Firefighter Safety Essay - 1187 Words

Firefighter Safety We are the most technically advanced nation in the free world but yet we have not been able to reduce the number of firefighter fatalities over the years. Its one of the great mysteries of the world today. Our gear is better than what they wore thirty years ago, its better than what they wore ten years ago and we still lose an average of one hundred firefighters every year. I know that not all are dying in structure fires but just one is one too many. Today we have many of our guys who like to push the envelop. Our gear is the best and it will protect us in any kind of conditions. But is still has limits. You may be protected from the heat and fire to an extent but you can only go as far as the SCBA will let†¦show more content†¦They are â€Å"gun-hoe† on an interior attack without giving it some strategic thought first. They put their men into situations where they are extremely exposed when the only life safety concern is to the firefighters themselves. It is an unconscious tactical command with little thought or regard for its necessity. The result often is that firefighters are continually killed in highly exposed conditions under very questionable circumstances. Today’s building construction also lends itself into the deaths of firefighters. We see everyday about building collapsing in on our guys while they are fighting fire. The builders and engineers are always coming up with lighter materials and cheaper ways to make things to save them money on construction to boost their bottom lines with out due regard for safety to others especially firefighters. A light weight wood frame truss will fail under fire conditions in a little as five to eight minutes. Given the time that the fire is discovered and called into dispatch, the time they have to turn the call around and dispatch units, one minute to get enroute, and if they can get on scene within five minutes, another couple of minutes to pull hose lines and enter the bu ilding, your are on the threshold of a roof collapse. Then we also put guys on the roof to ventilate thus weakening the roof even more. All this for a house that the insurance company is going to tear down anyway andShow MoreRelatedA Report On Life Savers1713 Words   |  7 Pagesto be as high as $10 billion† (Smith et al.1). Which means there are many firefighters risking their lives to save others . They know the risks but love doing it. â€Å"Today, most firefighters are provided with a full encapsulated ensemble that incorporates technological advancements in thermal protection, breathability, chemical resistance and reflectivity†(Tutterow). PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) protects firefighters from almost anything presented on a fire scene yet, still is not enough toRead MorePros And Cons Of Firefighting1623 Words   |  7 Pagesthe first volunteer fire department in Philadelphia. On April 1, 1853 in the city of Cincinnati, Ohio, the first ever professional fire department in the United States went into service. This fire department was manned by full-time professional firefighters and was also the first in the world to use steam fire engines. The internal combustion engines in fire engines were developed in 1907 in the United States. The development of this new engine completely took the place of steam engines by 1925. Today’sRead MoreAccountability On The Fire Ground1001 Words   |  5 Pagestheir company and preventing any freelancing that may occur on the fire ground. 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