Every year, fires and other emergencies take thousands of lives and destroy property worth billions of dollars. Fire fighters help protect the public against these dangers by responding to fires and a variety of other emergencies. In addition to putting out fires, they are frequently the first emergency personnel at the scene of a traffic accident or medical emergency and may be called upon to treat injuries or perform other vital functions.
During duty hours, fire fighters must be prepared to respond immediately to a fire or others emergency. Fighting fires is dangerous and complex, therefore requires organization and teamwork. At every emergency scene, fire fighters perform specific duties assigned by a superior officer. At fires, they connect hose lines to hydrants and operate a pump to send water to high-pressure hoses. Some carry hoses, climb ladders, and enter burning buildings—using systematic and careful procedures—to put out fires. At times, they may need to use tools, like an ax, to make their way through doors, walls, and debris, sometimes with the aid of information about a building's floor plan. Some find and rescue occupants who are unable to safely leave the building without assistance. They also provide emergency medical attention, ventilate smoke-filled areas, and attempt to salvage the contents of buildings. Fire fighters' duties may change several times while the company is in action. Sometimes they remain at the site of a disaster for days at a time, rescuing trapped survivors, and assisting with medical treatment.
Fire fighters work in a variety of settings, including metropolitan areas, rural areas with grasslands and forests, airports, chemical plants and other industrial sites. They have also assumed a range of responsibilities, including emergency medical services. In fact, most calls to which fire fighters respond involve medical emergencies. In addition, some fire fighters work in hazardous materials units that are specially trained for the control, prevention, and cleanup of hazardous materials, such as oil spills or accidents involving the transport of chemicals.
Workers specializing forest fires utilize different methods and equipment than other fire fighters. In national forests and parks, forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists spot fires from watchtowers and report the fires to headquarters by telephone or radio. Forest rangers also patrol to ensure that travelers and campers comply with fire regulations. When fires break out, crews of fire fighters are brought in to suppress the blaze with heavy equipment and water hoses. Fighting forest fires, like fighting urban fires, is rigorous work. One of the most effective means of fighting a forest fire is creating fire lines—cutting down trees and digging out grass and all other combustible vegetation in the path of the fire—to deprive it of fuel. Elite fire fighters called smoke jumpers parachute from airplanes to reach otherwise inaccessible areas. This tactic, however, can be extremely hazardous.
When they aren't responding to fires and other emergencies, fire fighters clean and maintain equipment, study fire science and fire fighting techniques, conduct practice drills and fire inspections, and participate in physical fitness activities. They also prepare written reports on fire incidents and review fire science literature to stay informed about technological developments and changing administrative practices and policies.
Most fire departments have a fire prevention division, usually headed by a fire marshal and staffed by fire inspectors. Workers in this division conduct inspections of structures to prevent fires by ensuring compliance with fire codes. These inspectors also work with developers and planners to check and approve plans for new buildings and inspect buildings under construction.
Some fire fighters become fire investigators, who determine the causes of fires. They collect evidence, interview witnesses, and prepare reports on fires in cases where the cause may be arson or criminal negligence. They often are asked to testify in court. In some cities, these investigators work in police departments, and some are employed by insurance companies.
Work environment. Fire fighters spend much of their time at fire stations, which are usually similar to dormitories. When an alarm sounds, fire fighters respond, regardless of the weather or hour. Fire fighting involves the risk of death or injury from floors caving in, walls toppling, traffic accidents, and exposure to flames and smoke. Fire fighters also may come into contact with poisonous, flammable, or explosive gases and chemicals and radioactive materials, which may have immediate or long-term effects on their health. For these reasons, they must wear protective gear that can be very heavy and hot.
Work hours of fire fighters are longer and more varied than the hours of most other workers. Many fire fighters work more than 50 hours a week, and sometimes they may work longer. In some agencies, fire fighters are on duty for 24 hours, then off for 48 hours, and receive an extra day off at intervals. In others, they work a day shift of 10 hours for 3 or 4 days, a night shift of 14 hours for 3 or 4 nights, have 3 or 4 days off, and then repeat the cycle. In addition, fire fighters often work extra hours at fires and other emergencies and are regularly assigned to work on holidays. Fire lieutenants and fire captains often work the same hours as the fire fighters they supervise.
| 1. | Administer first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation to injured persons. |
| 2. | Rescue victims from burning buildings and accident sites. |
| 3. | Search burning buildings to locate fire victims. |
| 4. | Drive and operate fire fighting vehicles and equipment. |
| 5. | Dress with equipment such as fire resistant clothing and breathing apparatus. |
| 6. | Move toward the source of a fire using knowledge of types of fires, construction design, building materials, and physical layout of properties. |
| 7. | Position and climb ladders to gain access to upper levels of buildings, or to rescue individuals from burning structures. |
| 8. | Take action to contain hazardous chemicals that might catch fire, leak, or spill. |
| 9. | Assess fires and situations and report conditions to superiors to receive instructions, using two-way radios. |
| 10. | Respond to fire alarms and other calls for assistance, such as automobile and industrial accidents. |
| 11. | Operate pumps connected to high-pressure hoses. |
| 12. | Select and attach hose nozzles, depending on fire type, and direct streams of water or chemicals onto fires. |
| 13. | Create openings in buildings for ventilation or entrance, using axes, chisels, crowbars, electric saws, or core cutters. |
| 14. | Inspect fire sites after flames have been extinguished to ensure that there is no further danger. |
| 15. | Lay hose lines and connect them to water supplies. |
| 16. | Protect property from water and smoke using waterproof salvage covers, smoke ejectors, and deodorants. |
| 17. | Participate in physical training activities to maintain a high level of physical fitness. |
| 18. | Salvage property by removing broken glass, pumping out water, and ventilating buildings to remove smoke. |
| 19. | Participate in fire drills and demonstrations of fire fighting techniques. |
| 20. | Clean and maintain fire stations and fire fighting equipment and apparatus. |
| 21. | Collaborate with police to respond to accidents, disasters, and arson investigation calls. |
| 22. | Establish firelines to prevent unauthorized persons from entering areas near fires. |
| 23. | Inform and educate the public on fire prevention. |
| 24. | Inspect buildings for fire hazards and compliance with fire prevention ordinances, testing and checking smoke alarms and fire suppression equipment as necessary. |
| 25. | Participate in courses, seminars and conferences, and study fire science literature, to learn firefighting techniques. |
| 26. | Prepare written reports that detail specifics of fire incidents. |
| 27. | Spray foam onto runways, extinguish fires, and rescue aircraft crew and passengers in air-crash emergencies. |
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