The work of firefighters is aimed at improving people's safety conditions, acting preventively in public spaces, dealing with emergencies to protect and save lives, extinguishing fires, carrying out rescues and drawing up civil protection plans, special plans, risk maps to reinforce safety in buildings, equipment and facilities.

Consequently, firefighters are qualified to manage serious rescue and relief situations, such as extinguishing fires, rescuing people and dealing with emergency situations, such as accidents or environmental disasters. They work in close coordination with the health services and the security forces when required and usually as an emergency.

In the case of Catalonia, the fire department carries out the functions of fire prevention and extinguishing, and rescue services assigned to the Government of Catalonia and coordinates its services throughout the territory except in the city of Barcelona, which has its own fire department. Thus, firefighters intervene in all types of emergencies with the aim of neutralising the situation of danger and its consequences: firs, landslides and floods in buildings, home or in nature, hurricanes and other disasters, rescues in very diverse areas such as mountains, water, homes, railway infrastructures, rescue of people trapped in traffic accidents, interventions in situations of personal risk such as suicide attempts, removal of dangerous elements, etc. They also work on operational prevention, both to minimise the risk of accidents and to be better prepared in the event of an accident.

The means and tools with which they work are diverse and essential to carry out their work correctly. These means include vehicles equipped with water or foam for cases where water cannot be used; aerial means (fixed-wing aircrafts, firefighters) or rotary-wing (bomber or command helicopters); hoses, ladder trucks, personal protective equipment (PPE), and all kinds of tools adapted to current uses and technologies.

Traditionally, fire departments were born out of the need to extinguish fires in urban areas but have evolved to be able to deal with any emergency that involves a risk to the lives of people and/or property and goods.

• To extinguish fires and, and in the case of any accident or emergency, to act in order to minimise damage, both personal and material, within the territorial context of its competence.
• To carry out prevention activities in order to avoid or reduce the risk of fires and accidents, within the framework of specific regulations for each area. Among these activities, in municipalities without municipal fire prevention and extinction services, they are responsible for informing on new construction, renovation or activity projects, and to inspect establishments and public buildings in order to determine compliance with fire prevention regulations.
• To study and investigate techniques, installations and systems for protection against fires related to specific regulations in this area.
• To intervene in civil protection operations and draw up the respective action plans of the fire-fighting services.
• To intervene in maritime rescue operations, if required by the competent authorities.
• To intervene in water and mountain rescue operations and in mountain rescue.
• To investigate and analyse accidents in which they are involved in order to report the causes and consequences of the accident and the damage caused.
• To carry out information and training activities for the general public aimed at limiting the causes and consequences of fires and accidents and to increase citizens¿ self-protection.
  

Regulated training and graduates

Complementary training

To become a firefighter, you must pass a public competitive examination in accordance with current legislation. The administrations that organise these competitions are the city council of Barcelona and the Generalitat de Catalunya. The rules for these competitions are published in the Official Journal of the Generalitat de Catalunya.

In the competitive examination process, different tests must be passed: general knowledge test, theory-practical test, physical aptitude tests, personality and skills tests, among others. Once you have passed the competitive examination, you also must pass a training course at the Fire Service and Civil Protection School, at the Institute for Public Security of Catalonia.

In order to perform the tasks of a firefighter properly, it is advisable to undergo continuous training in various areas of knowledge:

• transport of hazardous materials

• cartography and knowledge of the territory

• intervention in urban fires

• rescues from heights

• forest fires

• advanced health knowledge

• interventions in traffic accidents

• interventions in nuclear, radiological, biological and chemical accidents, among others
  

Other specific skills

In order to take a competitive examination for the fire brigade, you must meet certain requirements:

• Have Spanish nationality.

• Be at least 18 years old and not exceed the age established for compulsory retirement.

• Have completed at least secondary school education (or equivalent).

• Not have any disqualifying medical condition.

• Have a minimum height of 1.55 m for women, and 1.60 m for men.

• Hold a valid Type-C driving licence (category C1, C and C1E).
  

Self-confidence: Level 2

Self-control: Level 3

Commitment to the organisation: Level 2

Flexibility and change management: Level 2

Customer orientation: Level 2

Analytical thought: Level 2

Safety

Those who prefer to work in the field of security enjoy carrying out duties of protection, security and surveillance of individuals, goods, data or information. Activities such as protecting people who work with an entity and their staff in order to prevent offences and crimes, as well participating in processes that investigate criminal activity are examples of the professional tasks that comprise this field. Knowing the laws that are applicable in the field or professional context within which this task takes place is key when carrying out these kinds of activities.

Police officer

Occupational health and safety specialist at construction projects

Facilities Maintenance Technician

Private investigator

Job analyst

• Work hours

  40 hours per week, distributed in 24-hour shifts.
  
  

• Salary

  Remuneration depends on the category, level and speciality. The inspector of the fire department of the Generalitat de Catalunya (the most senior position) is paid between 53,000 and 90,000 euros gross per year, while the most basic level of firefighter is paid between 35,000 and 40,000 euros gross per year.
  
  

• Other features

  This occupation requires a high degree of commitment to community service, as the different tasks may involve risky situations in the provision of services.
  
  

• Professional category

  Technician