Fire
Fighter Job Description
As
a firefighter, we
are required to perform
a large variety of
tasks. These tasks
are very diverse and
may include rescue
and care of victims,
fire prevention, cleanup,
hazardous materials
containment, and community
service.
Emergency Response
Emergency response calls can come in at any
time of the day or night and must be responded to immediately. Sleep
may be frequently interrupted.
Firefighters must be experts at getting themselves dressed in the appropriate
gear/equipment and onto the emergency vehicles quickly when responding
to an emergency call, regardless of what they might be busy with at the
time the emergency call comes in.
Emergency calls can cover anything from brush fires, structure fires,
automobile accidents, alarm activation's, and false alarms. All must
be responded to with the same speed and professionalism.
Firefighters must immediately size up each emergency situation upon arrival,
including: properties of the fire, probability of the fire spreading,
the needs of victims, medical conditions, effects of weather conditions,
etc. in order to effectively deal with the emergency.
Once on an emergency
scene, firefighters
are responsible for
gathering information
from witnesses and
other sources. It
is critical that the
firefighter think
quickly and obtain
the appropriate information
to deal with each
unique situation.
Firefighters must
intimately coordinate
their activities and
work as a team. This
includes those firefighters
working directly with
the emergency, those
directing traffic,
and those standing
by to relieve other
firefighters.
Fire Scenes
Firefighting
is a dangerous occupation.
Firefighters must
enter burning structures.
Once inside the structure,
firefighters must
search for victims,
the source of fire,
and ways to extinguish
the fire. In this
process, firefighters
are exposed to extreme
heat, smoke, and fumes.
Firefighting is very physically demanding. Firefighters carry 80 to 100
lbs. of equipment such as hoses, axes, ladders, chain saws, and extinguishers
into and around the fire scene to rescue victims and put out the fire.
This may include climbing many flights of stairs.
Firefighters make forced entries into structures by cutting locks, breaking
doors, windows, or roofs as needed to gain access to ventilate structures.
This may involve using hand tools such as axes, sledge hammers, battering
rams, and power tools.
While at a fire scene,
firefighters must
constantly evaluate
personal safety by
examining structures
for cracks, breaks,
charring, or partial
collapse.
Firefighters use ladders and work at heights to rescue victims and fight
fires. They must raise, lower, rotate, and extend these ladders.
Firefighters locate hydrants and other sources of water. Firefighters
connect hoses to sources of water using various tools, and considerable
strength.
Firefighters operate handheld hose lines without assistance and get the
hose into position by dragging, carrying or hoisting it into place.
Firefighters are responsible for the clean up of fire scenes. Firefighters
carry burnt furniture, clothing, appliances, etc. from buildings to reduce
fire and smoke damage. Firefighters scoop, shovel, sweep and mop excess
water and debris caused by the fire and firefighting efforts. Firefighters
tear down or shore up weak or dangerous parts of fire structures such
as floors, roofs, or overhangs.
Rescue Operations
Firefighters use systematic search procedures to try
to find trapped victims without getting lost or trapped themselves.
Firefighters free trapped victims from a variety of situations including
car crashes, cave-ins, structure collapses, flood waters, chemical spills,
and all kinds of unusual occurrences. Firefighters may be required to
use special tools to accomplish a rescue.
After locating and
freeing the victim,
firefighters must
determine the safest
path of evacuation.
Firefighters may be
required to lift and/or
carry the victim with
or without assistance
in dangerous
situations.
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