Police Officer and Firefighter: Two Great Careers - Essay Example

?Police Officer and Firefighter: Two Great Careers Police and firefighters are some of the most worthy professions around, featuring various simulates and differences. The positions of policeman and fireman are found among the all of the things that children may say they want to be when they grow up. These two choices are commonly picked, and for good reason. People who work in these positions are looked up to and beheld as heroes in the eyes of many. As well, these jobs are noble and respectable. Being a policeman or a firefighter often call for similar skill sets. 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 Job 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 course, 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 and 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 academic that has the specific purpose of training people to become officers. Firefighters do not have to live at their schools, but they are given intensive training that lasts for weeks. With both jobs physical fitness is required and much of the training curriculum has to do with aspects of fitness and health. As well, firefighters and police officers both have to work in teams. Police officers are often paired with a partner who rides with them while on patrol and helps them when they need immediate back-up. Firefighters are required to work in teams. It take more that one person to drive the fire truck and put out the fires. Firefighters have to work in large teams. When ever they are called to put out a fire they all must go to the scene and help. Both positions also call for a high level of organizational skills. Firefighters and police officers must properly care for and maintain their equipment. Finally, both jobs require a lot of courage. It takes great courage to dodge bullets and chase after hardened criminals, as is the case with police officers. It also requires a great amount of courage to run into burning building s to save someone else’s life. T hese two career paths are not only similar, but they also have some fundamental differences. These differences set each career path apart and help to make the job of the unsure party much easier. In fact, they are very many differenced that set each position apart. When choosing rather or not to be a police officer or a firefighter there is a lot of information that one can assess to decide which they would rather have. The position of firefighter and worker can be divided into many sections. During the coursed of this paper, the differences of police work and firefighters will be explored. The main purpose of a firefighter is to fight fires, as the name suggests. Fire is their specialty. These brave people know all about fire. They study what is called ‘fire science’ and are ever ready to come to the aid of anyone endangered by fire. Firefighters are generally considered to be life savers. They have earned this tile by all of the live that they have rescued. When a fire breaks out someone can call the emergency number and firefighters will arrive to put out the fire. If there is anyone present in the burning building a firefighter will rush in to find them and pull them out. They are not intimidated by the presence of fire. They have come to understand it and use it intelligently. They understand what materials must be used to put out different types of fires. Firefighters also are first responders for a wide variety if emergencies. Many of them are also trained EMTs who are qualified to work as a paramedic. The main purpose of the police is to keep the peace and fight crime. They respond to emergency calls, settle minor disputes, and arrest people who are suspect of having offended against the law. While both firefighters and police officers both must respond to emergency calls, the both have different roles to play. Firefighters and police officers both perceived differently. Firefighters often win more notoriety than the police. People, generally look up to firefighters and respect them. They may even trust them more. The purpose of the police, however, is to fight crime. After being trained that police are put out on the street to capture criminals and encourage others to maintain control. Police officers are looked up to just like firefighters, but there are more people who dislike them. There is a certain group of people who view police officers as the criminals instead of the helpers. The public’s perception of police officers is something that has been reported on quite frequently. Distrust of police officers has been found and is found in a greater strength among the juvenile s. It has been reported that “… juveniles felt that the police unnecessarily harasses them and that police were slow to intervene or assist when needed” (Nihart et al, 2005). Firefighters, on the other hand are considered heroes. People tend to trust them more. and welcome them more freely. The priorities of police officers are much different from firefighters. Police officers want to catch the criminal. They spend their time trying to search out what a person did that was against the law. Police often spend time on patrol and roam about the city looking for any actions that are against the law. Firefighters, however, take no such actions. They wait in their firehouse until called. The only time that the respond is when they are specifically called upon. There are a few firefighters who inspect houses and other buildings to ensure that they up-to-code of fire safety. They check for emergency exits, fire extinguishers, and smoke detectors. While police and firefighters generally work for the overall safety, their ways of ensuring that safety are both different. Rather a person chooses to be a firefighter or a police officer; they have made a good career choice. These are respectable jobs that one can be proud of. These jobs serve the public benefit and play a significant part in them. Both police officers and firefighters risk their lives for the greater good of society. However, the police are disliked by some and can even be the focus of attacks due to the resentment that is generated from the actions of the law. Firefighters, on the other hand, are less likely to be the focused of such antitrust. Although police officers are considered heroes as well, Firefighters have and overall better reputation. And, while police officers work to make sure the community is safe, it is firefighters that are most commonly associated with safety. Firefighters do not actively patrol for violations, but police do. People have a tendency to run from police, but not from firefighters. Overall, it would seem that being a firefighter is the position of choice, but some people have strong ties to police officers and would prefer to work in this position. The consolidation of these jobs has been suggested. The result would be that firefighters would be able to arrest people and police officers would be putting out fires. In other words, there would be on person who could do it all. There are many arguments for and against the creation of such an all-encompassing position and as of now the two remain separate occupations. References FBI National Press Office.”FBI releases preliminary statistics for law enforcement officers killed in 2010.” The FBI federal Bureau of investigation. (2011). FBI Releases Preliminary Statistics for Law Enforcement Officers Killed in 2010 Retrieved on line 6 November 2011 from http://www.fbi.gov/news/pressrel/press-releases/fbi-releases-preliminary-statistics-for-law-enforcement-officers-killed-in-2010. "USFA Firefighter Fatalities Historical Overview." U.S. Fire Administration. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Nov. 2011. . Nihart, T., Lersch, M., Mieczkowski, T., Sellers, C.”Kids, Cops, Parents and Teachers:Exploring Juvenile Attitudes Toward Authority Figures” Western Criminology Review, 2005. 6(1) 79-88. FBI Releases Preliminary Statistics for Law Enforcement Officers Killed in 2010 FBI Releases Preliminary Statistics for Law Enforcement Officers Killed in 2010 Read More