The pump operator is such an important position on the fireground that many large urban fire departments make it a tested or promoted position. This allows them to pull their pump operators out of a small pool of people who have gone through a formalized pump operator school and have passed some form of test to earn the position. Having the same pump operator every day when the company reports for duty certainly adds to the company's efficiency. In these systems, jump seat firefighters probably do not spend a lot of time training on pump operations. They probably spend the majority of their time training on what they are expected to do: stretching and advancing handlines, operating master streams, and catching hydrants.

However, smaller urban, suburban, or rural fire departments do not have the personnel resources to dedicate people only to operating the pump. Consequently, all members must be trained in all aspects of fireground operations. In the smaller career departments, the pump operator position may rotate weekly or monthly. In a volunteer department, the pump operator may be determined based on order of arrival at the fire station. The first one to the station drives the engine.

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