What is a battalion chief and how to become one

Key steps to become a battalion chief

1. Explore battalion chief education requirements

   Most common battalion chief degrees

   Bachelor's

   45.3 %

   Associate

   32.2 %

   Master's

   9.4 %

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2. Start to develop specific battalion chief skills

   Skills	Percentages
   Emergency Response	7.79%
   Fire Suppression	7.20%
   Incident Command System	7.17%
   EMS	6.24%
   Fire Protection	5.46%

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3. Complete relevant battalion chief training and internships

   Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New battalion chiefs learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a battalion chief based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real battalion chief resumes.

4. Research battalion chief duties and responsibilities

   • Manage the handling and disposal of over 2,000 pounds of hazmat and the disposal of over 5,000 pounds of hazardous waste.
   • Manage the combat logistics operations center's daily operations and ensure efficient information flow between internal and external organizations.
   • Participate in the administration and planning of a comprehensive fire prevention and firefighting rescue program.
   • Demonstrate expert knowledge of firefighting preparedness, suppression operations, incident management, fuels management, fire use and resource management.

5. Get battalion chief experience

   Generally, it takes 6-8 years to become a battalion chief. The most common roles before becoming a battalion chief include emergency medical technician, captain team lead and lieutenant.

6. Prepare your battalion chief resume

   When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your battalion chief resume.

   You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a battalion chief resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

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7. Apply for battalion chief jobs

   Now it's time to start searching for a battalion chief job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

   1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
   2. Consult your professional network
   3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
   4. Watch out for job scams