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Firefighter/medic skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
Quoted experts
Kevin Walker,
Kevin Walker
Firefighter/medic example skills
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical firefighter/medic skills. We ranked the top skills for firefighter/medics based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 12.0% of firefighter/medic resumes contained medical emergencies as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a firefighter/medic needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 firefighter/medic skills for your resume and career

1. Medical Emergencies

Here's how firefighter/medics use medical emergencies:
  • Dispatched to over 50 medical emergencies varying from pediatric illnesses and severe trauma incidents, to airway management and CPR.
  • Fight fires rescue victims from fires respond to medical emergencies treat victims with basic and advanced first aid

2. CPR

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR is a medical procedure that involves chest compression to help a patient breathe. This artificial ventilation helps in keeping the brain function in place and regulates blood throughout the body. CPR is a lifesaving procedure that is used in emergencies.

Here's how firefighter/medics use cpr:
  • Skilled in administering medical life-saving procedures such as CPR and first aid as well as offering grief support to distraught individuals.
  • Administer first aide and CPR to victims adversely effected by fire, smoke or trauma.

3. Responder

Here's how firefighter/medics use responder:
  • Certified by North Mississippi EMS Authority as an Emergency Medical Responder.
  • Obtained medical first responder medical license.

4. Advanced Life Support

Here's how firefighter/medics use advanced life support:
  • Provide basic and advanced life support treatment to patients within the pre-hospital environment.
  • Functioned as an Emergency Medical Technician, rendering basic and advanced life support interventions under the supervision of a paramedic.

5. EMT

Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) provide urgent and emergent patients who enter the emergency medical services (EMS) system for out-of-hospital emergency medical treatment and transportation. EMTs are trained to stabilise and evacuate patients in a variety of situations, from non-emergency to regular hospital transports to life-threatening emergencies. Under the supervision of a physician, EMTs work as part of a robust EMS response scheme.

Here's how firefighter/medics use emt:
  • Performed building fire inspections, plan reviews, community training, firefighter and EMT.
  • Worked as EMT on two-man, fire-rescue unit handling 20+ calls per day.

6. Fire Suppression

Fire suppression is the term used to describe any group of engineering systems designed to put out the fire in a building in the event of its unfortunate occurrence. Fire suppression systems are built to detect fire outbreaks and prevent them from escalating. The system usually comes with an alarm to alert residents so the fire can be extinguished on time before it spreads out.

Here's how firefighter/medics use fire suppression:
  • Experience responding to multiple/various emergencies such as medical, trauma, fire suppression, hazardous materials and transportation/motor vehicle incidents.
  • Performed fire suppression activities, utilized vehicle extrication equipment, and specialized tactical rescue equipment.

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7. Fire Prevention

Fire prevention skills are essential to investigate buildings to review that all local, state and federal fire regulations are followed. Apart from obtaining a certification from the NFPA, you should develop skills including the ability to communicate clearly, and an understanding of how fire prevention equipment and fire alarms work.

Here's how firefighter/medics use fire prevention:
  • Dedicated to serving the public and educating the community on fire prevention and safety.
  • Follow chain of command and do community service by doing fire prevention.

8. Medical Care

Here's how firefighter/medics use medical care:
  • Respond to emergency incidents by performing firefighting, rescue and emergency medical care; and completing appropriate documentation for emergency incidents.
  • Perform thorough patient evaluation and intervene with appropriate medical care and/or requesting assistance with medical care.

9. Medical Services

Here's how firefighter/medics use medical services:
  • Performed emergency medical services in extremely successful conditions.
  • Served as a field EMS supervisor responsible for the management of daily operations of the Division's emergency medical services.

10. Fire Safety

Here's how firefighter/medics use fire safety:
  • Work with the public and local schools teaching fire safety and prevention.
  • Interact with the public to promote fire safety.

11. Fire Service

Here's how firefighter/medics use fire service:
  • Delivered quarterly didactic and practical training in fire service practices to department firefighters and officers.
  • Understand, organize and manage the necessary machinery and equipment to correctly handle any specific circumstance needed in the fire service.

12. ALS

Here's how firefighter/medics use als:
  • Assist ALS personnel to perform electrocardiograms, provide intravenous therapy, specimen collection
  • Organized medication boxes/inventory and provided ALS care

13. Fire Protection

Here's how firefighter/medics use fire protection:
  • Serve the community by providing fire protection as part of the third largest fire department in the state of Missouri.
  • Provide fire protection and medical response to the city of Pope, MS and surrounding areas.

14. Medical Procedures

Here's how firefighter/medics use medical procedures:
  • Supported Supervisor in Emergency Medical procedures Cared for Emergency Patients at scene of accident or emergency Transported patients to Emergency Care Facilities
  • Well-rehearsed in field emergency medical procedures to correct life-threatening situations using quick decision making, resourcefulness, and meticulousness.

15. Patient Assessment

Here's how firefighter/medics use patient assessment:
  • Performed patient assessment and provided appropriate care as outlined by protocols and medical direction during transport and prior to safe handover
  • Maintain complete and accurate documentation of patient assessment and treatment as applicable to system or operations which assigned.
top-skills

What skills help Firefighter/Medics find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on firefighter/medic resumes?

Kevin Walker

College of Business, Eastern Oregon University

Everyone has roughly the same basic skills required for a position, or they're simply unqualified. Skills that stand out tend to be those that go above and beyond the basics. For example: Do you speak a second (or more) language? Do you have education or training in advanced oral and written communications? Do you have proficiency in office suite applications, particularly in Excel? Have you gained expertise in grant writing? Have you trained in a specialty area such as rescue diving or high-angle rescue? Have you acquired specialty certifications through a recognized authority (particularly if your new department has a need for them and no resources to send someone to train)?

What soft skills should all firefighter/medics possess?

Kevin Walker

College of Business, Eastern Oregon University

In my opinion, the soft skills that are the most important, in no particular order, are emotional intelligence (the ability to 'read the room'), intercultural competency (the ability to interact with multiple cultures without offending everyone), the ability to work in a team environment (leading OR following), communication (especially under high-stress conditions), managing stress (poor stress management leads to health and performance issues), understanding conflict management and how to effectively deal with it, being open to constructive criticism, and understanding leadership. That's particularly important in that leadership is often equated with being a "born leader," which is mostly nonsense. You actually have to study leadership and learn to apply it. There are many leadership styles, and you have to match one to your personality. Understanding what works and what doesn't and, most importantly, WHY? This includes the ability to identify and understand leader/follower motivations so you can work effectively as a leader. Obviously, you can write a treatise on each of these soft skills, and many people have (and there are other recognized soft skills), but these are the soft skills that I've had the most experience and feedback as being most in demand.

What hard/technical skills are most important for firefighter/medics?

Kevin Walker

College of Business, Eastern Oregon University

Identifying the most important technical skills is rather dependent on the department and position being sought. Required skills are usually set by regulations, SOGs, or SOPs, so identifying those as 'most important' misses the point. They're a minimum job requirement. However, understanding of and adherence to established standards and training is absolutely critical! Emergency situations are not the place to wing it. Learning to 'read' a fire or EMS scene, learning to assess threats and evaluate resources and options quickly and accurately, and learning to apply resources effectively to minimize loss and maximize life and safety are as essential to a career as to how to connect a hose, climb a ladder, or start an IV.

What firefighter/medic skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Elyse Zavar PhDElyse Zavar PhD LinkedIn profile

Associate Professor, University of North Texas

Skills working with people will always be critical for professionals in homeland security. Along with that, the ability to learn and adapt are vital in a dynamic field with evolving technology, emergent hazards, and changing policies. In the next 3-5 years, we will only see increased demand for these skills, especially as climate change continues to alter hazards and risks.

What type of skills will young firefighter/medics need?

April HeinzeApril Heinze LinkedIn profile

NENA's 9-1-1 and PSAP Operations Director, NENA

If graduates are looking for a position within public safety communications, some skills and abilities they would need include, but are not limited to, the following:

Skills:
-Keyboarding/Typing
-Multitasking
-Decision-making
-Critical thinking
-Verbal and written communication skills
-Ability to work as a team
-Active listening/hearing
-Customer service
-Call control
-Conflict resolution
-Problem-solving
-Analytical
-Troubleshooting

Abilities:
-Quick decision-making
-Empathy
-Respect
-Patience
-Even-temper
-Integrity
-Lifelong learner
-Dependable
-Flexible
-Efficient
-Detail-oriented
Do you want to know more?
Read more about what experts have to say about firefighter/medic

List of firefighter/medic skills to add to your resume

Firefighter/medic skills

The most important skills for a firefighter/medic resume and required skills for a firefighter/medic to have include:

  • Medical Emergencies
  • CPR
  • Responder
  • Advanced Life Support
  • EMT
  • Fire Suppression
  • Fire Prevention
  • Medical Care
  • Medical Services
  • Fire Safety
  • Fire Service
  • ALS
  • Fire Protection
  • Medical Procedures
  • Patient Assessment
  • Hazmat
  • Firefighting
  • Acls
  • Vehicle Accidents
  • Water Rescue
  • Patient Care
  • Haz-mat
  • EMR
  • Resuscitation
  • SCBA
  • BLS
  • Medical Calls
  • Fire Hazards
  • Life Support Care
  • Emergency Situations
  • Emergency Services
  • Fire Apparatus
  • EKG
  • IV
  • Fire Calls
  • Fire Alarms
  • Public Education
  • Emergency Incidents
  • Emergency Care
  • Emergency Vehicle
  • Vital Signs
  • Fire Equipment
  • Rescue Operations
  • Building Inspections
  • Blood Pressure
  • HIPAA

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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