Characteristics of a Firefighter
Firefighters can be seen as brave and daring individuals who are able to put aside fear and be willing to put their own lives at risk in order to save the lives of other people. You have likely heard and seen fire trucks racing to the scene of a fire or major accident and anxiously looked through your newspaper the next day to see how bad the incident was and how duties were performed.
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Teamwork
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When fighting a fire or dealing with a major incident, whether that be from an automobile pile up or something more sinister, such as a deliberate act of sabotage or terrorism, a firefighter must always be ready and willing to perform his tasks as a team member. This includes maintaining effective relationships with colleagues who are both above and below him in rank, giving and accepting constructive criticism and always remembering that the team as a whole will be stronger than any individual member of it.
Staying Calm
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When others around her are losing control and breaking down under the emotional stress of the danger they are in or have just survived, a firefighter must always show that she can be a cool head that will rationalize a situation and keep control of herself and others. Within this ability to stay calm regardless of the dangers and fears, a firefighter must maintain a professional approach so that she can make critical decisions that may determine the life or death of herself or others.
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Strong Values and Ethics
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A firefighter must not only have strong values and ethics, but also be willing to show that she is able to act upon them. She must be willing and patient, be non-judgmental toward people and their actions and be patient and serving toward all people she meets in the performance of her professional duties. She should also show a strong and positive attitude at all times.
Work Under Extremely Stressful Conditions
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A firefighter must be able to work and perform duties when the conditions are very bad and probably very dangerous. As well as this, he must be able to maintain high levels of concentration and potentially deal with critically injured or severely traumatized people while continuing to do his work.
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References
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