Fire Chiefs and Senior Firefighting Officers

(NOC 0432)

in All Management

Fire chiefs and senior firefighting officers oversee firefighting operations and fire prevention activities in fire departments. Fire chiefs and senior firefighting officers work for municipal and federal governments and industrial businesses with firefighting services.

Job Outlook

Undetermined

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  • Estimate change in employment not available for this occupation.
  • Estimate 0 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate rate of unemployment not available for this occupation.

Compared to: All Management

  • Estimate 2445 employment change, 2021-2023
  • Estimate 5900 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate rate of unemployment not available for these occupation.

Hourly Pay

N/A

Minimum

N/A

Median

N/A

Maximum

Annual Pay

N/A

Minimum

N/A

Median

N/A

Maximum

Compared to: All Management

Hourly Pay

$22.50

Minimum

$43.80

Median

$66.20

Maximum

Annual Pay

$10,632

Minimum

$55,002

Median

$124,014

Maximum

About the job

Nature of work

Fire chiefs and senior firefighting officers oversee firefighting operations and fire prevention activities in fire departments. Fire chiefs and senior firefighting officers work for municipal and federal governments and industrial businesses with firefighting services.

Job duties

Fire chiefs and senior firefighting officers:

  • Develop, implement and evaluate policies and procedures for the management of a municipal fire department, a district fire region or an industrial firefighting service.
  • Plan, direct and coordinate firefighting strategies for fire departments.
  • Evaluate the type of fire, the extent of damage to buildings and the danger to nearby businesses.
  • Direct activities at the scene of a fire.
  • Determine damage estimates and investigate the potential causes of a fire after extinguished.
  • Develop and oversee the completion of security and fire prevention campaigns.
  • Represent the fire department in communications with government, the media and the public.
  • Direct the training of staff in firefighting methods.
  • Coordinate and monitor budget and departmental resources.

Sample job titles

  • deputy fire chief
  • fire chief
  • fire department chief
  • fire department duty officer
  • industrial fire chief
  • senior firefighting officer

Skills

  • You must be in excellent health and physical condition. Mental alertness, courage, and mechanical ability are necessary. You must be able to perform under stress, react quickly, and be willing to take risks. Leadership and problem-solving skills are needed, as well as the ability to cooperate in a team effort.

Job requirements

  • High school.
  • A college program in fire protection technology, fire science or a related field.
  • A provincial or municipal firefighters training course.
  • A minimum of ten years of experience as a firefighter is usually required before becoming eligible for a senior officer position.

Other considerations

  • Firefighting is one of the most hazardous jobs, involving risk of injury and death. Most paid employment exists in the more heavily populated areas of the province, while smaller communities rely more on volunteer firefighters. Experience as a volunteer firefighter may be an advantage for entry to paid positions.

By the numbers

Quick look

< 50

employed in 2016

100.0%

employed full-time

0.0%

self employed

0.0%
Icons/female Created with Sketch.
100%
Icons/male Created with Sketch.
49.1

median age

Compared to: All Management

44,250

employed in 2016

91.2%

employed full-time

18.9%

self employed

40.5%
Icons/female Created with Sketch.
59.5%
Icons/male Created with Sketch.
48.7

median age

Where will I likely work?

42.9%

Halifax

N/A
28.6%

Annapolis Valley

N/A
28.6%

Cape Breton

N/A

Compared to: All NS Occupations

47.0%

Halifax

15.6%

North Shore

12.9%

Annapolis Valley

12.7%

Cape Breton

11.8%

Southern

Top Industries of Employment

100.0%

Public administration

What is the age of Employment?

43.0%

45-54

29.0%

55-64

29.0%

35-44

Compared to: All Management

30.7%

45-54

23.1%

35-44

21.7%

55-64

14.0%

25-34

7.8%

65+

Top levels of education

33.3%

High school

N/A
33.3%

College Diploma

N/A
33.3%

Bachelor

N/A

Compared to: All Management

27.2%

Bachelor

$71,875 median annual income
23.8%

High school

$42,294 median annual income
20.4%

College Diploma

$50,256 median annual income
9.1%

Master

$93,261 median annual income
7.2%

Trade Certification

$44,396 median annual income

Education & training

Crisis/Emergency/Disaster Management

College, Trades, or University Program

These programs focus on applying the incident command system model to formulating and implementing effective response to natural and man-made disasters. They include courses in contingency planning, hazard and risk assessment, joint operations, law and ethics, emergency response and recovery, event mitigation, emergency rescue and medical operations, incident command, terrorism and national security issues, law enforcement, relief administration, volunteer and citizen coordination, public relations and applications to specific types of incidents.

Institutions providing this program

Cape Breton University

Sydney, NS

Nova Scotia Community College

Various, NS

Fire Science/Firefighting

College or Trades Program

These programs prepare students for the duties of firefighters. They include courses in firefighting equipment operation and maintenance, principles of fire science and combustible substances, methods of controlling different types of fires, hazardous material handling and control, fire rescue procedures, public relations and applicable laws and regulations.

Institutions providing this program

Nova Scotia Firefighters School

Waverley, NS

Fire Services Administration

College, Trades, or University Program

These programs prepare students to structure, manage, direct and control fire departments, fire prevention services, fire inspection and investigation offices and ancillary rescue services.

Institutions providing this program

Dalhousie University

Halifax, NS

Intercultural/Multicultural and Diversity Studies

College or University Program

These programs focus on the dynamic social relations between and among majority and minority groups and different minority groups, and ways to promote mutual tolerance, inter-group cooperation, and the leadership and management of diverse groups and diversity issues in family, educational, recreational, and work settings. They include courses in ethnic and cultural studies, group psychology, sociology, anthropology, conflict resolution, human services and resources, and applications to various functional environments.

Institutions providing this program

Dalhousie University

Halifax, NS

Saint Mary's University

Halifax, NS

Employment requirements & contacts

No regulating bodies were found under this occupation profile

Contacts

Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency Service
Dartmouth, NS
Nova Scotia Firefighters School
Waverley, NS

Additional resources

There are no additional resources for this occupation.

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