Firefighters
Also called: Fire Engineer, Fire Equipment Operator, Fireman, Wildland FirefighterControl and extinguish fires or respond to emergency situations where life, property, or the environment is at risk. Duties may include fire prevention, emergency medical service, hazardous material response, search and rescue, and disaster assistance.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 3 of its 30 tasks, and 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, 1.2% 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 94% 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.4.3 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $47,600 | $37,150 to $59,520 | 7,260 |
| Alaska | $58,830 | $42,510 to $74,650 | 1,040 |
| Arizona | $59,280 | $46,750 to $77,690 | 7,500 |
| Arkansas | $39,690 | $33,560 to $52,000 | 2,480 |
| California | $85,120 | $65,170 to $109,620 | 31,470 |
| Colorado | $74,170 | $60,970 to $101,260 | 6,510 |
| Connecticut | $77,630 | $64,180 to $81,810 | 2,970 |
| Delaware | $46,710 | $45,300 to $60,670 | 560 |
| District of Columbia | $75,870 | $65,090 to $92,110 | 1,480 |
| Florida | $58,550 | $45,900 to $75,840 | 24,570 |
| Georgia | $46,550 | $37,100 to $55,390 | 12,700 |
| Idaho | $47,320 | $35,380 to $76,280 | 2,240 |
| Illinois | $78,380 | $47,910 to $103,530 | 18,400 |
| Indiana | $62,780 | $50,300 to $75,860 | 8,530 |
| Iowa | $55,810 | $46,020 to $63,280 | 2,170 |
| Kansas | $45,900 | $37,440 to $57,950 | 3,360 |
| Kentucky | $37,150 | $33,390 to $48,120 | 5,150 |
| Louisiana | $33,120 | $27,510 to $44,770 | 5,230 |
| Maine | $48,290 | $43,420 to $59,290 | 2,480 |
| Maryland | $73,810 | $57,160 to $90,760 | 5,340 |
| Massachusetts | $72,800 | $61,800 to $80,070 | 11,940 |
| Michigan | $54,640 | $43,560 to $67,440 | 6,610 |
| Minnesota | $38,110 | $31,110 to $59,350 | 5,810 |
| Mississippi | $35,880 | $29,430 to $44,060 | 2,920 |
| Missouri | $49,080 | $37,340 to $64,170 | 6,580 |
| Montana | $59,310 | $47,770 to $68,100 | 1,010 |
| Nebraska | $61,040 | $51,910 to $61,040 | 1,070 |
| Nevada | $66,570 | $56,620 to $78,130 | 2,640 |
| New Hampshire | $56,620 | $45,050 to $63,650 | 2,700 |
| New Jersey | $84,130 | $61,340 to $106,330 | 7,500 |
| New Mexico | $41,590 | $36,520 to $48,290 | 2,420 |
| New York | $100,960 | $65,420 to $106,430 | 12,950 |
| North Carolina | $37,940 | $34,010 to $47,690 | 19,410 |
| North Dakota | $55,080 | $47,590 to $71,930 | 820 |
| Ohio | $59,370 | $40,710 to $74,250 | 18,100 |
| Oklahoma | $49,710 | $38,220 to $62,410 | 4,150 |
| Oregon | $70,900 | $49,420 to $90,980 | 3,790 |
| Pennsylvania | $73,460 | $56,210 to $89,190 | 5,020 |
| Puerto Rico | $37,120 | $32,000 to $42,560 | 1,780 |
| Rhode Island | $67,380 | $60,650 to $75,860 | 1,620 |
| South Carolina | $42,570 | $34,510 to $49,570 | 7,780 |
| South Dakota | $48,160 | $46,730 to $59,800 | 610 |
| Tennessee | $49,300 | $39,360 to $61,670 | 7,020 |
| Texas | $60,180 | $48,680 to $71,980 | 28,170 |
| Utah | $48,310 | $37,590 to $60,880 | 2,870 |
| Vermont | $46,430 | $37,100 to $59,600 | not published |
| Virginia | $58,670 | $46,200 to $70,530 | 11,160 |
| Washington | $94,520 | $72,300 to $105,540 | 7,560 |
| West Virginia | $37,350 | $32,950 to $44,100 | 900 |
| Wisconsin | $46,850 | $36,490 to $62,660 | 8,120 |
| Wyoming | $58,090 | $43,600 to $64,940 | 680 |
Nationally: $59,280. 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 3 of its 30 tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Not much | Rescue survivors from burning buildings, accident sites, and water hazards. | Not published |
| Not much | Dress with equipment such as fire-resistant clothing and breathing apparatus. | Not published |
| Not much | Respond to fire alarms and other calls for assistance, such as automobile and industrial accidents. | Not published |
| Not much | Move toward the source of a fire, using knowledge of types of fires, construction design, building materials, and physical layout of properties. | Not published |
| Not much | Administer first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation to injured persons or provide emergency medical care such as basic or advanced life support. | Not published |
| Not much | Drive and operate fire fighting vehicles and equipment. | Not published |
See all 30 tasks
| Not much | Maintain knowledge of current firefighting practices by participating in drills and by attending seminars, conventions, and conferences. | Not published |
| Not much | Maintain contact with fire dispatchers at all times to notify them of the need for additional firefighters and supplies, or to detail any difficulties encountered. | Not published |
| Not much | Extinguish flames and embers to suppress fires, using shovels or engine- or hand-driven water or chemical pumps. | Not published |
| Not much | Assess fires and situations and report conditions to superiors to receive instructions, using two-way radios. | Not published |
| Not much | Select and attach hose nozzles, depending on fire type, and direct streams of water or chemicals onto fires. | Not published |
| Not much | Operate pumps connected to high-pressure hoses. | Not published |
| Not much | Patrol burned areas after fires to locate and eliminate hot spots that may restart fires. | Not published |
| AI + software | Collaborate with other firefighters as a member of a firefighting crew. | Not published |
| Not much | Position and climb ladders to gain access to upper levels of buildings, or to rescue individuals from burning structures. | Not published |
| Not much | Create openings in buildings for ventilation or entrance, using axes, chisels, crowbars, electric saws, or core cutters. | Not published |
| Not much | Participate in fire drills and demonstrations of fire fighting techniques. | Not published |
| Not much | Search to locate fire survivors. | Not published |
| Not much | Collaborate with police to respond to accidents, disasters, and arson investigation calls. | Not published |
| Not much | Take action to contain any hazardous chemicals that could catch fire, leak, or spill. | Not published |
| Not much | Clean and maintain fire stations and fire fighting equipment and apparatus. | Not published |
| AI alone | Prepare written reports that detail specifics of fire incidents. | Not published |
| Not much | Salvage property by removing broken glass, pumping out water, and ventilating buildings to remove smoke. | Not published |
| Not much | Train new employees to control and suppress fires. | Not published |
| Not much | Inspect fire sites after flames have been extinguished to ensure that there is no further danger. | Not published |
| Not much | Participate in physical training activities to maintain a high level of physical fitness. | Not published |
| Not much | Protect property from water and smoke, using waterproof salvage covers, smoke ejectors, and deodorants. | Not published |
| AI alone | Inform and educate the public on fire prevention. | Not published |
| Not much | Inspect buildings for fire hazards and compliance with fire prevention ordinances, testing and checking smoke alarms and fire suppression equipment as necessary. | Not published |
| Not much | Orient self in relation to fire, using compass and map, and collect supplies and equipment dropped by parachute. | 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. 0 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 20 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.
- #4 Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise
- #38 Select materials or equipment for operations or projects
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protect people or property from threats such as fires or flooding | |||
| Intervene in crisis situations or emergencies | |||
| Monitor safety or security of work areas, facilities, or properties | |||
| Notify others of emergencies or problems | |||
| Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise | |||
| Select materials or equipment for operations or projects | |||
| Set up equipment | |||
| Perform athletic activities for fitness, competition, or artistic purposes |
Show all 20 activities
| Communicate with others about operational plans or activities | |||
| Investigate incidents or accidents | |||
| Maintain tools or equipment | |||
| Coordinate activities with clients, agencies, or organizations | |||
| Monitor environmental conditions | |||
| Inspect facilities or equipment | |||
| Train others on operational or work procedures | |||
| Train others to use equipment or products | |||
| Teach safety procedures or standards to others | |||
| Inspect commercial, industrial, or production systems or equipment | |||
| Record information about legal matters | |||
| Administer emergency medical treatment |
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 firefighters 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.
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 54,608 moves out
- 1 Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 6%
- 2 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 5%
- 3 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Moderate +3.8% 3%
- 4 Postsecondary Teachers, All Other Very high +2.0% 3%
- 5 Chief Executives Very high +3.2% 3%
Where people moved in from
of 44,347 moves in
- 1 Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 8%
- 2 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 4%
- 3 Security Guards Moderate +0.9% 2%
- 4 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Moderate +3.8% 2%
- 5 First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers High -3.7% 2%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 1% less than high school
- 17% high school
- 36% some college
- 21% associate's
- 22% bachelor's
- 3% master's
Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation · 3,562 people surveyed.
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation
5 programs, such as Environmental/Natural Resources Law Enforcement and Protective Services, Fire Prevention and Safety Technology/Technician and Fire Science/Fire-fighting.
See all
- Environmental/Natural Resources Law Enforcement and Protective Services
- Fire Prevention and Safety Technology/Technician
- Fire Science/Fire-fighting
- Wildland/Forest Firefighting and Investigation
- Fire Protection, Other
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
>99.5% this occupation
45.3% all occupations
| By kind | This occupation | All occupations |
|---|---|---|
| a license | 58.3% | 19.1% |
| a certification | 28.3% | 5.8% |
| an educational certificate | 74.6% | 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 10 registered apprenticeships in this occupation. Apprenticeship.gov can't be linked to one occupation, so search for “Firefighters” there.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
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
See it online, and explore any career: https://www.pathmosaic.com/card/33-2011.00