FIRE FIGHTER

Fire Fighter

Fire Fighter

Introduction

Firefighters respond to cases in which they not only work to protect property by extinguishing fires, but also find and rescue any occupants that may be trapped or injured. They are also frequently called upon to respond to emergencies such as traffic accidents and medical situations, and at disaster sites they help with rescue efforts and assist with medical treatment. The purpose of their work is to serve the society that is why firefighting has three important goals; to save lives, save property and to protect the environment. Because of these, skills needed for secure operations are practiced regularly during training assessments throughout the career of firefighters. During their hours of duty, firefighters must be prepared at all times to respond to fires and other emergencies, where they will perform difficult and often dangerous work. Firefighters may work in urban or rural settings, and at industrial sites or airports (Smith, 2002). Some specialize in areas such as fighting forest fires or in control and cleanup of hazardous materials. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 10 firefighters out of nine are hired by local governments. In order for one to be a firefighter, one needs to understand the development of the career, the qualifications for the career, and the opportunities in the career.

The Development of the Career

As long as cities have developed different problems started. Fires have been a problem for developed cities. People have been concerned with a co-ordinate response to firefighting since the Antediluvian Egyptians first used pumps operated by hands to put of fires. In 1631, Boston's Governor John Winthrop in North America illegalized wooden chimneys and thatched roofs. New Amsterdam's (now New York) governor Peter Stuyvesant hired four able men to act as forest fire fighter in 1648. The first fire engine company provided service in January of 1678. The captain of the company was Thomas Atkins (Kilburn, 2001). Benjamin Franklin, during the year 1736 established the Union Fire company in Philadelphia.

Other founders have played a role in firefighting as well. Volunteer firefighter for Alexandria, Virginia was George Washington; he was part of the Friendship Veterans Fire Engine Company. In the year 1774, he purchased a new fire engine and donated it to the town. The fire engine was the first engine for the town. The United States did not hire professional firefighters in the sense of government-organized departments until the time of the Civil War (Verro, 2009). Earlier, amateur fire brigades competed with one another to be the first to respond to a fire. While it would be nice to think they reacted quickly out of the goodness of their hearts, fire brigades responded quickly and wanted to be first in order to receive the payout from the insurance companies.

Underwriters across the country also employed their own Salvage Corps in some cities. The first female firefighter of which we know was Molly Williams. She took her place on the dragropes during a blizzard in ...