Intro to the Fire Service & Firefighter Safety (IFSTA) Flashcards
Many modern fire departments take an ___ approach
All-hazard concept
The most common fire department organizational structure
Scalar
Having an uninterrupted series of steps
Scalar
The formal line of authority, responsibility, and communication within an organization
Chain of command
Adhering to the ___ helps ensure unity of command within an organization
Chain of command
Each employee reports directly to just one supervisor
Unity of command
The maximum number of subordinates or functions that any one supervisor can control
Span of control
Span of control is typically ___
3 to 7, with 5 considered optimum
An organization’s responsibility to provide leadership, and an individual’s responsibility to follow orders
Discipline
Discipline is administered through ___
Rules, regulations, and policies that define acceptable performance and expected outcomes
Discipline can only be properly enforced if rules are ___
Clearly written and communicated throughout the organization
The process of dividing large jobs into smaller jobs to make them more manageable, equalize workloads, and increase efficiency
Division of labor
Why is division of labor necessary?
- To assign responsibility
- To assign specific and clear-cut tasks
- To prevent duplication of effort
Categories of fire departments
- Career
- Volunteer
- Combination
The basic unit of firefighting operations
Company
A company consists of ___
An apparatus, firefighters, and is led by a company officer
Multiple companies within a response area are grouped into ___
A battalion or response district
The ___ oversees their day-to-day functions
Operations division
Performs fire suppression duties at structure, vehicle, wildland, and other types of fires. May also perform search and rescue, extrication, ventilation, and emergency medical care
Engine company
Performs forcible entry, search and rescue, ventilation, salvage, overhaul, and utility control. Provides access to upper levels of a structure. May also provide elevated water streams, extrication, and emergency medical care
Truck (ladder) company
Searches for and removes victims from areas of danger or entrapment, may be specially trained to perform technical rescues, and may serve as the rapid intervention crew
Rescue company
RIC
Rapid intervention crew
Extinguishes ground cover or grass fires and protects structures in areas close to fields and wooodlands
Brush company
Mitigates hazardous materials incidents
Hazardous materials company
Provides emergency medical care to patients and may transport them to a medical facility
Emergency medical/ambulance company
Performs rescue and fire suppression activities involving aircraft incidents
Aircraft rescue and firefighting company
ARFF
Aircraft rescue and firefighting
Two groups of personnel
Line and staff
Deliver emergency services to the public
Line personnel
Provide administrative and logistical support for line personnel, in areas such as finance, maintenance, and training
Staff personnel
Personnel trained to drive fire apparatus to and from fires and other emergencies. They must be able to operate fire-apparatus pumps and arial devices, and are responsible for servicing and maintaining the apparatus
Fire apparatus driver/operator
Personnel certified to mitigate hazardous materials and chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or explosive (CBRNE) emergencies
Hazardous materials technician
Personnel certified to perform rescues in specialty areas such as high-angle (rope), trench, structural collapse, confined space, vehicle and machinery, water, ice, and cave or mine rescues
Rescue technician
Firefighters specially trained in airport operations and ARFF
Airport firefighter
Personnel trained to extinguish fires in outdoor vegetation, including the wildland/urban interface
Wildland firefighter
Personnel trained to deliver EMS
EMS personnel