A revealing guide to a career as a firefighter written by acclaimed author Jeff Wilser and based on the real-life experiences of the heroes of the St. Louis fire department—required reading for anyone considering a path to this profession. Becoming a Firefighter takes you behind the scenes to find out what it’s really like, and what it really takes, to become a firefighter. Author Jeff Wilser imbeds with one of the oldest departments in the country, the St. Louis Fire Department, to show how this high-stakes profession becomes a reality. Discover what it’s like to fight a three-alarm blaze; attend fire academy; prepare for routine calls; and rigorously train for worst-case scenarios. Gain professional wisdom from the beloved fire chief as well as a decorated 25-year veteran field commander. Firefighting is a calling, and those who choose this path are devoted to their work—here is how this life-saving job is actually performed by the best in the field.

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Do you want to be a firefighter? Open this book to find out what adventures await! This book will help kids to imagine what it's like to be a firefighter! Starting with putting on the uniform and then jumping into the truck to rush off to save people and put out a fire, this book provides an early introduction to a day in the life of a busy firefighter. The surprise mirror at the end provides a fun, interactive bonus!

A career as a firefighter is an exciting one! But do you really know what it takes to become one? This book takes you inside the career and shows you the day and the life of a firefighter. Inside you’ll learn what they do, what training is required, what the future holds, and how you can become one!

This version includes all 21 chapters of Essentials of Fire Fighting, 6th Edition and adds three chapters written and validated to meet the emergency medical and hazardous materials requirements of NFPA® 1001, 2013 Edition. Chapter 22 specifically addresses the Firefighter I and Firefighter II knowledge and skills requirements for the emergency medical care competencies identified in NFPA® 1001, 2013 Edition Chapter 4. Chapters 23 and 24 meet the First Responder Awareness and Operations Levels for Responders according to NFPA® 472: Standard for Competence of Responders to Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction Incidents, 2012 Edition and OSHA 1910.120. The chapters also provide validated content to meet Section 6.6, Mission-Specific Competencies: Product Control, of NFPA® 472. The hazardous materials information is adapted from the IFSTA Hazardous Materials for First Responders, 4th Edition.

This book will assist future firefighters specifically prepare for a career in the fire service. This book is meant to be your starting point to get you headed in the right direction as you begin the process of becoming a fire fighter.