Firefighter

A firefighter is a person who is trained and equipped to put out fires, rescue people, and in some areas provide emergency medical services. The fire service, also known in some countries as the fire brigade or fire department, is one of the emergency services. Firefighters are sometimes referred to as firemen, although women have increasingly joined firefighting units.

Fire-fighting skills

Note: this mostly discusses structural firefighting. See wildfire for a discussion of forest fires.

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Firefighting has several basic skills: prevention, self-preservation, rescue, preservation of property and fire control. Firefighting is further broken down into skills which include size-up, extinguishment, ventilation, and salvage and overhaul. Search and Rescue, which has already been mentioned, is performed early in any fire scenario and many times is in unison with extinguishment and ventilation.

Related Topics:
Prevention - Self-preservation - Rescue

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Prevention

Prevention attempts to ensure that no place simultaneously has sufficient heat, fuel and air to allow ignition and combustion. Most prevention programs are directed at controlling the energy of activation (heat).

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Fire suppression sprinkler systems have a proven record for controlling and extinguishing unwanted fires. Many fire officials recommend that every building, including residences, have sprinklers. Correctly working sprinklers in a residence greatly reduce the risk of death from a fire. With the small rooms typical of a residence, one or two sprinklers can cover most rooms.

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In addition, a major duty of fire services is the regular inspection of buildings to ensure they are up to the current building fire codes to ensure they are able to resist fire damage.

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Self-preservation

Self-preservation is critical. The basic technique firefighters use is to know where they are, and to avoid hazards. Current standards in the United States recomend that firefighters work in teams, using two-in, two-out whenever in an IDLH (Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health) environment. Tools are generally carried at all times, and a special device called a PASS device is commonly worn to alert others when a firefighter stops moving for a specified period of time (usually from 10-30 seconds depending on manufacturer). Breathing apparatus known as the SCBA is worn to protect against smoke inhalation and toxic fumes. In the United States, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) sets a number of standards for firefighters. These standards may be adopted as law by state or local governments, or enforced by the firefighting organizations on their own.

Related Topics:
Two-in, two-out - IDLH - PASS device - SCBA - National Fire Protection Association

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Rescue

Rescue consists of searching, and then removing people that are alive. Animals may also be recovered, if resources and conditions permit. Generally triage and first aid are performed outside. The general form of rescue is to shuffle through the structure with the right hand against the wall, or utilizing a tool. Many fire departments follow a two-in, two-out rule, and in a large room the second person would follow behind the first, usually on their immediate left. This is called a right hand search. There is also a left hand search, which is the same thing except the right and left are reversed. Rescuers must remember to search beds and cupboards, and to identify themselves to victims. Many children are very frightened of fire-fighters in breathing masks.

Related Topics:
Triage - First aid - Breathing mask

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Rescue may also involve the extrication of victims of motor vehicle accidents. Here firefighters use spreaders, cutters, and hydraulic rams, tools more commonly known as the Jaws of Life. More technical forms of rescue include subsets such as rope rescue, swiftwater rescue, confined space rescue, and trench rescue. These types of rescue are often extremely hazardous and physically demanding. They also require extensive technical training.

Related Topics:
Spreader - Cutter - Hydraulic ram - Jaws of Life - Rope rescue - Swiftwater rescue - Confined space rescue - Trench rescue

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Property

Buildings that are made of fuel, such as frame buildings, are different from fire-proof buildings such as concrete high-rises. Generally, the fire in a fire-proof building can be limited to a floor. Other floors can be safe simply by preventing smoke inhalation and damage. A burnable building must be evacuated.

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Property preservation is a great help to people. Most fires can be limited to burning only the upper part of a frame structure. If possible, gas, electricity and water should be turned off during the search, and all movable property should be tipped into the middle of a room and covered with a heavy cloth tarp. This reduces damage from water, smoke and burning embers. If the structure doesn't catch, it's very helpful to ventilate it to reduce smoke damage.

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Fire control

Main article: Fire control

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Fire control consists of depriving a fire of fuel, oxygen or heat. Firefighters are equipped with a wide variety of equipment to accomplish this task. Some of their tools include extrication equipment, ladder trucks, tanker trucks, pumper trucks, and ambulances. Very frequent training and refresher training is required.

Related Topics:
Fire - Fuel - Oxygen - Heat

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