Fire fighter vs apparatus operator

The differences between fire fighters and apparatus operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a fire fighter has an average salary of $56,792, which is higher than the $53,045 average annual salary of an apparatus operator.

The top three skills for a fire fighter include CPR, public safety and non-emergency calls. The most important skills for an apparatus operator are emergency calls, public safety, and firefighting.

Fire fighter vs apparatus operator overview

	Fire Fighter	Apparatus Operator
Yearly salary	$56,792	$53,045
Hourly rate	$27.30	$25.50
Growth rate	6%	4%
Number of jobs	3,398	25,692
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 31%	Associate Degree, 50%
Average age	49	39
Years of experience	8	-

Fire fighter vs apparatus operator salary

Fire fighters and apparatus operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Fire Fighter	Apparatus Operator
Average salary	$56,792	$53,045
Salary range	Between $35,000 And $89,000	Between $35,000 And $79,000
Highest paying City	East Chicago, IN	-
Highest paying state	Indiana	-
Best paying company	1 8 3 Lanes	-
Best paying industry	Technology	-

Differences between fire fighter and apparatus operator education

There are a few differences between a fire fighter and an apparatus operator in terms of educational background:

	Fire Fighter	Apparatus Operator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 31%	Associate Degree, 50%
Most common major	Fire Science And Protection	Fire Science And Protection
Most common college	-	-

Fire fighter vs apparatus operator demographics

Here are the differences between fire fighters' and apparatus operators' demographics:

	Fire Fighter	Apparatus Operator
Average age	49	39
Gender ratio	Male, 81.9% Female, 18.1%	Male, 96.0% Female, 4.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 5.8% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 2.3% White, 76.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%	Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 13.3% Asian, 2.0% White, 69.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
LGBT Percentage	7%	3%

Differences between fire fighter and apparatus operator duties and responsibilities

Fire fighter example responsibilities.

Lead infantry teams in combat operations, providing tactical and technical guidance to subordinates and professional support to superiors.
Administer medical care to injure people, providing CPR, first aid, as well as other emergency responses.
Task with testing SCBA, centrifugal pump systems, foam induction systems, structural gear inspections and HAZMAT equipment.
Cut and clear brush, dig trenches in order to create fire lines, using axes, chainsaws or shovels.
Maintain SCBA equipment and records.
Serve as paramedic on ALS transport ambulance.

Apparatus operator example responsibilities.

Manage the fleet of fire trucks, ambulances, and other vehicles.
Train subordinates in general and specialize firefighting skills.
Maintain firefighting apparatus equipment in a constant state of readiness.
Communicate any equipment problems and repairs need to supervisor.

Fire fighter vs apparatus operator skills

Common fire fighter skills

CPR, 7%
Public Safety, 7%
Non-Emergency Calls, 6%
Fire Prevention, 5%
Fire Suppression, 4%
Hazmat, 4%

Common apparatus operator skills

Emergency Calls, 34%
Public Safety, 12%
Firefighting, 7%
Responder, 7%
EMS, 6%
Training Classes, 4%

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Fire Fighter vs Apparatus Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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