Chapter 1: Introduction to the Fire Service and Firefighter Safety Flashcards
what is a Fire service mission
determines what services are needed to protect its citizens and establishes the fire service to meet that need
- Missions vary among departments
- Usually mandated by a law or ordinance enacted by the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ)
what is THE fire service mission
to save lives and to protect property and the environment from fires and other hazardous situations
how is the fire service mission accomplished
o Done through an all-hazard concept which include
Community risk reduction (fire prevention and public education)
Fire suppression
Fire cause determination
EMS
Technical rescue services
Hazardous material mitigation
Airport and or seaport protection
Emergency management services
- Fire mission statement
part of departments rules and regulations
o Should be posted in every facility
who establishes the manner in which the fire service is organized
- Responsibility of AHJ
- Organization of a fire service includes:
o Type of department
o Number of facilities and locations
o Types and number of apparatus
o Number of personnel
o Organizational hierarchy
o Functions and responsibilities for specific jobs and ranks
o Minimum training and certification level requirements to attain those ranks
what are Organizational Structure and principles used for
- Establish the foundation for how the organization will function and operate to achieve its mission
- Scalar
most common fire department organizational structure
o Defined as having a series of steps
-information and decisions are made high and sent low
o Fire chief
o Deputy chief
o Assistant chief
o Battalion chief
o Captains
o Lieutenants
o Driver/operators
o Firefighters/emts
organizational principles include:
-chain of command
-unity of command
-span of control
-discipline
-division of labour
Chain of command:
the formal line of authority, responsibility, and communication within an organization.
Adhering to the chain of command helps ensure unity of command within an organization
Unity of command
each employee reports directly to just one supervisor
Span of control
the maximum number of subordinates or functions that any one supervisor can control. The number is typically 3-7 with 5 considered the optimum
discipline:
refers to an organizations responsibility to provide leadership and an individual’s responsibility to follow orders.
Administered through rules, regulations, and policies that define acceptable performance and expected outcome.
Division of labour:
the process of dividing large jobs into smaller jobs to make them more manageable, equalize work loads, and increase efficiency.
why is division of labour necessary in the fire service
To assign responsibility
To assign specific and clear-cut tasks
To prevent duplication of effort
Types of Fire Departments
public or private
career or volunteer
Public services are funded by
the community through taxes, fees, grants, fundraisers, donations and contracts
Private services raise are funded by
raise money through contracts, billing for services, and revenue provided by their parent organization
Career departments
employ full time, career firefighters and other personnel to provide necessary services
o Continually staffed
volunteer departments
not continuously staffed but instead volunteer firefighters respond to emergencies when necessary
o Some are publicly funded: The town provides the facility and equipment + maintenance
o Some rely on other funding sources such as fundraising, billing customers
Combination department
staffed by a mixture of career and volunteer firefighters
o Called a composite department in Canada
o May contain both government and civilian personnel
The basic unit of firefighting operations
fire company
company:
consists of an apparatus, firefighters and is led by a company officer
Battalion or Response District:
multiple companies within a response area
General types of companies
engine
truck
rescue
brush
hazardous material
EMS
aircraft rescue
Engine company
performs fire suppression duties at structure, vehicle, wildland and other types of fires.
o Additional duties might include search and rescue, extrication, ventilation and emergency medical care
o Assigned to a pumping apparatus
Truck (ladder) company
performs forcible entry, search and rescue, ventilation, salvage, overhaul and utilities control
o Provides access to upper level structures
o May also provide elevated water streams, extrication, and emergency medical care
Rescue company:
searches for and removes victims from areas of danger or entrapment.
o May be specially trained to perform technical rescues and may serve as a rapid intervention crew (RIC)
Brush company:
extinguishes ground cover or grass fires and protect structures in areas close to fields and woodlands
Hazardous materials company
mitigates hazardous materials incidents
Aircraft rescue and firefighting company
performs rescue and fire suppression activities involving aircraft accidents
In some volunteer and almost all career personnel are divided into two groups:
line personnel
staff personnel
Line personnel
deliver emergency services to the public
Staff personnel
provide administrative and logistical support for line personnel in areas such as finance, maintenance and training
what does NFPA 1001 standard establish
establishes basic criteria for 2 levels: Fire Fighter I and Fire Fighter II
Trained in fire suppression, search and rescue, extrication, ventilation, salvage, overhaul, and EMS
Difference between firefighter I and II
o Difference between firefighter I and II is that II is trained to coordinate I and II personnel while working under the supervision of a company officer
Fire apparatus driver/operator
Trained to drive fire apparatus to and from scenes
o Must be able to operate fire-apparatus pumps and ariel devices and are responsible for servicing and maintaining the apparatus
Hazardous material technician:
certified to mitigate hazardous materials and chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or explosives (CBRNE)
Rescue technician:
certified to perform rescues in specialty areas such as high angle(rope), trench, structural collapse, confined space, vehicle/machinery, water, ice and cave/mine rescues
Airport firefighter:
trained in airport operations and ARFF
Wildland firefighter:
personnel trained to extinguish fires in outdoor vegetation including wildland/urban interface
types of officers
-company officers
-fire department incident safety officer
-Fire department health and safety officers
-Fistic/battalion chiefs
-Assistant/deputy chiefs
-Fire marshals
-Fire chief
Company officers
supervise a fire company in the station and at fires and other emergencies
o May also supervise a group of fire companies within their response area
Fire department incident safety officers
person who moniters operational safety at emergency incidents
o Task may be assigned to any qualified fire officer at incident
Fire department health and safety officers:
monitors department health and safety program
Fistic/battalion chiefs:
supervise a group of fire companies and stations
o May also manage units responsible for logistics, fire prevention, training, planning or other functions
Assistant/deputy chiefs:
manage a variety of upper level functions such as emergency operations, administration, fire prevention, or training
Fire marshals
manage the fire prevention, plans review, and investigation division
o May hold chief officer rank
o Fire investigators and fire inspectors often hold the title as well
Fire chief:
person responsible for all operations within the department
Fire prevention division
- Division deals with the public through building inspections, code enforcement, plans review, and community risk reduction (CRR)
Fire prevention officers/inspectors:
perform periodic inspections, enforce building and fire codes, and interact with the public
Plans examiners
ensure code compliance by reviewing architecual and site plans and fire protection system plans and calculations for new construction and renovations
Fire and arson investigators
personnel who investigate fires and explosions to determine their origin and cause
Fire and life safety officers
inform the public about fire and life safety haards, fire causes and precautions or actions to take before and during a fire
o Public info officers and youth fire setter intervention specialists also fall into this division
Fire protection engineers/specialists:
check architectural and fire protection systems plans for propose buildings to ensure compliance with local fire and life safety code
o May also act as consultants to the fire department administration in the areas of department budgeting, operations and fire prevention
Training divison
provide training for entry level personnel, mandated certification training and periodic refresher courses
Instructors:
train members of the department or other students
Training officer/chief of training:
oversees all training activities and supervise personel assigned to the training division
what do fire department regulations do?
Clarify expectations, delegate authority and assign responsibility base on the organizations structure and mission
It is your responsibility to learn and adhere to your departments regulations
To provide access to regulations, organizations should:
o Distribute them in written or electronic format
o Communicate them verbally to all members
o Post them in a conspicuous place in all facilities
definition of a policy
a guide to decision making within an organization. They set boundaries and establish standards of conduct that an organization expects from its members
what do policies do
- Address issues such as as working hours, emergency response guidelines and chain of command
- Policies may be created in response to government mandates
- May be written or unwritten
Procedures
Detailed written plans that list specific steps for approaching a recurring problem or situation.
Standard operating procedures (SOPs):
enable all members to perform specific tasts to the required standard
Standard operating guidlines
just a guideline, ‘may’ not required
Emergency/ disaster management
these agencies manage emergency disaster response by coordinating multi agency activities. The agency may be local, stae/provincial or federal
Utility companies and public works
utility personnel assist at incidents by shutting off natural gas lines, electricity or public water mains. Public works departments typically oversee the construction and maintenance of public roads, buildings and sewers.
Media:
the media can alert the public of traffic incidents, evacuations and fire department activities
o Can also inform the public about fire and life safety topic initiatives
Incident Priorities (3)
Life safety, incident stabilization, proper conservation
Role of the Fire Fighter I
- Entry level training
- Work with a team of emergency responders, you will assist other team members in meeting the incident priorities of life safety, incident stabilization and property conservation
Specific emergency and non emergency duties of Fire Fighter I as required in NFPA 1001 include:
- Establish work areas at emergency scenes
- Force entry into structures
- Set up and use ground ladders
- Extinguish fires as part of a team:
o Structure fires
o Ground cover fires
o Vehicle fires
o Fires in stacked materials - Conduct search and rescue in a structure as part of a team
- Overhaul a fire scene and conserve property
- Set up electrical and lighting equipment to illuminate a scene
- Tie knots appropriate for hoisting tools
- Connect pumpers to hydrants and perform hose lays for fire attack
- Turn off building jutilities
- Route emergency and nonemergency telephone calls
- Communicate over department radios using the appropriate procedures
- Clean, inspect, and maintain the following equipment:
o Ladders, ventilation equipment, SCBAs, ropes, salvage equipment, hand tools, hose, protective clothing - Prepare apparatus hose loads for response
Highest risk factor to firefighters
sudden cardiac arrest as a result of overexcertion, poor health habits, or occupational stress
other risk factors for illnesses, injuries and fatalities
- Firefighters are often injured or killed in motor vehicle incidents while responding to and returning from emergencies
o Also may be injured as a result of emergency scene hazards such as structural collapses or rapid changes in fire development
The 16 Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives (everyone goes home)\
- Define and advocate the need for a cultural change relating to safety; incorporating leadership, management, supervision, accountability and personal responsibility
- Enhance personal and organizational accountability for health and safety
- Focus greater attention on the integration of risk management with incident management at all levels, including strategic, tactical and planning responsibilities
- All firefighters must be empowered to stop unsafe practices
- Develop and implement national standards for training, qualifications, and certification that are equally applicable to all firefighters based on the duties they are expected to perform
- Develop and implement national medical and physical fitness standards that are equally applicable to all firefighters based on the duties they are expected to perform
- Create a national research agenda and data collection system that relates to the initiatives
- Utilize available technology wherever it can produce higher levels of health and safety
- Thoroughly investigate all firefighter fatalities, injuries, and near misses
- Grant programs should support the implementation of safe practices and or mandate safe practices as an eligibility requirement
- National standards for emergency response policies and procedures should be developed and championed
- National protocols for response to violent incidents should be developed and championed
- Firefighters and their families must have access to counseling and psychological support
- Public education must receive more resources and be championed as a critical fire and life safety program
- Advocacy must be strengthened for the enforcement od codes and the installation of home fire sprinklers
- Safety must be a primary consideration in the design of apparatus and equipment
NFPA 1500
minimum requirements for health and safety
Safety and health related policies purpose
- Must address all anticipated hazards to which members might be exposed (hazardous material releases, communicable diseases, energized equipment, substance abuse, driving in apparatus)
Training and education standards
- Requires initial trainig for new recruites, methods for becoming proficient in firefighter duties and a process for evaluating firefighter skills and knowledge
- Must meet NFPA 1000 series of proqual
- Annual proficiency training and evals are required
Maintaining safety through training includes;
o PPE
o Maintaining situational awareness
o Being healthy and in good physical condition
o Adhering to all safety regulations
o Maintaining PPE and training equipment
Fire apparatus, equipment, and driver/operators safety
- Seatbelts required
- Maintain maintenance and inventory records for all equipment
- Obey all traffic signals and regulations
IDLH
immediately dangerous to life and health
All personnel operating in an immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH)
must be fully equipped with PPE
Emergency operations are managed through
-Must be managed through an incident management system (IMS) or Incident command system (ICS)
what must be included in a emergency operation
-a risk management plan -personnel accountability systems
-rapid intervention crews (RIC/RIT) for firefighter rescue
-rehabilitation facilities
-post incident analysis
Facility safety
- Designed and constructed in compliance with NFPA 1500/101
- Must have a space and means for cleaning, disinfecting and storing infection control devices
- Requires inspection, maintenance and prompt repairs
- Prohibits tobacco
Medical and physical requirements
- Medical evaluations
- Physical performance standards for hiring
- Availability of a designated physician
- Establishment of job related physical fitness standards
- Establishment of a fitness program that allows members to maintain the required level of fitness
- Annual medical exams to verify continued fitness
- Documentation of all on job injuries and exposures
- Operation of an infection control program
- Medical records for all personnel must be kept in a confidential data base
- Prohibition of firefighters participating in fire department operations when under the influence of alcohol or drugs
Firefighter wellness programs
- Intended to guide firefighters toward a healthy lifestyle and maintain their fitness for duty
- Help reduce firefighter illnesses, injuries and fatalities by ensuring that firefighters are healthy
- Should offer counseling for firefighters struggling with health problems such as nutrition, htn, weight control
- Physical conditioning
Injuries Can be prevented by
- Providing effective training
- Maintaining company discipline and accountability
- Following and establishing safety related SOPs
- Using PPE
- Maintaining high levels of physical fitness
Illnesses- cardiovascular disease
- Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of firefighter fatalities
o Exposure to chemicals and smoke
o Heat stress from the fires
o Psychological stress
o Long irregular work hours
illnesses- Respiratory diseases
firefighters are exposed to smoke, gases and chemicals
illnesses- cancer
- numerous carcinogens are present in almost all types of fires these days
o Matter smoke contaminates PPE and increases risk for dermal and inhalation exposure
o Manufactured products tend to burn at higher temps and as temperature increases, so does the skins ability to absorb chemicals deposited on it
absorption rate increases how much with temp
Absorption rate increases 400 percent for every 5 degree ris in temp
Areas with high absorption rates
the groin, jaw, forehead and back
Recommendations for preventing or limiting chemical exposures at fires
- Always wear SCBA when working in or around fire damaged structures
- Remain upwind
- Doff contaminated gear before entering rehab area
- Do not wear or store contaminated turnouts inside the apparatus cab, in personal vehicle or in station or home living areas
- Decontaminate and/or launder turnouts, fire hood, and other equipment that readily contacts the skin after each fire response
- Wash hands and neck immediately after fire and shower ASAP
Member assistance programs
- Provides service to both firefighters and their families
- Offers easily accessible, confidential assistance with personal problems that can affect job performance
- It provides education, counseling, and refferaks to professional services for concerns such as:
o Subatance abuse, tobacco use, personal problems, stress, depression, anxiety, marital problems, financial problems
Situational awareness
means recognizing and remaining midful of identified hazards as well as remaining observant about changing conditions on the fireground and evaluating the changes you see against the safety of what you ar doing
You should observe the following conditions at every incident
o Location of fire and your proximity to it
o Changes in the fire’s behaviour, spread, growth including signs of rapid fire development
o Changes to a buildings structural integrity
o Wind direction and strength
o Hazards that may not have been seen during size up
Mounting and dismounting apparatus
- Mount using available handholds and steps, maintaining three points of contact while mounting or dismounting
- Face the apparatus, grip the handles firmly, step up into or onto apparatus
- When dismounting back out iof the cab using the handles and steps
o Do not exit face first - Mount and dismount side not with traffic
Response hazards for passengers
- Excessive noise levels may cause damage hearing
- ]loose equipment that might strike the firefighters
- Danger of falls inside if not seat belted
- Danger of injury during vehicle accident
Safe practices when riding apparatus
- No helmets to be worn
- Always be seated and securely belted in before the apparatus moves
- Always wear hearing protection or radio headsets
- Secure all loose tools and equipment
- Close doors securely
- Close safety gates on unclosed apparatuses
Structural Fire Safety
- Follow supervisors orders
- Follow departments SOPs
- Wear appropriate PPE
- Wok as a team
- Maintain communications with team members and command
- Risk/benefit analysis for every action
- Employ safe and effective tactics
- Never operate alone or withpout supervision
- Perform an initial assessment and maintain situational awreness
Secure an incident scene by
establishing control zones
Hot zone:
where trained personnel are working to resolve the problem at scene
o Only personnel who are directly involved in disposing of the problem are allowed to enter this zone
Warm zone
immediately outside the hot zone
o Directly support personnel working in the hot zone
o Limited to personnel who are operating hydraulic tool power plants and providing emergency lighting and fire protection
o Full PPE ready to enter hot zone if needed
Cold zone:
immediately surrounds the hot and warm zones
o May include ICP, locations of RICs and the location of the public info officer, rehab area, and staging area for equipment
o Outer boundary is the control line for public
Emergency scene lighting deployment
Required at all incidents that occur at night, in low light conditions or inside structures where normal lighting is not available
lighting equipment include
lights, electrical generators, and auxiliary electrical equipment
portable vs fixed lights
o Portable are used in building interiors or remote areas of scene
o Fixed lights are mounted on a vehicle. Used to provide overall lighting of scene
Electric generators
most common power source used by emergency services
o Powered by small gasoline or disel engines
o Can be powered directly from apparatus electrical system with an inverter
Inverter
converts vehicles voltage up ( 12 or 24-volt DC into 110 or 220)
Auxiliary electrical equipment
- Includes:
o Electrical cables
o Extension cords
o Receptacles
o Connectors
o Junction boxes
o Ground fault circuit interrupter devices
o adapters
-Electrical equipment must be: intrinsicically safe, waterproof, designed for amount of electrical current it is intended to carry
safety considerations for lighting equipment
- 2 personnel to carry and set up
- Ensure portable generators are downwind so that exhaust fumes do not present an ignition
- Wear hearing protection if needed
- Adjust lights so that its not in the eyes of approaching drivers
- Remove damaged cords
-dont emerge in water - Never connect more lights than power source can handle
Personnel accountability systems?
are designed to track personnel
passport system
SCBA tag system
computer based electronic systems
Passport system
- Company officers have a passport listing for every member of their crew
- Passports are given to accountability officer and attatched to a control board or personnel identification chart
- Firefighters collect their passports after leaving IDLH environment
SCBA tag system
- Tag attached to each SCBA
- Fireifghters give tags to AO who records time of entry and exit
- Exit time based off of lowest reading SCBA in the team
- On extened opesations relief crews are sent in before interior crew runs out of air
Computer based electronic accountability system
- Use radio base tracking or radar based transmitters attached to PPE
- Most systems sound an alarm if firefighter becomes immobile or calls for assistance
- Can sound a mayday or evacuation alarm and verify IC received it
- Some SCBA manufacturs have developed units with digital accountability features, personnel log in at being ing of shift and position and air supply automatically register with IC tracking system
- Electronic systems should never fully replace manual systems
Highway and roadway incident scene safety
- Turnoff all forward facing lights
- Minimize flashing lightd on vehicles side and rear
- Turn off lights that face approaching traffic
Situational awareness on roadway
- Look before you move
- Keep eye on moving traffic
- Walk facing oncoming traffic
Highway/roadway incident hazards
-debris
-fuel spills
-Hydraulic and battery fluid spills
-Downed high voltage power lines
Highway/roadway incident hazards
- Debris:
o vehicle crashes can spread it over large areas
o Can pose tripping hazards
o Some pieces are sharp and can cut responders
Highway/roadway incident hazards
- Fuel spills
o Significant fire danger
o Firefighters should standby with charged line and full PPE
Highway/roadway incident hazards
-Hydraulic and battery fluid spills
o Can cause toxic reactions, skin irritation and burns
o Cover with approved absorption materials
Highway/roadway incident hazards
-Downed high voltage power lines
o Contact electric company ASAP
o Do not approach until power has been turned off
o Ground gradient: energized area. Can extend several yards based on voltage and other variables
o Estimate distance between two nearby power poles and stay that distance away from the downed line until power has been for sure turned off
