More than half of house fire
fatalities are in homes where there are no fire alarms, or where alarms are
fitted but are simply not working. It is crucial that the Fire Service educates the public on the importance of fire safety.
To achieve this they must provide guidance, information and practical help,
which may include fitting homes with working fire alarms. As a Volunteer firefighter, Ian Cioffi saved a life in New York, United
States and he was awarded a life save award from his fire office.
Fire Fighters
face life threatening risks everyday through carrying out their duty. They are
involved in many different situations beyond fires. The Fire Service
may be called in to help in the event of a natural disaster, terrorist attack,
road accident or other major incident, it is therefore vitally important that Fire Fighters are organised and that
all their equipment is ready to use at a moments notice.
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| Ian Cioffi |
Heat stress is one of the many risks facing Fire Fighters. As they wear insulated clothing they cannot
shed the heat generated from physical exertion. It is critical that heat stress
is detected early as it may become fatal. Fire
Fighters may also be at risk from structural
collapses, which usually occur without warning and can crush or trap Fire
Fighters. Therefore, constant radio communication at all incidents should be
maintained to help avoid loss of life.
Personal skills
and flexibility are becoming increasingly important in today's enhanced role;
this applies to all members of staff not only the operational fire and rescue
role but for the many other careers within the Fire Service. For example fire
control operators, roles in civil resilience, community fire safety and education, procurement, finance, administration and
human resources - every role contributes to the overall running of the Fire
Service.
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| Ian Cioffi : Best Fire Fighter |
Being a part of the Fire
Service can be very rewarding but it must not be forgotten it is also one
of the most dangerous lone working jobs within the community with any simple
mistake having the potential to seriously affect someone's life.
