Fire Chief / Marshal
Quick Facts
Median Salary$86,614
Most Common EducationBachelor's degree
Projected 10-Year Growth+15.18%
Assessment MatchTake the Assessment
What They Do
A Fire Chief manages the operation of a fire station and leads teams of firefighters at the site of a fire. A Fire Marshall leads safety inspections of buildings to ensure compliance with local fire codes, and leads investigations to determine the cause of a fire.
Core Tasks:
- Assign firefighters to jobs at strategic locations to facilitate rescue of persons and maximize application of extinguishing agents.
- Provide emergency medical services as required, and perform light to heavy rescue functions at emergencies.
- Assess nature and extent of fire, condition of building, danger to adjacent buildings, and water supply status to determine crew or company requirements.
- Communicate fire details to superiors, subordinates, or interagency dispatch centers, using two-way radios.
- Serve as a working leader of an engine, hand, helicopter, or prescribed fire crew of three or more firefighters.
- Instruct and drill fire department personnel in assigned duties, including firefighting, medical care, hazardous materials response, fire prevention, and related subjects.
- Maintain fire suppression equipment in good condition, checking equipment periodically to ensure that it is ready for use.
- Evaluate the performance of assigned firefighting personnel.
- Direct the training of firefighters, assigning of instructors to training classes, and providing of supervisors with reports on training progress and status.
- Perform maintenance and minor repairs on firefighting equipment, including vehicles, and write and submit proposals to modify, replace, and repair equipment.
- Schedule employee work assignments and set work priorities.
- Monitor fire suppression expenditures to ensure that they are necessary and reasonable.
- Participate in creating fire safety guidelines and evacuation schemes for nonresidential buildings.
- Maintain required maps and records.
- Drive crew carriers to transport firefighters to fire sites.
- Inspect stations, uniforms, equipment, or recreation areas to ensure compliance with safety standards, taking corrective action as necessary.
- Evaluate fire station procedures to ensure efficiency and enforcement of departmental regulations.
- Direct firefighters in station maintenance duties, and participate in these duties.
- Recommend personnel actions related to disciplinary procedures, performance, leaves of absence, and grievances.
- Perform administrative duties, such as compiling and maintaining records, completing forms, preparing reports, or composing correspondence.
- Direct investigation of cases of suspected arson, hazards, and false alarms and submit reports outlining findings.
- Recommend equipment modifications or new equipment purchases.
- Supervise and participate in the inspection of properties to ensure that they are in compliance with applicable fire codes, ordinances, laws, regulations, and standards.
What to expect as a Fire Chief / Marshal
1Earn a Bachelor's degree
35% of people achieve this level of education.
2Gain skills and experience
See Fire Chief / Marshal related courses on Tallo
3Land a job
373 openings for Fire Chiefs / Marshals
Career Progression
in United States (Nation)
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