Firefighter Cover Letter Example

Getting a job as a firefighter can be a long and often bureaucratic process, but just as in most jobs, it starts with a great firefighter application. And we don’t mean a winning resume alone. To come out blazing in the eyes of hiring managers, you need a firefighter cover letter that will help you climb the ladder. Resume.io is a good place to start, with job search resources that include more than 180 occupation-specific writing guides and corresponding cover letter examples.

The cover letter example and guide, specifically for firefighters, will aim to:

• Provide context in terms of the job role and outlook for firefighters
• Convey why a firefighter cover letter is important
• Outline the correct cover letter format, and advice how to optimize each section: header, greeting, introduction, middle paragraphs and closing
• Address how firefighters with no experience can write a cover letter
• Touch on psychological factors you can leverage to win over recruiters and hiring managers with your writing
• Help you avoid common cover letter mistakes

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How to write a cover letter - expert guide [2024]

Here is exactly how you can write a cover letter that will stand out from the crowd, and help you land that interview.

Role and job outlook for firefighters

Congratulations and thank you for your service as a firefighter! You are a first responder and we are grateful. Firefighters end up in the news when wildfires rage or disaster strikes, but you are on call and working behind the scenes even in your “down time.” Safety inspections, fire training, physical fitness training and fire station maintenance are all part of your job description. And, yes, you may even be called on to get a cat (or a dog) out of a tree.

Why a cover letter is important

Within your resume, you must stick closely to a format that does not allow for much individualization, other than in the summary. But what distinguishes you from all the other candidates who want the same firefighting position? It’s your cover letter! This is your chance to introduce yourself to the hiring manager and highlight the firefighting skills and experience that make you the right fit for the job. It’s an opportunity you can’t afford to miss.

In fact, simply not bothering to write a cover letter could get your firefighter resume thrown in the trash. A Harris Poll found that 10% of hiring managers consider not including a cover letter in your application as a deal-breaker.

Best format for a firefighter cover letter

What do you put into a cover letter? Excellent question. A good application letter for firefighters, or virtually any other occupation, will have the same basic components. Here are the elements that a good format for a firefighter cover letter should include:

• Cover letter header
• Greeting
• Cover letter introduction
• Cover letter middle paragraphs (body)
• Conclusion and sign-off.

This firefighter cover letter example is a good jumping-off point to start writing your own application document:

You may prefer to use this cover letter sample simply for vague inspiration, or you can copy-paste and edit to your heart’s content. The choice is yours. 

Now we’ll take a closer look at each section, with advice for achieving the strongest impact.

Cover letter header

Back in olden times when snail mail was the norm, you would include all your contact information in a neat and graphically pleasing header at the top of your cover letter. Those days are (mostly) gone, but don’t give in to the temptation to exclude the header, since you most likely will be attaching your firefighter cover letter to an email. 

Besides distinguishing yourself visually from other firefighter applicants, the header has an important practical purpose. Your application materials may get printed out and passed from one manager to another. In that process, a piece may get separated from your file. If that document has your name and contact information on it, it will be easy for hiring managers to replace it. If not, it’s likely to end up in the trash and your file will be missing your cover letter.

On the chance that you are mailing a letter, your header should follow the same guidelines. 

Goal of the cover letter header: Set you apart visually from other firefighter candidates and make your cover letter easier to retrieve and keep together with other application documents.

Cover letter greeting

Also known as a salutation, this is the “Dear Xxxxxx,” part of your firefighter cover letter. But don’t underestimate the power of these few words. People like to be addressed by name; it creates an instant connection. Take extra care with gender. If you are not sure whether the recruiter is male or female, default to using their full name.or example: “Dear Terry King.”

Career coach and author Martin Yate suggests several different ways to address the hiring manager in your firefighter cover letter – all of them begin with “Dear.” If you cannot find the name of the hiring manager or your application is going to a hiring committee, you may say “Dear [name of employer] Hiring Committee,”. Do not fall back on the old-fashioned “To Whom It May Concern.” unless you’re completely sure the hiring decision-maker appreciates this kind of overly-formal language. 

Goal of the cover letter greeting: Establish a professional connection with the employer in a manner that’s friendly but not overly familiar.

Below is the greeting from our firefighter cover letter example.

Cover letter introduction

Imagine you are at a social gathering and want to introduce yourself to a new person. Would you walk up to them and say, “I am approaching you because I want to introduce myself”? No, you would not! The same rule applies to your firefighter cover letter introduction, so do not start with “I am writing to apply …. .” The hiring manager knows you are writing to apply or you wouldn’t have answered the job ad.

Just as you want to grab the interest of the person at the party, you want to pique the interest of the hiring manager. So start with a sentence that identifies the job you’re seeking and offers an early glimpse at your qualifications. The introduction sets the tone for your cover letter, so keep it professional, but friendly.

Here’s a cover letter sample that showcases an expanded introduction, as opposed to an overly short and lackluster one:

Goal of the cover letter introduction: Pique the reader’s interest with a glimpse at your strongest qualifications as a firefighter.

Here’s the introduction from our firefighter cover letter sample.

Cover letter middle paragraphs (body of the letter)

The body of your cover letter is the meat between the bread of your introduction and conclusion. It is here, in these two or three paragraphs, that you show where there’s smoke, there’s fire. You’ve sparked interest with a tidbit about your skills and now you are going to describe your experiences and successes as a firefighter. 

Stick with one or two success stories that highlight the skills listed in the posted job description. in the job listing. One method for writing about these achievements is known by the acronym STAR, which stands for “Situation, Task, Action, Result.” The similar CAR method simplifies this model into “Context, Action, Result.”

A huge part of your job as a firefighter has nothing to do with fighting fires. You will be working and living with a team of firefighters on long shifts of 12 to 24 hours. Many firefighters work on a “24-48” schedule in which they work for 24 hours and have 48 hours off.

Why do we mention this? Because you need to do more than tell the hiring manager why you are the best person for the job. You have to prove that you can get along with different personalities in close quarters, all within a 200-400 word letter. Consider using a sentence or two to talk about your style within the fire station.

Goal of the cover letter body: Elaborate on how this employer would benefit from your contributions on its firefighting team.

Our firefighter cover letter sample illustrates what you might include in the middle part.

How to end a firefighter cover letter (conclusion and sign-off)

You’ve detailed why you are the best firefighter for the job, and now you have to wrap up. In your cover letter conclusion, you must show that you are eager for next steps by including a call to action. Your goal, of course, is to get an interview, so let the hiring manager know that. Mention how excited you are about the position and let recruiters know you would love to hear from them. Repeat your contact information if space allows.

Finally, add your signature with a closing salutation such as “Sincerely” or “Best Regards.” 

Goal of the cover letter closing: End on a positive, enthusiastic note with a call to action that implies some expectation that the employer will follow up.

Below is the closing section of our sample firefighter letter.

Firefighter cover letter with no experience

You have all the firefighter training you need and have passed the written exam, but you haven’t actually picked up a hose as a fire department employee. How do you write a cover letter with no experience?

Here are some tips:

• Focus on the skills you developed in school or training such as excellent organization, calm under pressure and communication
• Infuse your letter with enthusiasm for your chosen career and explain why you want to work as a firefighter
• Play up your volunteer experience

Related article

How to write a cover letter with no experience

When you don’t have much experience in the field you’re applying to, writing a cover letter can feel like a daunting task. While you might be tempted to submit your application without one, that would be a big mistake.

Writing psychology: tips and tricks for creating your firefighter cover letter

You’re a person of action and writing may seem daunting. So how do you write a convincing firefighter cover letter in one page? Remember that writers don’t simply start typing, get to the end and walk away. They brainstorm, take notes, develop a structure and decide on a tone. You should do the same. 

Consider asking friends or colleagues how they would describe you and incorporate those strong words in your cover letter. Feel free to Google synonyms to avoid repeating the same words too many times.

Creative Circle’s “5 Writing Tips for Non-writers” suggests writing for short attention spans, or in your case, busy hiring managers. Keep your sentences and paragraphs short. Get to the point and get out. It also suggests writing the way you talk. That is a great place to start, but remember that you need to strike a slightly more formal tone. 

Use a blend of emotional appeal and hard facts to impress hiring managers.

Mistakes to avoid in a firefighter cover letter

You’re trying to ignite your firefighter career, and you need a great cover letter. Silly mistakes and oversights are the last things you can afford. Here are some issue to avoid:

• You don’t customize your letter for each job. A generic firefighter cover letter won’t make the grade. Show you read the job listing and understand the issues unique to the municipality or district to which you are applying.
   
• You get too casual. Sure, we all may have an image of firefighter chili cook-offs and basketball games during downtime, but firefighting is serious business, so use a tone that matches.
   
• You leave too little white space. Ending each paragraph at the far margin, or creating paragraphs that are more than about five lines, makes for big blocks of text. White space makes your cover letter easier to read. Using professional tools is your best way to make sure you get this right.
   
• You use a different style for your resume and cover letter. Keep it consistent. A common visual style not only looks neater, but will help prevent your materials from getting separated as they are passed from hand to hand.
   
• Formatting errors and bad fonts. Many text editors will result in buggy letter formats and strange-looking headers. Even the choice of font can be problematic. The cover letter templates and builder tool we offer at resume.io are your best bet to sidestep all these problems.

Key Takeaways

1. Your firefighter cover letter offers you the opportunity to show how your personality will mesh with the other firefighters at the station.
2. Make sure you get personal by addressing your letter to an individual.
3. Use a blend of emotional and factual information to connect to the hiring manager.
4. Match the design of your cover letter to your resume for consistency and make sure you proofread!

Now you’re ready to create your professional firefighter cover letter and land that job. Resume.io makes the process easy with our expertly-designed templates and the firefighter cover letter sample covered in this guide.