A civil firefighter (bombeiro civil) is the professional responsible for preventing fires and fighting them in their early stages, evacuating premises and giving first response in emergencies inside companies, residential buildings, events and places with heavy footfall. In Brazil it is a profession regulated by federal law, with its own rules on training, working hours and rights. In Rio de Janeiro there are also specific requirements set by the State Military Fire Brigade. Anyone thinking about a civil firefighter course needs to know these rules before choosing where to study.
Civil firefighter, military firefighter and fire warden: the difference
The three terms often appear together, but they describe different roles:
- Military firefighter: a state public servant, recruited through a public competitive exam, who responds to incidents across the city — on public roads, in rescues and disasters.
- Civil firefighter: a professional employed by private or public companies, mixed-economy (semi-public) companies or specialised firms, who carries out fire prevention and firefighting on a regular, paid and exclusive basis at their workplace.
- Fire warden (brigadista): an employee whose main job in the company is something else (reception, maintenance, administration) and who receives shorter training to give first response until professional help arrives.
When civil firefighters and the Military Fire Brigade work together at an incident, the law provides that the Military Fire Brigade always takes command.
What Law 11,901/2009 establishes
The law regulating the profession defines the civil firefighter and organises the career into three levels: basic (directly or indirectly fighting fire), leader (trained as a technician in fire prevention and firefighting, at secondary level, who commands the crew on their shift) and master (an engineer specialised in the field, responsible for the fire prevention and firefighting department).
The same law sets working hours at 12 hours on and 36 hours off, for a total of 36 hours a week, and guarantees a special uniform paid for by the employer, group life insurance, a hazard allowance of 30% of salary and the right to periodic refresher training.
In Rio de Janeiro: training, accreditation and refreshers
In Rio de Janeiro State, the training rules are in Technical Note NT 2-11 of the Military Fire Brigade (CBMERJ). To work in the state, a civil firefighter must, among other requirements, be at least 18, present the employer with a medical certificate of fitness for the physical demands of the job, and pass a training course run by a company accredited with the CBMERJ, with the training accredited by the Fire Brigade itself.
The rule also sets the hours: the basic-level civil firefighter training course has a minimum of 80 class hours. And training does not end there: the professional must take a refresher course of at least 24 class hours, at least once every two years, counted from the initial training or the previous refresher.
What the course teaches
The syllabus combines theory with practical simulations of real situations, covering:
- Preventing fires and fighting them in their early stages
- Basic pre-hospital care
- Evacuating premises
- Correct use of safety equipment
- Risk management
- Emergency response
It is 80 hours of in-person classes that recreate emergency scenarios, so that students practise the response before they really need it. For anyone who wants to strengthen their response to the most serious emergencies, such as cardiac arrest, the Basic Life Support course is a natural complement.
Where civil firefighters work
The market is concentrated in places with heavy footfall or specific fire risks: shopping centres, large supermarkets, industry, concert venues, arenas and events, hospitals, hotels, university campuses and residential buildings. For anyone looking to re-enter the job market or gain a second qualification, it is a practical, focused qualification, with immediate use and recognised by the property and corporate security market.
The course at the Brazilian Red Cross — Rio de Janeiro Branch
The branch's Escola de Educação e Saúde CVB-RJ (School of Education and Health) runs the Civil Firefighter course:
- Hours: 80, in line with the minimum the CBMERJ requires for the basic level
- Minimum schooling: completed upper secondary (ensino médio)
- Format: in person, with practical classes
- Language: Portuguese — there is no interpreting or group in another language
- Certificate: issued by the Brazilian Red Cross — Rio de Janeiro Branch; accreditation with the CBMERJ is a separate step, and the school's team guides students through that process
Behind the certificate stands an institution with more than a century of humanitarian action and emergency response.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a civil firefighter and a fire warden? A civil firefighter carries out fire prevention and firefighting as their main and exclusive profession. A fire warden is an employee with another job in the company, trained to give first response until professional help arrives.
Does the course itself qualify me to work as a civil firefighter in Rio de Janeiro? To work in the state, the training must be accredited by the CBMERJ. Accreditation is a separate step, taken after the course is completed, and the school's team explains the process at enrolment.
How many hours of training are required in Rio de Janeiro? CBMERJ Technical Note NT 2-11 sets a minimum of 80 class hours for the basic-level civil firefighter training course. The school's course is 80 hours.
Do I need refresher training after qualifying? Yes. Federal law guarantees the right to periodic refresher training, and in Rio de Janeiro the CBMERJ rule requires a refresher of at least 24 class hours within two years of the initial training or the last refresher.
What are a civil firefighter's working hours? Law 11,901/2009 sets them at 12 hours on and 36 hours off, for a total of 36 hours a week.
Do I need previous experience to take the course? No. The course is open to anyone with completed upper secondary schooling, with no previous experience in the field required.
Is the course in person or online? In person, with practical classes that simulate real emergency situations.
Sources and references
- Law 11,901 of 12 January 2009 — Planalto — definition of the profession, levels, working hours and rights of civil firefighters, in Portuguese.
- CBMERJ Technical Note NT 2-11 — Fire brigades — requirements to work in Rio de Janeiro State, minimum training hours (item 5.6.1) and refreshers (items 5.6.2 and 5.6.3), in Portuguese.
First published in Portuguese on 24 September 2026. Read the original →