Fireman vs apparatus operator

The differences between firemen and apparatus operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an apparatus operator has an average salary of $53,045, which is higher than the $47,094 average annual salary of a fireman.

The top three skills for a fireman include emergency calls, safety standards and auxiliary equipment. The most important skills for an apparatus operator are emergency calls, public safety, and firefighting.

Fireman vs apparatus operator overview

	Fireman	Apparatus Operator
Yearly salary	$47,094	$53,045
Hourly rate	$22.64	$25.50
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	47	25,692
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 37%	Associate Degree, 50%
Average age	39	39
Years of experience	-	-

Fireman vs apparatus operator salary

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

	Fireman	Apparatus Operator
Average salary	$47,094	$53,045
Salary range	Between $30,000 And $73,000	Between $35,000 And $79,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between fireman and apparatus operator education

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

	Fireman	Apparatus Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 37%	Associate Degree, 50%
Most common major	Business	Fire Science And Protection
Most common college	-	-

Fireman vs apparatus operator demographics

Here are the differences between firemen' and apparatus operators' demographics:

	Fireman	Apparatus Operator
Average age	39	39
Gender ratio	Male, 88.2% Female, 11.8%	Male, 96.0% Female, 4.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.1% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 1.8% White, 69.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	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	3%	3%

Differences between fireman and apparatus operator duties and responsibilities

Fireman example responsibilities.

Implement logistics support and material plan to manage advance shipment of hazardous goods to area of responsibility.
Educate fire department personnel regarding firefighting, paramedic procedures, hazardous materials and fire prevention.
Train in CPR, ship firefighting duties, and protection from biological and chemical attack.
Train in cpr and rescue techniques.
Maintain any electrical, plumbing, and hardware.
Perform all the plumbing tasks and some HVAC jobs as well.

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.

Fireman vs apparatus operator skills

Common fireman skills

Emergency Calls, 14%
Safety Standards, 14%
Auxiliary Equipment, 5%
CPR, 5%
Diesel Engines, 4%
HVAC, 3%

Common apparatus operator skills

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

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Fireman vs Apparatus Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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