Firefighter Cover Letter Examples and Templates for 2023

Written by: Frank Hackett (CPRW)
Updated: April 21, 2023

Downloadable Examples

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According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual salary for firefighters was $50,700 in 2021. These positions are expected to grow by 4% over the next decade. Although there’s a wide variety of opportunities available on the open market, you’ll still encounter no shortage of competition when applying for the top positions. Creating a compelling cover letter to supplement your resume can help enhance the strength of your application and showcase different aspects of who you are as a first responder.

Using our firefighter cover letter guide will help you to:

– Show prospective employers that you’re the right cultural fit for the organization by detailing how your core values and experience are aligned
– Create a strong introductory paragraph to grab the hiring manager’s attention
– Highlight your most compelling career achievements as a firefighter using tangible examples from your professional history

Firefighter Cover Letters

Example #1
Firefighter_Example-1.pdf

Example #1

Example #2
Firefighter_Example-2.pdf

Example #2

Example #3
Firefighter_Example-3.pdf

Example #3

Firefighter Text-Only Cover Letters

Years of Experience
  • Example #1 #1
  • Example #2 #2
  • Example #3 #3

Cameron Malfara
Firefighter | cameronmalfarayouremail.com | (123) 456-7890 | 123 Bridge Street, Boston, MA 12345

January 1, 2022

Tyrone Jackson
Senior Hiring Manager
Belmont Fire Department
(987) 654-3210
[email protected]

Dear Mr. Jackson,

As a firefighter with over five years of experience as a first responder, I’ve developed expertise in determining appropriate fire suppression techniques during emergency situations. During my time with the Lexington Fire Department, I led teams of 15+ firefighters to safely rescue civilians and provide emergency medical treatment during large house fires and hazardous materials incidents. I believe that my leadership capabilities make me an ideal candidate for the firefighter position with your organization.

Belmont Fire Department’s reputation as a community-focused organization with an inclusive culture draws me to apply for this position. Your dedication to providing public safety programs to the community strongly aligns with my core values. I believe that I can provide valuable contributions in the firefighter position based on the following achievements from my career:

  • Lead response to emergency fires, administer emergency medical treatment to civilians, and ensure compliance with safety protocols during rescue operations
  • Coordinated with EMTs, firefighters, law enforcement, and first responders to rescue civilians and administer life-saving medical treatment for smoke inhalation and burns
  • Conducted safety and maintenance inspections of equipment and vehicles

I’d like to set up an interview to provide more insights regarding how my unique experience can benefit your organization during emergency response incidents. You can contact me via phone or email at your earliest convenience. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Best regards,
Cameron Malfara

Meera Patel
Firefighter | [email protected] | (123) 456-7890 | 123 Carpenter Street, Philadelphia, PA 12345

January 1, 2022

Hector Santos
Senior Hiring Manager
Philadelphia Fire Department
(987) 654-3210
[email protected]

Dear Mr. Santos,

As a firefighter with over eight years of professional experience, I’ve led numerous teams of first responders during a variety of emergency incidents. While serving as a firefighter for the Chester Fire Department, I coordinated response efforts for natural disasters, house fires, and hazardous materials incidents. I’m confident that my experience as a first responder would be a valuable asset to your organization.

The Philadelphia Fire Department has a prestigious reputation for its high response times to emergency situations, which draws me to apply for this position. I believe that I can help to further improve emergency response efforts for your organization based on my past achievements:

  • Responded to emergency fire and hazardous materials incidents and utilized fog, direct attack, and two-line attack techniques to suppress fires based on weather and wind conditions
  • Deliver comprehensive training to 25+ firefighters on building safety protocols, firefighting techniques, and emergency response protocols
  • Perform inspections, repairs, and maintenance on fire department equipment and vehicles, including ambulances, fire trucks, and ladder trucks

I hope to speak with you further regarding how my firefighter experience can benefit your organization. Feel free to contact me via phone or email at your convenience. I appreciate your time and consideration.

Best regards,
Meera Patel

John Bergsen
Firefighter | [email protected] | (123) 456-7890 | 123 Bedford Avenue, New York, NY 12345

January 1, 2022

Caleb Morris
Senior Hiring Manager
Brooklyn Fire Department
(987) 654-3210
[email protected]

Dear Mr. Morris

As a firefighter with over 10+ years of experience as a first responder, I’ve built, managed, and developed high-performance firehouses. During my time with the Queens Fire Department, I drove initiatives to enhance training, staffing, and communication protocols, which improved average response times by 10%. I believe that I can achieve similar success with your organization in the firefighter position.

The Brooklyn Fire Department has a reputation for excellence that strongly aligns with my professional background. As a firefighter, I am passionate about identifying new processes to improve firehouse operations and save lives. I believe that I can provide valuable contributions to your department based on the following achievements from my career:

  • Improved firehouse operations, staffing levels, and communication protocols to increase response times to emergency fires and hazardous incidents by 10%
  • Managed, recruited, and built teams of 30+ firefighters, delivered training on safety procedures, and provided coaching and mentorship to improve performance
  • Identified appropriate fire suppression techniques and maintained compliance with safety protocols to ensure the safe retrieval of civilians and firefighting teams

I would like to schedule an interview with you to provide more insights into how my leadership experience can help your organization improve response times to emergency incidents. You may contact me via phone or email at your earliest convenience. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
John Bergsen

Firefighter Cover Letter Tips

Now that you’ve seen some examples of strong firefighter cover letters, we’ll provide additional insights to help you strengthen your content. The key to creating a compelling cover letter is to focus on telling your unique story in the form of career accomplishments. Think about what the job description is looking for and how your experience makes you the ideal fit for the position. Below, you’ll find three expert tips to help you craft your cover letter and secure your next job interview:

1. Highlight Leadership Experience During Emergency Response

Leadership is an essential skill for any first responder. Prospective employers want to see that you can lead effectively during emergency situations, so you’ll want to feature specific examples of you managing team members and civilians during incident response. In the example below, the candidate highlights their experience training firefighters and managing a variety of emergencies effectively:

As a firefighter with over five years of experience as a first responder, I’ve developed expertise in determining appropriate fire suppression techniques during emergency situations. During my time with the Weston Fire Department, I led teams of 15+ firefighters to safely rescue civilians and provide emergency medical treatment during large house fires and hazardous materials incidents. I believe that my leadership capabilities make me an ideal candidate for the firefighter position with your organization.

2. Mention the Organization’s Core Values and Culture

Applying for job openings using a generic cover letter is never a good strategy for securing job interviews. If you’re taking the time to craft this type of document, hiring managers are going to expect it to be personalized. Sending out a cover letter that makes no mention of the organization’s reputation, core values, or culture shows that you haven’t done any research and may not have a genuine interest in the position. In the example below, the job seeker explains that this firehouse’s reputation is precisely why they’re looking to join the organization:

Belmont Fire Department’s reputation as a community-focused organization with an inclusive culture draws me to apply for this position. Your dedication to providing public safety programs to the community strongly aligns with my core values. I believe that I can provide valuable contributions in the firefighter position based on the following achievements from my career:

3. Feature Your Knowledge of Firefighting Techniques and Safety Protocols

During an emergency, identifying the correct fire suppression techniques is essential for saving lives and preventing serious injuries during evacuations. Understanding how to navigate an unstable building and determining the correct course of action according to safety risks are essential for success as a first responder. In the example below, the candidate demonstrates their comprehensive knowledge of both firefighting techniques and safety protocols:

  • Responded to emergency fire and hazardous materials incidents and utilized fog, direct attack, and two-line attack techniques to suppress fires based on weather and wind conditions
  • Deliver comprehensive training to 25+ firefighters on building safety protocols, firefighting techniques, and emergency response protocols
  • Perform inspections, repairs, and maintenance on fire department equipment and vehicles, including ambulances, fire trucks, and ladder trucks
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Frank Hackett

Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW)

Frank Hackett is a professional resume writer and career consultant with over eight years of experience. As the lead editor at a boutique career consulting firm, Frank developed an innovative approach to resume writing that empowers job seekers to tell their professional stories. His approach involves creating accomplishment-driven documents that balance keyword optimization with personal branding. Frank is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PAWRCC).