Firefighting

Fire

Fires start when a flammable or a combustible material, in combination with a sufficient quantity of an oxidizer such as oxygen gas or another oxygen-rich compound (though non-oxygen oxidizers exist), is exposed to a source of heat or ambient temperature above the flash point for the fuel/oxidizer mix, and is able to sustain a rate of rapid oxidation that produces a chain reaction. This is commonly called the fire tetrahedron. Fire cannot exist without all of these elements in place and in the right proportions. For example, a flammable liquid will start burning only if the fuel and oxygen are in the right proportions. Some fuel-oxygen mixes may require a catalyst, a substance that is not consumed, when added, in any chemical reaction during combustion, but which enables the reactants to combust more readily.

Once ignited, a chain reaction must take place whereby fires can sustain their own heat by the further release of heat energy in the process of combustion and may propagate, provided there is a continuous supply of an oxidizer and fuel.

General Fire Fighting Equipment

Fire fighting systems and equipment vary depending on the age, size, use and type of building construction. A building may contain some or all of the following features:

Fire extinguishers

Fire hose reels

Fire hydrant systems

Automatic sprinkler systems.

Fire extinguishers

Fire extinguishers are provided for a 'first attack' fire fighting measure, generally undertaken by the occupants of the building before the fire service arrives. It is important that occupants are familiar with which extinguisher type to use on which fire.

Most fires start as a small fire and may be extinguished if the correct type and amount of extinguishing agent is applied whilst the fire is small and controllable.

The principle fire extinguisher types currently available include:

Extinguishing Agent Principle Use

1. Water - Wood and paper fires - not electrical
2. Foam - Flammable liquid fires - not electrical 
3. Carbon dioxide - Electrical fires 
4. Dry chemical - Flammable liquids and electrical fires 
5. Wet chemical - Fat fires - not electrical 
6. K Type- Cooking Oils.

Firefighter duties

A firefighter's goals are to save lives, property, and the environment. A fire can rapidly spread and endanger many lives, but with modern firefighting techniques, catastrophe can often be avoided. To prevent fires from starting, a firefighter's duties may include public education about fire safety and conducting fire inspections of locations to verify their adherence to local fire codes.

Firefighter skills

A firefighter doing a ladder slide, which is used to quickly escape from a window Firefighting requires skills in fire suppression, rescue, and hazardous materials mitigation. Firefighters must also have, or be able to acquire, knowledge of department organizations, operations, and procedures and the district or city street system. They will have to negotiate in order to perform their duties.

They must meet minimum physical fitness standards and learn various firefighting duties within a reasonable period.

Examples are:

• ·       Building construction
• ·       Fire dynamics
• ·       Firefighting PPE
• ·       Fire extinguishers
• ·       Ropes and knots
• ·       Ground ladders
• ·       Forcible entry
• ·       Structural search and rescue
• ·       Tactical ventilation
• ·       Fire hose operations and streams
• ·       Fire suppression
• ·       Overhaul, property conservation, and scene preservation
• ·       Building materials, structural collapse, and effects of fire suppression
• ·       Technical rescue support and vehicle extrication operations
• ·       Foam fire fighting, liquid fires, and gas fires
• ·       Hazardous materials response

Specialized skills

Specialized areas of operations may require subject-specific training.

A hose team training to fight an aircraft fire aboard a US aircraft carrier, 2006

Examples are:

1. ·       Fire apparatus driver/operator - trained to drive fire apparatus to and from fires and other emergencies, operate fire-apparatus pumps and aerial devices, and maintains apparatus.
2. ·       Hazardous materials technician - certified to mitigate hazardous materials and CBRNE emergencies.
3. ·       Rescue Technician - certified to perform rescues such as high-angle rope, trench, structural collapse, confined space, vehicle and machinery, water, ice, and cave or mine rescues.
4. ·       Airport Firefighter - trained in ARFF.
5. ·       Wildland Firefighter - trained to extinguish fires in outdoor vegetation, including the wildland/urban interface.

A self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), sometimes referred to as a compressed air breathing apparatus (CABA) or simply breathing apparatus (BA), is a device worn by rescue workers, firefighters, and others to provide breathable air in an immediately dangerous to life or health atmosphere (IDLH). When not used underwater, they are sometimes called industrial breathing sets. The term self-contained means that the breathing set is not dependent on a remote supply. If designed for use under water, it is called SCUBA. (Self-contained underwater breathing apparatus).

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is protective clothing, helmets, goggles, or other garments or equipment designed to protect the wearer's body from injury or infection. The hazards addressed by protective equipment include physical, electrical, heat, chemicals, biohazards, and airborne particulate matter. Protective equipment may be worn for job-related occupational safety and health purposes, as well as for sports and other recreational activities. "Protective clothing" is applied to traditional categories of clothing, and "protective gear" applies to items such as pads, guards, shields, or masks, and others.

The purpose of personal protective equipment is to reduce employee exposure to hazards when engineering controls and administrative controls are not feasible or effective to reduce these risks to acceptable levels. PPE is needed when there are hazards present. PPE has the serious limitation that it does not eliminate the hazard at the source and may result in employees being exposed to the hazard if the equipment fails.

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