Professional firefighter: job description, duties and requirements

 

Firefighters usually work for local governments providing firefighting services. Their main duty is to respond to emergency situations such as car crashes, pandemics, and accidents. The job is physically demanding and requires a lot of training.

Firefighters can perform all of the following duties:

1. Fighting building and forest fires.

2. Responding to fire alarms and other calls for assistance, such as automobile and industrial accidents, bomb threats and other emergencies.

3. Rescuing victims from burning buildings and accident sites.

4. Controlling and extinguishing fires using manual and power equipment, such as axes, water hoses, aerial ladders and hydraulic equipment and various firefighting chemicals.

5. Providing first aid and other assistance.

6. Acting as members of emergency response team to eliminate consequences of other emergencies such as chemical leaks or fallen electrical lines.

7. Ensuring proper operation and maintenance of firefighting equipment.

8. Supervising and coordinating the work of other firefighters.

When a call comes into a fire station, firefighters receive it and decide what equipment should be used and how many specialists should be involved. Once they arrive on the scene, they must quickly identify and solve problems, because even a few minutes can have a great impact on the situation during accidents and fires.

If firefighters are responded to an automobile accident, they will help medics to extract victims and prepare them for transporting. Many firefighters also have paramedic training, which makes them invaluable in these types of situations.

Other emergencies, such as chemical leaks or fallen electrical lines are taken care of by firefighters as well. They must be well trained in all types of situations because of the extensive nature of emergencies that firefighters are expected to face. Despite the chaos that surrounds emergencies, firefighters are expected to maintain their concentration and communicate both to other emergency responders and victims and victims' families. As firefighters often see people at the most tragic moment of their life they must retain empathy for the victim without being emotionally involved.

The job is quite challenging and risky and requires skills, knowledge, and experience. Firefighters should possess good communication skills, physical strength, adaptability, decisionmaking skills, courage, self-sacrifice and dedication. Firefighters must be able to identify and solve problems in extremely stressful situations.

The profession of a firefighter is very responsible and honourable. They save people’s lives and protect people, the environment and property in different types of accident and emergencies.

Exercises

Answer the questions.

1. What is the main duty of firefighters?

2. What duties can they also perform?

3. What emergency situations are taken care of by firefighters?

4. What do firefighters do when a call comes into a fire station / when they arrive on the scene?

5 What do they do if they are responded to an automobile accident?

6. What skills and qualities firefighters should possess?

7. Why is the profession of a firefighter very responsible and honourable?

 

Give Russian equivalents.

A firefighting service; an emergency situation; to fight / extinguish fires; a fire alarm; a call for assistance; а bomb threat; an accident site; manual and power equipment; axes, water hoses, aerial ladders and hydraulic equipment; firefighting chemicals; first aid; emergency response team; to eliminate the consequences of emergencies; chemical leaks; fallen electrical lines; to respond to an automobile accident; to extract victims; maintenance of firefighting equipment; to maintain their concentration; to communicate to emergency responders and victims; challenging / risky job; to require skills, knowledge, and experience; responsible and honourable profession

 

Find English equivalents.

Противопожарная служба; содержание и техническое обслуживание пожарного оборудования; первая помощь; чрезвычайная ситуация; тушить пожары (2); звонок о помощи; пожарная тревога; угроза взрыва бомб; ликвидировать последствия чрезвычайных ситуаций; место аварии; неавтоматизированное и электросиловое оборудование; сохранять концентрацию; противопожарные химические препараты (химикаты); группа ликвидации аварийной ситуации; утечки химических веществ; оборванные линии электропередач; реагировать на вызов об автомобильной аварии; извлекать жертв; общаться с аварийной бригадой и жертвами; работа, требующая максимальной отдачи / опасная работа; требует навыков, знаний и опыта; ответственная и уважаемая профессия, топоры, рукава, пожарная лестница и гидравлическое оборудование.