Matthew Kotcher Benchmark 2: Future Skill: Actual research Exhibit: Career Proof Working conditions: Firefighters are employed

by fire departments across the country. Fire departments are funded by governments at the local, state, and federal levels. Some private companies have their own internal fire fighting services. Firefighting is an essential service, and fire halls must be ready to respond to emergencies at any time, 2 hours a day, !"# days a year. As a result, most firefighters wor$ on a shift system in which they ta$e turns wor$ing %&'hour days and % 'hour nights, to a total of about 2 hours a wee$. (hey may also have to wor$ every other wee$end and on holidays. )t is typical for firefighters to ta$e %# to 2& vacation days a year. Firefighters are often e*posed to the elements. +ne day they may be standing in the free,ing cold on a highway, cleaning up after an accident. (he ne*t they could be e*posed to fires burning at hundreds, or even thousands, of degrees with hundreds of pounds of e-uipment on their bac$s. .aturally, firefighting can be a dangerous occupation. Some firefighters are in/ured on the /ob and some have been $illed. (herefore, they must undergo constant training to ensure that safety precautions and techni-ues are $ept up'to' date. A great deal of time in a fire hall is focused on e*ercises that are designed to build a sense of discipline and team spirit, such as running drills, e*ercising, meticulously chec$ing and cleaning the e-uipment, and cleaning the hall itself. Job Description: )f you are the type of person who en/oys a physical challenge, the satisfaction of helping people in need, and maybe even the thrill that a dangerous situation can bring, you might want to consider a career as a firefighter. A burning building is a matter of life and death. 0hen most people hear a fire alarm or see smo$e, they get out as -uic$ly as they can. Firefighters are the professionals who run into the burning buildings to save lives and -uell the bla,e. (hese highly trained individuals must respond to the emergency scene on a moment1s notice. 2ears of rigorous training and continuous drills allow them to act as a highly coordinated team under the command of the captain and chief. Firefighters must be prepared at all times for an emergency, whether it is a high' rise fire, an e*plosion at a factory that stores ha,ardous waste, or a cho$ing

Matthew Kotcher victim at a restaurant. (hey may be re-uired to s-uee,e into tight, airless spaces, climb great heights, and haul 2&&'pound victims down %3 floors to safety. (his can be all in a day1s wor$ for a firefighter. 4ven the selection process for firefighters is a grueling procedure. Applicants must display above average physical and mental strength and stamina to withstand the rigors of the /ob. )f they are selected, firefighters must continually train and upgrade their s$ills both as individuals and as a team. (here are many s$ills that firefighters must develop. (hey must be able to use and operate a*es, hoses, ladders, and chainsaws, and drive the large pumper and aerial truc$s. Above all, they have to learn to 5read6 fires in order to safely contain them. Finally, they need some medical training to treat the victims who are overcome by smo$e and heat. Another important part of this /ob is educating the public about fire prevention. (he goal of firefighters is to raise safety standards and awareness of the dangers of fire. +ther duties may include fire inspection and prevention, recruiting, administration, and preparing emergency response plans for special events, such as parades.