You were surprised at hawaii lol, highest cost of living in the US. Thank you for all your videos brother, i really appreciate it. Just did my interview earlier this month, still waiting for my letter to see if I get in. Thank you for all the guidance, tips and info. If i get in you would have been a major part of it. Mahalo 🤙🏽
Hi I’m a 22 year old guy, I was born in cuba, but I’m currently living in America, I’m fit, my background check is clean, I know how to cook, I know about construction, mechanics, painting, I’m bilingual, I don’t have a problem with doing the dishes or mapping the floors, I’m also a people person and I graduated as an English teacher back in cuba but i don’t really Wanna do that for a living any more. Becoming a firefighter is my dream since I was a kid, I’ve been watching ur videos for a while and I think I can be really helpful for a fire department but I’m scared to start the process because they might rather hire an American guy over me even when I speak perfect English. What do u think about it I need some advice. Thank u for ur service, thank u for ur time a thank u for making this awesome content.
Canadian here. First class firefighter (4 years to get first class) is currently $103,939 CAD with LOTS of overtime opportunities in my department. That's roughly $82,750 USD base salary. That being said, most people are working a bit of overtime a year to make 125,000 + CAD.
Can you make a video on the pros and cons of being in a smaller department compared to a larger one. Would like to see the insight of being in a smaller department. Thank you
Would love to see a video on this. Personal perspective: smaller = more freedom, more personable and close relationships, less resources, less training, less calls. Bigger = more structured, more resources, more rescues, calls, training, more opportunities to train into specialty type roles
Im from Greece and here the normal firefighters is making around 1.500€ per month which is a really good salary in comparison to the rest of the jobs here. My father was one and i am thinking on doing this job too im 17 years old yet and until the previous year i was hoping to become a physics teacher but with a physics degree in Greece there aren't many jobs to do and a normal school teacher is making around 800-85O€. Im still in a dilemma on what job to do so im watching your videos to decide.
@@moreenaramirez1471 started out at about 1000$ and then after three checks a particular fraternal insurance company (police and firefighter insurance) kicked in for life, cancer and accidental insurance and it dropped to 937. Upon graduation it’ll jump up again to about 2 hundred or so more. I intend to start practicing (holistic - acupuncture massage) medicine on off days once I finish academy and that’ll balance things for me. I didn’t take this on for the money though. Also the insurance and benefits are substantial.
@@ryansflightreviews5394 yup a week. I graduated academy and now am working on the floor. So it’ll be interesting to see. All the aff and officers have businesses or jobs they work that they enjoy additional to ff. I’ll start my acupuncture practice soon.
Yeah, in Montana having a degree or certifications helps a lot, at least at our department, it means the difference between (normal being 60,000, after degree and certs it’s more like 80,000, 90,000 sometimes even more depending on ranks.
Here in Greenville SC they start around $38,000 starting off with an EMT certification and no experience. Pay gradually rises as you gain experience and it seems to get around $47-60k on average. Of course there’s plenty of opportunity for overtime to greatly increase that pay if you want to sign up for all the city events and such.
@@timesup5105 I'm not totally sure how it works I'm still in recruit class at Greenville City. It's salaried, but if you pick up anything over your scheduled shifts (24/48) it's overtime. At least that's how the Greenville does it. I'm not sure how Parker does it.
Thanks for the great content. I have an opportunity to become a firefighter this coming fall and thinking about it. I found your channel a few weeks ago.
I’m from Trinidad and Tobago been a firefighter for a couple years now and our salary converted from TTD to USD is $18000.00 USD a year...it’s kinda sad when you think about it given the risk we go into but it is what it is i suppose
Your videos are really great. I was curious how does vacation time work for firefighters? Do firefighters get vacation time and do they get it based on so many hours per year or days per year this is the question I was curious about thank you?
I know you've answered this, but thought I would float it out there.. I'm 37, going through the volunteer program here in Nova Scotia.. I am motivated to make the move to a career FF, but have self-doubt that I am too old. I'm fit for duty, but am nervous to actually leave my current career and go for it... Thoughts? Thank for the vids, they have been a huge help during my time in making this decision..
FDNY cutoff is 29 years old, with credit given for military service...but due to the time it takes to even get to that point, it's definitely not something you can decide to do as an afterthought. You realistically have to start the process at 18 because the process takes a few years and you have an age deadline. For example, you might decide at 18 to apply, but the city may have just finished the process and created an eligibility list. In that case they won't hold another test for 4 years. So you'll be 22 by the time you can take the next test.
I'm from San Diego that offers a higher salary too but the cost of living is super high, I wonder what places actually have firefighters live more comfortably going off their wage/cost of living ratio ...I ask a lot of questions lol
@@lycanbarron6181 I do not work with the SDFD :( . I'm trying to get on it too, I recommend you do all the prerequisites for the job and Fire technology courses at Miramar. I worked as a wildland ff but trying to transition to a municipal one! FEMA has courses you can take for free that will look good on your resume as well :)
I live across the water from Seattle, in a much much smaller town, and although the cost of living is getting a bit higher due to covid, I'd get wages just like Seattle. I'd be rich living here as a firefighter
Suburbs outside of Chicago, especially Northwest and west burbs. Most start mid 60's and top out in high 80's or 90's. We also have quite a few that are in the 6 figures but we combine fire and ems so you gotta be a medic.
Hey, I’m from Orland park a suburb south west of Chicago maybe 45 mins away and really interested I. Becoming a firefighter do you know exactly which suburbs they are that are makin those salaries
The information below is from Mesquite, Texas Base Salary (Effective January 1, 2021) $63,147.02 per year starting $66,300.98 per year after one year of service $69,615.83 per year after two years of service $73,102.29 per year after three years of service $76,747.43 per year after four years of service $80,594.17 per year after five years of service $84,623.88 per year after six years of service
I am not a firefighter, but in my opinion a lot of those salaries absolutely suck! I hope that firefighters can negotiate better pay for themselves, rather than continue to walk into a job that is paying just enough to live and might not even qualify for proper housing. We need many people to fill those positions but how can we expect for them to be filled with such a lowball salary?
I was just going to say this. On average the entire stats of florida might not be that high but if you seperate south florida from north and central florida, south florida (miami dade, broward, and palm beach) pay pretty high. But north florida like Tallahassee or central florida like orlando is much lower from what I’ve heard. I work in south florida and make pretty good pay also overtime plus even more overtime due to covid has been a lot the last 2 years. But in south florida most departments only hire firefighters that are also certified paramedics also
Huh, this is great. Awesome video. I make $62,000 in Ohio. So above the 50% average. I'm ok with that. It makes sense that Cali is some of the highest. My house in Ohio would be worth $500,000+ in those regions.
@@arturogotti3790 I am in Southwest Ohio. You gonna be in Miami Twp, Green Twp, Colerain Twp? Also, career firefighter medics in this area start anywhere between $40k-$60k (some higher) and a max out in the high 80s and 90s.
Here in St. Louis County most departments start out around 56 to 60,000 a year and top out around 90,000 a year but obviously with overtime people make a lot more than that. Across the Mississippi the metro east suburbs in Illinois the paid departments here make as much if not more than the guys in stl county and city.
depends on where you live. for example raleigh nc makes you a city employee as soon as the academy starts therefore you’re being paid to train. the starting salary as a firefighter for rfd is like 46k which is pretty good imo
IT’S ALL RELATIVE! Remember, cost of living effects salaries. If you live in a high cost of living area like I do, you can expect a bit more. Like I said, it’s all relative.
Damn the salary for a competent firefighter here in the UK is 31k, or 37k if you're in London. If you live in the southeast of england that's barely enough to live on your own in a crappy flat, in london it's impossible unless you're sharing
Im 27 and I’ve been a technician for scba for almost 9 years now. Ive worked with mostly Scott, MSA, Drager and Sperian. I’ve worked SCBA’s, Masks and Bottles with different NFPA compliances from 97 to 2018. I want do the firefighter course at my local institution. What are some things I can do to become a real asset to the team. Thanks in advance.
I am a Junior in high school and I have been wanting to start taking the steps to becoming a fire fighter. I live in Washington so I luckily will be making a little bit more then some other states but I really just want a job that is going to leave and impact. I want to know I am making a difference in someone's life. What steps do you recommend for me or what videos do you have that could help me? Again I am a Junior in High School.
what im doing i joining the navy so that i have the resume advantage of being in the military but most importantly a branch where they make you a firefighter by default. if youre interesting in the medical scene, having an EMT cert is a huge boost in pay aswell as priority in selection.
10:10 how the contract might be for two years or three years ? it’s not like if I become a firefighter I work until I retire or if I want to quit before retiring?
Hey mike great video and thank you for the content. Is there anyway that you can make a video for people that are interested in getting into the fire service but are uncertified? For example i am soon gonna apply to the Miami dade fire rescue, since they take a pool of uncertified and certified candidates. Do you have any advice for me as an uncertified candidate besides scoring very well in the civil service exam?
Important to understand these numbers are for just the Firefighter position, not Fire Engineer, Fire Captain, Battalion Chief, Division Chief Etc. Salaries obviously go up as you promote. These are also base salaries and don’t include overtime which is a part of most jobs.
I didn't hear this in the video, but how often do firefighters get their paycheck? Is it weekly, every other week? Also, what age is someone able to start being a volunteer Firefighter?
A lot of vfds have Junior programs and allow juniors (after some training) to ride on the truck to emergencies and do more menial tasks on scenes. Generally Juniors have to be 15-18 or somewhere around that. Call the department to ask.
I haven’t watched this yet, but the title was funny to me. “With actual numbers”. Uh, yea. When someone asks how much someone makes, they usually want to know the actual numbers. 😂
I've been on websites and it says the average but my question is does it include Hazard pay, overtime, and extra pay (incentives) some offer for higher education/training?
No, those are just average pay. Depending on the department you get extra pay for certain certifications and definitely have an opportunity to make more with overtime
I’m 27, just passed my NREMT and just applied for my city fire entrance exam.. I just wanted to ask if it’ll be impossible for me to get accepted...? due to financial and family obligations, I’ve been in college for the last 9 years on and off, and still going. Along with that, there are a few bad grades on my college transcript, and wasn’t sure if that would ultimately hurt in the background and personal history statement? I’d like to know your take on that... @FirefighterNOW
We definitely work harder as EMT paramedic and a firefighters and highly called area of any given state . We can triple your calls and all of a sudden y’all wanna make the same amount of money we do for doing less . And the cost of living. 24 1/2 years when I got a family man things look different to me than it does for rookie firefighter in a low income high call area. We run day in all day . The lazy boy gets paid better than you should. If you really about that life.
Thats it? Our Country is ass backwards. Actors make all that money and are still allowed to keep their jobs if they get out of shape or get high whenever they want.
Can I get an Instagram or a email? I’m in the army and would love how I can better myself now to hopefully get on to a Texas fire department, thank you
I have never understood why firefighters command so much respect. My proof is that the pay is often politically subsidized union work and has nothing to do with supply and demand (you could hire good people for a lot less money). When Oakland, California, was looking to add to their staff a few years ago, over 1000 applied. I realize this is not true in all areas, but many have fat-cat jobs with a lot of free time. Where am I wrong?
In my opinion, if you're curious about how much you're gonna make then you're not really doing it for the passion, You're just doing it for the money and the status that comes with it.
![How Much Do Firefighters Make? [with actual numbers]](/img/logo.svg){kind=logo}
