To pursue a career as a firefighter I am considering going into either the Air Force or the Navy as a firefighter to gain experience My question is which one would be the better choice?

Answer 1

Navy, by far. I don't say that just as a Sailor - it's that Fire is just an everyday part of every sailor's life aboard ship. There are so many things that can cause a fire aboard ship, ever sailor receives training in fire and damage control that stays with them for years. Even 20 years later, it is still a part of me.

Naval Carriers are inherently dangerous, particularly on the flight deck during launch and recovery operations. While all sailors are trained in shipboard Damage Control (which includes all aspects of fire control), Aviation Boatswain's and other flight deck crewmen are specially trained in fire and rescue. In the Air Force, not everyone is trained in fire and rescue at the same levels that sailors are, as Fire is a real world part of everyday shipboard life. Hydraulic fires, fuel, electrical, paper, etc. You name it and it's something every sailor is trained on. Additionally, something you may not have considered is that sailors typically receive additional training in NBC casualty control. And I'm not talking about the liberal broadcast network either.

For example, during my Navy career (see my bio page) I was a Submarine Sonar Technician, which on a Submarine is part of the Weapons Division. Though all sailors as I said receive shipboard DC training, Submariners get extra training, as do those on Carriers and other ships. It is drilled into you on a regular basis, and stays with you the rest of your life.

About 9 years ago, I woke to hear my wife yelling at me to get up. I was recovering from a recent operation and was pretty drugged up. I had not heard the smoke alarm go off, which was from a fire that had started in my daughter's room from a bad power strip. As soon as she said "Fire", it was just like something kicked in. I didn't hesitate, knew exactly what to do. I was able to knock it down with a fire extinguisher before it hit the cieling - it was damned close.

That's not the only time it's helped me either. About 2 years ago, recovering from another operation (bad pattern huh?) I accidentally dropped a gallon jug of drain cleaner I had picked up to move, and as it turned out the lid wasn't on properly. The acid spurted out of the bottle and hit me under the chin, and up the side of my face. Fortunately I was wearing long sleeves and ballcap or it would've been a lot worse. As soon as it hit me, I instinctively headed for a water faucet, and had water on the wounds within 30 seconds. The instinct came from my Navy training, and I left Active Duty in 1988. The Plastic Surgeon told me it would've been a lot worse had I not flushed it immediately. As it turned out, the only thing you can see is minor pigmentation difference where the burns were and they're hardly noticeable.

Even on board ship, drills aside, the potential for the real thing is a real possibility. After a major turbine generator failure which sent an electrical surge down a main electrical bus, we experienced 7 electrical fires from stressed units over the ensuing weeks.

Though it doesn't happen often, accidents do happen on Carriers as well.

My point is, that regardless of where you're posted or what you do, the Navy's operations always include the risk of fire, and is the reason all sailors receive basic training in firefighting and damage control in boot camp, and advanced training when they get to their commands. The potential for real-world experience is also a distinct possibility. Dangerous - damned right. But if that's the world you're looking to join, you won't get better training or opportunities to learn. Fire is the #1 casualty concern for the Navy on ships, and especially on submarines where oxygen supplies are limited. If fires are not put down quickly, O2 in a space can be rapidly consumed. Every type of fire possibility is trained for - in fact, the first thing most submariners are expected to learn once they report aboard is the location of every piece of firefighting and DC gear aboard, as well as emergency communications devices and usage, and qualification in firefightin and damage control.

Don't misunderstand - the Air Force does train their firemen well in their techniques. But the possibility of Fire is a pervasive part of every sailor's life aboard ship, and I don't know anyone who has not had to deal with it at least once in their careers.

Carriers are the best place to learn the craft - not only firefighting but rescue techniques are taught as well for certain ratings. You should check out the various Aviation Boatswain specialties and other Aviation ratings to see which one would suit you the best if your interest is around aircraft fire and damage control.