What skills do firefighter possess?

Answer 1

Firefighters use a variety of knowledge, skills and experiences to do all the things they are called on to do. Aside from putting the wet stuff on the red stuff, they provide emergency medical aid as well as rescue us from the most dire situations. They have specific training that prepares and qualifies them to do what they do, and these will include "book learning" as well as a lot of practical things that they master by doing. They will also have a sufficient level of physical fitness to do what they do. Firefighters will have a modest (but solid) academic background that includes what we know as fire science. The chemistry and physics of fire are things the firefighter will have to have a handle on. We'll also expect the firefighter to have some competence in math, so he can do something like make quick calculations regarding firefighting hydraulics. You can't be on the fire ground facing a wall of flames trying to recall what was in the book regarding flow rates.

A lot of what a firefighter does includes medical aid; that's the largest portion of his work. The science associated with anatomy and physiology is necessary knowledge for the first responder. And don't even think about becoming a fire investigator if you don't have a solid (advanced) academic background in the sciences. There are a myriad of physical evolutions that the firefighter will have to perform competently. From pulling a hose to deploying a ladder, he's got to do it all. Imagine a firefighter strapping on breathing apparatus incorrectly and entering a smoke-filled space. Now the rest of the crew has to get that person out as well as continue the search or rescue operation. Cutting people out of vehicles, using ropes to rescue individuals, and even getting cats out of trees are on the plate a firefighter carries through the buffet line. Even when the beacons aren't on ('cause fire companies don't go code three to do inspections), the firefighter will have to be thinking. His knowledge of fire codes and of the ways fires start and evolve will allow him to coach business people into making their workplaces safe. He'll teach school kids about emergency preparedness and the fundamentals of safety, so they can take that home (hopefully to apply it). He is a beacon lighting the way to increased awareness of the many hazards we face daily and often forget about. He reminds us that he can help us, that we take care of our own. But he also reminds us we must shoulder the burden of personal responsibility for a modest level of personal safety and readiness for disasters that do happen in our communities. The professional firefighter will have an arsenal of knowledge and skill to apply on the fire ground or disaster scene. These assets will be gathered through a variety of activities from sitting in a classroom to spraying water across an empty parking lot. This first responder will be a lifelong learner to improve his competence, and will be a tireless booster of fire safety and emergency preparedness in his home and throughout his community.

Answer 2

What skills can't you learn as a firefighter? We do it all from your obvious extinguishing of fires to mitigating Hazardous Material incidents, to extricating people out of vehicles, to structure collapse rescues, to medical incidents, to water rescues, to high angle rescues, to large scale natural disasters, to wildland firefighting, all the way back to basic community awareness working with schools and senior citizens, to installing smoke detectors, to servicing fire hydrants, to washing down parking lots, to hanging Christmas lights. We do it all...

Those are your hands on skills. Other aspects you learn fall under management and leadership as you move up in rank and gain more experience.

Answer 3

fighting fires, vehicle extrication, rope rescue techniques, water rescue, ice rescue, etc

Answer 4

Fire extinguisher

Answer 5

Be able to kill fire