Performing as an Emergency Firefighter in the Navy is one of the more dangerous career choices, but one that has a lot of excitement too. The Navy teaches all of its personnel on board ship how to fight fire, in fact everyone that goes through Navy boot camp is taught basic firefighting as part of their basic Navy indoctrination. But the people who choose firefighting as their rating have a special kind of courage, the kind that occurs when you know your job will take you into harms way on a regular basis. Working as a Navy Emergency Services Firefighter is a mission oriented, face paced occupation, where attention to rescue and safety operations is job one. Sailors and Airmen that choose this field are taught that when accidents happen, they have the training to respond immediately to help
As a Navy Emergency Firefighter crewmember, you may be called upon to engage in shipboard damage control, to help in rescue operations, or provide emergency medical care. You may be called upon to fight fire one moment, and then provide one of these other duties at the same time, or nearly the same time. Individuals who choose this rating or billet are trained to respond to the unexpected, to expect the un- usual, and given skills and training on how to deal with emergencies that would overwhelm most people. As a Navy Firefighter you may be called upon to:
-Act as the Fire marshal on board ship.
-Operate and manage fire-fighting equipment.
-Give medical and lifesaving emergency treatment to sailors and troops in the field or afloat.
-Operate sound powered and electrical communications gear.
-Use and operate radiological, biological, chemical and fire fighting specialty equipment.
Get your free career info here
Fighting fire when afloat is very serious, you cannot walk away from the fire, you either put it out or you sink. So the professionals that are trained as Navy Firefighters are given some of the best training available in the world. You will be taught damage control, basic and advanced firefighting techniques, and use of emergency equipment. Sailors or Airmen in this field can be pressed into service or assigned for duty literally anywhere that the United States Navy serves, on board ships, submarines, on shore, as part of a Special Operations unit, or as a member of an Air Squadron.
April 29th, 2009 at 11:34 pm
Hello, enjoyed you article on Navy Firefighters. I do not know what the rate is now but I think it is Damage Controlman. When I was in the Navy, 1978-1981, Hull Maintenance Technicians took care of that too. This rate was broken apart in the 80’s, but before it was the job never had a moment rest. First is the HT part: plumber, carpenter.welder, sheet metal worker then comes the Damage Control: outfitting repair lockers, daily checks on all firefighting equipment, train crew, set up repair locker assignment, train, train, train.
But, in the four years I was in, I was in on 2 fires on my destroyer and in the face of the real things it was the HT that took control and put the fire out. It was out job, or half of our job!!
October 24th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
i am 23 years old, currantly in the fireservice in the uk. i am very interested in joining the navy as a firefighter. i really enjoy the job i do especially the physical side. could you please side me some information. thankyou
December 8th, 2009 at 11:03 am
Iam intrested in information on this because currently iam a firefighter with my local fire company and I have a member that was a navy firefihter and now he works for the mechanisburg army depot He told me about this carrer qand it sound very good I now that I do want some kind of firefighteing carrer aim going to school for fire since next year.
December 16th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
I would like to talk to some one before i choose a path to reach my goals in life. But i am very very intrested in being a FIrefighter in the navy.