| A firefighter is a person who is trained and | | | | firefighters work in teams, using a "two-in, |
| equipped to put out fires, rescue people and | | | | two-out" rule whenever in an IDLH |
| pets, aid and assist during natural disasters | | | | (Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health) |
| and, increasingly, provide emergency medical | | | | environment. |
| services. The fire service, also known in | | | | |
| some countries as the fire brigade or fire | | | | Tools are generally carried at all times and |
| department, is one of the emergency services. | | | | are important for not only forcible entry but |
| | | | also for self rescue. A Self Contained |
| Fire fighting is the process and profession | | | | Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) delivers air to |
| of extinguishing fires. Firefighting and | | | | the firefighter through a full face mask and |
| firefighters have become ubiquitous around | | | | is worn to protect against smoke inhalation, |
| the world, from urban areas to wildland | | | | toxic fumes, and super heated gasses. A |
| areas, and on board ships. Not all | | | | special device called a Personal Alert Safety |
| firefighters are paid for their services. In | | | | System (PASS) is commonly worn independently |
| some countries, including the United States, | | | | or as a part of the SCBA to alert others when |
| Canada, Finland, Australia, and New Zealand, | | | | a firefighter stops moving for a specified |
| there are often paid, or "career" | | | | period of time or manually operates the |
| ("professional" is falling out of popular | | | | device. The PASS device sounds an alarm that |
| usage due to the perception that non-paid | | | | can assist another firefighter (Firefighter |
| volunteers would thus be termed | | | | Assist and Search Team), in locating the |
| "unprofessional"), firefighters working | | | | firefighter in distress. |
| alongside volunteer and "call" or "retained" | | | | |
| (firefighters who are paid for the specific | | | | Firefighters often carry personal self rescue |
| time they are responding to emergencies) | | | | ropes. The ropes are generally 30 feet long |
| firefighters. In the United Kingdom and | | | | and can provide a firefighter (that has |
| Ireland, the use of retained firefighters | | | | enough time to deploy the rope) a partially |
| (who are part-time, but are paid when on | | | | controlled exit out an elevated window. Lack |
| duty) rather than volunteers is standard. In | | | | of a personal rescue rope is cited in the |
| Germany, volunteer fire departments are | | | | deaths of two New York City Firefighters, Lt. |
| standard: even the biggest German city, | | | | John Bellew and Lt. Curtis Meyran, who died |
| Berlin, with more than 3 million inhabitants, | | | | after they jumped from a fourth floor of a |
| has volunteer fire fighters. In fact, only | | | | burning apartment building in the Bronx. Of |
| 101 German cities have a career fire service, | | | | the four firefighters who jumped and survived |
| called "Berufsfeuerwehr" in German. . Most of | | | | only one of them had a self rescue rope. |
| the so called volunteer departments, except | | | | Since the incident the Fire Department of New |
| in rural areas, are in fact a mixed service | | | | York City has issued self rescue ropes to |
| of a core of career firemen who are supported | | | | their firefighters. |
| by true volunteer firefighters should need | | | | |
| arise. However, the official title of those | | | | In the United States, 25% of fatalities to |
| departments is nevertheless "volunteer fire | | | | firefighters are caused by vehicle accidents |
| service". | | | | while responding or returning from an |
| | | | incident. Many firefighters are also injured |
| The three main goals in firefighting are (in | | | | or killed by vehicles while working at an |
| order) life safety, incident stabilization, | | | | incident (Paulison 2005). |
| and property conservation. Firefighting is an | | | | |
| inherently dangerous occupation. As such, the | | | | Rescue |
| skills required for safe operations are | | | | |
| regularly practiced during training | | | | Rescue operations consist of searching for |
| evolutions throughout a firefighter's career. | | | | and removing trapped occupants of hazardous |
| In the United States, the preeminent fire | | | | conditions. Animals may also be recovered, if |
| training and standards organization is the | | | | resources and conditions permit. Generally |
| National Fire Protection Association (or | | | | triage and first aid are performed outside, |
| NFPA). Often initial firefighting skills are | | | | as removal from the hazardous atmosphere is |
| taught during a local, regional, or state | | | | the primary goal in preserving life. Search |
| approved fire academy. Depending on the | | | | patterns include movement against room walls |
| requirements of a department, additional | | | | (to prevent rescuers from becoming lost or |
| skills and certifications such as technical | | | | disoriented) and methodical searches of |
| rescue and Paramedicine may also be taught at | | | | specific areas by designated teams. |
| this time. | | | | |
| | | | Many fire departments follow a "two-in, |
| Firefighters work closely with other | | | | two-out" rule, which states that: |
| emergency response agencies, most | | | | |
| particularly local and state police | | | | a) teams made up of a minimum of two |
| departments. As every fire scene is | | | | firefighters will enter and leave hazardous |
| technically a crime scene until deemed | | | | areas together (to prevent single rescuers |
| otherwise by a qualified investigator, there | | | | from becoming lost); |
| is often overlap between the responsibilities | | | | |
| of responding firefighters and police | | | | b) for every team of two (or more) rescuers |
| officers such as evidence and scene | | | | currently inside a hazardous area, another |
| protection, initial observations of first | | | | team of two (or more) rescuers will be |
| respondents, and chain of evidence | | | | stationed (or "staged") immediately adjacent |
| issues.[citation needed] The increasing role | | | | to the entry to the hazardous area, ready to |
| of firefighters in providing emergency | | | | immediately enter should the first team |
| medical services also brings firefighters | | | | require assistance. |
| into common overlap with law enforcement. One | | | | |
| example of this is a common state law | | | | Such teams are commonly known as Rapid |
| requiring all gunshot wounds to be reported | | | | Intervention Teams (abbreviated RIT). The |
| to law enforcement agencies. | | | | only time it is permissible for a team of |
| | | | firefighters to enter a burning structure |
| Most career (full time, paid) firefighters in | | | | without RIT in place is when they are |
| North America are represented by the | | | | operating in what is known as "Rescue Mode". |
| International Association of Fire Fighters | | | | Rescue Mode occurs when firefighters have |
| | | | arrived at the scene, and it is readily |
| Fire fighting has several basic skills: | | | | apparent that there are occupants trapped |
| prevention, self preservation, rescue, | | | | inside who need immediate rescue. At such a |
| preservation of property and fire control. | | | | time, firefighters may enter the structure |
| Firefighting is further broken down into | | | | proceed directly to the rescue scenario, and |
| skills which include size-up, extinguishment, | | | | RIT can be established as soon as possible. |
| ventilation, and salvage and overhaul. Search | | | | |
| and Rescue, which has already been mentioned, | | | | Searches for trapped victims are exhaustively |
| is performed early in any fire scenario and | | | | detailed, often including searches of |
| many times is in unison with extinguishment | | | | cupboards, closets, and under beds. The |
| and ventilation. | | | | search is divided into two stages, the |
| | | | primary and secondary. The primary search is |
| Prevention | | | | conducted quickly and thoroughly, typically |
| | | | beginning in the area closest to the fire as |
| Prevention attempts to ensure that no place | | | | it is subjected to the highest risk of |
| simultaneously has sufficient heat, fuel and | | | | exposure. The secondary search only begins |
| air to allow ignition and combustion. | | | | once the fire is under control, and is always |
| Fernando Cardona, the leading researcher in | | | | (resources and personnel permitting) |
| fire prevention is accredited with much of | | | | performed by a different team from that which |
| the advancement and improvement to modern | | | | did the primary search. |
| fire fighting technique. Most prevention | | | | |
| programs are directed at controlling the | | | | Rescue operations may also involve the |
| energy of activation (heat). Fire suppression | | | | extrication of victims of motor vehicle |
| systems have a proven record for controlling | | | | crashes (abbreviated MVC). Here firefighters |
| and extinguishing unwanted fires. Many fire | | | | use spreaders, cutters, and hydraulic rams, |
| officials recommend that every building, | | | | tools more commonly known as the Hurst tools |
| including residences, have sprinklers. | | | | to remove metal from the patient, followed by |
| Correctly working sprinklers in a residence | | | | actually removing the patient, usually on a |
| greatly reduce the risk of death from a fire. | | | | backboard with collar, and transferring to a |
| With the small rooms typical of a residence, | | | | waiting ambulance crew in the cold zone. More |
| one or two sprinklers can cover most rooms. | | | | technical forms of rescue include subsets |
| | | | such as rope rescue, swiftwater rescue, |
| In addition, a major duty of fire services is | | | | confined space rescue, and trench rescue. |
| the regular inspection of buildings to ensure | | | | These types of rescue are often extremely |
| they are up to the current building fire | | | | hazardous and physically demanding. They also |
| codes, which are enforced so that a burning | | | | require extensive technical training. NFPA |
| building can sufficiently resist fire damage. | | | | regulation 1006 and 1670 state that a |
| | | | "rescuer" must have medical training to |
| Self-preservation | | | | perform any technical rescue operation. |
| | | | Accordingly, firefighters involved in rescue |
| Self-preservation is critical. The basic | | | | operations have some kind of medical training |
| technique firefighters use is to know where | | | | as first responders, emergency medical |
| they are, and to avoid hazards. Current | | | | technicians, paramedics, or nurses |
| standards in the United States recommend that | | | | |