Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property to rescue people from car accidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations. Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D Fire is the heat and light energy released during a Chemical reaction, in particular a combustion reaction. The increasing complexity of modern industrialized life with an increase in the scale of hazards has stimulated both advances in firefighting technology and a broadening of the firefighter-rescuer's remit. They sometimes provide emergency medical services. Emergency medical services (abbreviated to the initialism "EMS" in many countries are a branch of Emergency services dedicated to providing out-of-hospital The fire service, or fire and rescue service also known in some countries as the fire brigade or fire department, are some of the emergency services. Emergency services are organizations which ensure Public safety by addressing different emergencies

Firefighting and firefighters have become ubiquitous around the world, from urban areas to wildland areas, and on board ships. A city is an Urban area with a large Population and a particular Administrative, Legal, or Historical status A wildfire, also known as a wildland fire, forest fire, brush fire, vegetation fire, grass fire, Peat fire, A ship /ʃɪp/ is a large vessel that floats on water Ships are generally distinguished from Boats based on size

Contents 1 Firefighting worldwide 2 Goals of firefighting 2.1 Prevention 2.2 Self-preservation 3 Occupational health and safety 3.1 Cardiovascular disease 3.2 Structural collapses 4 Rescue 5 Search procedure 6 Communication and command structure 7 Structure fires 8 Fire control 9 Equipment 10 History of fire brigades 11 Miscellaneous 12 Rank 13 See also 14 References 15 External links

Firefighting worldwide

Further information: Firefighting worldwide

Not all firefighters are paid for their services. In some countries, including the United States, Canada, Finland, Australia, and New Zealand, there are often paid, or "career" firefighters working. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Finland, officially the Republic of Finland ( is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island Additionally, there are volunteer and "retained" (firefighters who are paid for the specific time they are responding to emergencies -Permanent Part time career firefighters) on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In the United Kingdom and Ireland, the use of additional retained firefighters (who are part-time, but are paid when on duty) rather than volunteers is standard. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world

In Australia volunteer Brigades which are mostly unpaid rural services (although traditionally they are paid by their employers if called out during working hours)

In Germany, volunteer fire departments are established in every town: even the biggest German city, Berlin, with more than 3. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Berlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany. 6 million inhabitants, has volunteer firefighters besides a career fire service. In fact, only 100 German cities (most of them are towns with more than 100,000 inhabitants) have a career fire service, called the "Berufsfeuerwehr" in German, but in every one of these cities a volunteer fire service exists, too. The Feuerwehr is a number of German fire departments The responsible body for operating and equipping fire departments are the German communities ("Gemeinden" and cities ("Städte" The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. In cities with a career fire service, volunteer fire brigades support the career fire service at big fires, accidents and disasters. Many of the so-called volunteer departments (usually in towns with 35,000 to 150,000 inhabitants), except in very small towns and villages, are in fact a mixed service of a core of career firemen who are supported by true volunteer firefighters should the need arise. However, the official title of those departments is nevertheless "volunteer fire service".

The structure in Austria is similar to Germany. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich There are just 6 career fire services in Vienna, Graz, Innsbruck, Klagenfurt, Salzburg and Linz. There are about 200,000 men and women voluntary firefighters and 4,539 volunteer departments.

In Venezuela, there are, beside the types mentioned before, the University Firefighters. Venezuela (ˌvɛnəˈzweɪlə) officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish República Bolivariana de Venezuela) is a country on the They are meant to attend any emergency inside the campus and the zones around; however, their most important job is to develop new technologies in this area, thanks to the high level of education of its members (in the Simón Bolívar University Volunteer Fire Department, around 80% of its members have a university degree or are in the process of obtaining one).

Goals of firefighting

Aside from the main task of extinguishing fires, the goals of firefighting are (in order) saving lives, saving property, and protecting the environment. Firefighting is an inherently difficult occupation. As such, the skills required for safe operations are regularly practiced during training evolutions throughout a firefighters career. In the United States, the preeminent fire training and standards organization is the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA is a US organization (albeit with some international members charged with creating and maintaining minimum standards and requirements Often initial firefighting skills are taught during a local, regional, or state approved fire academy. Depending on the requirements of a department, additional skills and certifications such as technical rescue and Para-medicine may also be taught at this time.

Firefighters work closely with other emergency response agencies, most particularly local and state police departments. The New South Wales Fire Brigades (NSWFB a New South Wales government agency for Firefighting in the major cities metropolitan areas and towns across rural As every fire scene is technically a crime scene until deemed otherwise by a qualified investigator, there is often overlap between the responsibilities of responding firefighters and police officers such as evidence and scene protection, initial observations of first respondents, and chain of evidence issues. A crime scene is a location where an illegal act took place and comprises the area from which most of the physical evidence is retrieved by trained law enforcement Fire investigation, sometimes referred to as origin and cause investigation, is the analysis of fire-related incidents Chain of custody refers to the chronological documentation and/or Paper trail, showing the seizure custody control transfer analysis and disposition of Evidence The increasing role of firefighters in providing emergency medical services also brings firefighters into common overlap with law enforcement. One example of this is a common state law requiring all gunshot wounds to be reported to law enforcement agencies.

Most career (full time, paid) firefighters in North America are represented by the International Association of Fire Fighters. The International Association of Fire Fighters ( IAFF) is a labor union representing professional fire fighters in the United States and Canada

Fire fighting has several basic skills: prevention, self preservation, rescue, preservation of property and fire control. Rescue refers to operations that usually involve the saving of Life, or prevention of Injury. Fire control consists of depriving a Fire of Fuel, Oxygen or Heat (see Fire triangle) to prevent it from spreading or to put it out Firefighting is further broken down into skills which include size-up, extinguishing, 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 extinguishing and ventilation.

Prevention

Prevention attempts to ensure that no place simultaneously has sufficient heat, fuel and air to allow ignition and combustion. Fernando Cardona, the leading researcher in fire prevention is accredited with much of the advancement and improvement to modern fire fighting technique. Most prevention programs are directed at controlling the energy of activation (heat).

Fire suppression systems have a proven record for controlling and extinguishing unwanted fires. A fire sprinkler is the part of a Fire sprinkler system that discharges water when the effects of a fire have been detected such as when a predetermined temperature has Many fire officials recommend that every building, including residences, have fire sprinkler systems. A fire sprinkler is the part of a Fire sprinkler system that discharges water when the effects of a fire have been detected such as when a predetermined temperature has 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.

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, which are enforced so that a building can sufficiently resist fire spread, potential hazards are located, and to ensure that occupants can be safely evacuated, commensurate with the risks involved. Fire safety refers to precautions that are taken to prevent or reduce the likelihood of a Fire that may result in death injury or property damage alert those in a structure

Other methods of fire prevention are by directing efforts to reduce known hazardous conditions or by preventing dangerous acts before tragedy strikes. This is normally accomplished in many innovative ways such as conducting presentations, distributing safety brochures, providing news articles, writing public safety announcements(PSAs) or establishing meaningful displays in well-visited areas. Ensuring that each household has working smoke alarms, is educated in the proper techniques of fire safety, has an evacuation route and rendezvous point is of top priority in public education for most fire prevention teams in almost all fire department localities.

Self-preservation

Self-preservation is very critical. Columbus is the Capital and the largest city of the US state of Ohio. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The basic technique firefighters use is to know where they are, and to avoid hazards. Current standards in the United States recommend that firefighters work in teams, using a "two-in, two-out" rule whenever in an IDLH (Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health) environment. In firefighting, the policy of two-in two-out mandates that firefighters never go into a dangerous situation in a fire or rescue incident alone IDLH is an initialism for Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health, and is defined by the NIOSH as exposure to airborne contaminants that is "likely to cause

Tools are generally carried at all times and are important for not only forcible entry but also for self rescue. A Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) delivers air to the firefighter through a full face mask and is worn to protect against smoke inhalation, toxic fumes, and super heated gasses. self contained breathing apparatus, or SCBA, sometimes referred to as a Compressed Air Breathing Apparatus (CABA or simply Breathing Apparatus (BA is A special device called a Personal Alert Safety System (PASS) is commonly worn independently or as a part of the SCBA to alert others when a firefighter stops moving for a specified period of time or manually operates the device. PASS device is an acronym for Personal Alert Safety System, a personal safety device used primarily by Firefighters entering a hazardous IDLH environment self contained breathing apparatus, or SCBA, sometimes referred to as a Compressed Air Breathing Apparatus (CABA or simply Breathing Apparatus (BA is The PASS device sounds an alarm that can assist another firefighter (Firefighter Assist and Search Team), in locating the firefighter in distress. A Firefighter Assist and Search Team (FAST also known as a Rapid Intervention Team/Crew (RIT/RIC is a team of two or more Firefighters

Firefighters often carry personal self rescue ropes. Dennis Dagger is a purpose-built fire engine manufactured by Dennis Specialist Vehicles in Guildford, Surrey (now known as Alexander Dennis The Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service is the statutory fire and rescue service covering the county of Merseyside in north-west England and is England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The ropes are generally 30 feet long and can provide a firefighter (that has enough time to deploy the rope) a partially controlled exit out an elevated window. Lack of a personal rescue rope is cited in the deaths of two New York City Firefighters, Lt. John Bellew and Lt. Curtis Meyran, who died after they jumped from a fourth floor of a burning apartment building in the Bronx. Of the four firefighters who jumped and survived only one of them had a self rescue rope. Since the incident the Fire Department of New York City has issued self rescue ropes to their firefighters.

In the United States, 25% of fatalities to firefighters are caused by vehicle accidents while responding to or returning from an incident. Many firefighters are also injured or killed by vehicles while working at an incident (Paulison 2005). However, a large percentage of firefighters also succumb to heart disease, in the line of duty.

Occupational health and safety

Cardiovascular disease

Firefighting has long been associated with poor cardiovascular outcomes. In the United States, the most common cause of on-duty fatalities for firefighters is sudden cardiac death. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the In addition to personal factors that may predispose an individual to coronary artery disease or other cardiovascular diseases, occupational exposures can significantly increase a firefighter's risk. Coronary artery disease (CAD (or atherosclerotic Heart disease) is the end result of the accumulation of atheromatous plaques within the walls Cardiovascular disease or cardiovascular diseases refers to the class of diseases that involve the Heart or Blood vessels ( arteries and For instance, carbon monoxide, present in nearly all fire environments, and hydrogen cyanide, formed during the combustion of paper, cotton, plastics, and other substances containing carbon and nitrogen, interfere with the transport of oxygen in the body. Carbon monoxide, with the chemical formula CO is a colorless odorless tasteless yet highly toxic Gas. Hydrogen cyanide is a Chemical compound with Chemical formula HCN Paper is thin material mainly used for writing upon printing upon or packaging Cotton is a soft staple Fibre that grows around the seeds of the cotton plant ( Gossypium sp Plastic is the general common term for a wide range of synthetic or semisynthetic organic solid materials suitable for the manufacture of industrial products Carbon (kɑɹbən is a Chemical element with the symbol C and its Atomic number is 6 Nitrogen (ˈnaɪtɹəʤɪn is a Chemical element that has the symbol N and Atomic number 7 and Atomic weight 14 Hypoxia can then lead to heart injury. Chronic Hypoxia is a pathological condition in which the body as a whole ( generalized hypoxia) or region of the body ( tissue hypoxia) is deprived of adequate In addition, chronic exposure to particulate matter in smoke is associated with atherosclerosis. Particulates, alternatively referred to as particulate matter (PM or fine particles, are tiny particles of solid or liquid suspended in a gas Smoke is the collection of airborne solid and liquid Particulates and Gases ref> ''Smoke Production and Properties'' - SFPE Handbook of Fire Protection Engineering Atherosclerosis is a Disease affecting arterial Blood vessels It is a chronic inflammatory response in the walls of arteries in large part due to the accumulation Noise exposures may contribute to hypertension and possibly ischemic heart disease. is a one volume manga created by Tsutomu Nihei as a prequel to his ten-volume work Blame!. Hypertension, also referred to as high blood pressure, HTN or HPN, is a medical condition in which the Blood pressure is chronically elevated Other factors associated with firefighting, such as stress, heat stress, and heavy physical exertion, also increase the risk of cardiovascular events. The Wet Bulb Globe Temperature ( WBGT) is a composite temperature used to estimate the effect of temperature humidity and Solar radiation on humans ^[1]

Structural collapses

Another leading cause of death during firefighting is structural collapse of part of a burning building (e. g. a wall, floor, ceiling, roof, or truss system). In Architecture and Structural engineering, a truss is a structure comprising one or more triangular units constructed with straight slender members whose Structural collapse, which often occurs without warning, may crush or trap on-duty firefighters. To avoid loss of life, all on-duty firefighters should maintain two-way communication with the incident commander and be equipped with a Personal Alert Safety System device (PASS). The Incident Commander is the person responsible for all aspects of an emergency response including quickly developing incident objectives managing all incident operations application PASS device is an acronym for Personal Alert Safety System, a personal safety device used primarily by Firefighters entering a hazardous IDLH environment ^[2][3]

Rescue

Rescue operations consist of searching for and removing trapped occupants of hazardous conditions. A hazard is a situation which poses a level of threat to Life, Health, Property or environment. Animals may also be recovered, if resources and conditions permit. Generally triage and first aid are performed outside, as removal from the hazardous atmosphere is the primary goal in preserving life. Triage (ˈtriːɑːʒ is a process of prioritizing patients based on the severity of their condition so as to treat as many as possible when resources are insufficient for all First aid is the provision of initial care for an Illness or Injury. Search patterns include movement against room walls (to prevent rescuers from becoming lost or disoriented) and methodical searches of specific areas by designated teams. Unlike a fire control team, a rescue team typically moves faster, but has no hose to follow out to safety through the smoky darkness. A rescue rope may be needed for tethering a team involved in exceptionally dangerous conditions.

Incident commanders also arrange for standby search and rescue teams to assist if firefighters become lost, trapped, or injured. Such teams are commonly, and often interchangeably, known as Rapid Intervention Teams (RIT), or Firefighter Assist and Search Teams (FAST). A Firefighter Assist and Search Team (FAST also known as a Rapid Intervention Team/Crew (RIT/RIC is a team of two or more Firefighters A Firefighter Assist and Search Team (FAST also known as a Rapid Intervention Team/Crew (RIT/RIC is a team of two or more Firefighters According to "two-in, two-out", the only time it is permissible for a team of firefighters to enter a burning structure without backup in place outside is when they are operating in what is known as "Rescue Mode". In firefighting, the policy of two-in two-out mandates that firefighters never go into a dangerous situation in a fire or rescue incident alone Rescue Mode occurs when firefighters have arrived at the scene, and it is readily apparent that there are occupants trapped inside who need immediate rescue. At such a time, properly equipped firefighters (exercising good judgment tempered by training and experience) may enter the structure and proceed directly to victims in need of rescue, RIT will then be put in place when resources permit.

The Worcester Cold Storage Warehouse fire provides a stark example of disoriented rescuers perishing when their air supply was exhausted during a fruitless primary search and subsequent RIT searches. The Worcester Cold Storage Warehouse fire was a fire that began on December 3, 1999, in Worcester Massachusetts.

Searches for trapped victims are exhaustively detailed, often including searches of cupboards, closets, and under beds. A cupboard (ˈkʌbɚd or press ( Hiberno-English) is a type of cabinet, often made of wood used indoors to store household objects such as food and crockery A closet (especially in North American usage is a small and enclosed space a cabinet, or a Cupboard in a House A bed is a piece of Furniture (or a location primarily used as a place to Sleep, and often used for Relaxation. The search is divided into two stages, the primary and secondary. The primary search is conducted quickly and thoroughly, typically beginning in the area closest to the fire as it is subjected to the highest risk of exposure. The secondary search only begins once the fire is under control, and is always (resources and personnel permitting) performed by a different team from that which did the primary search.

Rescue operations may also involve the extrication of victims of motor vehicle crashes (abbreviated MVC). Here firefighters use spreaders, cutters, and hydraulic rams, collectively called hydraulic rescue tools—known better to the public as Jaws of Life—to remove metal from the patient, followed by actually removing the patient, usually on a backboard with collar, and transferring to a waiting ambulance crew in the cold zone. Hydraulic rescue tools are used by emergency rescue personnel to assist Vehicle extrication of crash victims as well as other rescues from small spaces A hydraulic ram is a cyclic water pump powered by Hydropower. Hydraulic rescue tools are used by emergency rescue personnel to assist Vehicle extrication of crash victims as well as other rescues from small spaces More technical forms of rescue include subsets such as rope rescue, swiftwater rescue, confined space rescue, and trench rescue. Rope rescue is a subset of Technical rescue that involves the use of static Nylon Kernmantle ropes anchoring and Belaying devices friction Swiftwater Rescue (also called " whitewater rescue") is a subset of Technical rescue that involves the use of specially trained personnel Ropes Confined space rescue is a subset of Technical rescue operations that involves the rescue and recovery of victims trapped in a Confined space or in a place only accessible Trench rescue is a highly specialized form of Rescue, a subset of Confined space rescue. These types of rescue are often extremely hazardous and physically demanding. They also require extensive technical training. NFPA regulation 1006 and 1670 state that a "rescuer" must have medical training to perform any technical rescue operation. Accordingly, firefighters involved in rescue operations have some kind of medical training as first responders, emergency medical technicians, paramedics or nurses. A paramedic is a medical professional usually a member of the emergency medical service, who primarily provides Pre-hospital advanced medical and A nurse is responsible—along with other Health care Professionals —for the treatment safety and recovery of acutely or chronically

Search procedure

These are standard search procedures for most fire departments. These are not actual instructions.

Searching a building is normally a two to three man team. The most common way to search a building that is filled with smoke is to crawl on hands and knees with an axe (or any other tool) in the firefighter's left hand. The firefighter will keep one hand on the wall, or a foot in contact at all times with the wall. And scoot himself forward, swinging the handle of the axe back and forth, searching for any objects in his way. If the object moves when touched, it might be a person. Depending on the sound/feel it gives back, he can check what ever the object was. If it's not a person, he will continue down along the wall.

Meanwhile his buddy/buddies have their right hand in contact with the lead firefighter's left ankle and scooting with them. This way they cover a far larger spread of ground. Once the person(s) is found, they will drag, carry, push, any way possible really, they will move the victim back the way they came because they know the way they went was safe.

It is also important to remember that the Firefighter needs to check the floor before he moves into the room. Once going into the room, he will go right, and follow the right wall. ALWAYS. Next, when in a group of 3, the 2nd in the search line will go into most rooms, check it over, and then return out. (This is when doing a very detailed search because location of the victim is unknown)

Communication and command structure

The expedient and accurate handling of fire alarms or calls are significant factors in the successful outcome of any incident. Fire department communications play a critical role in that successful outcome. Fire department communications include the methods by which the public can notify the communications center of an emergency, the methods by which the center can notify the proper fire fighting forces, and the methods by which information is exchanged at the scene.

A telecommunicator (often referred to as a dispatcher) has a role different but just as important as other emergency personnel. Dispatchers are communications personnel responsible for receiving and transmitting pure and reliable messages tracking vehicles and equipment and recording other important information The telecommunicator must process calls from unknown and unseen individuals, usually calling under stressful conditions. He/she must be able to obtain complete, reliable information from the caller and prioritize requests for assistance. It is the dispatcher's responsibility to bring order to chaos.

While some fire departments are large enough to utilize their own telecommunication dispatcher, most rural and small areas rely on a central dispatcher to provide handling of fire, rescue and police services.

Firefighters are trained to use communications equipment to receive alarms, give and receive commands, request assistance, and report on conditions. Since firefighters from different agencies routinely provide mutual aid to each other, and routinely operate at incidents where other emergency services are present, it is essential to have structures in place to establish a unified chain of command, and share information between agencies. The U. S. Federal Emergency Management Agency has established a National Incident Management System. The purpose of FEMA is to coordinate the response to a Disaster which has occurred in the United States and which overwhelms the resources of local and state authorities One component of this system is the Incident Command System. The Incident Command System (ICS is a standardized on-scene all-hazard incident management concept in the United States.

All radio communication in the United States is under authorization from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC); as such, fire departments that operate radio equipment must hold radio licenses from the FCC.

Ten codes were popular in the early days of radio equipment because of poor transmission and reception. Ten-codes, properly known as ten signals, are Code words used to represent common phrases in voice communication particularly by law enforcement and in Citizen's Advances in modern radio technology have reduced the need for ten-codes and many departments have converted to simple English (clear text).

Most command structures are run in this manner:

Rank: Fire Fighter(No insignia) Yellow Helmet: Normal Helmet, No Shield Junior Fire Fighter Yellow Helmet: Black Number Shield Fire Fighter

Rank: Lieutenant(One Bugle) Yellow Helmet: Red Number Shield Black Helmet : Senior Fire Fighter Black Helmet : Red Number shield 1st Lieutenant

Rank: Captain(Two Bugle) Red Helmet  : Black Number shield 2nd Captain Red Helmet  : Red Number shield 1st Captain

Rank: Chief White Helmet : Deputy Chief (3 Bugle) White Helmet : Black Shield Assistant Chief(4 Bugle) White Helmet : White Shield Gold (5 Bugle)

There is no set 'law' to the command structure. This is just a basic idea.

Structure fires

Buildings that are made of flammable materials such as wood are different from so called "fire-resistant" buildings such as concrete high-rises. Wood is hard fibrous lignified structural tissue produced as secondary Xylem in the stems of Woody plants notably trees but also shrubs Generally, a "fire-resistant" building is designed to limit fire to a small area or floor. Other floors can be safe simply by preventing smoke inhalation and damage. All buildings suspected of being on fire must be evacuated, regardless of fire rating.

While sometimes fires can be limited to small areas of a structure, wider collateral damage due to smoke, water, and burning embers is common. Utility shutoff (such as gas and electricity) is typically an early priority of arriving fire crews. Furthermore, fire prevention can take on a special meaning for property where hazardous materials are being used or stored.

Some fire fighting tactics may appear to be destructive, but often serve specific needs. For example, during "ventilation" firefighters are often forced to open holes in the roof or floors of a structure (called "vertical ventilation") or open windows or walls (called "horizontal ventilation") to remove smoke and heated gases from the interior of the structure. In firefighting, ventilation refers to the tactic of creating a draft with an opening above or opposite the entry point so that heat and smoke will be released permitting Such ventilation methods are also used to locate victims quicker as visibility increases and to help preserve the life of trapped or unconscious individuals due to the poisonous gases inside of the structure. Vertical Ventilation is absolutely vital to firefighter safety in the event of a Flashover or Backdraft scenario. For the 2007 documentary see Flashover (film. In Electric power transmission, a flashover is an unintended high voltage electric discharge over A backdraft is a situation which can occur when a Fire is starved of Oxygen; consequently combustion ceases but the fuel gases and Smoke remain at high Releasing the flammable gasses through the roof often eliminates the possibility of a backdraft and by the removal of heat the possibility of a flashover is reduced significantly. Flashovers, due to their intense heat (900 - 1200 degrees fahrenheit) and explosive temperaments are almost always fatal to firefighter personnel. Precautionary methods, such as busting a window out, often reveal backdraft situations before the firefighter enters the structure and is met with the circumstance head-on. Firefighter safety is the number one priority.

Whenever possible, movable property is moved into the middle of a room and covered with a heavy cloth tarp (a "salvage cover"). Other steps may be taken to divert or remove fire flow runoff (thus salvaging property by avoiding unnecessary damage), retrieving/protecting valuables found during suppression or overhaul, and boarding windows, roofs and doors against the elements and looters.

Fire control

Fire control (or fire fighting) consists of depriving a fire of fuel (Reducing Agent), oxygen (Oxidizing Agent), heat and/or the chemical chain reaction that are necessary to sustain itself or re-kindle (also known as the four components of The Fire Tetrahedron). Distinguish from a Firefight, which means a battle with firearms Fire is the heat and light energy released during a Chemical reaction, in particular a combustion reaction. Fuel is any material that is burned or altered in order to obtain energy Oxygen (from the Greek roots ὀξύς (oxys (acid literally "sharp" from the taste of acids and -γενής (-genēs (producer literally begetteris the In Physics, heat, symbolized by Q, is Energy transferred from one body or system to another due to a difference in Temperature The fire triangle or combustion triangle is a simple model from the science of firefighting, for understanding the ingredients necessary for most Fires Firefighters are equipped with a wide variety of equipment to accomplish this task. Some of their tools include ladder trucks, pumper trucks, tanker trucks, fire hose, and fire extinguishers. A fire extinguisher is an Active fire protection device used to extinguish or control small fires often in emergency situations Very frequent training and refresher training is required.

Structure fires may be attacked, generally, either by "interior" or "exterior" resources, or both. Interior crews, using the "two-in, two out" rule, may advance hose lines inside the building, find the fire and cool it with water. Exterior crews may direct water into windows or other openings, or against other nearby fuels exposed to the initial fire. A proper command structure will plan and coordinate the various teams and equipment to safely execute each tactic.

See also Fire suppression for other techniques.

Equipment

Main article: Glossary of firefighting equipment

A partial list of some equipment typically used by firefighters:

• Hand tools, such as
  • Flat-head and pick-head axe
  • Pike pole
  • Halligan bar
  • Flashlight
  • Spanner wrench
  • Circular ("K-12"), Cutters Edge, and/or chain saws
• Personal protective equipment ("PPE") designed to withstand water and high temperatures, such as
  • Bunker gear, including turnout jacket and pants
  • Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA)
  • Helmet, face mask and/or visor
  • Boots, gloves, and Nomex and Carbon flash hoods
  • Personal Alert Safety System (PASS) device
• Handheld radio, pager, or other communication devices
• Vehicle extrication tools, such as Hydraulic rescue tools
• Thermal Imaging Camera

History of fire brigades

The history of organized combating of structural fires dates back at least to Ancient Egypt. Pike poles are long poles usually 6-10 feet in length used by Firefighters to search for fires hidden behind the Sheetrock in the walls and ceiling A Halligan bar (also called a Halligan tool) is a special tool commonly used in the Fire and rescue service. A flashlight (also called an electric torch or torch) is a portable electric spotlight which emits light from a small incandescent Lightbulb Personal protective equipment (PPE refers to protective Clothing, Helmets, Goggles, or other garment designed to protect the wearer's body or Turnout gear or "bunker gear" are terms used by many Firefighters to refer to their system of outer protective clothing self contained breathing apparatus, or SCBA, sometimes referred to as a Compressed Air Breathing Apparatus (CABA or simply Breathing Apparatus (BA is Nomex (styled NOMEX) is a registered Trademark for flame resistant meta- Aramid material developed in the early 1960s by DuPont and first marketed PASS device is an acronym for Personal Alert Safety System, a personal safety device used primarily by Firefighters entering a hazardous IDLH environment Hydraulic rescue tools are used by emergency rescue personnel to assist Vehicle extrication of crash victims as well as other rescues from small spaces A thermographic camera, sometimes called a FLIR (Forward Looking InfraRed or an infrared camera less specifically is a device that forms an image using Infrared This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. Today, fire and rescue remains a mix of paid, call, and volunteer responders. The UK has the retained fire service, whereby fire fighters are on call with pagers from their homes and/or place of work. See article history of fire brigades. The history of organized firefighting dates back at least to Ancient Egypt, where hand-operated pumps may have been employed to extinguish fires

Miscellaneous

In popular literature, firefighters are usually depicted with Dalmatian dogs. This breed originated in southern Europe to assist with herding livestock and run along with horses, and in the days of horse-drawn fire vehicles, the horses were usually released on arrival at the fire and the Dalmatians would lead the horses through traffic and to a safe place to wait until the fire was out. Livestock is the term used to refer (singularly or plurally to a Domesticated Animal intentionally reared in an agricultural setting to produce such as Food The horse ( Equus caballus) is a hoofed ( Ungulate) Mammal, one of eight living species of the family Equidae. Dalmatians also filled the role of protecting the horses' feet from other dogs as equipment was being transported to the fire scene.

In reality, most fire dogs were mutts pulled from the street (and thus cheaper to acquire). A mixed-breed dog (also called a mutt, mongrel, tyke, cur, bitzer or random-bred dog) is a Dog that has In addition, Dalmatians have a reputation for skittishness and congenital defects, such as deafness due to inbreeding.

Many fire companies around the world, especially in the United States, develop annual beefcake calendars. In these calendars, handsome and/or muscular firefighters appear scantily clad and sometimes cavorting. Calendar proceeds function as fund raisers for their fire department and for charities. ^[4] Other forms of fund-raising may include traditional Firemen's Balls (gala events attended by fire-fighters and supporters from the community), community fairs, and ding-a-ling car washes (where the price is whatever donation one wishes).

Rank

A list of various types and/or ranks for firefighters around the world:

• Volunteer Firefighter – a fire fighter who voluntarily completes one or more state, county, university, or local fire academies and performs his/her services for free, typically responding from home or work
• Auxiliary Firefighter – a type of volunteer fire fighter, used in smaller paid jurisdictions to assist full-time fire crews with unusually large fires
• Probationary Firefighter – a new firefighter under probation
• 1st Class Firefighter – a full time/non-probationary firefighter
• Senior Fire Fighter – a senior non-officer firefighter whom provides command and control at fire scene; also refer to as Leading Firefighter in the British Army
• Sub Officer - used in British Army

See also

• Advanced Life Support (ALS)
• Bushfire
• Brush truck
• Company officer
• Country Fire Service
• Dublin Fire Brigade
• Emergency Medical Services
• FDNY
• Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue
• Paris Fire Brigade
• Fire/Burglar alarms
• Fire apparatus
• Fire chief
• Fire Services Department, Hong Kong
• Fire department rehab
• Fire services in Scotland
• Fire service in the United Kingdom
• Fire station
• Fireboat
• Firemen's pole
• Fire Police
• Fire safety
• Firefighting worldwide
• Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program (U. The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. The Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (Jabatan Bomba dan Penyelamat Malaysia or popularly known as Bomba is the fire and rescue services agency in Malaysia Advanced Life Support (ALS- Implies that a EMT is capable of performing advanced life support skills as either an EMT-I (Intermediate or an EMT-P (Paramedic commonly referred Ladysmith-RFSJPG|right|thumb| Ladysmith NSW RFS fire fighting tanker]]A Bushfire is a Fire that occurs in the bush (collective term for In the fire service a Company Officer (CO is the individual in charge of a Crew of Firefighters and their responding Apparatus. About the CFS The Country Fire Service (CFS is the volunteer combatant authority for Firefighting, road crash and hazardous materials in the country The Dublin Fire Brigade ( DFB) is the local authority fire and rescue service for Dublin city and some of its suburbs Emergency medical services (abbreviated to the initialism "EMS" in many countries are a branch of Emergency services dedicated to providing out-of-hospital The New York City Fire Department or the Fire Department City of New York ( FDNY) has the responsibility for protecting the citizens and property of New York City Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue (PBCFR is a combination career/volunteer fire department responsible for providing Fire Protection Emergency Medical Services, ALS This article is about the Paris Fire Brigade For the British Society for Plant Pathology see BSPP. "Silent alarm" redirects here For the album see Silent Alarm (album. A fire apparatus, fire engine, fire truck, or fire appliance is a vehicle designed to assist in fighting Fires by transporting Firefighters Fire Chief or Chief Fire Officer is a top executive rank in a Fire department, either elected or appointed Fire Services Department ( of the Hong Kong Government is an emergency service responsible for fire-fighting and rescue on land and sea Fire department rehab is a vital Firefighting service on the fireground, providing Firefighters and other Emergency personnel with Fire services in Scotland are provided by local brigades and since the establishment of a devolved Scottish government in 1999 are the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for The fire service in the United Kingdom operates under separate legislative and administrative arrangements in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and A fire station (also called stationhouse) is a structure or other area set aside for storage of firefighting apparatus (i A fireboat is a specialized watercraft often resembling a Tugboat, with pumps and nozzles designed for fighting shoreline and shipboard Fires They are frequently A firemen's pole or sliding pole or firepole is a Wooden pole or a Metal tube or pipe installed Fire Police are Volunteer Fire Brigade/Company members who may also have sworn police powers Fire safety refers to precautions that are taken to prevent or reduce the likelihood of a Fire that may result in death injury or property damage alert those in a structure This article discusses national trends and protocol in Firefighting. The Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program (FFFIPP is administered by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH part of the S. )
• Glossary of firefighting equipment
• Glossary of firefighting terms
• Glossary of wildland fire terms
• History of fire brigades
• Helitack Crew
• Hotshot crew
• International Association of Wildland Fire
• Junior firefighter
• Emergency medical technician
• Incident Command System
• Orange County Fire Authority
• LAFD
• List of historic fires
• Leatherhead (helmet)
• London Fire Brigade
• Paramedic
• Portal:Fire
• Smokejumper
• Smoke detector
• Volunteer fire department
• Water tender
• Wildland Firefighter Foundation

References

External links

• The Last Alarm Internet Memorial - Our Fallen Heroes
• International FireFightingNews.com - Fire and Rescue News
• National FireLink.com - Fire and Rescue Community
• Firefighter-EMT News
• Firefighter Nation - Social Network for Fire, EMS & Rescue
• National Incident Management System
• U. S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Topic: Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program
• MSN:Cause For the Alarm
• Wildland Firefighter Foundation
• Firefighter Trivia

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (or NIOSH) is the United States federal agency responsible for conducting research and making recommendations

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