56,250 to $82,8001,450
South Dakota$72,420$70,930 to $87,410120
Tennessee$77,920$59,940 to $82,3202,210
Texas$81,710$74,350 to $96,2908,660
Utah$100,380$76,400 to $105,590770
Vermont$83,250$62,250 to $106,16090
Virginia$97,780$74,460 to $115,6103,300
Washington$129,350$103,080 to $148,0303,350
West Virginia$55,380$46,560 to $61,110180
Wisconsin$83,310$74,060 to $98,6701,330
Wyoming$80,260$70,900 to $100,200150

Nationally: $93,530. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this

How AI touches the work

What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.

AI could halve the time on 15 of its 30 tasks

10 · AI alone could halve the time 5 · AI + software built on it could 15 · Not much
AI ratingIts main tasks Share of Claude conversations
May 2026
Not much Communicate fire details to superiors, subordinates, or interagency dispatch centers, using two-way radios. Not published
Not much Provide emergency medical services as required, and perform light to heavy rescue functions at emergencies. Not published
Not much Maintain fire suppression equipment in good condition, checking equipment periodically to ensure that it is ready for use. Not published
Not much Assign firefighters to jobs at strategic locations to facilitate rescue of persons and maximize application of extinguishing agents. Not published
AI alone Evaluate size, location, and condition of fires. Not published
Not much Instruct and drill fire department personnel in assigned duties, including firefighting, medical care, hazardous materials response, fire prevention, and related subjects. Not published
See all 30 tasks
AI + software Perform administrative duties, such as compiling and maintaining records, completing forms, preparing reports, or composing correspondence. under 0.01%
AI alone Assess nature and extent of fire, condition of building, danger to adjacent buildings, and water supply status to determine crew or company requirements. Not published
AI alone Recommend personnel actions related to disciplinary procedures, performance, leaves of absence, and grievances. Not published
Not much Serve as a working leader of an engine, hand, helicopter, or prescribed fire crew of three or more firefighters. Not published
Not much Evaluate the performance of assigned firefighting personnel. Not published
Not much Maintain knowledge of fire laws and fire prevention techniques and tactics. Not published
Not much Direct firefighters in station maintenance duties, and participate in these duties. Not published
Not much Perform maintenance and minor repairs on firefighting equipment, including vehicles, and write and submit proposals to modify, replace, and repair equipment. Not published
Not much Inspect stations, uniforms, equipment, or recreation areas to ensure compliance with safety standards, taking corrective action as necessary. Not published
AI + software Evaluate fire station procedures to ensure efficiency and enforcement of departmental regulations. Not published
AI + software Maintain required maps and records. Not published
AI alone Direct the training of firefighters, assigning of instructors to training classes, and providing of supervisors with reports on training progress and status. Not published
AI alone Schedule employee work assignments and set work priorities. under 0.01%
AI alone Monitor fire suppression expenditures to ensure that they are necessary and reasonable. Not published
AI alone Recommend equipment modifications or new equipment purchases. Not published
Not much Recruit or hire firefighting personnel. Not published
Not much Inspect and test new and existing fire protection systems, fire detection systems, and fire safety equipment to ensure that they are operating properly. Not published
AI + software Participate in creating fire safety guidelines and evacuation schemes for nonresidential buildings. Not published
AI alone Direct investigation of cases of suspected arson, hazards, and false alarms and submit reports outlining findings. Not published
AI alone Analyze burn conditions and results, and prepare postburn reports. Not published
Not much Drive crew carriers to transport firefighters to fire sites. Not published
Not much Supervise and participate in the inspection of properties to ensure that they are in compliance with applicable fire codes, ordinances, laws, regulations, and standards. Not published
AI alone Study and interpret fire safety codes to establish procedures for issuing permits to handle hazardous or flammable substances. Not published
AI + software Plan, direct, and supervise prescribed burn projects. Not published

Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 2 of the 30 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.

Where people already use AI

The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 30 tasks fall under 25 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.

Tasks AI could speed up15 of 30 tasksEloundou et al. ratings (2023)
Its activities among the 50 people ask AI for help with most2 of 25 activities
  • #4 Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise
  • #37 Determine operational methods or procedures
Microsoft Copilot (2024), ranked among all 332 activities. The cut-off of 50 is ours.
Work activity This occupation's tasks under it People asked AI for help
in 10,000 conversations		 AI did it for them
in 10,000 conversations
Direct security or safety activities or operations 0.34#282 1.30#149
Maintain tools or equipment 4.47#136 1.04#167
Prepare reports of operational or procedural activities 4.23#140 2.99#113
Monitor environmental conditions 2.85#171 0.80#173
Notify others of emergencies or problems 2.78#172 4.95#92
Develop safety standards, policies, or procedures 0.94#238 0.93#169
Inspect commercial, industrial, or production systems or equipment 0.84#245 0.32#232
Maintain operational records 2.92#170 0.49#209
Show all 25 activities
Inspect facilities or equipment 2.73#174 0.73#181
Protect people or property from threats such as fires or flooding 1.09#230 0.50#206
Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise 408#4 247#8
Determine operational methods or procedures 45#37 22#46
Monitor operations to ensure adequate performance 3.59#153 0.73#180
Evaluate personnel capabilities or performance 1.94#201 0.78#175
Train others on operational or work procedures 1.60#211 29#38
Assign work to others 1.46#215 0.18#247
Monitor safety or security of work areas, facilities, or properties 1.39#218 1.50#142
Operate transportation equipment or vehicles 1.06#232 0.05#282
Intervene in crisis situations or emergencies 1.00#235 0.55#194
Perform recruiting or hiring activities 0.99#237 0.43#217
Advise others on workplace health or safety issues 0.74#252 5.54#82
Manage human resources activities 0.71#255 0.19#244
Supervise personnel activities 0.56#266 0.05#283
Administer emergency medical treatment 0.27#290 0.02#310
Direct legal activities 0.09#319 0.03#292
Task: AI alone Task: AI + software Task: not much #: rank among all 332 activities Microsoft measured (#1 = most common; activities that never came up share last place, shown as “tied”)
Where the two sources differ: “Direct security or safety activities or operations” holds 3 tasks rated AI + software or AI alone, yet people asked AI for help with it in 0.34 of every 10,000 conversations, #282 of 332.

How people in this work use Claude

What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations

  • A document or report35%
  • An email or message27%
  • Data or a spreadsheet8%
  • Advice or a recommendation7%
  • An analysis or summary4%

How they worked with Claude

48% handed the task off52% worked on it together

76% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.

How to read this

Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for first-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.

The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.

More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude

High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs

BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.

AI exposure and projected job growth, 831 occupationsLow exposure: 134 of 213 occupations projected to grow. Moderate exposure: 151 of 206 occupations projected to grow. High exposure: 165 of 206 occupations projected to grow. Very high exposure: 141 of 206 occupations projected to grow.-20%-15%-10%-5%0%+5%+10%+15%+20%+25%Low134 of 213 growingModerate151 of 206 growingHigh165 of 206 growingVery high141 of 206 growing11 occupations outside −20% to +25% are drawn at the edge. Click a dot to see that occupation.First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers: +3.7%First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersAI exposure and projected job growth, 831 occupationsLow exposure: 134 of 213 occupations projected to grow. Moderate exposure: 151 of 206 occupations projected to grow. High exposure: 165 of 206 occupations projected to grow. Very high exposure: 141 of 206 occupations projected to grow.-20%-15%-10%-5%0%+5%+10%+15%+20%+25%Low134 of 213Moderate151 of 206High165 of 206Very high141 of 20611 occupations outside −20% to +25% are drawn at the edge. Tap a dot.First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers: +3.7%First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers

Career moves into and out of this occupation

From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.

Where people moved next

of 22,815 moves out

  1. 1 Postsecondary Teachers, All Other Very high +2.0% 7%
  2. 2 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 7%
  3. 3 General and Operations Managers High +5.0% 4%
  4. 4 Chief Executives Very high +3.2% 4%
  5. 5 Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 3%

Where people moved in from

of 29,174 moves in

  1. 1 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 6%
  2. 2 Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 4%
  3. 3 Postsecondary Teachers, All Other Very high +2.0% 4%
  4. 4 General and Operations Managers High +5.0% 3%
  5. 5 Firefighters Low +3.7% 3%

Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).

Education and training for the occupation

Education people in it hold

Census survey (American Community Survey)

  • 1% less than high school
  • 13% high school
  • 29% some college
  • 25% associate's
  • 24% bachelor's
  • 8% master's
  • 1% professional degree

Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation · 611 people surveyed.

Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation

Programs that prepare people for it (NCES)
6 programs, such as Environmental/Natural Resources Law Enforcement and Protective Services, Fire Prevention and Safety Technology/Technician and Fire Services Administration.
See all
  • Environmental/Natural Resources Law Enforcement and Protective Services
  • Fire Prevention and Safety Technology/Technician
  • Fire Services Administration
  • Fire Science/Fire-fighting
  • Fire/Arson Investigation and Prevention
  • Fire Protection, Other

Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023

>99.5% this occupation

45.3% all occupations

By kindThis occupationAll occupations
a license52.2%19.1%
a certification30.7%5.8%
an educational certificate52.5%2.8%

Share of jobs whose employer requires it. BLS doesn't say which credential. How to read this

Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor

  • Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
  • Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
  • License Finder ↗ licenses by state
  • Apprenticeship Finder ↗ DOL lists 2 registered apprenticeships in this occupation (FIRE CAPTAIN; FIRE PREVENTION OFFICER). Apprenticeship.gov can't be linked to one occupation, so search for “First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers” there.

These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide

See where your own career could go Start by uploading your resume Browse careers

BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS

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