The Importance of Integrity in a Firefighter

A respected firefighter with more than two decades of experience, Paul Martinez has worked his way up through the ranks and is now a captain. Relying on his experience, Paul Martinez understands the qualities to look for in new recruits.

Perhaps the most important trait that a firefighter can have is trustworthiness. The value of integrity for a firefighter is twofold.

First, your fellow firefighters must feel that they can trust you in pressure situations. The work is hazardous and requires teamwork. Other firefighters need to know that you can pull your weight and back them up, and vice versa. In many cases, everyone is putting their lives into someone else’s hands.

Second, trustworthiness goes beyond the firehouse. As a department funded by public dollars, firefighters must carry themselves with the utmost integrity. Members of the public trust firefighters to be people they can depend upon to protect their property and their lives.