Firefighting represents a hazardous occupation with long, irregular hours, with firefighters being required to pass written, physical, and medical examinations. Firefighters must rapidly respond to a host of emergencies, from fires and automobile accidents to natural disasters and terrorist attacks. Firefighters often risk their lives to save the lives of others. The worst firefighter disaster in history occurred in New York City, during the terrorist attacks, in which 343 firefighters lost their lives, (Slawsky, 1). According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are 282,000 firefighters employed nationwide who typically work 24 hours on and have 48 hours off, making a salary betwedn the range of $38,656 to $82,225 annually, (Firefighting, 3-6). This analysis will discuss a variety of issues related to firefighting, including firefighting equipment used, safety measures, policies and procedures due to regulation, and a number of others. A conclusion will address the future outlook of firefighting in the United States.
The occupation of firefighting requires physical strength and skill, protective equipment, firefighting equipment, and numerous other tools and procedures to ensure effective firefighting as well as the promotion of firefighter safety. From protective clothing and breathing apparatus to improved firefighting equipment and safety policies and procedures, fire chiefs around the country are making efforts to lower the risk of firefighter injury or death. Many firefighters lose their lives to careless procedures or failure to follow safety rules, from wearing seatbelts to using oxygen equipment. Goldfeder (p. 41) maintains that the best way to ensure everyone goes home, the number one goal of all firefighting units, is to ôHave a good, disciplined and trained company officer who is not afraid to enforce the lawùand a chief who isnÆt afraid to back that officer up.ö
Many firefighting companies fail...