Fireboat Operator

Part Firefighter, part Marine Pilot, all hero—the Fireboat Operator occupies an exclusive but vital niche in the emergency services world. Necessarily confined only to bodies of water, the Fireboat Operator steers and maintains a powerful firefighting vessel, and often directs its crew during responses. Whether it’s a disabled or burning vessel, a seaside structure on fire, or anything in between, if it can be reached by boat and people need help, the Fireboat Operator will be there.

Like any other Firefighter, the Fireboat Operator is part of a trained team. Engineers and Firemen fill out the crew and are responsible for the other duties on board. In this position, you need to be able to lead effectively and deal with different personality types under pressure.

When you’re on the water and dealing with fire, anything can happen. Your safety training and teamwork skills are the only thing that will get you and your team all back home safely.

Firefighters often live in the firehouse while they’re on call, sometimes for days at a time. Otherwise, you could be confined within a certain response area, or some combination of these arrangements.

Either way, being a Fireboat Operator is more than a full-time job. Fire doesn’t wear a wristwatch. When it’s time to save lives, it’s time to save lives. Prepare for long periods of waiting, training, and maintaining, punctuated by brief periods of immense challenges and lifesaving.