Policemen and Firefighter jobs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Policemen and Firefighter jobs - Essay Example There are many things that these two careers have in common. However, each career includes features that set it apart as unique form the other. There is a very big difference between being a police officer and being a firefighter. When one has to choose between the two they are not called upon to make a very easy choice, although some are predisposed by their opinions to choose one or the other. Each person has their own particular reasons why they prefer the career that they chose. Some of the similarities of these two positions can be found in Table 1. Differences will be listed latter in this paper. There are three main points at which these career paths vary form one another. The careers of police and firefighters differ in purpose, perception, and priority. Table 1: Similarities between Police and Firefighters Police Firefighter Danger on the Job Danger on the Job Working with the public Working with the public Specialty Training required Specialty Training Required Government J ob Government Job Team Work Required Team Work Required Requires Organizational Skills Requires Organizational Skills Requires courage Requires Courage As listed in Table 1, both police and firefighters are exposed to danger when on the job. The danger of being a police officer comes mainly from dealing with criminals. Officers can be shot or otherwise hurt by violence. Many police officers die in the line of duty. It was reported that 56 American police officers were killed feloniously in 2010 (FBI National Press Office 2011).They also face a risk from injury when in purist of a suspect. The high speed car chases that they engage in can end in a horrible car crash. The danger imposed upon firefighters are not caused more often by people, but by natural elements, namely fire. It was reported that 87 firefighters were killed on the job in 2010, a figure that is higher than that of the police (USFA n.d.). Firefighters stand the risk of being burnt alive in an exploding building. Of co urse, one cannot fail to mention the September 11 attach on the world trade center where hundreds of firefighters were killed, although there were some police officers who also lost their lives. Firefighters also can die from smoke inhalation or expose to other chemicals. Many firefighters also serve as EMT’s (Emergency Medical Technicians) and can be placed in danger by being exposed to infectious patients. Both being a police officer and a firefighter are jobs that come with some risk of mortality. The positions of police officer and firefighter both require that the people works with the vernal public. After all, these are service jobs and these officers and firefighters work to grant serve to the genital population. The motto of many police districts contain the notions that the purpose of a police officer is to protect the public and serve them. Police officers do not just go around arresting people they think has committed a crime. They settle disputes among neighbors a nd even refer homeless people to shelters. They also work in monitoring and do odd jobs like directing traffic in the event of an accident or other emergency. Firefighters do a lot of the general public as well. They save people from burring buildings and perform inspections to ensure that homes are safe from the advent of a fire. These two careers are also similar in that they are both government jobs that requires specialized training. In order to become police officer, trainees must spend weeks living at an