A qualitative exploration of motivations for entry into the firefighting profession in Trinidad and Tobago

Purpose This study explored the motivations of individuals who entered the firefighting profession in Trinidad and Tobago in an attempt to gauge their stimulus for entry into the profession. The research was conducted due to the unavailability of literature on the phenomenon under inquiry in the Caribbean, more specifically, Trinidad and Tobago. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative phenomenological study was conducted using semi-structured interviews with 24 male and female firefighters from the 4 divisions of the Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service (TTFS), namely north, south, central and Tobago divisions, and the personal motivations for entry into the TTFS were explored. Findings The findings indicate that motivations for males who entered the firefighting profession were job security, opportunity to assist people, benefits, salary and job stability, while the motivations for females were opportunity to assist people, family, benefits, job security and job stability. Several themes emerged, namely altruism, job security, benefits and job stability. Research limitations/implications As with most studies, this research has limitations. The main limitations were the small sample size of the study’s population and the use of a lone jurisdiction (Trinidad and Tobago) to situate the study. Despite the aforementioned limitations, the study is useful as it appears to be the first of its kind in the Caribbean and thus provides useful insights as well as a starting point for future research. Looking forward, research on motivations to become a firefighter should examine the phenomenon via a more expansive Caribbean lens, as firefighting units are an undeniable feature of the national security landscape in the region. Originality/value The current study appears to be the first of its kind in the Caribbean, as voracious searches failed to unearth similar studies.