What a Day Looks Like for a Firefighter in Australia

What firefighters do all day may have piqued your curiosity, especially if you are aspiring to do the job of a professional firefighter in Australia.

It’s not like every hour or every day there’s a fire incident or emergency within your area that needs to be attended to, so what does a day in the life of a firefighter look like.

If you dream of becoming a firefighter, this will answer most of your questions.

How Firefighters Start Their Day

How firefighters begin their day varies from each fire station and their rankings.

Generally, firefighters start the day with a group meeting, where they discuss and agree on the objectives for the day, and everyone gets assigned to their tasks.

On some days, the first priority of firefighters is to check their trucks. When assigned to a specific truck, a firefighter should do an inventory of all the gear, making sure that everything that’s meant to be on the truck is ticked off and is ready-to-go.

Other firefighters attend professional training and development classes. Experienced firefighters are usually the ones who train the newbies.

The Mundane Tasks of Firefighters

When there are no reports of incidents yet, firefighters usually spend the rest of the day doing administrative tasks. It’s a common practise that firefighters are the ones who also clean their offices. Some firefighters consider these the less glamorous parts of the job, but this makes them well-rounded.

Responding to Fire and Emergencies

The job of a firefighter is a bit dynamic; it goes beyond just responding to fire incidents. When you’re a firefighter, you also address other types of emergencies such as flooding and water rescue, car crashes, chemical spills, and other medical emergencies.

Emergencies also come in small and big sizes. In some car accidents, firefighters just wash away the mess on the ground. On rare occasions, firefighters also help people who are trapped or people who need medical help.

Firefighter’s Working Hours

If you’re planning to become a full-time firefighter, you will be working an average of 40 hours a week. This will vary depending on the state, fire station, and your role.

Most fire services follow this shift duty system: two days (9am–6pm), two nights (6pm–9am), followed by four periods of 24 hours off. Another shift system is where firefighters work four-day shifts (6am–6pm) and then have four days off.

Firefighters’ Sleeping Patterns

Another frequently asked question for firefighters is if they get to sleep a lot. If the answer is based on the duty shift stated above, then firefighters will get enough sleep.

However, it has to be taken into consideration that some firefighters report to work 24 hours. When this happens, they usually take naps during their down time, which is usually in the afternoon.

Is Firefighting a Stressful Job?

The answer is yes. Like any other profession in Australia, there will always be stress that comes with it. Especially as a firefighter, it’s a dangerous career that can cost you and the ones you’re saving.

But if it’s your dream job to become a firefighter and after reading all the information above makes you still want to pursue the career, then it should be worth it.