Firefighters and emergency responders put themselves in harm’s way each and every day on the job. The hostile work environment is nothing new, but it does require some knowledge, experience and preparation to ensure the job goes smoothly and no one becomes injured. Recognizing weak points and working to perfect their operation is one of the best ways for preventing failures on the fireground. In addition, these four recommendations can be utilized for every firefighting operation to better their practices and prepare the team for success. Share this information with your clients, but most importantly, ensure your client’s service is protected with a Firefighter Liability Insurance package.
Readiness.
According to Firehouse, company readiness involves personnel (officers and firefighters) being ready for their jobs when they show up. This means making sure personnel are prepared for the day and have their heads in the game, ensuring equipment and apparatus are ready, and always expecting that your next response may be the worst of your career. On the engine company, readiness means proficiency in the basics: apparatus operation, equipment assigned to the apparatus, hose loads and deployment of those loads, flaking of the line, movement and operation of the line, and mastery of the SCBA. Further, you have to have a good knowledge of your running area, including water supply, street layouts and conditions, access, types of buildings and occupancies, special hazards, and routes other companies take when responding to a call for assistance.
Setting expectations.
Your clients know how important it is to be response-ready. Some basic expectations can be encouraged, including always being timely, geared up, understand the duties at hand, and be ready to go quickly.
Overcoming mental distractions.
Stress is a part of the job and a part of life. However, mental fortitude is required on the job. Your clients should hone in their focus on their jobs and put less emphasis on personal matters such as home life and financials. Focus and concentration are huge components of a successful fireground operation.
Decision-making skills.
Decision making skills are also critical for fireground missions. In tense and high-stress situations where time is critical, firefighters must rely on mentoring, experience gained through simulation (pictures and videos of fires), and studying the decisions of others to gain the experience to make rapid decisions related to size-up, go vs. no-go, line selection and placement, forcible-entry issues, apparatus placement, search areas, and more.
About Provident Fire Plus
At Provident Fire Plus, we offer custom tailored packages to best protect firefighters and volunteer firefighters. We understand the risks that emergency response teams are subjected to on a daily basis, and have worked to serve these dedicated professionals for over 87 years. For more information about our products and policies, we invite you to contact our experts today at (855) 201-8880.