Jeremy Orozco has been a firefighter in California for seven years. He has an associate degree in fire science and a bachelor's degree in fire administration. He is passionate about saving lives and plans to remain in the profession, continue to expand his knowledge and expertise, and move up within the firefighting ranks. Through his education, Orozco became aware that some of the most basic firefighting information was not available online in a free format. He is now a co-founder of the website FireWhat.com and writes on the FireWhat Blog. The founders of the site aim to provide a free, professional platform that will serve as a source of information for firefighters and provide them with the inspiration to perform the highest quality of emergency service.

What do you do, and why did you decide to pursue this career field?
I'm a professional firefighter. I needed a career and found a passion.

What type of preparation did you do to get into this field, such as educational experience and work experience?
I started as an explorer firefighter and began doing various types of volunteer work. It took a combination of volunteering, education and experience. One semester, I lived full time at a volunteer fire department, maintained 15 bachelor's degree units, completed my firefighter II, instructor 1a and 1b, and completed my OEC (EMT equivalent) while on ski patrol. It’s hard work, but it’s all worth it.

If your education was directly related to your career, what types of classes and projects did you have to do?
I took as many classes and volunteered as much as I could. The job of a firefighter requires continual education.

How did your education help you in your career?
I was able to apply my skills from college to work generally done by chiefs. This gave me a number of great contacts and opportunities I wouldn’t have had otherwise.

What was your career path like in this field? For example, did you begin in one position and advance through others to reach where you are now?
It took me many years of volunteering as a firefighter to gain a professional firefighter position. Next week, I will be taking a promotional interview that was partially attributed to my education level.

What types of skills is someone required to have to work in your position?
There are too many skills to list. You need to be able to respond to and solve any possible emergency.

What do you do on a typical workday?
No day is typical. We train and respond to emergencies every day.

Do you plan to advance to another position within your career field? If so, to what position and why?
I plan to advance through the ranks to chief, but only when I’m ready with experience and education.

What type of person do you think is best suited for a job in your field?
A person that can communicate at the highest levels.

Do you have any advice for those who are looking to launch a career in your field?
It’s a career that most people are never able to obtain. Don’t think twice about getting a degree, just do it. Many old firefighters will discourage you from obtaining a degree because before it wasn’t necessary for firefighters. Today, education is valued more and more by fire departments. One of the most traditional fire departments in the nation just included a fire-service-related bachelor's degree in their supplemental for hiring firefighters. One of the first F.D. hiring processes is to specify a fire-related bachelor's. However, don’t get a degree to get a job. Get a degree because it makes everything in life easier. I’m currently part of a team that is creating the largest free firefighter educational resource. We hope to raise the training levels for firefighters of developing countries and make a huge impact on the fire service. None of this would have been possible without my education.