Fighting Fire: The Duties and the Diligence

In cases of emergencies, firefighters are usually the first respondents at the scene. From hosing down burning buildings to saving cats stuck on trees, firefighters are on the front lines of creating a society that is safe. The number of firefighters working in the US is approximately 1,134,400. But the weight of their responsibilities is such that not everyone is equipped to handle being a firefighter with unwavering resolve.

Here are some of the duties of a firefighter:

Putting out fires

The first and most obvious one is that firefighters are responsible for handling situations where fire hazard threatens human life. Each fire station is part of a zone which has 9–27 fire stations that are headed by a Zone Commander. This is to ensure that each fire station is capable of containing incidents that have the potential to escalate quickly.

Providing emergency medical care

Since firefighters are first respondents on any scene, they are able to get to the affected civilians much more quickly than police and hospital personnel. For this, they are required to have medical training which they can utilize to treat and stabilize patients. Additionally, they are also required to comfort injured victims when they operate in stressful situations. These skills come in handy in instances of natural disasters where firefighters are required to provide relief.

Community education

Firefighters work with diverse communities to raise awareness. They conduct awareness seminars in schools along with activities related to safety and prevention for teenagers, to minimize the impact of fire on civilian life and the environment. Some of these activities include teaching students how to perform CPR and the Heimlich maneuver.

Conserving property

In addition to saving lives, firefighters are also tasked with conservation of property. While they blaze and storm through the building, they also have to ensure that their actions don’t cause considerable damage to the structure of the building and property.

Firefighters don’t have it easy. They put their lives on the line for the safety and benefit of the community. All the duties highlighted above need to be completed with diligence and this is why the training and selection process is rigorous.

To make it past the selection process, let us provide you with the best set of instructors that are going to prepare you for the civil service exam in Suffolk, NYC. Get in touch with Law Enforcement Service Systems Inc., Civil Services Success and affiliated service providers today!