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Wikipedia

Firefighter

A firefighter (or fire fighter) is a first responder trained in firefighting, primarily to control and extinguish fires that threaten life and property, as well as to rescue persons from confinement or dangerous situations. Male firefighters are sometimes referred to as firemen (and, less commonly, a female firefighter as firewoman).[1][2]

Firefighter
Firefighter team work together to contain a blazing barn
Occupation
SynonymsFireman (PL: firemen)
Firewoman (PL: firewomen)
Activity sectors
Rescue, fire protection, civil service, public service, public safety

The fire service, also known in some countries as the fire brigade or fire department, is one of the three main emergency services. From urban areas to aboard ships, firefighters have become ubiquitous around the world.

The skills required for safe operations are regularly practiced during training evaluations throughout a firefighter's career. Initial firefighting skills are normally taught through local, regional or state-approved fire academies or training courses.[3] Depending on the requirements of a department, additional skills and certifications may also be acquired at this time.

Firefighters work closely with other emergency response agencies such as the police and emergency medical service. A firefighter's role may overlap with both. Fire investigators or fire marshals investigate the cause of a fire. If the fire was caused by arson or negligence, their work will overlap with law enforcement. Firefighters may also provide some degree of emergency medical service.

Training/How to become a Firefighter edit

Path of becoming a firefighter:[4] First, Meet the Requirements: Pass Medical test, Psychological evaluation, Drug screening, US citizen and 21+ years old. Pass both exams, Computer and Physical (CPAT).[5] Have a valid drivers license, Become an EMT[6] (take classes, pass tests, shadow ambulance workers etc.), attending firefighter classes and fire technology classes, enter into a firefighter training academy where they do physical training to prepare for real life scenarios, and depending on training regiments academy length can range from 10 to 24 weeks long.[5]

VR and AR implementations edit

VR[7] has a ton of different applications, VR adds fake environments and added animations bring together a visual that replicate real calls.[8] VR also aids in improving decision making and exposure to common scenarios that will increase response time and decrease time spent on call. Will also decrease the amount of damage to the building and to the firefighters.[9] [10]

AR[11] is using 3D points and calculating them to emulate a scenario using real life. An AR Firefighter helmet was the first item to be involved with AR. It comes with Thermal imaging, 3D simulation of real scenarios, and coding to add environmental variables.[12] The helmet is only used for training currently. AR is a way for trainees to visualize calls better, this part attacks the form of the fire while VR shows the function of the fire. [13]

Duties edit

Fire suppression edit

 
Firefighters had to focus their efforts on saving the adjacent church instead of this burning building, an abandoned convent in Massueville, Quebec, Canada
 
Firefighter carrying out a ladder slide

A fire burns due to the presence of three elements: fuel, oxygen and heat. This is often referred to as the fire triangle. Sometimes it is known as the fire tetrahedron if a fourth element is added: a chemical chain reaction which can help sustain certain types of fire. The aim of firefighting is to deprive the fire of at least one of those elements. Most commonly this is done by dousing the fire with water, though some fires require other methods such as foam or dry agents. Firefighters are equipped with a wide variety of equipment for this purpose that include ladder trucks, pumper trucks, tanker trucks, fire hose, and fire extinguishers.

Structural firefighting edit

See also Fire suppression for other techniques.

While sometimes fires can be limited to small areas of a structure, wider collateral damage due to smoke, water and burning embers is common. Utility shutoff (such as gas and electricity) is typically an early priority for arriving fire crews. In addition, forcible entry may be required in order to gain access into the structure. Specific procedures(NFPA 704)[14] and equipment are needed at a property where hazardous materials are being used or stored. Additionally, fighting fires in some structures may require additional training and firefighting tactics that are specific to that structure. For example, row house fires are a type of structure fire that require specific tactics to decrease risks.

Structure fires may be attacked with either "interior" or "exterior" resources, or both. Interior crews, using the "two in, two out" rule, may extend fire hose lines inside the building, find the fire and cool it with water. Exterior crews may direct water into windows and other openings, or against any nearby fuels exposed to the initial fire. Hose streams directed into the interior through exterior wall apertures may conflict and jeopardize interior fire attack crews.

Buildings that are made of flammable materials such as wood are different from building materials such as concrete. Generally, a "fire-resistant" building is designed to limit fire to a small area or floor. Other floors can be safe by preventing smoke inhalation and damage. All buildings suspected or on fire must be evacuated, regardless of fire rating.

When fire departments respond to structure fires, the priorities are life safety, incident stabilization, and property conservation. Some tactics used to achieve positive results at a structure fire include scene size-up, door control, coordinated ventilation, and exterior attack prior to entry.

When the first fire department arrives on-scene at a structure fire, scene size-up must occur to develop the appropriate strategy (offensive or defensive) and tactics.  With scene size-up, a risk assessment must also occur to determine the risks of making an interior fire attack.  When an incident’s critical factors and the risk management plan indicate an offensive strategy, the incident commander will define the tactical objectives for entering the structure. Offensive incident action plans (tactics) are based on the standard offensive tactical priorities and their corresponding completion benchmarks.

Firefighting priorities and tactics:

The incident commander should consider these priorities and firefighting tactics at a structure fire:

Incident Priorities

·       Life safety – primary and secondary “All Clear(s)” (A/C)

·       Property conservation – “Loss Stopped” (L/S)

·       Post fire control firefighter decontamination (Decon)

·       Customer Stabilization* – Short term

*Customer stabilization refers to customer service that fire departments provide during an emergency. When a fire department responds to an emergency, two related priorities are life safety and stabilizing the incident. Part of this process is ensuring the customer’s well-being from the time of dispatch until after the incident becomes stable.

Firefighting Tactical Considerations

·       Perform 360-degree size-up and conduct a risk assessment.

·       Establish a secure water supply.

·       Establish a rapid intervention crew.

·       Coordinate ventilation with fire attack.

·       Put water on fire.

·       Fire Control (F/C) – “Under Control/Tapped Fire”

At a row house fire, the incident commander should consider these specific firefighting tactics:

1.      Locate and extinguish the fire.

2.      Stretch first hoseline to the fire floor.

3.      Coordinate fire attack with ventilation.

4.      Send resources to Exposure Bravo 1 and Exposure Delta 1.

5. Send resources and charged hoseline to attic or cockloft to check for extension.

6. Position ground ladders to all upper floor windows. Use caution around utility wires.

Some firefighting tactics may appear to be destructive, but often serve specific needs. For example, during ventilation, firefighters are forced to either open holes in the roof or floors of a structure (called vertical ventilation), or open windows and walls (called horizontal ventilation) to remove smoke and heated gases from the interior of the structure. Such ventilation methods are also used to improve interior visibility to locate victims more quickly. Ventilation helps to preserve the life of trapped or unconscious individuals as it releases the poisonous gases from inside the structure. Vertical ventilation is vital to firefighter safety in the event of a flashover or backdraft scenario. Releasing the flammable gases through the roof eliminates the possibility of a backdraft, and the removal of heat can reduce the possibility of a flashover. Flashovers, due to their intense heat (900–1,200 °F (480–650 °C)) and explosive temperaments, are commonly fatal to firefighter personnel. Precautionary methods, such as smashing a window, reveal backdraft situations before the firefighter enters the structure and is met with the circumstance head-on. Firefighter safety is the number one priority.

Whenever possible during a structure fire, property is moved into the middle of a room and covered with a salvage cover, a heavy cloth-like tarp. Various steps such as retrieving and protecting valuables found during suppression or overhaul, evacuating water, and boarding windows and roofs can divert or prevent post-fire runoff.

Wildland firefighting edit

Wildfires (known in Australia as bushfires) require a unique set of strategies and tactics. In many countries such as Australia and the United States, these duties are mostly carried out by local volunteer firefighters. Wildfires have some ecological role in allowing new plants to grow, therefore in some cases they will be left to burn.[15] Priorities in fighting wildfires include preventing the loss of life and property as well as ecological damage.

Aircraft rescue and firefighting edit

Airports employ specialist firefighters to deal with potential ground emergencies. Due to the mass casualty potential of an aviation emergency, the speed with which emergency response equipment and personnel arrive at the scene of the emergency is of paramount importance. When dealing with an emergency, the airport firefighters are tasked with rapidly securing the aircraft, its crew and its passengers from all hazards, particularly fire. Airport firefighters have advanced training in the application of firefighting foams, dry chemical and clean agents used to extinguish burning aviation fuel.

Rescue edit

 
A demonstration of a vehicle extrication

Firefighters rescue persons from confinement or dangerous situations such as burning buildings and crashed vehicles. Complex, infrequent situations requiring specialized training and equipment include rescues from collapsed buildings and confined spaces. Many fire departments, including most in the United Kingdom, refer to themselves as a fire and rescue service for this reason. Large fire departments, such as the New York City Fire Department and London Fire Brigade, have specialist teams for advanced technical rescue. As structure fires have been in decline for many years in developed countries such as the United States, rescues other than fires make up an increasing proportion of their firefighters' work.[16]

Emergency medical services edit

Firefighters frequently provide some degree of emergency medical care. In some jurisdictions first aid is the only medical training that firefighters have, and medical calls are the sole responsibility of a separate emergency medical services (EMS) agency. Elsewhere, it is common for firefighters to respond to medical calls. The impetus for this is the growing demand in medical emergencies and the significant decline in fires.[16]

In such departments, firefighters are often certified as emergency medical technicians in order to deliver basic life support, and more rarely as paramedics to deliver advanced life support. In the United Kingdom, where fire services and EMS are run separately, fire service co-responding has been introduced more recently.[17] Another point of variation is whether the firefighters respond in a fire engine or a response car.[18]

Hazardous materials edit

 
Decontamination after a chemical spill

Fire departments are usually the lead agency that responds to hazardous materials incidents. Specialized firefighters, known as hazardous materials technicians, are trained in chemical identification, leak and spill control, and decontamination.[19]

While firefighters are generally responsible for managing hazardous materials in the environment, there is a great deal of risks that they face by doing so. [20] Flame retardants are chemical products that are utilized to slow down or stop the spread of a wildfire by reducing its intensity. This usually takes place through chemical reactions that delay the combustion of the fires or reduce the flammability of whatever substances are fueling the fire. Flame retardants are commonly found in fire extinguishers, surface coating, forest-fire fighting retardants, and textiles. While there are numerous benefits to flame retardant products in terms of the reduction of major fires, the components that make up these substances are extremely harmful. [21]

The most concerning materials that make up these products are PFAS chemicals. These chemicals contain compounds that persist in the environment and bioaccumulate in the food chain. As a result, we can be exposed to these chemicals for years after the actual usage takes place. Not only do these components build up in people, animals, and the environment, they can be dispersed through long distances and have significant toxic effects. Studies linked PFAS exposure with health effects ranging from increased cholesterol levels and decreased vaccine response in children to major neurological defects and cancer.[22] While not everyone responds to these chemicals in the same way, many studies have demonstrated significant damage to the liver and immune system of both humans and animals. As a result, long term exposure to these chemicals is a notable concern.

While many hazardous chemicals sued in fire-fighting materials, such as penta-bromdiphenyl ether have already been banned by the government, they are almost immediately replaced by a new substance with similar harmful effects. After banning penta-bromodiphenyl ether, chlorinated tris, chloroalkyl phospahtes, halogenated aryl esters, and tetrabromophthalate dio diester were used instead.[23] The EPA later proved that these chemicals contain mutagens that can be absorbed into children's bodies, leaving damage to both the immune system and neurological function. While these chemicals are constantly changing with attempts to make it safer for the public, firefighters have been consistently exposed since the 17th century. This constant, up-close exposure puts every firefighter at risk for the major effects of these chemicals.[24]

Traditional PFAS compounds, including PFOS, were often used as surfactants due to their water- and grease-repellent properties. Non-fluorinated surfactants, such as certain bio-based or synthetic alternatives, are being researched as substitutes. Some researchers are exploring bio-based alternatives derived from renewable resources, such as plant-based or microbial sources, to replace certain functions of PFAS in applications like water repellency and surface coatings.[25] Polymeric flame retardants are being investigated as alternatives to traditional PFAS-based flame retardants. These may include polymers with inherent flame-resistant properties or those treated with environmentally friendly flame-retardant chemicals.[26]

Fire prevention edit

 
Firefighters frequently give fire prevention talks at schools and community events

Fire departments frequently provide advice to the public on how to prevent fires in the home and work-place environments. Fire inspectors or fire marshals will directly inspect businesses to ensure they are up to the current building fire codes,[27][28] which are enforced so that a building can sufficiently resist fire spread, potential hazards are located, and to ensure that occupants can be safely evacuated, commensurate with the risks involved.

Fire suppression systems have a proven record for controlling and extinguishing unwanted fires. Many fire officials recommend that every building, including residences, have fire sprinkler systems.[29] Correctly working sprinklers in a residence greatly reduce the risk of death from a fire.[30] With the small rooms typical of a residence, one or two sprinklers can cover most rooms. In the United States, the housing industry trade groups have lobbied at the State level to prevent the requirement for Fire Sprinklers in one or two family homes.[31][32]

Other methods of fire prevention are by directing efforts to reduce known hazardous conditions or by preventing dangerous acts before tragedy strikes. This is normally accomplished in many innovative ways such as conducting presentations, distributing safety brochures, providing news articles, writing public safety announcements (PSA) or establishing meaningful displays in well-visited areas. Ensuring that each household has working smoke alarms, is educated in the proper techniques of fire safety, has an evacuation route and rendezvous point is of top priority in public education for most fire prevention teams in almost all fire department localities.

Fire investigators, who are experienced firefighters trained in fire cause determinism, are dispatched to fire scenes, in order to investigate and determine whether the fire was a result of an accident or intentional. Some fire investigators have full law enforcement powers to investigate and arrest suspected arsonists.

Occupational health and safety edit

Direct risks edit

Fires edit

 
Firemen's Memorial (Boston) by John Wilson
 
Firefighters wearing PPE tackle an aircraft fire during a drill at Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, Texas

To allow protection from the inherent risks of fighting fires, firefighters wear and carry protective and self-rescue equipment at all times. A self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) delivers air to the firefighter through a full face mask and is worn to protect against smoke inhalation, toxic fumes, and super heated gases. A special device called a Personal Alert Safety System (PASS) is commonly worn independently or as a part of the SCBA to alert others when a firefighter stops moving for a specified period of time or manually operates the device. The PASS device sounds an alarm that can assist another firefighter (firefighter assist and search team (FAST), or rapid intervention team (RIT), in locating the firefighter in distress.

Firefighters often carry personal self-rescue ropes. The ropes are generally 30 feet (9.1 m) long and can provide a firefighter (that has enough time to deploy the rope) a partially controlled exit out of an elevated window. Lack of a personal rescue rope is cited in the deaths of two New York City Firefighters, Lt. John Bellew and Lt. Curtis Meyran, who died after they jumped from the fourth floor of a burning apartment building in the Bronx. Of the four firefighters who jumped and survived, only one of them had a self-rescue rope. Since the incident, the Fire Department of New York City has issued self-rescue ropes to their firefighters.[33]

Heat injury is a major issue for firefighters as they wear insulated clothing and cannot shed the heat generated from physical exertion. Early detection of heat issues is critical to stop dehydration and heat stress becoming fatal. Early onset of heat stress affects cognitive function which combined with operating in dangerous environment makes heat stress and dehydration a critical issue to monitor. Firefighter physiological status monitoring is showing promise in alerting EMS and commanders to the status of their people on the fire ground. Devices such as PASS device alert 10–20 seconds after a firefighter has stopped moving in a structure. Physiological status monitors measure a firefighter's vital sign status, fatigue and exertion levels and transmit this information over their voice radio. This technology allows a degree of early warning to physiological stress. These devices[34] are similar to technology developed for Future Force Warrior and give a measure of exertion and fatigue. They also tell the people outside a building when they have stopped moving or fallen. This allows a supervisor to call in additional engines before the crew get exhausted and also gives an early warning to firefighters before they run out of air, as they may not be able to make voice calls over their radio. Current OSHA tables exist for heat injury and the allowable amount of work in a given environment based on temperature, humidity and solar loading.[35]

Firefighters are also at risk for developing rhabdomyolysis. Rhabdomyolysis is the breakdown of muscle tissue and has many causes including heat exposure, high core body temperature, and prolonged, intense exertion. Routine firefighter tasks, such as carrying extra weight of equipment and working in hot environments, can increase firefighters’ risk for rhabdomyolysis.[36][37]

Structural collapses edit

Another leading cause of death during firefighting is structural collapse of a burning building (e.g. a wall, floor, ceiling, roof, or truss system). Structural collapse, which often occurs without warning, may crush or trap firefighters inside the structure. To avoid loss of life, all on-duty firefighters should maintain two-way communication with the incident commander and be equipped with a personal alert safety system device on all fire scenes and maintain radio communication on all incidents(PASS).[38][39] Francis Brannigan was the founder and greatest contributor to this element of firefighter safety.

Traffic collisions edit

In the United States, 25% of fatalities of firefighters are caused by traffic collisions while responding to or returning from an incident. Other firefighters have been injured or killed by vehicles at the scene of a fire or emergency (Paulison 2005). A common measure fire departments have taken to prevent this is to require firefighters to wear a bright yellow reflective vest over their turnout coats if they have to work on a public road, to make them more visible to passing drivers.[40]

Violence edit

Firefighters have occasionally been assaulted by members of the public while responding to calls. These kinds of attacks can cause firefighters to fear for their safety when responding to specific areas and may cause them to not have full focus on the situation which could result in injury to their selves or the patient.[41] Workplace violence[42] consists of the mental and physical abuse sustained during on-duty activities. First Responders are the most likely to experience this type of violence and EMS even has a percentage range of 53-90% of calls that had an instance of Workplace violence. This type of violence is a major reason for burnout and depression in First Responders, while EMS deal more with people on a daily basis, ~18% Firefighters experience PTSD due to WPV[42] and 60% had at least one call where they had feared for their life or questioned their safety.[43][44]

During debris cleanup edit

 
Firefighters at Ground Zero during the September 11 attacks

Once extinguished, fire debris cleanup poses several safety and health risks for workers.[45][46]

Many hazardous substances are commonly found in fire debris. Silica can be found in concrete, roofing tiles, or it may be a naturally occurring element. Occupational exposures to silica dust can cause silicosis, lung cancer, pulmonary tuberculosis, airway diseases, and some additional non-respiratory diseases.[47] Inhalation of asbestos can result in various diseases including asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma.[48] Sources of metals exposure include burnt or melted electronics, cars, refrigerators, stoves, etc. Fire debris cleanup workers may be exposed to these metals or their combustion products in the air or on their skin. These metals may include beryllium, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, lead, manganese, nickel, and many more.[45] Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), some of which are carcinogenic, come from the incomplete combustion of organic materials and are often found as a result of structural and wildland fires.[49]

Safety hazards of fire cleanup include the risk of reignition of smoldering debris, electrocution from downed or exposed electrical lines or in instances where water has come into contact with electrical equipment. Structures that have been burned may be unstable and at risk of sudden collapse.[46][50]

Standard personal protective equipment for fire cleanup include hard hats, goggles or safety glasses, heavy work gloves, earplugs or other hearing protection, steel-toe boots, and fall protection devices.[50][51] Hazard controls for electrical injury include assuming all power lines are energized until confirmation they are de-energized, and grounding power lines to guard against electrical feedback, and using appropriate personal protective equipment.[50] Proper respiratory protection can protect against hazardous substances. Proper ventilation of an area is an engineering control that can be used to avoid or minimize exposure to hazardous substances. When ventilation is insufficient or dust cannot be avoided, personal protective equipment such as N95 respirators can be used.[50][52]

Long-term risks edit

Cardiovascular disease edit

Firefighting has long been associated with poor cardiovascular outcomes. In the United States, the most common cause of on-duty fatalities for firefighters is sudden cardiac death, accounting for approximately 45% of on duty US firefighter deaths.[53] In addition to personal factors that may predispose an individual to coronary artery disease or other cardiovascular diseases, occupational exposures can significantly increase a firefighter's risk. Historically, the fire service blamed poor firefighter physical condition for being the primary cause of cardiovascular related deaths. However, over the last 20 years, studies and research has indicated the toxic gasses put fire service personnel at significantly higher risk for cardiovascular related conditions and death. For instance, carbon monoxide, present in nearly all fire environments, and hydrogen cyanide, formed during the combustion of paper, cotton, plastics, and other substances containing carbon and nitrogen. The substances inside of materials change during combustion, and their by-products can interfere with the transport of oxygen in the body. Hypoxia can then lead to heart injury. In addition, chronic exposure to particulate matter in smoke is associated with atherosclerosis. Noise exposures may contribute to hypertension and possibly ischemic heart disease. Other factors associated with firefighting, such as stress, heat stress, and heavy physical exertion, also increase the risk of cardiovascular events.[54]

During fire suppression activities a firefighter can reach peak or near peak heart rates which can act as a trigger for a cardiac event. For example, tachycardia can cause plaque buildup to break loose and lodge itself is a small part of the heart causing myocardial infarction, also known as a heart attack. This along with unhealthy habits and lack of exercise can be very hazardous to firefighter health.[55]

Cancer edit

 
Smoke can expose firefighters to a variety of carcinogens

Cancer risk in the U.S. fire service is a topic of growing concern. Recent studies suggest that due to their exposure on the fireground, firefighters may be at an increased risk for certain types of cancer and other chronic diseases.[56][57][58][59][60][61][62][63][64][65] Additionally, large international studies generally support the finding from U.S. studies that firefighters have elevated rates of cancer, with some variation by cancer site.[66][67][68][69][70][71][72][73][74]

A 2015 retrospective longitudinal study showed that firefighters are at higher risk for certain types of cancer. Firefighters had mesothelioma, which is caused by asbestos exposure, at twice the rate of the non-firefighting working population. Younger firefighters (under age 65) also developed bladder cancer and prostate cancer at higher rates than the general population. The risk of bladder cancer may be present in female firefighters, but research is inconclusive as of 2014.[75][76] Preliminary research from 2015 on a large cohort of US firefighters showed a direct relationship between the number of hours spent fighting fires and lung cancer and leukemia mortality in firefighters. This link is a topic of continuing research in the medical community, as is cancer mortality in general among firefighters.[77]

In addition to epidemiological studies, mechanistic studies have used biomarkers to investigate exposures' effects on biological changes that could be related to cancer development. Several of these studies have found evidence of DNA damage, oxidative stress, and epigenetic changes related to firefighters' exposures.[78][79][80][81][82][83][84]

Firefighters regularly encounter carcinogenic materials and hazardous contaminants, which is thought to contribute to their excess cancer risk. Dozens of chemicals classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as known or probable carcinogens have been identified on the fireground.[85][86] Several studies have documented airborne and/or dermal exposures to carcinogenic compounds during firefighting, as well as contamination on turnout gear and other equipment worn by firefighters.[87][88][89][90][91]  Some of these compounds have been shown to absorb into firefighters’ bodies.[92][93]

In addition to chemical exposures, firefighters often work 24-hr shifts or longer, and may respond to emergencies at night. Night shift work has been classified as a probable human carcinogen by IARC.[94] Some firefighters also work with hazardous materials and trained to control and clean up these dangerous materials, such as oil spills and chemical accidents. As firefighters combat a fire and clean up hazardous materials, there is a risk of harmful chemicals coming in contact with their skin if it penetrates their personal protective equipment (PPE).[74] In June 2022, IARC classified occupational exposure as a firefighter as “carcinogenic to humans.”[95]

Firefighters are in addition to carcinogenic chemicals, firefighters can be exposed to radiation (alpha radiation, beta radiation, and gamma radiation).[96]

There are many types of firefighters. Most research on firefighters’ cancer risk has involved structural or municipal career firefighters. Wildland firefighters are specially trained firefighters tasked with controlling forest fires. They frequently create fire lines, which are swathes of cut-down trees and dug-up grass placed in the path of the fire. This is designed to deprive the fire of fuel. Wildland firefighting is a physically demanding job with many acute hazards. Wildland firefighters may hike several miles while carrying heavy equipment during the wildfire season, which has increased in duration over time, especially in the western United States. Unlike structural firefighters, wildland firefighters typically do not wear respiratory protection, and may inhale particulate and other compounds emitted by the wildfires. They also use prescribed fires to burn potential fire fuel under controlled conditions.[97] To examine cancer risk for wildland firefighters, a risk assessment was conducted using an exposure-response relationship for risk of lung cancer mortality and measured particulate matter exposure from smoke at wildfires. This study concluded that wildland firefighters could have an increased risk of lung cancer mortality.[98] The research on cancer for other subspecialty groups of firefighters is limited, but a recent study of fire instructors in Australia found an exposure-response relationship between training exposures and cancer incidence.[99]

Due to the lack of central and comprehensive sources of data, research on cancer rates amongst firefighters has been challenging.[56][100][101][102] On July 7, 2018, Congress passed the Firefighter Cancer Registry Act of 2018 requiring the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to create the National Firefighter Registry designed to collect data on cancer rates among U.S. firefighters.[103][104][105]

Mental stress edit

As with other emergency workers, firefighters may witness traumatic scenes during their careers. They are thus more vulnerable than most people to certain mental health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder[106][107] and suicidal thoughts and behaviors.[108][109] Among women in the US, the occupations with the highest suicide rates are police and firefighters, with a rate of 14.1 per 100 000, according to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, CDC.[110] Chronic stress over time attributes to symptoms that affect first responders, such as anxiousness, irritability, nervousness, memory and concentration problems can occur overtime which can lead to anxiety and depression. Mental stress can have long lasting affects on the brain.[111] A 2014 report from the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation found that a fire department is three times more likely to experience a suicide in a given year than a line-of-duty death.[112] Mental stress of the job can lead to substance abuse and alcohol abuse as ways of coping with the stress.[113] The mental stress of fire fighting has many different causes. There are those they see on duty and also what they miss by being on duty. Firefighters schedules fluctuate by district. There are stations where fire fighters work 48 hours on and 48 hours off, whereas some allow 24 hours on and 72 hours off.[114] The mental impact of missing a child's first steps or a ballet recital can take a heavy impact on first responders. There is also the stress of being on opposite shifts as a spouse or being away from family.

When not on the scene of an emergency, firefighters remain on call at fire stations, where they eat, sleep, and perform other duties during their shifts. Hence, sleep disruption is another occupational hazard that they may encounter at their job.[90]

Occupational hearing loss edit

Another long-term risk factor from firefighting is exposure to high levels of sound, which can cause noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) and tinnitus.[115][116] NIHL affects sound frequencies between 3,000 and 6,000 Hertz first, then with more frequent exposure, will spread to more frequencies.[116] Many consonants will be more difficult to hear or inaudible with NIHL because of the higher frequencies effected, which results in poorer communication.[116] NIHL is caused by exposure to sound levels at or above 85dBA according to NIOSH and at or above 90dBA according to OSHA.[116] dBA represents A-weighted decibels. dBA is used for measuring sound levels relating to occupational sound exposure since it attempts to mimic the sensitivity of the human ear to different frequencies of sound.[116] OSHA uses a 5-dBA exchange rate, which means that for every 5dBA increase in sound from 90dBA, the acceptable exposure time before a risk of permanent hearing loss occurs decreases by half (starting with 8 hours acceptable exposure time at 90dBA).[116][117] NIOSH uses a 3-dBA exchange rate starting at 8 hours acceptable exposure time at 85dBA.[116][118]

The time of exposure required to potentially cause damage depends on the level of sound exposed to.[118] The most common causes of excessive sound exposure are sirens, transportation to and from fires, fire alarms, and work tools.[115] Traveling in an emergency vehicle has shown to expose a person to between 103 and 114dBA of sound. According to OSHA, exposure at this level is acceptable for between 17 and 78 minutes[117] and according to NIOSH is acceptable for between 35 seconds and 7.5 minutes [118] over a 24-hour day before permanent hearing loss can occur. This time period considers that no other high level sound exposure occurs in that 24-hour time frame.[118] Sirens often output about 120 dBA, which according to OSHA, 7.5 minutes of exposure is needed[117] and according to NIOSH, 9 seconds of exposure is needed[118] in a 24-hour time period before permanent hearing loss can occur. In addition to high sound levels, another risk factor for hearing disorders is the co-exposure to chemicals that are ototoxic.[119]

The average day of work for a firefighter can often be under the sound exposure limit for both OSHA and NIOSH.[116] While the average day of sound exposure as a firefighter is often under the limit, firefighters can be exposed to impulse noise, which has a very low acceptable time exposure before permanent hearing damage can occur due to the high intensity and short duration.[115]

There are also high rates of hearing loss, often NIHL, in firefighters, which increases with age and number of years working as a firefighter.[115][120] Hearing loss prevention programs have been implemented in multiple stations and have shown to help lower the rate of firefighters with NIHL.[116] Other attempts have been made to lower sound exposures for firefighters, such as enclosing the cabs of the firetrucks to lower the siren exposure while driving.[116] NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) is responsible for occupational health programs and standards in firefighters which discusses what hearing sensitivity is required to work as a firefighter, but also enforces baseline (initial) and annual hearing tests (based on OSHA hearing maintenance regulations).[115] While NIHL can be a risk that occurs from working as a firefighter, NIHL can also be a safety concern for communicating while doing the job as communicating with coworkers and victims is essential for safety.[115] Hearing protection devices have been used by firefighters in the United States.[116] Earmuffs are the most commonly used hearing protection device (HPD) as they are the most easy to put on correctly in a quick manner.[116] Multiple fire departments have used HPDs that have communication devices built in, allowing firefighters to speak with each other at safe, but audible sound levels, while lowering the hazardous sound levels around them.[116]

Types of coverage and workload edit

In a country with a comprehensive fire service, fire departments must be able to send firefighters to emergencies at any hour of day or night, to arrive on the scene within minutes. In urban areas, this means that full-time paid firefighters usually have shift work, with some providing cover each night. On the other hand, it may not be practical to employ full-time firefighters in villages and isolated small towns, where their services may not be required for days at a time. For this reason, many fire departments have firefighters who spend long periods on call to respond to infrequent emergencies; they may have regular jobs outside of firefighting.[121][122]

Whether they are paid or not varies by country. In the United States and Germany, volunteer fire departments provide most of the cover in rural areas. In the United Kingdom[121] and Ireland,[123] by contrast, actual volunteers are rare. Instead, "retained firefighters" are paid for responding to incidents, along with a small salary for spending long periods of time on call.[121][122] The combined fire services of the United Kingdom retain around 18,000 retained firefighters alongside their wholetime colleagues.[121] In both the UK and Ireland retained firefighters make up the majority of active firefighting personnel.[123] Their training, qualifications, and range of possible deployments, are all comparable to wholetime firefighters.[121] Retained firefighters are required to live or work within a set radius of their assigned fire station - in the United Kingdom this is usually 1 mile (1.6 km),[122] and in Ireland 2 miles (3.2 km).[123]

Firefighting around the world edit

 
The Paris Fire Brigade is a French Army unit which serves as the fire service for Paris and certain sites of national strategic importance.
 
Firefighters tackling a blaze in Montreal, Canada
 
Indonesian fire fighters handling a traffic accident in Jakarta

A key difference between many countries' fire services is what the balance is between full-time and volunteer (or on-call) firefighters. In the United States and United Kingdom, large metropolitan fire departments are almost entirely made up of full-time firefighters. On the other hand, in Germany and Austria,[124] volunteers play a substantial role even in the largest fire departments, including Berlin's, which serves a population of 3.6 million. Regardless of how this balance works, a common feature is that smaller urban areas have a mix of full-time and volunteer/on-call firefighters. This is known in the United States as a combination fire department. In Chile and Peru, all firefighters are volunteers.[125]

Another point of variation is how the fire services are organized. Some countries like the Czech Republic, Israel and New Zealand have a single national fire service. Others like Australia, the United Kingdom and France organize fire services based on regions or sub-national states. In the United States, Austria, Germany and Canada, fire departments are run at a municipal level.

Atypically, Singapore and many parts of Switzerland have fire service conscription.[126][127] In Germany, conscription can also be used if a village does not have a functioning fire service. Other unusual arrangements are seen in Denmark, where most fire services are run by private companies,[128] and in France, where two of the country's fire services (the Paris Fire Brigade and the Marseille Naval Fire Battalion) are part of the armed forces; similarly, the national fire service of Monaco is part of the Military of Monaco and maintains an armoury of sidearms for use by firefighters during civil defence operations.

Another way in which a firefighter's work varies around the world is the nature of firefighting equipment and tactics. For example, American fire departments make heavier use of aerial appliances, and are often split between engine and ladder companies. In Europe, where the size and usefulness of aerial appliances are often limited by narrow streets, they are only used for rescues, and firefighters can rotate between working on an engine and an aerial appliance. [129][128] A final point in variation is how involved firefighters are in emergency medical services.

Communication and command structure edit

 
New South Wales Fire Brigade station officer (red helmet) and firefighters (yellow helmets), Australia

The expedient and accurate handling of fire alarms or calls are significant factors in the successful outcome of any incident. Fire department communications play a critical role in that successful outcome. Fire department communications include the methods by which the public can notify the communications center of an emergency, the methods by which the center can notify the proper fire fighting forces, and the methods by which information is exchanged at the scene. One method is to use a megaphone to communicate.

A telecommunicator (often referred to as a 000 Operator in Australia[130]) has a role different from but just as important as other emergency personnel. The telecommunicator must process calls from unknown and unseen individuals, usually calling under stressful conditions. He/she must be able to obtain complete, reliable information from the caller and prioritize requests for assistance. It is the dispatcher's responsibility to bring order to chaos.

While some fire departments are large enough to utilize their own telecommunication dispatcher, most rural and small areas rely on a central dispatcher to provide handling of fire, rescue, and police services.

Firefighters are trained to use communications equipment to receive alarms, give and receive commands, request assistance, and report on conditions. Since firefighters from different agencies routinely provide mutual aid to each other, and routinely operate at incidents where other emergency services are present, it is essential to have structures in place to establish a unified chain of command, and share information between agencies. The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has established a National Incident Management System.[131] One component of this system is the Incident Command System.

All radio communication in the United States is under authorization from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC); as such, fire departments that operate radio equipment must have radio licenses from the FCC.

Ten codes were popular in the early days of radio equipment because of poor transmission and reception. Advances in modern radio technology have reduced the need for ten-codes and many departments have converted to simple English (clear text).

Ranks edit

Many firefighters are sworn members with command structures similar to the military or police. They do not usually have general police powers (although some firefighters in the United States have limited police powers, like fire police departments), though certain fire safety officials (such as fire marshals or fire safety inspectors) do possess extensive police powers in connection with their work of enforcement and control in regulatory and emergency situations. In some countries fire fighters carry, or have access to, firearms, including some US fire marshals, and the Corps des Sapeurs-Pompiers of Monaco which is a military unit providing civilian fire cover.

The nomenclature of firefighting varies from country to country. The basic unit of firefighters is known as a "company" in many countries, including the United States, with its members typically working on the same engine. A "crew" or "platoon" is a subdivision of a company who work on the same shift. In British and Commonwealth fire services the firefighters of each station are more typically organised around a "watch" pattern, with several watches (usually four) working on a shift basis, as a separate "crew" for each engine or specialist appliance at that station.[132]

Firefighter equipment edit

A partial list of some equipment typically used by firefighters:

History edit

 
A picture of American firefighters in the 1770s
 
Vancouver firemen responding to a fire alarm, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Photograph taken by W.J. Carpenter in 1910.

Although people have fought fires since there have been valuable things to burn, the first instance of organized professionals combating structural fires occurred in ancient Egypt. Likewise, fire fighters of the Roman Republic existed solely as privately organized and funded groups that operated more similarly to a business than a public service; however, during the Principate period, Augustus revolutionized firefighting by calling for the creation of a fire guard that was trained, paid, and equipped by the state, thereby commissioning the first truly public and professional firefighting service. Known as the Vigiles, they were organised into cohorts, serving as a night watch and city police force.

The earliest American fire departments were volunteers, including the volunteer fire company in New Amsterdam, now known as New York.[133] Fire companies were composed of citizens who volunteered their time to help protect the community. As time progressed and new towns were established throughout the region, there was a sharp increase in the number of volunteer departments.

In 1853, the first career fire department in the United States was established in Cincinnati, Ohio, followed four years later by St. Louis Fire Department. Large cities began establishing paid, full-time staff in order to try to facilitate greater call volume.

City fire departments draw their funding directly from city taxes and share the same budget as other public works like the police department and trash services. The primary difference between municipality departments and city departments is the funding source. Municipal fire departments do not share their budget with any other service and are considered to be private entities within a jurisdiction. This means that they have their own taxes that feed into their budgeting needs. City fire departments report to the mayor, whereas municipal departments are accountable to elected board officials who help maintain and run the department along with the chief officer staff.[134]

Fundraisers edit

Funds for firefighting equipment may be raised by the firefighters themselves, especially in the case of volunteer organizations.[135] Events such as pancake breakfasts and chili feeds are common in the United States.[136][137] Social events are used to raise money include dances, fairs, and car washes.

See also edit

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External links edit

firefighter, other, uses, disambiguation, fireman, firewoman, redirect, here, other, uses, fireman, disambiguation, firewoman, disambiguation, firefighter, fire, fighter, first, responder, trained, firefighting, primarily, control, extinguish, fires, that, thr. For other uses see Firefighter disambiguation Fireman and Firewoman redirect here For other uses see Fireman disambiguation and Firewoman disambiguation A firefighter or fire fighter is a first responder trained in firefighting primarily to control and extinguish fires that threaten life and property as well as to rescue persons from confinement or dangerous situations Male firefighters are sometimes referred to as firemen and less commonly a female firefighter as firewoman 1 2 FirefighterFirefighter team work together to contain a blazing barnOccupationSynonymsFireman PL firemen Firewoman PL firewomen Activity sectorsRescue fire protection civil service public service public safetyThe fire service also known in some countries as the fire brigade or fire department is one of the three main emergency services From urban areas to aboard ships firefighters have become ubiquitous around the world The skills required for safe operations are regularly practiced during training evaluations throughout a firefighter s career Initial firefighting skills are normally taught through local regional or state approved fire academies or training courses 3 Depending on the requirements of a department additional skills and certifications may also be acquired at this time Firefighters work closely with other emergency response agencies such as the police and emergency medical service A firefighter s role may overlap with both Fire investigators or fire marshals investigate the cause of a fire If the fire was caused by arson or negligence their work will overlap with law enforcement Firefighters may also provide some degree of emergency medical service Contents 1 Training How to become a Firefighter 1 1 VR and AR implementations 2 Duties 2 1 Fire suppression 2 1 1 Structural firefighting 2 1 2 Wildland firefighting 2 1 3 Aircraft rescue and firefighting 2 2 Rescue 2 3 Emergency medical services 2 4 Hazardous materials 2 5 Fire prevention 3 Occupational health and safety 3 1 Direct risks 3 1 1 Fires 3 1 2 Structural collapses 3 1 3 Traffic collisions 3 1 4 Violence 3 2 During debris cleanup 3 3 Long term risks 3 3 1 Cardiovascular disease 3 3 2 Cancer 3 3 3 Mental stress 3 3 4 Occupational hearing loss 4 Types of coverage and workload 5 Firefighting around the world 6 Communication and command structure 6 1 Ranks 7 Firefighter equipment 8 History 9 Fundraisers 10 See also 11 References 12 External linksTraining How to become a Firefighter editPath of becoming a firefighter 4 First Meet the Requirements Pass Medical test Psychological evaluation Drug screening US citizen and 21 years old Pass both exams Computer and Physical CPAT 5 Have a valid drivers license Become an EMT 6 take classes pass tests shadow ambulance workers etc attending firefighter classes and fire technology classes enter into a firefighter training academy where they do physical training to prepare for real life scenarios and depending on training regiments academy length can range from 10 to 24 weeks long 5 VR and AR implementations edit VR 7 has a ton of different applications VR adds fake environments and added animations bring together a visual that replicate real calls 8 VR also aids in improving decision making and exposure to common scenarios that will increase response time and decrease time spent on call Will also decrease the amount of damage to the building and to the firefighters 9 10 AR 11 is using 3D points and calculating them to emulate a scenario using real life An AR Firefighter helmet was the first item to be involved with AR It comes with Thermal imaging 3D simulation of real scenarios and coding to add environmental variables 12 The helmet is only used for training currently AR is a way for trainees to visualize calls better this part attacks the form of the fire while VR shows the function of the fire 13 Duties editFire suppression edit nbsp Firefighters had to focus their efforts on saving the adjacent church instead of this burning building an abandoned convent in Massueville Quebec Canada nbsp Firefighter carrying out a ladder slideA fire burns due to the presence of three elements fuel oxygen and heat This is often referred to as the fire triangle Sometimes it is known as the fire tetrahedron if a fourth element is added a chemical chain reaction which can help sustain certain types of fire The aim of firefighting is to deprive the fire of at least one of those elements Most commonly this is done by dousing the fire with water though some fires require other methods such as foam or dry agents Firefighters are equipped with a wide variety of equipment for this purpose that include ladder trucks pumper trucks tanker trucks fire hose and fire extinguishers Structural firefighting edit This section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed August 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article may contain an excessive amount of intricate detail that may interest only a particular audience Please help by spinning off or relocating any relevant information and removing excessive detail that may be against Wikipedia s inclusion policy November 2023 Learn how and when to remove this template message See also Fire suppression for other techniques While sometimes fires can be limited to small areas of a structure wider collateral damage due to smoke water and burning embers is common Utility shutoff such as gas and electricity is typically an early priority for arriving fire crews In addition forcible entry may be required in order to gain access into the structure Specific procedures NFPA 704 14 and equipment are needed at a property where hazardous materials are being used or stored Additionally fighting fires in some structures may require additional training and firefighting tactics that are specific to that structure For example row house fires are a type of structure fire that require specific tactics to decrease risks Structure fires may be attacked with either interior or exterior resources or both Interior crews using the two in two out rule may extend fire hose lines inside the building find the fire and cool it with water Exterior crews may direct water into windows and other openings or against any nearby fuels exposed to the initial fire Hose streams directed into the interior through exterior wall apertures may conflict and jeopardize interior fire attack crews Buildings that are made of flammable materials such as wood are different from building materials such as concrete Generally a fire resistant building is designed to limit fire to a small area or floor Other floors can be safe by preventing smoke inhalation and damage All buildings suspected or on fire must be evacuated regardless of fire rating When fire departments respond to structure fires the priorities are life safety incident stabilization and property conservation Some tactics used to achieve positive results at a structure fire include scene size up door control coordinated ventilation and exterior attack prior to entry When the first fire department arrives on scene at a structure fire scene size up must occur to develop the appropriate strategy offensive or defensive and tactics With scene size up a risk assessment must also occur to determine the risks of making an interior fire attack When an incident s critical factors and the risk management plan indicate an offensive strategy the incident commander will define the tactical objectives for entering the structure Offensive incident action plans tactics are based on the standard offensive tactical priorities and their corresponding completion benchmarks Firefighting priorities and tactics The incident commander should consider these priorities and firefighting tactics at a structure fire Incident Priorities Life safety primary and secondary All Clear s A C Property conservation Loss Stopped L S Post fire control firefighter decontamination Decon Customer Stabilization Short term Customer stabilization refers to customer service that fire departments provide during an emergency When a fire department responds to an emergency two related priorities are life safety and stabilizing the incident Part of this process is ensuring the customer s well being from the time of dispatch until after the incident becomes stable Firefighting Tactical Considerations Perform 360 degree size up and conduct a risk assessment Establish a secure water supply Establish a rapid intervention crew Coordinate ventilation with fire attack Put water on fire Fire Control F C Under Control Tapped Fire At a row house fire the incident commander should consider these specific firefighting tactics 1 Locate and extinguish the fire 2 Stretch first hoseline to the fire floor 3 Coordinate fire attack with ventilation 4 Send resources to Exposure Bravo 1 and Exposure Delta 1 5 Send resources and charged hoseline to attic or cockloft to check for extension 6 Position ground ladders to all upper floor windows Use caution around utility wires Some firefighting tactics may appear to be destructive but often serve specific needs For example during ventilation firefighters are forced to either open holes in the roof or floors of a structure called vertical ventilation or open windows and walls called horizontal ventilation to remove smoke and heated gases from the interior of the structure Such ventilation methods are also used to improve interior visibility to locate victims more quickly Ventilation helps to preserve the life of trapped or unconscious individuals as it releases the poisonous gases from inside the structure Vertical ventilation is vital to firefighter safety in the event of a flashover or backdraft scenario Releasing the flammable gases through the roof eliminates the possibility of a backdraft and the removal of heat can reduce the possibility of a flashover Flashovers due to their intense heat 900 1 200 F 480 650 C and explosive temperaments are commonly fatal to firefighter personnel Precautionary methods such as smashing a window reveal backdraft situations before the firefighter enters the structure and is met with the circumstance head on Firefighter safety is the number one priority Whenever possible during a structure fire property is moved into the middle of a room and covered with a salvage cover a heavy cloth like tarp Various steps such as retrieving and protecting valuables found during suppression or overhaul evacuating water and boarding windows and roofs can divert or prevent post fire runoff Wildland firefighting edit Main article Wildfire suppression Wildfires known in Australia as bushfires require a unique set of strategies and tactics In many countries such as Australia and the United States these duties are mostly carried out by local volunteer firefighters Wildfires have some ecological role in allowing new plants to grow therefore in some cases they will be left to burn 15 Priorities in fighting wildfires include preventing the loss of life and property as well as ecological damage Aircraft rescue and firefighting edit Main article Aircraft rescue and firefighting Airports employ specialist firefighters to deal with potential ground emergencies Due to the mass casualty potential of an aviation emergency the speed with which emergency response equipment and personnel arrive at the scene of the emergency is of paramount importance When dealing with an emergency the airport firefighters are tasked with rapidly securing the aircraft its crew and its passengers from all hazards particularly fire Airport firefighters have advanced training in the application of firefighting foams dry chemical and clean agents used to extinguish burning aviation fuel Rescue edit nbsp A demonstration of a vehicle extricationFirefighters rescue persons from confinement or dangerous situations such as burning buildings and crashed vehicles Complex infrequent situations requiring specialized training and equipment include rescues from collapsed buildings and confined spaces Many fire departments including most in the United Kingdom refer to themselves as a fire and rescue service for this reason Large fire departments such as the New York City Fire Department and London Fire Brigade have specialist teams for advanced technical rescue As structure fires have been in decline for many years in developed countries such as the United States rescues other than fires make up an increasing proportion of their firefighters work 16 Emergency medical services edit Firefighters frequently provide some degree of emergency medical care In some jurisdictions first aid is the only medical training that firefighters have and medical calls are the sole responsibility of a separate emergency medical services EMS agency Elsewhere it is common for firefighters to respond to medical calls The impetus for this is the growing demand in medical emergencies and the significant decline in fires 16 In such departments firefighters are often certified as emergency medical technicians in order to deliver basic life support and more rarely as paramedics to deliver advanced life support In the United Kingdom where fire services and EMS are run separately fire service co responding has been introduced more recently 17 Another point of variation is whether the firefighters respond in a fire engine or a response car 18 Hazardous materials edit nbsp Decontamination after a chemical spillFire departments are usually the lead agency that responds to hazardous materials incidents Specialized firefighters known as hazardous materials technicians are trained in chemical identification leak and spill control and decontamination 19 While firefighters are generally responsible for managing hazardous materials in the environment there is a great deal of risks that they face by doing so 20 Flame retardants are chemical products that are utilized to slow down or stop the spread of a wildfire by reducing its intensity This usually takes place through chemical reactions that delay the combustion of the fires or reduce the flammability of whatever substances are fueling the fire Flame retardants are commonly found in fire extinguishers surface coating forest fire fighting retardants and textiles While there are numerous benefits to flame retardant products in terms of the reduction of major fires the components that make up these substances are extremely harmful 21 The most concerning materials that make up these products are PFAS chemicals These chemicals contain compounds that persist in the environment and bioaccumulate in the food chain As a result we can be exposed to these chemicals for years after the actual usage takes place Not only do these components build up in people animals and the environment they can be dispersed through long distances and have significant toxic effects Studies linked PFAS exposure with health effects ranging from increased cholesterol levels and decreased vaccine response in children to major neurological defects and cancer 22 While not everyone responds to these chemicals in the same way many studies have demonstrated significant damage to the liver and immune system of both humans and animals As a result long term exposure to these chemicals is a notable concern While many hazardous chemicals sued in fire fighting materials such as penta bromdiphenyl ether have already been banned by the government they are almost immediately replaced by a new substance with similar harmful effects After banning penta bromodiphenyl ether chlorinated tris chloroalkyl phospahtes halogenated aryl esters and tetrabromophthalate dio diester were used instead 23 The EPA later proved that these chemicals contain mutagens that can be absorbed into children s bodies leaving damage to both the immune system and neurological function While these chemicals are constantly changing with attempts to make it safer for the public firefighters have been consistently exposed since the 17th century This constant up close exposure puts every firefighter at risk for the major effects of these chemicals 24 Traditional PFAS compounds including PFOS were often used as surfactants due to their water and grease repellent properties Non fluorinated surfactants such as certain bio based or synthetic alternatives are being researched as substitutes Some researchers are exploring bio based alternatives derived from renewable resources such as plant based or microbial sources to replace certain functions of PFAS in applications like water repellency and surface coatings 25 Polymeric flame retardants are being investigated as alternatives to traditional PFAS based flame retardants These may include polymers with inherent flame resistant properties or those treated with environmentally friendly flame retardant chemicals 26 Fire prevention edit nbsp Firefighters frequently give fire prevention talks at schools and community eventsFire departments frequently provide advice to the public on how to prevent fires in the home and work place environments Fire inspectors or fire marshals will directly inspect businesses to ensure they are up to the current building fire codes 27 28 which are enforced so that a building can sufficiently resist fire spread potential hazards are located and to ensure that occupants can be safely evacuated commensurate with the risks involved Fire suppression systems have a proven record for controlling and extinguishing unwanted fires Many fire officials recommend that every building including residences have fire sprinkler systems 29 Correctly working sprinklers in a residence greatly reduce the risk of death from a fire 30 With the small rooms typical of a residence one or two sprinklers can cover most rooms In the United States the housing industry trade groups have lobbied at the State level to prevent the requirement for Fire Sprinklers in one or two family homes 31 32 Other methods of fire prevention are by directing efforts to reduce known hazardous conditions or by preventing dangerous acts before tragedy strikes This is normally accomplished in many innovative ways such as conducting presentations distributing safety brochures providing news articles writing public safety announcements PSA or establishing meaningful displays in well visited areas Ensuring that each household has working smoke alarms is educated in the proper techniques of fire safety has an evacuation route and rendezvous point is of top priority in public education for most fire prevention teams in almost all fire department localities Fire investigators who are experienced firefighters trained in fire cause determinism are dispatched to fire scenes in order to investigate and determine whether the fire was a result of an accident or intentional Some fire investigators have full law enforcement powers to investigate and arrest suspected arsonists Occupational health and safety editDirect risks edit Fires edit nbsp Firemen s Memorial Boston by John Wilson nbsp Firefighters wearing PPE tackle an aircraft fire during a drill at Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene TexasTo allow protection from the inherent risks of fighting fires firefighters wear and carry protective and self rescue equipment at all times A self contained breathing apparatus SCBA delivers air to the firefighter through a full face mask and is worn to protect against smoke inhalation toxic fumes and super heated gases A special device called a Personal Alert Safety System PASS is commonly worn independently or as a part of the SCBA to alert others when a firefighter stops moving for a specified period of time or manually operates the device The PASS device sounds an alarm that can assist another firefighter firefighter assist and search team FAST or rapid intervention team RIT in locating the firefighter in distress Firefighters often carry personal self rescue ropes The ropes are generally 30 feet 9 1 m long and can provide a firefighter that has enough time to deploy the rope a partially controlled exit out of an elevated window Lack of a personal rescue rope is cited in the deaths of two New York City Firefighters Lt John Bellew and Lt Curtis Meyran who died after they jumped from the fourth floor of a burning apartment building in the Bronx Of the four firefighters who jumped and survived only one of them had a self rescue rope Since the incident the Fire Department of New York City has issued self rescue ropes to their firefighters 33 Heat injury is a major issue for firefighters as they wear insulated clothing and cannot shed the heat generated from physical exertion Early detection of heat issues is critical to stop dehydration and heat stress becoming fatal Early onset of heat stress affects cognitive function which combined with operating in dangerous environment makes heat stress and dehydration a critical issue to monitor Firefighter physiological status monitoring is showing promise in alerting EMS and commanders to the status of their people on the fire ground Devices such as PASS device alert 10 20 seconds after a firefighter has stopped moving in a structure Physiological status monitors measure a firefighter s vital sign status fatigue and exertion levels and transmit this information over their voice radio This technology allows a degree of early warning to physiological stress These devices 34 are similar to technology developed for Future Force Warrior and give a measure of exertion and fatigue They also tell the people outside a building when they have stopped moving or fallen This allows a supervisor to call in additional engines before the crew get exhausted and also gives an early warning to firefighters before they run out of air as they may not be able to make voice calls over their radio Current OSHA tables exist for heat injury and the allowable amount of work in a given environment based on temperature humidity and solar loading 35 Firefighters are also at risk for developing rhabdomyolysis Rhabdomyolysis is the breakdown of muscle tissue and has many causes including heat exposure high core body temperature and prolonged intense exertion Routine firefighter tasks such as carrying extra weight of equipment and working in hot environments can increase firefighters risk for rhabdomyolysis 36 37 Structural collapses edit Another leading cause of death during firefighting is structural collapse of a burning building e g a wall floor ceiling roof or truss system Structural collapse which often occurs without warning may crush or trap firefighters inside the structure To avoid loss of life all on duty firefighters should maintain two way communication with the incident commander and be equipped with a personal alert safety system device on all fire scenes and maintain radio communication on all incidents PASS 38 39 Francis Brannigan was the founder and greatest contributor to this element of firefighter safety Traffic collisions edit In the United States 25 of fatalities of firefighters are caused by traffic collisions while responding to or returning from an incident Other firefighters have been injured or killed by vehicles at the scene of a fire or emergency Paulison 2005 A common measure fire departments have taken to prevent this is to require firefighters to wear a bright yellow reflective vest over their turnout coats if they have to work on a public road to make them more visible to passing drivers 40 Violence edit Firefighters have occasionally been assaulted by members of the public while responding to calls These kinds of attacks can cause firefighters to fear for their safety when responding to specific areas and may cause them to not have full focus on the situation which could result in injury to their selves or the patient 41 Workplace violence 42 consists of the mental and physical abuse sustained during on duty activities First Responders are the most likely to experience this type of violence and EMS even has a percentage range of 53 90 of calls that had an instance of Workplace violence This type of violence is a major reason for burnout and depression in First Responders while EMS deal more with people on a daily basis 18 Firefighters experience PTSD due to WPV 42 and 60 had at least one call where they had feared for their life or questioned their safety 43 44 During debris cleanup edit Main article Occupational hazards of fire debris cleanup nbsp Firefighters at Ground Zero during the September 11 attacksOnce extinguished fire debris cleanup poses several safety and health risks for workers 45 46 Many hazardous substances are commonly found in fire debris Silica can be found in concrete roofing tiles or it may be a naturally occurring element Occupational exposures to silica dust can cause silicosis lung cancer pulmonary tuberculosis airway diseases and some additional non respiratory diseases 47 Inhalation of asbestos can result in various diseases including asbestosis lung cancer and mesothelioma 48 Sources of metals exposure include burnt or melted electronics cars refrigerators stoves etc Fire debris cleanup workers may be exposed to these metals or their combustion products in the air or on their skin These metals may include beryllium cadmium chromium cobalt lead manganese nickel and many more 45 Polyaromatic hydrocarbons PAHs some of which are carcinogenic come from the incomplete combustion of organic materials and are often found as a result of structural and wildland fires 49 Safety hazards of fire cleanup include the risk of reignition of smoldering debris electrocution from downed or exposed electrical lines or in instances where water has come into contact with electrical equipment Structures that have been burned may be unstable and at risk of sudden collapse 46 50 Standard personal protective equipment for fire cleanup include hard hats goggles or safety glasses heavy work gloves earplugs or other hearing protection steel toe boots and fall protection devices 50 51 Hazard controls for electrical injury include assuming all power lines are energized until confirmation they are de energized and grounding power lines to guard against electrical feedback and using appropriate personal protective equipment 50 Proper respiratory protection can protect against hazardous substances Proper ventilation of an area is an engineering control that can be used to avoid or minimize exposure to hazardous substances When ventilation is insufficient or dust cannot be avoided personal protective equipment such as N95 respirators can be used 50 52 Long term risks edit Cardiovascular disease edit Firefighting has long been associated with poor cardiovascular outcomes In the United States the most common cause of on duty fatalities for firefighters is sudden cardiac death accounting for approximately 45 of on duty US firefighter deaths 53 In addition to personal factors that may predispose an individual to coronary artery disease or other cardiovascular diseases occupational exposures can significantly increase a firefighter s risk Historically the fire service blamed poor firefighter physical condition for being the primary cause of cardiovascular related deaths However over the last 20 years studies and research has indicated the toxic gasses put fire service personnel at significantly higher risk for cardiovascular related conditions and death For instance carbon monoxide present in nearly all fire environments and hydrogen cyanide formed during the combustion of paper cotton plastics and other substances containing carbon and nitrogen The substances inside of materials change during combustion and their by products can interfere with the transport of oxygen in the body Hypoxia can then lead to heart injury In addition chronic exposure to particulate matter in smoke is associated with atherosclerosis Noise exposures may contribute to hypertension and possibly ischemic heart disease Other factors associated with firefighting such as stress heat stress and heavy physical exertion also increase the risk of cardiovascular events 54 During fire suppression activities a firefighter can reach peak or near peak heart rates which can act as a trigger for a cardiac event For example tachycardia can cause plaque buildup to break loose and lodge itself is a small part of the heart causing myocardial infarction also known as a heart attack This along with unhealthy habits and lack of exercise can be very hazardous to firefighter health 55 Cancer edit nbsp Smoke can expose firefighters to a variety of carcinogensCancer risk in the U S fire service is a topic of growing concern Recent studies suggest that due to their exposure on the fireground firefighters may be at an increased risk for certain types of cancer and other chronic diseases 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 Additionally large international studies generally support the finding from U S studies that firefighters have elevated rates of cancer with some variation by cancer site 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 A 2015 retrospective longitudinal study showed that firefighters are at higher risk for certain types of cancer Firefighters had mesothelioma which is caused by asbestos exposure at twice the rate of the non firefighting working population Younger firefighters under age 65 also developed bladder cancer and prostate cancer at higher rates than the general population The risk of bladder cancer may be present in female firefighters but research is inconclusive as of 2014 75 76 Preliminary research from 2015 on a large cohort of US firefighters showed a direct relationship between the number of hours spent fighting fires and lung cancer and leukemia mortality in firefighters This link is a topic of continuing research in the medical community as is cancer mortality in general among firefighters 77 In addition to epidemiological studies mechanistic studies have used biomarkers to investigate exposures effects on biological changes that could be related to cancer development Several of these studies have found evidence of DNA damage oxidative stress and epigenetic changes related to firefighters exposures 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 Firefighters regularly encounter carcinogenic materials and hazardous contaminants which is thought to contribute to their excess cancer risk Dozens of chemicals classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer IARC as known or probable carcinogens have been identified on the fireground 85 86 Several studies have documented airborne and or dermal exposures to carcinogenic compounds during firefighting as well as contamination on turnout gear and other equipment worn by firefighters 87 88 89 90 91 Some of these compounds have been shown to absorb into firefighters bodies 92 93 In addition to chemical exposures firefighters often work 24 hr shifts or longer and may respond to emergencies at night Night shift work has been classified as a probable human carcinogen by IARC 94 Some firefighters also work with hazardous materials and trained to control and clean up these dangerous materials such as oil spills and chemical accidents As firefighters combat a fire and clean up hazardous materials there is a risk of harmful chemicals coming in contact with their skin if it penetrates their personal protective equipment PPE 74 In June 2022 IARC classified occupational exposure as a firefighter as carcinogenic to humans 95 Firefighters are in addition to carcinogenic chemicals firefighters can be exposed to radiation alpha radiation beta radiation and gamma radiation 96 There are many types of firefighters Most research on firefighters cancer risk has involved structural or municipal career firefighters Wildland firefighters are specially trained firefighters tasked with controlling forest fires They frequently create fire lines which are swathes of cut down trees and dug up grass placed in the path of the fire This is designed to deprive the fire of fuel Wildland firefighting is a physically demanding job with many acute hazards Wildland firefighters may hike several miles while carrying heavy equipment during the wildfire season which has increased in duration over time especially in the western United States Unlike structural firefighters wildland firefighters typically do not wear respiratory protection and may inhale particulate and other compounds emitted by the wildfires They also use prescribed fires to burn potential fire fuel under controlled conditions 97 To examine cancer risk for wildland firefighters a risk assessment was conducted using an exposure response relationship for risk of lung cancer mortality and measured particulate matter exposure from smoke at wildfires This study concluded that wildland firefighters could have an increased risk of lung cancer mortality 98 The research on cancer for other subspecialty groups of firefighters is limited but a recent study of fire instructors in Australia found an exposure response relationship between training exposures and cancer incidence 99 Due to the lack of central and comprehensive sources of data research on cancer rates amongst firefighters has been challenging 56 100 101 102 On July 7 2018 Congress passed the Firefighter Cancer Registry Act of 2018 requiring the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to create the National Firefighter Registry designed to collect data on cancer rates among U S firefighters 103 104 105 Mental stress edit As with other emergency workers firefighters may witness traumatic scenes during their careers They are thus more vulnerable than most people to certain mental health issues such as post traumatic stress disorder 106 107 and suicidal thoughts and behaviors 108 109 Among women in the US the occupations with the highest suicide rates are police and firefighters with a rate of 14 1 per 100 000 according to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control CDC 110 Chronic stress over time attributes to symptoms that affect first responders such as anxiousness irritability nervousness memory and concentration problems can occur overtime which can lead to anxiety and depression Mental stress can have long lasting affects on the brain 111 A 2014 report from the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation found that a fire department is three times more likely to experience a suicide in a given year than a line of duty death 112 Mental stress of the job can lead to substance abuse and alcohol abuse as ways of coping with the stress 113 The mental stress of fire fighting has many different causes There are those they see on duty and also what they miss by being on duty Firefighters schedules fluctuate by district There are stations where fire fighters work 48 hours on and 48 hours off whereas some allow 24 hours on and 72 hours off 114 The mental impact of missing a child s first steps or a ballet recital can take a heavy impact on first responders There is also the stress of being on opposite shifts as a spouse or being away from family When not on the scene of an emergency firefighters remain on call at fire stations where they eat sleep and perform other duties during their shifts Hence sleep disruption is another occupational hazard that they may encounter at their job 90 Occupational hearing loss edit Another long term risk factor from firefighting is exposure to high levels of sound which can cause noise induced hearing loss NIHL and tinnitus 115 116 NIHL affects sound frequencies between 3 000 and 6 000 Hertz first then with more frequent exposure will spread to more frequencies 116 Many consonants will be more difficult to hear or inaudible with NIHL because of the higher frequencies effected which results in poorer communication 116 NIHL is caused by exposure to sound levels at or above 85dBA according to NIOSH and at or above 90dBA according to OSHA 116 dBA represents A weighted decibels dBA is used for measuring sound levels relating to occupational sound exposure since it attempts to mimic the sensitivity of the human ear to different frequencies of sound 116 OSHA uses a 5 dBA exchange rate which means that for every 5dBA increase in sound from 90dBA the acceptable exposure time before a risk of permanent hearing loss occurs decreases by half starting with 8 hours acceptable exposure time at 90dBA 116 117 NIOSH uses a 3 dBA exchange rate starting at 8 hours acceptable exposure time at 85dBA 116 118 The time of exposure required to potentially cause damage depends on the level of sound exposed to 118 The most common causes of excessive sound exposure are sirens transportation to and from fires fire alarms and work tools 115 Traveling in an emergency vehicle has shown to expose a person to between 103 and 114dBA of sound According to OSHA exposure at this level is acceptable for between 17 and 78 minutes 117 and according to NIOSH is acceptable for between 35 seconds and 7 5 minutes 118 over a 24 hour day before permanent hearing loss can occur This time period considers that no other high level sound exposure occurs in that 24 hour time frame 118 Sirens often output about 120 dBA which according to OSHA 7 5 minutes of exposure is needed 117 and according to NIOSH 9 seconds of exposure is needed 118 in a 24 hour time period before permanent hearing loss can occur In addition to high sound levels another risk factor for hearing disorders is the co exposure to chemicals that are ototoxic 119 The average day of work for a firefighter can often be under the sound exposure limit for both OSHA and NIOSH 116 While the average day of sound exposure as a firefighter is often under the limit firefighters can be exposed to impulse noise which has a very low acceptable time exposure before permanent hearing damage can occur due to the high intensity and short duration 115 There are also high rates of hearing loss often NIHL in firefighters which increases with age and number of years working as a firefighter 115 120 Hearing loss prevention programs have been implemented in multiple stations and have shown to help lower the rate of firefighters with NIHL 116 Other attempts have been made to lower sound exposures for firefighters such as enclosing the cabs of the firetrucks to lower the siren exposure while driving 116 NFPA National Fire Protection Association is responsible for occupational health programs and standards in firefighters which discusses what hearing sensitivity is required to work as a firefighter but also enforces baseline initial and annual hearing tests based on OSHA hearing maintenance regulations 115 While NIHL can be a risk that occurs from working as a firefighter NIHL can also be a safety concern for communicating while doing the job as communicating with coworkers and victims is essential for safety 115 Hearing protection devices have been used by firefighters in the United States 116 Earmuffs are the most commonly used hearing protection device HPD as they are the most easy to put on correctly in a quick manner 116 Multiple fire departments have used HPDs that have communication devices built in allowing firefighters to speak with each other at safe but audible sound levels while lowering the hazardous sound levels around them 116 Types of coverage and workload editSee also Volunteer fire department and Retained firefighter In a country with a comprehensive fire service fire departments must be able to send firefighters to emergencies at any hour of day or night to arrive on the scene within minutes In urban areas this means that full time paid firefighters usually have shift work with some providing cover each night On the other hand it may not be practical to employ full time firefighters in villages and isolated small towns where their services may not be required for days at a time For this reason many fire departments have firefighters who spend long periods on call to respond to infrequent emergencies they may have regular jobs outside of firefighting 121 122 Whether they are paid or not varies by country In the United States and Germany volunteer fire departments provide most of the cover in rural areas In the United Kingdom 121 and Ireland 123 by contrast actual volunteers are rare Instead retained firefighters are paid for responding to incidents along with a small salary for spending long periods of time on call 121 122 The combined fire services of the United Kingdom retain around 18 000 retained firefighters alongside their wholetime colleagues 121 In both the UK and Ireland retained firefighters make up the majority of active firefighting personnel 123 Their training qualifications and range of possible deployments are all comparable to wholetime firefighters 121 Retained firefighters are required to live or work within a set radius of their assigned fire station in the United Kingdom this is usually 1 mile 1 6 km 122 and in Ireland 2 miles 3 2 km 123 Firefighting around the world editFurther information Firefighting worldwide and Fire department ranks by country nbsp The Paris Fire Brigade is a French Army unit which serves as the fire service for Paris and certain sites of national strategic importance nbsp Firefighters tackling a blaze in Montreal Canada nbsp Indonesian fire fighters handling a traffic accident in JakartaA key difference between many countries fire services is what the balance is between full time and volunteer or on call firefighters In the United States and United Kingdom large metropolitan fire departments are almost entirely made up of full time firefighters On the other hand in Germany and Austria 124 volunteers play a substantial role even in the largest fire departments including Berlin s which serves a population of 3 6 million Regardless of how this balance works a common feature is that smaller urban areas have a mix of full time and volunteer on call firefighters This is known in the United States as a combination fire department In Chile and Peru all firefighters are volunteers 125 Another point of variation is how the fire services are organized Some countries like the Czech Republic Israel and New Zealand have a single national fire service Others like Australia the United Kingdom and France organize fire services based on regions or sub national states In the United States Austria Germany and Canada fire departments are run at a municipal level Atypically Singapore and many parts of Switzerland have fire service conscription 126 127 In Germany conscription can also be used if a village does not have a functioning fire service Other unusual arrangements are seen in Denmark where most fire services are run by private companies 128 and in France where two of the country s fire services the Paris Fire Brigade and the Marseille Naval Fire Battalion are part of the armed forces similarly the national fire service of Monaco is part of the Military of Monaco and maintains an armoury of sidearms for use by firefighters during civil defence operations Another way in which a firefighter s work varies around the world is the nature of firefighting equipment and tactics For example American fire departments make heavier use of aerial appliances and are often split between engine and ladder companies In Europe where the size and usefulness of aerial appliances are often limited by narrow streets they are only used for rescues and firefighters can rotate between working on an engine and an aerial appliance 129 128 A final point in variation is how involved firefighters are in emergency medical services Communication and command structure edit nbsp New South Wales Fire Brigade station officer red helmet and firefighters yellow helmets AustraliaThe expedient and accurate handling of fire alarms or calls are significant factors in the successful outcome of any incident Fire department communications play a critical role in that successful outcome Fire department communications include the methods by which the public can notify the communications center of an emergency the methods by which the center can notify the proper fire fighting forces and the methods by which information is exchanged at the scene One method is to use a megaphone to communicate A telecommunicator often referred to as a 000 Operator in Australia 130 has a role different from but just as important as other emergency personnel The telecommunicator must process calls from unknown and unseen individuals usually calling under stressful conditions He she must be able to obtain complete reliable information from the caller and prioritize requests for assistance It is the dispatcher s responsibility to bring order to chaos While some fire departments are large enough to utilize their own telecommunication dispatcher most rural and small areas rely on a central dispatcher to provide handling of fire rescue and police services Firefighters are trained to use communications equipment to receive alarms give and receive commands request assistance and report on conditions Since firefighters from different agencies routinely provide mutual aid to each other and routinely operate at incidents where other emergency services are present it is essential to have structures in place to establish a unified chain of command and share information between agencies The U S Federal Emergency Management Agency FEMA has established a National Incident Management System 131 One component of this system is the Incident Command System All radio communication in the United States is under authorization from the Federal Communications Commission FCC as such fire departments that operate radio equipment must have radio licenses from the FCC Ten codes were popular in the early days of radio equipment because of poor transmission and reception Advances in modern radio technology have reduced the need for ten codes and many departments have converted to simple English clear text Ranks edit Main article Fire department ranks by country Many firefighters are sworn members with command structures similar to the military or police They do not usually have general police powers although some firefighters in the United States have limited police powers like fire police departments though certain fire safety officials such as fire marshals or fire safety inspectors do possess extensive police powers in connection with their work of enforcement and control in regulatory and emergency situations In some countries fire fighters carry or have access to firearms including some US fire marshals and the Corps des Sapeurs Pompiers of Monaco which is a military unit providing civilian fire cover The nomenclature of firefighting varies from country to country The basic unit of firefighters is known as a company in many countries including the United States with its members typically working on the same engine A crew or platoon is a subdivision of a company who work on the same shift In British and Commonwealth fire services the firefighters of each station are more typically organised around a watch pattern with several watches usually four working on a shift basis as a separate crew for each engine or specialist appliance at that station 132 Firefighter equipment editMain article Glossary of firefighting equipment nbsp Turkish firefighters in MOPP 4 level protective gear during an exercise held at Incirlik Air Base Turkey nbsp Toronto firefighters prepare their equipment nbsp A firefighter using a hydraulic cutter during a demonstration nbsp British sailors in firefighting gear on HMS Illustrious R06 Liverpool 25 October 2009 A partial list of some equipment typically used by firefighters Hand tools such as Flat head and pick head axe Pike pole Halligan bar Flashlight Spanner wrench Circular K 12 Cutters Edge and chain saws Hydraulic rescue tools such as spreaders cutters and rams Personal protective equipment PPE designed to withstand water and high temperatures such as Bunker gear including turnout jacket and pants Self contained breathing apparatus SCBA Helmet face mask and visor climbing helmets Safety boots gloves and Nomex and Carbon flash hoods Personal alert safety system PASS device Handheld radio pager or other communication devices Thermal imaging camera Gas detectorHistory editFor broader coverage of this topic see History of firefighting nbsp A picture of American firefighters in the 1770s nbsp Vancouver firemen responding to a fire alarm Vancouver British Columbia Canada Photograph taken by W J Carpenter in 1910 Although people have fought fires since there have been valuable things to burn the first instance of organized professionals combating structural fires occurred in ancient Egypt Likewise fire fighters of the Roman Republic existed solely as privately organized and funded groups that operated more similarly to a business than a public service however during the Principate period Augustus revolutionized firefighting by calling for the creation of a fire guard that was trained paid and equipped by the state thereby commissioning the first truly public and professional firefighting service Known as the Vigiles they were organised into cohorts serving as a night watch and city police force The earliest American fire departments were volunteers including the volunteer fire company in New Amsterdam now known as New York 133 Fire companies were composed of citizens who volunteered their time to help protect the community As time progressed and new towns were established throughout the region there was a sharp increase in the number of volunteer departments In 1853 the first career fire department in the United States was established in Cincinnati Ohio followed four years later by St Louis Fire Department Large cities began establishing paid full time staff in order to try to facilitate greater call volume City fire departments draw their funding directly from city taxes and share the same budget as other public works like the police department and trash services The primary difference between municipality departments and city departments is the funding source Municipal fire departments do not share their budget with any other service and are considered to be private entities within a jurisdiction This means that they have their own taxes that feed into their budgeting needs City fire departments report to the mayor whereas municipal departments are accountable to elected board officials who help maintain and run the department along with the chief officer staff 134 Fundraisers editFunds for firefighting equipment may be raised by the firefighters themselves especially in the case of volunteer organizations 135 Events such as pancake breakfasts and chili feeds are common in the United States 136 137 Social events are used to raise money include dances fairs and car washes See also editFirefighting apparatus Vehicle for use during firefighting operations Firefighter arson Phenomenon of arsonist firefighters USAF Firefighting Incident Command System Standardized approach to command control and coordination of emergency response Index of firefighting articles International Firefighters Day Observance May 4 Rescue Operations for life saving or in response to injuries after an accident Smokejumper Skydiving wildland firefighters Women in firefightingReferences edit Knowles Michael January 4 2018 BBC in sexism row over cartoon hippo in Hey Duggee who wants to be a fireman Express co uk Coulter Martin January 3 2018 London Fire Brigade accuses BBC of sexism over use of term fireman in children s show Hey Duggee www standard co uk Fire Academy Public Safety Elite Retrieved 2016 03 10 Becoming a firefighter 10 must do things FireRescue1 2010 02 02 Retrieved 2023 11 29 a b Mang Zachary A Beam Jason R Martinez Adam H 2022 03 16 A Discussion of Exercise Programs Performed During Firefighter Training Academies Strength amp Conditioning Journal 10 1519 SSC 0000000000000826 doi 10 1519 SSC 0000000000000826 ISSN 1524 1602 S2CID 265318775 Definition of EMT www merriam webster com Retrieved 2023 11 29 Virtual reality VR Definition Development Technology Examples amp Facts Britannica www britannica com 2023 12 02 Retrieved 2023 12 04 St Julien Tazama U Shaw Chris D 2003 10 15 Firefighter command training virtual environment Proceedings of the 2003 conference on Diversity in computing TAPIA 03 New York NY USA Association for Computing Machinery pp 30 33 doi 10 1145 948542 948549 ISBN 978 1 58113 790 3 S2CID 8513168 Delivering Critical Stimuli for Decision Making in VR Training Evaluation Study of a Firefighter Training Scenario IEEE Journals amp Magazine IEEE Xplore doi 10 1109 THMS 2020 3030746 S2CID 229249763 Retrieved 2023 12 04 Jeon Seunggon Paik Seungwon Yang Ungyeon Shih Patrick C Han Kyungsik 2021 10 29 The More the Better Improving VR Firefighting Training System with Realistic Firefighter Tools as Controllers Sensors 21 21 7193 Bibcode 2021Senso 21 7193J doi 10 3390 s21217193 ISSN 1424 8220 PMC 8588503 PMID 34770500 What is Augmented Reality AR WhatIs com Retrieved 2023 12 04 Dianxi Zhang Danhongand Chen Zhen Gong 2021 Design of Intelligent Firefighter Helmet Based on AR Technology IOP Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science 621 1 012176 Bibcode 2021E amp ES 621a2176D doi 10 1088 1755 1315 621 1 012176 S2CID 234288025 https dl gi de server api core bitstreams b3afd6bc b932 45d7 b1a8 0a4217338bb1 content Hart Jonathan 2021 11 05 Hazardous Materials identification www nfpa org Retrieved 2023 11 29 Forest Fire in Canada Natural Resources Canada 2008 06 05 archived from the original on 2009 05 30 retrieved 2009 05 01 a b Plenty of firefighters but where are the fires The Boston Globe 2013 09 07 Retrieved 2017 09 22 News www london fire gov uk Archived from the original on 13 August 2017 Retrieved 5 May 2018 Surrey firefighters called to almost 300 medical emergencies during co responding trial Surrey Advertiser 9 May 2016 Retrieved 3 September 2018 NFPA 1072 Hazardous Materials Technician festi ca Retrieved 2023 12 13 Young Anna S Hauser Russ James Todd Tamarra M Coull Brent A Zhu Hongkai Kannan Kurunthachalam Specht Aaron J Bliss Maya S Allen Joseph G May 2021 Impact of healthier materials interventions on dust concentrations of per and polyfluoroalkyl substances polybrominated diphenyl ethers and organophosphate esters Environment International 150 106151 doi 10 1016 j envint 2020 106151 ISSN 0160 4120 PMC 7940547 PMID 33092866 Sim Wonjin Choi Sol Choo Gyojin Yang Mihee Park Ju Hyun Oh Jeong Eun 2021 03 05 Organophosphate Flame Retardants and Perfluoroalkyl Substances in Drinking Water Treatment Plants from Korea Occurrence and Human Exposure International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18 5 2645 doi 10 3390 ijerph18052645 ISSN 1660 4601 PMC 7967649 PMID 33807996 Sim Wonjin Choi Sol Choo Gyojin Yang Mihee Park Ju Hyun Oh Jeong Eun 2021 03 05 Organophosphate Flame Retardants and Perfluoroalkyl Substances in Drinking Water Treatment Plants from Korea Occurrence and Human Exposure International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18 5 2645 doi 10 3390 ijerph18052645 ISSN 1660 4601 PMC 7967649 PMID 33807996 Clarity Cassidy Trowbridge Jessica Gerona Roy Ona Katherine McMaster Michael Bessonneau Vincent Rudel Ruthann Buren Heather Morello Frosch Rachel December 2021 Associations between polyfluoroalkyl substance and organophosphate flame retardant exposures and telomere length in a cohort of women firefighters and office workers in San Francisco Environmental Health 20 1 97 Bibcode 2021EnvHe 20 97C doi 10 1186 s12940 021 00778 z ISSN 1476 069X PMC 8403436 PMID 34454526 Clarity Cassidy Trowbridge Jessica Gerona Roy Ona Katherine McMaster Michael Bessonneau Vincent Rudel Ruthann Buren Heather Morello Frosch Rachel December 2021 Associations between polyfluoroalkyl substance and organophosphate flame retardant exposures and telomere length in a cohort of women firefighters and office workers in San Francisco Environmental Health 20 1 97 Bibcode 2021EnvHe 20 97C doi 10 1186 s12940 021 00778 z ISSN 1476 069X PMC 8403436 PMID 34454526 Young Anna S Hauser Russ James Todd Tamarra M Coull Brent A Zhu Hongkai Kannan Kurunthachalam Specht Aaron J Bliss Maya S Allen Joseph G May 2021 Impact of healthier materials interventions on dust concentrations of per and polyfluoroalkyl substances polybrominated diphenyl ethers and organophosphate esters Environment International 150 106151 doi 10 1016 j envint 2020 106151 ISSN 0160 4120 PMC 7940547 PMID 33092866 Sim Wonjin Choi Sol Choo Gyojin Yang Mihee Park Ju Hyun Oh Jeong Eun 2021 03 05 Organophosphate Flame Retardants and Perfluoroalkyl Substances in Drinking Water Treatment Plants from Korea Occurrence and Human Exposure International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18 5 2645 doi 10 3390 ijerph18052645 ISSN 1660 4601 PMC 7967649 PMID 33807996 NFPA 5000 Building Construction and Safety Code National Fire Protection Association NFPA Retrieved 8 July 2018 Overview of the International Fire Code International Code Council ICC 2015 03 20 Retrieved 8 July 2018 NFPA Fire Sprinkler Initiative National Fire Protection Association NFPA Retrieved 8 July 2018 Pollack Keshia Frattaroli Shannon Somers Scott August 24 2015 Research Shows Residential Sprinklers Save Lives No Fire and Worker Health and Safety SAGE Journal Retrieved 8 July 2018 Faturechi Robert June 22 2016 The Fire Sprinkler War State by State Propublica Retrieved 8 July 2018 Anti sprinkler legislation National Fire Protection Association NFPA Retrieved 8 July 2018 James Barron January 24 2005 3 Firefighters Die in Blazes in Brooklyn and Bronx The New York Times Zephyr Technologies BioHarness BT Archived 2010 04 07 at the Wayback Machine OSHA Technical Manual OTM Section III Chapter IV Heat Stress Osha gov Retrieved 2012 12 10 What structural fire fighters need to know about rhabdomyolysis PDF 2018 05 01 doi 10 26616 nioshpub2018133 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help What wildland fire fighters need to know about rhabdomyolysis PDF 2018 05 01 doi 10 26616 nioshpub2018131 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Alert Preventing Injuries and Deaths of Fire Fighters due to Structural Collapse August 1999 National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Alert Preventing Injuries and Deaths of Fire Fighters Due to Truss System Failures May 2005 Federal Highway Administration DOT 23CFR634 Worker Visibility Rapid Response Firefighters describe alarming moments during riots FireRescue1 Retrieved 2020 12 05 a b Murray Regan M Davis Andrea L Shepler Lauren J Moore Merrell Lori Troup William J Allen Joseph A Taylor Jennifer A 2019 12 16 A Systematic Review of Workplace Violence Against Emergency Medical Services Responders NEW SOLUTIONS A Journal of Environmental and Occupational Health Policy 29 4 487 503 doi 10 1177 1048291119893388 ISSN 1048 2911 PMC 8594050 PMID 31841060 Setlack Jennifer 2019 04 02 Workplace violence and mental health of paramedics and firefighters University of Manitoba hdl 1993 34347 Murray Regan M Davis Andrea L Shepler Lauren J Moore Merrell Lori Troup William J Allen Joseph A Taylor Jennifer A February 2020 A Systematic Review of Workplace Violence Against Emergency Medical Services Responders NEW SOLUTIONS A Journal of Environmental and Occupational Health Policy 29 4 487 503 Bibcode 2020NewSo 29 487M doi 10 1177 1048291119893388 ISSN 1048 2911 PMC 8594050 PMID 31841060 a b Beaucham Catherine Eisenberg Judith August 2019 Evaluation of fire debris cleanup employees exposure to silica asbestos metals and polyaromatic hydrocarbons PDF U S National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health a b Worker Safety and Health During Fire Cleanup California Division of Occupational Safety and Health April 2019 Retrieved 27 March 2020 Health effects of occupational exposure to respirable crystalline silica U S National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 2017 05 13 doi 10 26616 NIOSHPUB2002129 29 CFR 1910 1001 IARC 2002 a b c d Worker Safety During Fire Cleanup U S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 27 December 2012 Retrieved 25 March 2020 Personal Protective Equipment During Fire Cleanup Operations California Division of Occupational Safety and Health Retrieved 2020 03 28 Respiratory Protection During Fire Cleanup California Division of Occupational Safety and Health Retrieved 2020 03 28 Kales Stefanos N Soteriades Elpidoforos S Christophi Costas A Christiani David C 2007 The New England Journal of Medicine March 22 2007 Accessed July 17 2011 New England Journal of Medicine 356 12 1207 1215 CiteSeerX 10 1 1 495 4530 doi 10 1056 NEJMoa060357 PMID 17377158 National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Alert Preventing Fire Fighter Fatalities Due to Heart Attacks and Other Sudden Cardiovascular Events July 2007 University of Illinois https www fsi illinois edu documents permanent dead link research CardioChemRisksModernFF InterimReport2016 pdf a b Daniels Robert D Kubale Travis L Yiin James H Dahm Matthew M Hales Thomas R Baris Dalsu Zahm Shelia H Beaumont James J Waters Kathleen M Pinkerton Lynne E June 2014 Mortality and cancer incidence in a pooled cohort of US firefighters from San Francisco Chicago and Philadelphia 1950 2009 Occupational and Environmental Medicine 71 6 388 397 doi 10 1136 oemed 2013 101662 ISSN 1351 0711 PMC 4499779 PMID 24142974 LeMasters Grace K Genaidy Ash M Succop Paul Deddens James Sobeih Tarek Barriera Viruet Heriberto Dunning Kari Lockey James November 2006 Cancer Risk Among Firefighters A Review and Meta analysis of 32 Studies Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 48 11 1189 1202 doi 10 1097 01 jom 0000246229 68697 90 ISSN 1076 2752 PMID 17099456 S2CID 1659335 Painting Firefighting and Shiftwork International Agency for Research on Cancer 2010 ISBN 9789283215981 OCLC 1066415095 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint others link Laroche Elena L Esperance Sylvain March 3 2021 Cancer Incidence and Mortality among Firefighters An Overview of Epidemiologic Systematic Reviews International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18 5 2519 doi 10 3390 ijerph18052519 ISSN 1660 4601 PMC 7967542 PMID 33802629 Hwang Jooyeon Xu Chao Agnew Robert J Clifton Shari Malone Tara R January 2021 Health Risks of Structural Firefighters from Exposure to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons A Systematic Review and Meta Analysis International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18 8 4209 doi 10 3390 ijerph18084209 PMC 8071552 PMID 33921138 Jalilian Hamed Ziaei Mansour Weiderpass Elisabete Rueegg Corina Silvia Khosravi Yahya Kjaerheim Kristina November 15 2019 Cancer incidence and mortality among firefighters International Journal of Cancer 145 10 2639 2646 doi 10 1002 ijc 32199 ISSN 0020 7136 PMID 30737784 S2CID 73451966 Soteriades Elpidoforos S Kim Jaeyoung Christophi Costas A Kales Stefanos N November 1 2019 Cancer Incidence and Mortality in Firefighters A State of the Art Review and Meta Analysis Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 20 11 3221 3231 doi 10 31557 APJCP 2019 20 11 3221 ISSN 2476 762X PMC 7063017 PMID 31759344 Casjens Swaantje Bruning Thomas Taeger Dirk October 2020 Cancer risks of firefighters a systematic review and meta analysis of secular trends and region specific differences International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health 93 7 839 852 Bibcode 2020IAOEH 93 839C doi 10 1007 s00420 020 01539 0 ISSN 0340 0131 PMC 7452930 PMID 32306177 Lee David J Koru Sengul Tulay Hernandez Monique N Caban Martinez Alberto J McClure Laura A Mackinnon Jill A Kobetz Erin N April 2020 Cancer risk among career male and female Florida firefighters Evidence from the Florida Firefighter Cancer Registry 1981 2014 American Journal of Industrial Medicine 63 4 285 299 doi 10 1002 ajim 23086 ISSN 0271 3586 PMID 31930542 S2CID 210191181 Pinkerton Lynne Bertke Stephen J Yiin James Dahm Matthew Kubale Travis Hales Thomas Purdue Mark Beaumont James J Daniels Robert February 2020 Mortality in a cohort of US firefighters from San Francisco Chicago and Philadelphia an update Occupational and Environmental Medicine 77 2 84 93 doi 10 1136 oemed 2019 105962 ISSN 1351 0711 PMC 10165610 PMID 31896615 S2CID 209677270 Ahn Yeon Soon Jeong Kyoung Sook Kim Kyoo Sang September 2012 Cancer morbidity of professional emergency responders in Korea American Journal of Industrial Medicine 55 9 768 778 doi 10 1002 ajim 22068 PMID 22628010 S2CID 41791288 Amadeo Brice Marchand Jean Luc Moisan Frederic Donnadieu Stephane Coureau Gaelle Mathoulin Pelissier Simone Lembeye Christian Imbernon Ellen Brochard Patrick 2015 French firefighter mortality Analysis over a 30 year period American Journal of Industrial Medicine 58 4 437 443 doi 10 1002 ajim 22434 ISSN 1097 0274 PMID 25708859 Glass D C Pircher S Monaco A Del Hoorn S Vander Sim M R November 1 2016 Mortality and cancer incidence in a cohort of male paid Australian firefighters Occupational and Environmental Medicine 73 11 761 771 doi 10 1136 oemed 2015 103467 ISSN 1351 0711 PMID 27456156 S2CID 43114491 Glass Deborah C Del Monaco Anthony Pircher Sabine Vander Hoorn Stephen Sim Malcolm R September 2017 Mortality and cancer incidence among male volunteer Australian firefighters Occupational and Environmental Medicine 74 9 628 638 doi 10 1136 oemed 2016 104088 ISSN 1351 0711 PMID 28391245 S2CID 32602571 Glass Deborah Catherine Del Monaco Anthony Pircher Sabine Vander Hoorn Stephen Sim Malcolm Ross April 2019 Mortality and cancer incidence among female Australian firefighters Occupational and Environmental Medicine 76 4 215 221 doi 10 1136 oemed 2018 105336 ISSN 1470 7926 PMID 30674605 S2CID 59226066 Harris M Anne Kirkham Tracy L MacLeod Jill S Tjepkema Michael Peters Paul A Demers Paul A October 2018 Surveillance of cancer risks for firefighters police and armed forces among men in a Canadian census cohort American Journal of Industrial Medicine 61 10 815 823 doi 10 1002 ajim 22891 PMID 30073696 S2CID 51905238 Kirstine Ugelvig Petersen Kajsa Pedersen Julie Elbaek Bonde Jens Peter Ebbehoej Niels Erik Hansen Johnni April 2018 Long term follow up for cancer incidence in a cohort of Danish firefighters Occupational and Environmental Medicine 75 4 263 269 doi 10 1136 oemed 2017 104660 ISSN 1351 0711 PMID 29055884 S2CID 4395029 Petersen Kajsa Ugelvig Pedersen Julie Elbaek Bonde Jens Peter Ebbehoj Niels Erik Hansen Johnni August 2018 Mortality in a cohort of Danish firefighters 1970 2014 International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health 91 6 759 766 Bibcode 2018IAOEH 91 759P doi 10 1007 s00420 018 1323 6 ISSN 0340 0131 PMID 29808435 S2CID 44168738 a b Pukkala Eero Martinsen Jan Ivar Weiderpass Elisabete Kjaerheim Kristina Lynge Elsebeth Tryggvadottir Laufey Sparen Par Demers Paul A June 2014 Cancer incidence among firefighters 45 years of follow up in five Nordic countries Occupational and Environmental Medicine 71 6 398 404 doi 10 1136 oemed 2013 101803 ISSN 1351 0711 PMID 24510539 S2CID 24392558 Daniels Robert D 17 December 2014 Is There a Link Between Firefighting and Cancer Epidemiology in Action National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Retrieved 6 January 2015 Study of Cancer among U S Fire Fighters National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 25 July 2014 Retrieved 6 January 2015 Daniels RD Bertke S Dahm MM Yiin JH Kubale TL Hales TR Baris D Zahm SH Beaumont JJ Waters KM Pinkerton LE 2015 Exposure response relationships for select cancer and non cancer health outcomes in a cohort of US firefighters from San Francisco Chicago and Philadelphia 1950 2009 Occupational and Environmental Medicine 72 10 699 706 doi 10 1136 oemed 2014 102671 PMC 4558385 PMID 25673342 Abreu Ana Costa Carla Pinho e Silva Susana Morais Simone do Carmo Pereira Maria Fernandes Adilia Moraes de Andrade Vanessa Teixeira Joao Paulo Costa Solange August 3 2017 Wood smoke exposure of Portuguese wildland firefighters DNA and oxidative damage evaluation Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health Part A 80 13 15 596 604 Bibcode 2017JTEHA 80 596A doi 10 1080 15287394 2017 1286896 hdl 10216 111908 ISSN 1528 7394 PMID 28524757 S2CID 205867973 Adetona Olorunfemi Simpson Christopher D Li Zheng Sjodin Andreas Calafat Antonia M Naeher Luke P November 11 2015 Hydroxylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons as biomarkers of exposure to wood smoke in wildland firefighters Journal of Exposure Science amp Environmental Epidemiology 27 1 78 83 doi 10 1038 jes 2015 75 ISSN 1559 0631 PMC 5140750 PMID 26555473 Andersen Maria Helena Guerra Saber Anne Thoustrup Clausen Per Axel Pedersen Julie Elbaek Lohr Mille Kermanizadeh Ali Loft Steffen Ebbehoj Niels Hansen Ase Marie Pedersen Peter Bogh Koponen Ismo Kalevi February 24 2018 Association between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure and peripheral blood mononuclear cell DNA damage in human volunteers during fire extinction exercises Mutagenesis 33 1 105 115 doi 10 1093 mutage gex021 ISSN 0267 8357 PMID 29045708 Keir Jennifer L A Akhtar Umme S Matschke David M J Kirkham Tracy L Chan Hing Man Ayotte Pierre White Paul A Blais Jules M November 7 2017 Elevated Exposures to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Other Organic Mutagens in Ottawa Firefighters Participating in Emergency On Shift Fire Suppression Environmental Science amp Technology 51 21 12745 12755 Bibcode 2017EnST 5112745K doi 10 1021 acs est 7b02850 ISSN 0013 936X PMID 29043785 Hoppe Jones C Beitel S Burgess J L Snyder S Flahr L Griffin S Littau S Jeong K S Zhou J Gulotta J Moore P April 1 2018 515 Use of urinary biomarkers and bioassays to evaluate chemical exposure and activation of cancer pathways in firefighters Occupational and Environmental Medicine 75 Suppl 2 A412 A413 doi 10 1136 oemed 2018 ICOHabstracts 1178 ISSN 1351 0711 S2CID 80490930 Jeong Kyoung Sook Zhou Jin Griffin Stephanie C Jacobs Elizabeth T Dearmon Moore Devi Zhai Jing Littau Sally R Gulotta John Moore Paul Peate Wayne F Richt Crystal M May 2018 MicroRNA Changes in Firefighters Journal of Occupational amp Environmental Medicine 60 5 469 474 doi 10 1097 JOM 0000000000001307 ISSN 1076 2752 PMC 5959213 PMID 29465512 Oliveira M Delerue Matos C Morais S Slezakova K Pereira M C Fernandes A Costa S Teixeira J P March 14 2018 Levels of urinary biomarkers of exposure and potential genotoxic risks in firefighters Occupational Safety and Hygiene VI CRC Press pp 267 271 doi 10 1201 9781351008884 47 ISBN 978 1 351 00888 4 retrieved February 1 2022 Marques M Matilde Berrington de Gonzalez Amy Beland Frederick A Browne Patience Demers Paul A Lachenmeier Dirk W Bahadori Tina Barupal Dinesh K Belpoggi Fiorella Comba Pietro Dai Min June 2019 Advisory Group recommendations on priorities for the IARC Monographs The Lancet Oncology 20 6 763 764 doi 10 1016 S1470 2045 19 30246 3 PMID 31005580 S2CID 128350881 IARC Working Group on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans 2010 Painting firefighting and shiftwork IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans 98 9 764 ISSN 1017 1606 PMC 4781497 PMID 21381544 J JANKOVIC W JONES J BURKHART G NOONAN 1991 Environmental study of firefighters Annals of Occupational Hygiene 35 6 581 602 doi 10 1093 annhyg 35 6 581 PMID 1768008 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Bolstad Johnson Dawn M Burgess Jefferey L Crutchfield Clifton D Storment Steve Gerkin Richard Wilson Jeffrey R September 2000 Characterization of Firefighter Exposures During Fire Overhaul AIHAJ American Industrial Hygiene Association 61 5 636 641 doi 10 1080 15298660008984572 ISSN 1529 8663 PMID 11071414 Austin C C Wang D Ecobichon D J Dussault G July 15 2001 Characterization of Volatile Organic Compounds in Smoke at Municipal Structural Fires Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health Part A 63 6 437 458 Bibcode 2001JTEHA 63 437A doi 10 1080 152873901300343470 ISSN 1528 7394 PMID 11482799 S2CID 36263955 a b Fent Kenneth W Alexander Barbara Roberts Jennifer Robertson Shirley Toennis Christine Sammons Deborah Bertke Stephen Kerber Steve Smith Denise Horn Gavin October 3 2017 Contamination of firefighter personal protective equipment and skin and the effectiveness of decontamination procedures Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene 14 10 801 814 doi 10 1080 15459624 2017 1334904 ISSN 1545 9624 PMID 28636458 S2CID 44916370 Mayer Alexander C Fent Kenneth W Bertke Stephen Horn Gavin P Smith Denise L Kerber Steve La Guardia Mark J February 1 2019 Firefighter hood contamination Efficiency of laundering to remove PAHs and FRs Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene 16 2 129 140 doi 10 1080 15459624 2018 1540877 ISSN 1545 9624 PMC 8647047 PMID 30427284 Beitel Shawn C Flahr Leanne M Hoppe Jones Christiane Burgess Jefferey L Littau Sally R Gulotta John Moore Paul Wallentine Darin Snyder Shane A February 1 2020 Assessment of the toxicity of firefighter exposures using the PAH CALUX bioassay Environment International 135 105207 doi 10 1016 j envint 2019 105207 ISSN 0160 4120 PMID 31812113 S2CID 208870627 Fent Kenneth W Toennis Christine Sammons Deborah Robertson Shirley Bertke Stephen Calafat Antonia M Pleil Joachim D Wallace M Ariel Geer Kerber Steve Smith Denise Horn Gavin P March 2020 Firefighters absorption of PAHs and VOCs during controlled residential fires by job assignment and fire attack tactic Journal of Exposure Science amp Environmental Epidemiology 30 2 338 349 doi 10 1038 s41370 019 0145 2 ISSN 1559 0631 PMC 7323473 PMID 31175324 IARC Monographs Volume 124 Night Shift Work IARC www iarc who int Retrieved September 1 2022 Demers Paul A DeMarini David M Fent Kenneth W Glass Deborah C Hansen 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list link Taxini Carla Guida Heraldo 6 January 2014 Firefighters noise exposure A literature review International Archives of Otorhinolaryngology 17 1 080 084 doi 10 7162 S1809 97772013000100014 PMC 4423242 PMID 25991998 a b c d e Retained Firefighters UK Fire Service Resources Ltd Archived from the original on 12 August 2021 Retrieved 12 August 2021 a b c Job Profile Firefighter Bristol England JISC Joint Information Systems Committee Archived from the original on 27 August 2021 Retrieved 12 August 2021 a b c Firefighter Dublin Ireland GradIreland GTI Ireland Archived from the original on 12 August 2021 Retrieved 12 August 2021 Organisation OBFV Archived from the original on December 28 2008 Chile s firefighters in spotlight after Valparaiso blaze BBC News 2014 04 29 Retrieved 2019 07 17 Archived copy PDF Archived from the original PDF on 2018 01 28 Retrieved 2016 08 23 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint archived copy as title link SCDF Website GENERAL About Us Archived from the original on 2016 12 28 Retrieved 2018 08 28 a b Fire Commentary European Firefighting Operations Fire Engineering 2008 06 12 Retrieved 2019 07 17 United States vs Europe Fire Apparatus 2016 06 07 Retrieved 2019 07 17 Emergency Management in Australia Triple Zero 000 July 27 2010 Archived from the original on 2010 07 27 http www fema gov pdf emergency nims NIMS core pdf bare URL PDF Humberside Fire and Rescue Service Shift patterns Essentials of Firefighting rogerwaters3320 2021 04 16 The Difference Between a Fire Department and a Fire District Retrieved 2023 12 13 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint numeric names authors list link Volunteer Voices Fundraising Ideas for Local Fire Departments October 7 2019 Pancake Breakfast Tracy Firefighters Association Pioneer Jaci Conrad Pearson Black Hills Longtime Deadwood firefighter to be honored at annual chili feed Sunday Black Hills Pioneer External links edit nbsp Look up firefighter in Wiktionary the free dictionary nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Firefighter Fact Sheet for Firefighters and EMS providers regarding risks for exposure to COVID 19 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Firefighter amp oldid 1190113099, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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