Many changes in the fire service occurred during my 31.5 year career, the most important, in my opinion, being more emphases placed upon Medical Aid response and the creation of paramedics and EMTs. There has also been a tremendous improvement in equipment, training and communications. Training, Physical Conditioning, Engine Company Inspections, Fire Prevention Inspections, Fire preplanning, mapping, records and reports, equipment testing, maintenance and repair, station and grounds maintenance and repair, etc. Preparing for promotions takes many hours of study, both on and off duty. Competition for promotions in the fire service is intense, and if you don't really apply yourself through hours and hours of hard study, you will soon be left by the wayside.
College degrees are very helpful, as well as required for some promotions.
Sometimes it gets a little overwhelming whenever you think about all that a firefighter has to know, and have a working knowledge of, in order to cope with the emergencies you may be faced with. The learning never stops. Your life, and the life of your fellow firefighters and public depends upon it. Being a Firefighter is a tremendously stressful profession. Each one of us learns his or her own way to handle the stress.