Introduction to Fire Service and Firefighter Safety Flashcards
What does AHJ stand for?
Authority having jurisdiction
What is the mission of fire services?
To save lives and protect property/environment from fires and other hazardous situations.
What services are included in an All-Hazard Concept?
- Community Risk Reduction
- Fire Suppression
- Technical Rescue
- Emergency Medical Services
- Fire Cause Determination
- Hazardous Materials Mitigation
- Airport and Seaport Protection
- Emergency Management Services
Who is responsible for establishing the manner in which its fire sevice is organized?
The Authority Having Jurisdiction
Fire Service Organization includes what componants?
- Type of department
- Number of facilities and their locations
- Types and number of apparatus
- Number of personnel
- Organizational hierarchy
- Functions and responsibilities of specific jobs and ranks
- Minimum training and cerification level requirements to attain those ranks
What knowledge is required in order to understand the organizational layout of your department?
- Organizational structure and principles
- Types of fire departments
- Fire companies
- Stafing
The most common fire department organizational structure is?
Scalar
What is a scalar organizational structure?
One that has an uninterrupted series of steps.
Inside a scalar system, Unity of Command ensures what?
That each member of the command chain reports to only one supervisor.
In a scalar system, what are the Five organizational principles in terms of functioning effectively as a member of your organization?
- Adhering to the chain of command
- Unity of Command
- Span of Control
- Discipline
- DIvision of labour
in a scalar system, what is the Chain of Command, and why is it important?
The formal line of authority, responsibility, and communication within an organization.
The fire chief is on the top of the chain and the firefighters/EMTs are at the bottom.
Adhering to the chain of command ensures unity of command
In a scalar system, what is the Span of Control and why is it important?
The maximum number of subordinates and functions allowed to a supervisor. Maximum is typically 3 to 7 subordinates with 5 being optimum.
In a Scalar system, what is the importance of discipline?
The supervisor’s responsibility to provide leadership and a suboridate’s responsibility to follow orders. Discipline is ensured through rules, regulations, and policies that define acceptable behaviour, performance and outcome. Rules, regulations and policies must be clearly written and communicated within and throughout the organization.
In a Scalar system, what is the importance of Division of Labour?
Dividing large jobs into smaller componants to make them more manageable. This equalizes work, and increases efficiency.
Division of labour:
- assigns responsibility
- assigns specific tasks
- prevents duplication of effort
True or false, fire departments can only be publicly funded.
False
True or false, both firefighters and administrative staff live at the station while on duty.
False, administrative staff typically work conventional 9-5, Monday to Friday hours.
What is a composite department?
A mixture of career and volunteer firefighters.
What is a Fire Company?
Fire company is comprised of an apparatus, firefighters and is lead by a company officer.
What is a Fire Battalion or Response District?
Multiple Fire Companies Grouped together.
What are all the types of Companies?
- Engine Company
- Truck (Ladder) Company
- Rescue Company
- Brush Company
- Hazardous Materials Company
- Emergency Medical/Ambulance Company
- Aircraft Rescue and Fire FIghting (ARFF) Company
What are the duties of an Engine Company?
- Fire suppression at structures, vehicles, wildland and any other areas
- Search and rescue
- Extraction
- Ventilation
- Emergency medical care.
What are the duties of a Truck (Ladder) Company?
- Forcible entry
- Search and rescue
- Ventilation
- Salvage
- Overhaul
- Utilities control
- Provides access to upper levels of a structure
- Provides elevated water streams, extractions and emergency medical care
What are the duties of a Rescue Company?
- Searches for and rescues victims from dangerous areas
- Specially trained for technical rescues
- Rapid Intervention Crew (RIC)
What are the duties of a Brush Company?
- Extinguishes brush and forest fires
- Protects structures from wildland fires
What are the duties of a Hazardous Material Company?
Mitigates hazardous material incidents.
What are the duties of an Emergency Medical Company?
Provides medical care to patients and may tranfer them to hospital if required.
What are the duties of an Aircraft rescue and FIre Fighting (ARFF) Company?
Rescue and fire suppression activities for aircraft.
True or false, Volunteer firefighters are not jurisdictional employees.
True, they may be full-time but are not jurisdictional.
What are the two kinds of personel that can be found at career fire departments?
Line personnel and Staff personnel
To be concidered for employment at a fire station, all candidates must have at least:
- High school diploma or GED
- 18 years and older
- Medical requirements
- Physical fitness requirements
What medical care must applicants be able to perform?
- CPR
- Bleeding control
- Infection control
- Shock management
True or False, A Firefighter 1 is subordinate to a Firefighter 2.
True
What are the six potential specializations a Firefighter 2 may have?
- Fire apparatus driver
- Hazardous Materials Technician
- Rescue Technician
- Airport Technician
- Wildland Firefighter
- Emergency Medical Services Personnel
What are the duties of a Fire Apparatus Driver?
- Drive the fire suppression apparatus
- Operate pumps and aerial devices
- Service and maintain all apparatus
What are the duties of a Hazardous Materials Technician?
-Certified to mitigate HAZMAT and chemical, biological, radiological , nuclear, or explosive emergencies.
What are the duties of a Rescue Technician?
- Perform rescues at high-angle (rope),
- Trench,
- Structural collapse,
- Confined space,
- Vehicle and machinery
- Water
- Ice
- Cave or mine