Career Explorer Protective services
Human edge, growing
Firefighters
Control 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.
Among the most resilient careers: more resilient than 91% of the 831 careers we score. AI exposure is low (the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates it low), and US jobs are projected to change by +3.7% by 2035, faster than average. The work leans on physical dexterity and ethical judgement.
AI struggles with much of this work, and US employers are expected to hire more people into it than average.
- Median pay (2025)
- $59,280
- Job growth to 2035
- +3.7%
- Openings a year
- 26,800
- People doing it (2025)
- 355,000
- Usual route in
- College certificate, then long on-the-job training
Where people already use AI for this work
- Set up equipment
- Select materials or equipment for operations or projects
- Communicate with others about operational plans or activities
From Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025).
Work AI rarely helps with
- 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
What the work looks like
- Rescue survivors from burning buildings, accident sites, and water hazards.
- Administer first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation to injured persons or provide emergency medical care such as basic or advanced life support.
- Dress with equipment such as fire-resistant clothing and breathing apparatus.
- Move toward the source of a fire, using knowledge of types of fires, construction design, building materials, and physical layout of properties.
- Drive and operate fire fighting vehicles and equipment.
From O*NET 31.0, US Department of Labor.
What the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects
- More of these jobs, as more frequent and severe wildfires will increase the demand for fire suppression.
Careers using similar strengths, with a stronger outlook
- Forest fire inspectors and prevention specialistsHuman edge, growing, Index 99, +13.1%
- Veterinary technologists and techniciansHuman edge, growing, Index 95, +9.4%
- Aircraft cargo handling supervisorsHuman edge, growing, Index 97, +9.2%
- Surgical assistantsHuman edge, growing, Index 99, +6.1%
Also known as: Fire Engineer, Fire Equipment Operator, Fireman, Wildland Firefighter, Fire Rescue Technician (Fire Rescue Tech), Fire Technician (Fire Tech), Forest Fire Suppression Specialist, Forestry Fire Technician (Forestry Fire Tech).
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Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025 to 2035; O*NET 31.0; Microsoft Research (2025); Anthropic Economic Index (2026); Eloundou and colleagues (Science, 2024); Felten, Raj and Seamans (2023). How we score. Updated 12 October 2026.