AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 33-2011.00

Will AI replace Firefighters?

Firefighters: AI can already handle 1 of 30 tasks; the work mostly needs a standard-tier model.

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Every task, scored

The 30 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Firefighters, from most to least exposed. 1 reach 60 or more, the level at which AI already handles a task.

Task AI exposure Evidence Model tier Importance
Assess fires and situations and report conditions to superiors to receive instructions, using two-way radios. 65 Estimated Standard 4.6
Dress with equipment such as fire-resistant clothing and breathing apparatus. 55 Estimated Frontier 4.6
Respond to fire alarms and other calls for assistance, such as automobile and industrial accidents. 55 Estimated Efficient 4.6
Select and attach hose nozzles, depending on fire type, and direct streams of water or chemicals onto fires. 55 Estimated Efficient 4.5
Operate pumps connected to high-pressure hoses. 55 Estimated Efficient 4.4
Collaborate with other firefighters as a member of a firefighting crew. 55 Estimated Standard 4.4
Patrol burned areas after fires to locate and eliminate hot spots that may restart fires. 55 Estimated Standard 4.3
Collaborate with police to respond to accidents, disasters, and arson investigation calls. 55 Estimated Standard 4.3
Participate in fire drills and demonstrations of fire fighting techniques. 55 Estimated Standard 4.3
Prepare written reports that detail specifics of fire incidents. 55 Estimated Efficient 4.3
Protect property from water and smoke, using waterproof salvage covers, smoke ejectors, and deodorants. 55 Estimated Efficient 4.2
Inform and educate the public on fire prevention. 55 Estimated Standard 4.2
Orient self in relation to fire, using compass and map, and collect supplies and equipment dropped by parachute. 55 Estimated Standard 4.2
Take action to contain any hazardous chemicals that could catch fire, leak, or spill. 55 Estimated Efficient 4.0
Administer first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation to injured persons or provide emergency medical care such as basic or advanced life support. 55 Estimated Efficient 3.0
Search to locate fire survivors. 55 Estimated Efficient 3.0
Move toward the source of a fire, using knowledge of types of fires, construction design, building materials, and physical layout of properties. 50 Estimated Standard 4.6
Participate in physical training activities to maintain a high level of physical fitness. 35 Estimated Efficient 4.3
Train new employees to control and suppress fires. 35 Estimated Efficient 3.0
Inspect fire sites after flames have been extinguished to ensure that there is no further danger. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.5
Maintain contact with fire dispatchers at all times to notify them of the need for additional firefighters and supplies, or to detail any difficulties encountered. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.4
Maintain knowledge of current firefighting practices by participating in drills and by attending seminars, conventions, and conferences. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.3
Clean and maintain fire stations and fire fighting equipment and apparatus. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.2
Inspect buildings for fire hazards and compliance with fire prevention ordinances, testing and checking smoke alarms and fire suppression equipment as necessary. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.2
Rescue survivors from burning buildings, accident sites, and water hazards. 15 Estimated No tier 4.7
Create openings in buildings for ventilation or entrance, using axes, chisels, crowbars, electric saws, or core cutters. 15 Estimated No tier 4.5
Position and climb ladders to gain access to upper levels of buildings, or to rescue individuals from burning structures. 15 Estimated No tier 4.5
Salvage property by removing broken glass, pumping out water, and ventilating buildings to remove smoke. 15 Estimated No tier 4.2
Drive and operate fire fighting vehicles and equipment. 8 Estimated No tier 4.5
Extinguish flames and embers to suppress fires, using shovels or engine- or hand-driven water or chemical pumps. 8 Estimated No tier 4.0

Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 0 of 30 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 30 of 30. Importance is O*NET's 1 to 5 rating of how central the task is. Model tier is the lowest tier that can do the task under the published rubric; "No tier" marks hands-on work.

The model tier this role needs

A standard-tier model or lower covers 76% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 79% of the work is something AI can address at some tier, and 21% is hands-on.

Efficient, standard and frontier tiers come from the JobRoute model tier reference. The recommended tier is the lowest one that covers 80% of the work AI can address. How the method works.

Wages, employment and outlook

US employment
345,990
Median annual wage
$59,280
Middle half of earners
$44,490 to $77,250
Projected change, 2024 to 2034
+3.4%

Employment and wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national. Projection: BLS Employment Projections 2024 to 2034.

Adjacent roles

The occupations that reuse the most of this role's skills, with the usual time to move. These are the first places to look when you plan to redeploy or retrain people in this role.

Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.

Questions about Firefighters and AI

Will AI replace Firefighters?

AI already handles 1 of the 30 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 39 out of 100. JobRoute scores tasks, not whole jobs, so the score shows how much of the work changes rather than whether the job disappears. BLS projects employment to change by +3.4% from 2024 to 2034.

What is the AI exposure of Firefighters?

39 out of 100 on JobRoute's task exposure measure, the importance-weighted average of the role's O*NET task scores. Higher means more of the work is AI-doable today. 0 of the 30 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 30 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.

Which Firefighters tasks can AI already do?

The tasks with the highest exposure are: Assess fires and situations and report conditions to superiors to receive instructions, using two-way radios. It is the only task that reach 60 or more.

What AI model tier does this role need?

A standard-tier model or lower covers 76% of the role's importance-weighted task work, and 21% is hands-on work that no model tier covers. JobRoute assigns each task the lowest tier that can do it under a published rubric and recommends the lowest tier that covers 80% of the work AI can address.

How many people work as Firefighters, and what do they earn?

345,990 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $59,280 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of +3.4% from 2024 to 2034.

How to cite

Data version 2026-11-02, JobRoute method v1.0.0. Download all occupations or this occupation as JSON. Methodology.

JobRoute (2026). AI exposure: Firefighters. Data version 2026-11-02, method v1.0.0. Built on O*NET 30.3, BLS OEWS May 2025 and the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026). CC BY 4.0. https://www.jobroute.ai/jobs/firefighters

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