Firefighter/paramedic with seven years in a busy urban department running 2,000+ incidents a year. Serves as acting engineer and leads the station's EMS quality reviews. Brings fire suppression, advanced life support, technical rescue training and a steady presence on high-stress scenes.
Experience
Firefighter/Paramedic, Engine 11, Catawba Valley Fire Department (Catawba Valley, NC)
Jan 2021 – Present
Respond to 2,000+ fire, EMS and rescue incidents a year at one of the department's 5 busiest stations
Provide ALS care including cardiac arrest management, contributing to a 34% ROSC rate on station calls
Serve as acting engineer, operating pumps and inspecting apparatus each shift
Lead monthly EMS chart reviews in ESO, improving protocol compliance from 86% to 97%
EMT-Basic, Catawba Valley EMS (Catawba Valley, NC)
Mar 2019 – Dec 2020
Ran 12-hour shifts averaging 9 calls, with accurate patient care reports on every transport
Completed paramedic coursework while working full time
Volunteer Firefighter, Mill Creek Volunteer Fire Department (Matthews, NC)
Jun 2017 – Feb 2019
Responded to 150 fire and EMS calls a year as a volunteer
Education
A.A.S. Emergency Medical Science (Paramedic), Central Piedmont Community College (Jan 2019 – Dec 2020)
Firefighter I/II and Hazmat Operations, Catawba Valley Fire Recruit Academy (Jan 2021 – Jun 2021)
Skills
Fire: suppression, ventilation, search and rescue, pump operations, hydrant testing
Special operations: vehicle extrication, confined space, swift water awareness
How to write a Firefighter resume
A strong Firefighter resume shows the programs, policies and public services you delivered, the budgets and rules you worked within, and the measurable outcomes for residents. Put your most relevant recent role first and make every bullet show a result, not a duty.
Sections, in order
Summary
Experience
Education
Skills
Certifications
Length: One page for most candidates; move to two only if every line is relevant.
Summary: Write two or three lines: your role, your strongest skills, and one result that proves them.
Skills to feature
Policy analysis
Program evaluation
Budget development
Regulatory compliance
Stakeholder and community engagement
Grant administration
Data analysis (Excel, Tableau, ArcGIS)
Briefing and plain-language writing
Public procurement (FAR or state code)
Interagency coordination
Example bullet points
Cut average permit review time from 42 to 19 days by redesigning intake and adding online plan submission
Wrote the fiscal analysis for a $38M affordable housing bond approved by 61% of voters
Coordinated 14 agencies through a FEMA-funded hazard mitigation plan update adopted on schedule
Tips from recruiters
For federal roles on USAJOBS, list hours per week, GS grade and exact dates for each role, and mirror the specialized-experience wording in the announcement.
Name the laws, programs and funding streams you worked with (for example CDBG, FEMA BRIC, the FAR or the state open meetings act).
Quantify public impact in residents served, dollars managed or days saved rather than describing duties.
Recommended templates
Classic (ATS-friendly): Jake's-style LaTeX classic: small caps and hairline rules
Meridian (ATS-friendly): Modern serif with a hairline date rail on the right
Ivy (ATS-friendly): Harvard-style Times layout with centered headings
Firefighter resume FAQ
What should a Firefighter resume include?
A Firefighter resume should show the programs, policies and public services you delivered, the budgets and rules you worked within, and the measurable outcomes for residents. Use these sections in this order: Summary, Experience, Education, Skills and Certifications. Put your most relevant recent role first and make every bullet show a result, not a duty.
What is the best resume template for a Firefighter?
Classic, Meridian and Ivy work well for Firefighter roles. They are single-column with standard headings, so applicant tracking systems (ATS) parse them reliably.
How long should a Firefighter resume be?
One page for most candidates; move to two only if every line is relevant.
Which skills should a Firefighter put on a resume?
Prioritize the skills named in the job posting. Common ones for Firefighter roles are Policy analysis, Program evaluation, Budget development, Regulatory compliance, Stakeholder and community engagement and Grant administration.
How do I write strong Firefighter resume bullet points?
Start with an action verb, say what you did, and end with a measurable result such as residents served, budget managed and processing time. For example: "Cut average permit review time from 42 to 19 days by redesigning intake and adding online plan submission."