Changes in the Fire Service over the past 3 Decades or so. We have come a Long way....

Changes in the fire service and emergency response over the last 3 or so decades

 We have come a long way……

Improvements in equipment

Fire Gear- who can remember the long turnout coats and the ¾ boots, plastic helmets that looked more appropriate for riot police and no flash hoods.  Compared to the lighter better designed turnout gear that provides superior protection and mobility.

SCBA- who can recall the challenges of fighting fire with SCBAS that were not positive pressure and had steel tanks and nylon straps that could melt off in flashover. Today’s SCBA provides a superior fit, fire retardant straps, lighter weight, and most importantly positive pressure in the facepiece that lets us enjoy the highest level of respiratory protection available. Built in P.A.S.S. devices, heads up displays, and thermal imagers in the facepiece have made the work safely.

Thermal imagers- These devices may be the greatest asset we have received In recent history. These devices, which sense heat rather than light, allow us to see in heavy smoke conditions. This allows for faster searches for people trapped and quicker location of the seat of the fire. Technology has made these devices smaller, lighter, and more affordable. Being able to monitor temperature in real time can also give early warning of a the rapid heat build up that comes before a flashover.

Communications- We have gone from having one radio on the apparatus with one or two channels that only communicated within our department to 700 or 800 trunking radios that are fully inter-operable with other agencies and often portable radios with each firefighter.

E-911 provides enhanced location information to responders enroute to the scene and provides additional resources when needed.

Targeted mass notification to citizens to advise them of protective actions, street closure etc.

Social Media is a two-edged sword. News travels fast if it is accurate news from a reliable source. It can also complicate matters if it is from an un-informed source

 Hoses- Our hoses have increased in size and hydraulic efficiency and are lighter weight. From a maximum diameter of 2 ½ inch hose we have gone to 4 and 5 inch and much larger in industrial applications that can carry far greater volumes of water much greater distances. Rubber coated hoses have eliminated requirement to dry hose before it is reloaded and have greater resistance to abrasion and chemical exposure.

 Nozzles- The nozzles we employ are now lighter, and easier to adjust and operate. With the advent of 1 ¾ and larger attack hoses come greater flows. The advent of apparatus mounted master streams that are remote controlled and small portable monitors that be quickly deployed and mounted anywhere have made exposure protection much easier and allow us to do more with less.

AED- This device provided us with the ability to defibrillate a person in cardiac arrest, which was previously restricted to Paramedic level EMS units. Due to the proximity of fire stations to the community, these devices often arrive during the critical time to save a life. These devices have saved and will continue to save millions of lives. The latest trend of naloxone or Narcan being carried by first responders will save many more lives in cases of overdose. Other medical equipment such as pulse ox, automated blood pressure cuffs, blood sugar meters help us to better monitor patient condition.

Rescue equipment- Extrication equipment, forcible entry tools, high angle/ confined space rescue equipment have all become lighter and more reliable allowing for efficiency and safety in rescues. The advent of Atmospheric test equipment that is affordable and easily maintained and calibrated has also increased safety in rescue.

Positive Pressure Ventilators-  Prior to the arrival of PPVs fire fighters typically entered a burning structure using some natural ventilation or no ventilation. This cause us to deal with higher exposure to heat and fire gases.  After the fire was out negative pressure or hydraulic ventilation was often employed to remove smoke.  With the advent of these high volume fans, in many cases the fan is set up at the entry point and started, simultaneously with entry a window or door is opened on the opposite side of the structure. The increase in pressure the smoke and heat are move away from the firefighters allowing for greater visibility and conditions for the firefighters.

Personnel Accountability System- Sometime the simplest technology can have the greatest effect on safety. The tags we carry on our gear and the ring or board they get attached to provide a positive means to account for the most precious asset, the fire fighter.

Apparatus- Our response vehicles are now larger, carry more equipment, water, hose and foam. They are easier and safer to drive and operate. Automatic transmissions,power steering, backup cameras, anti-lock brakes, improved emergency lighting, stronger and lighter sound deadening cabs, and seat belts at every position all make it more likely that the fire apparatus and its crew will arrive safely at the scene. Pumps are now of larger capacity and are easier to operate with pump controllers that eliminate the old throttle and relief valve.

                         Standards based maintenance and testing- Thanks to National standards and manufacturer’s recommendations, our equipment is maintained at a high level. Our protective clothing is inspected, cleaned and repaired or replaced as needed.

Our SCBAs are inspected and cleaned regularly and flow tested annually to assure performance and safety. Our fire pumps are subject to an annual performance test. Ladders are inspected regularly and tested annually. The most critical of all of these is the thorough daily inspection and maintenance check performed by the crew assigned to the unit.

Improvements in training

                            Standards based training and certification – We have benefited greatly from training and certifications based on national standards. No matter what city or community we come from a Firefighter Certification requires demonstration of the same basic knowledge and skill set. 

                          Knowledge base combined with hands on training- The most effective departments meet the challenge of training their personnel by providing the knowledge based training with hands on practice and evaluation to reinforce the knowledge based training and maintain student interest.

 The fire service now provides more hours of training in subjects such as Fire tactics, rescue (confined space high angle, water rescue), extrication, Hazmat, and Safety training than ever before. This is driven by a concern for performance and safety and also driven by audit requirements of Insurance rating bureaus and industry policies.

           Incident command training has made a world of difference in the way emergency personnel operate. It has greatly enhanced safety and operational efficiency. Compared to life before incident command, we are definitely in a better place. Through this system emergency responders and public officials have a common language that enables cooperation and inter-operability no matter where they are from. I witnessed this personally during Hurricane Katrina where organizations from many states; the military, and from countries such as Germany and Israel came to St. Bernard parish to provide assistance.

      Critical incident debriefing  is training that personnel and leadership must be made aware of. No matter what the level of training or the experiences of the person, there may be an incident which deeply affects the individual, both at work and in their home life. We owe it to all emergency personnel to let them know that their organization stands ready to provide assistance to provide a path back to a healthy outlook on life. This should start from initial training and continue throughout their career.

Drills and Incident reviews and follow up from a continuous improvement standpoint- Complacency can kill. We must commit to a policy of continuous improvement. By honest evaluation of drill performance we effectively identify areas for improvement. That is only half the job. Once these items are identified leadership must create an action plan to make the desired changes in operational procedures and set a target date for completion.  Following completion a drill should be held to evaluate the changes. This cycle of plan, drill, evaluate, identify, corrective action is essential for the best possible performance.

Virtual reality training- A new and exciting development in officer training is virtual reality training. There are now programs that accurately reproduce any environment from structural, to industrial, to highway, or marine environments. The student is immersed in the sights and sounds of the incident. There is literally an infinite number of scenarios for the student. The actions and decisions of the student are monitored by a facilitator which can have the scenario respond positively or negatively depending on the input of the student. This is a real asset to the size up and evaluation skills for the student.

Improvements in operational procedures

                The incident command system- Incident command has made us safer and encourages efficency

                The designated safety officer as part of the incident command system greatly increases the probability that all operations will be conducted safely.

                Personnel accountability a key element of operational safety assures that the officer in charge knows were everyone is operating. Regular checks during the operation. This discourages free lancing which is unacceptable and has led to injures and deaths.

                Rehabilitation and Medical monitoring- Assuring the good health of our firefighters on the scene. Allowing time for re-hydration and recovery between assignments assures safe and efficient operations.

                Pre -emergency planning- Getting out and seeing what potential hazards exist in s your area and using this to develop fact based incident action plans.

                Mutual Aid- The commitment from the fire service to the safety of the community is exemplified by your willingness to assist industry. Industry also provides assistance when requested.

No municipality or industry can have enough resources for that rare incident that may exceed resources. The most logical solution is to work together as one in a cooperative fashion to assure capability to protect both the community and the industry.

This relationship is based on trust and mutual respect that is fostered at mutual aid drills and joint training and familiarization and is coordinated through the local emergency response center.

     The Responder

The thing that I am the most thankful for, without doubt, are our responders (career,volunteer, and industrial). They are always ready to do what is needed to protect their community. From learning response skills from firefighting to medical, to hazmat and water rescue (often on their own time). 

They go to schools, nurseries, and community centers to educate the public on fire safety.

They go out to people who do not have smoke alarms and install them.

And most importantly at any hour on any day they will immediately drop what they are doing to respond to help the members of their community.

 The Men and Women who are today’s responders are better trained, more safety conscious and more professional than those of us that came before. That is a trend that we should all work to continue for the future.

Human life must always remain the highest priority. Protecting lives and property, while doing all that we can to assure the survival of our personnel.

We must commit to the slogan that “Everybody Goes Home”