First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers
Also called: Supervisors of Firefighting Workers
Directly supervise and coordinate activities of workers engaged in firefighting and fire prevention and control.
Also called: Battalion Chief, Chief, Crew Boss, Crew Chief, Deputy Fire Marshal, Division Chief
Median pay
$93,530
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$53,430 – $140,010
People employed
99,140
Holland code
ERC
Enterprising · Realistic · Conventional
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Are you OK working more than 40 hours a week?
- 2.Do you want to lead or coordinate other people’s work?
- 3.Are you OK with physical risk, such as hazardous equipment or conditions, with proper training?
- 4.Do you enjoy serving customers or the public?
- 5.Do you want a lot of freedom to make your own decisions?
- 6.Are you happy talking and working with people most of the day?
- 7.Do you work well under tight deadlines?
The hard parts
- Mistakes can have serious consequences
- Tight deadlines are common
- Dealing with conflict is part of the job
First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (49 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers salary in every state →
What first-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers do
- 01Provide emergency medical services as required, and perform light to heavy rescue functions at emergencies.
- 02Maintain fire suppression equipment in good condition, checking equipment periodically to ensure that it is ready for use.
- 03Assign firefighters to jobs at strategic locations to facilitate rescue of persons and maximize application of extinguishing agents.
- 04Communicate fire details to superiors, subordinates, or interagency dispatch centers, using two-way radios.
- 05Serve as a working leader of an engine, hand, helicopter, or prescribed fire crew of three or more firefighters.
- 06Evaluate size, location, and condition of fires.
Skills that matter most
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Speaking
- Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
Knowledge
- Customer and Personal Service
- Education and Training
- Public Safety and Security
- Personnel and Human Resources
- Building and Construction
Work styles that stand out
- Integrity
- Cooperation
- Achievement Orientation
- Self-Control
- Stress Tolerance
Education and first steps
O*NET has no education survey data for this job.
How people get started
- Usually needs vocational training or an associate degree (O*NET Job Zone 3).
- Related work experience: none.
- On-the-job training: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years.
- A professional certification is often expected.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from first-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers75% · −15%
- Facilities Managers74% · +14%
- Fire Inspectors and Investigators74% · −19%
- Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers72% · −19%
- Transit and Railroad Police69% · −4%
Change into first-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists86% · $56,870
- Fire Inspectors and Investigators79% · $75,920
- Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers77% · $76,210
- Airfield Operations Specialists75% · $56,850
- First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers74% · $58,430
Majors that lead here
- Environmental/Natural Resources Law Enforcement and Protective Services
- Fire Prevention and Safety Technology/Technician
- Fire Services Administration
- Fire Science/Fire-fighting
- Fire/Arson Investigation and Prevention
- Fire Protection, Other
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.