Essentials of Fire Fighting

6th Edition
Firefighter I

Chapter 1 — Orientation
and Fire Service History
Learning Objective 1

Summarize the history of the fire

service.

1–1
Fire service history is an important part
of understanding current practices.

Colonial • Jamestown

North • Boston
• New Amsterdam (New York)

America • Philadelphia

Industrial • Steam pumpers

• Iron structural members
revolution • Steel replaced iron
• Skyscrapers
influence • NFPA®

1–2
Significant historical events result in
current laws and equipment.

Courtesy of Spinner Publications

(Cont.)

1–3
Significant historical events result in
current laws and equipment.

1–4
REVIEW QUESTION

How were early fire organizations

started?

1–5
There are general trends of change in
the modern fire service.

Fire prevention
Emergency
and public Firefighter
medical
safety safety
services
education

Natural
Hazardous disasters (All
Terrorism
materials hazard
mitigation)

Professionalization Community-based
for the fire service fire protection

1–6
REVIEW QUESTION

What are some of the areas that

have changed significantly in the 20th
Century for fire service in North America?

1–7
Learning Objective 2

Explain the organizational

characteristics, cultural challenges,
and cultural strengths that influence
the fire service.

1–8
Fire service culture is influenced by its
organization and cultural challenges.

• Based on history and

Culture tradition
• Grows with education

• Command structure
Organizational • Ranks
Characteristics • Uniforms
• Teamwork

Cultural
Challenges

1–9
Fire service culture develops specific
cultural strengths.

Moral Work
Integrity Pride
character ethic

Courage Loyalty Respect Compassion

1–10
REVIEW QUESTION

How do organizational
characteristics, cultural challenges, and
cultural strengths influence the fire
service?

1–11
Learning Objective 3

Describe the mission of the fire

service.

1–12
REVIEW QUESTION

What is the mission of the fire

service?

1–13
The fire service mission establishes
department organization.

Save lives

Fire
Service
Protect
Mission
property and
environment

1–14
Learning Objective 4

Describe the organization of fire

departments.

1–15
Department organization is based on a
system of rank tied to specific duties.

1–16
Fire department types are determined
by how the organization is funded.

Public Private

1–17
Types of staffing vary based on funding
and duties assigned at the station.

Career

Volunteer
• On-call

Combination

1–18
Departmental duties are separated
based on who personnel support.

Line personnel Staff personnel

Directly to Support
external line
customers personnel

Courtesy Bob Espositio

1–19
REVIEW QUESTIONS

What are the three main types of

staffing found in the fire service?

What is the central difference

between line functions and staff
functions?

1–20
Learning Objective 5

Distinguish among functions of fire

companies.

1–21
 The basic organization of a fire
company is based on assigned duties.

Company
Battalion or district
Basic unit with
the officer at top Operations division
Companies
located in Manages day-to-
response area day operations

1–22
Fire company duties vary depending on
their main purpose.

Courtesy of Ron Moore,

McKinney (TX) FD
Truck (ladder)
Engine company
Company

Rescue
Brush
squad/
company (Cont.)
company
1–23
Fire company duties vary depending on
their main purpose.

Emergency
medical/
ambulance
Hazardous Materials
company
company
Courtesy of Edwin Jones

Special rescue
company

Aircraft rescue and

fire fighting company
•1–24
REVIEW QUESTION

How are the duties of an engine

company different from a rescue
squad/company?

1–25
Learning Objective 6

Summarize primary knowledge and

skills the firefighter must have to
function effectively.

1–26
Learning Objective 7

Distinguish among the primary roles of

fire service personnel.

1–27
Fire department personnel must meet
specific qualifications.

Professional Educational Age

Job-related Training in
Medical physical basic
fitness medical care

1–28
Line functions form the foundation of
the uniformed part of fire service.

Emergency
Operations Division

Fire
Fighter I

Fire
Fighter II (Cont.)

1–29
Line functions form the foundation of
the uniformed part of fire service.

Emergency Operations Division

Courtesy of Doug Allen and Ames (IA) FD

Airport
firefighter

Hazardous
Fire apparatus materials
driver/operator technician (Cont.)

1–30
Line functions form the foundation of
the uniformed part of fire service.

Emergency Operations Division

Wildland
firefighter

Fire department
incident safety
office

Rescue Fire police

technician personnel
(Cont.)

1–31
Line functions form the foundation of
the uniformed part of fire service.

Emergency Operations Division

Company officer
Fire department officer
District/
Battalion chief
Assistant/
Deputy Chief

Fire Marshal (Cont.)

Fire Chief
•1–32
Line functions form the foundation of
the uniformed part of fire service.

Emergency Operations Division

Emergency Emergency
medical medical
responders technicians

Advanced
emergency
medical Paramedics
technicians

(Cont.)
1–33
REVIEW QUESTION

What is the primary difference

between Firefighter I and Firefighter II
duties?

1–34
Line functions form the foundation of
the uniformed part of fire service.

Fire prevention division

Fire Public fire Fire
Fire and
prevention Plans and life protection
arson
officer/ examiner safety engineer/
investigator
inspector educator specialist

1–35
Staff functions support and train
members of the fire service.
Training division
Fire department
• Instructors
health and safety Clerical staff • Training officer/ chief of
officer training

Information
Telecommunicators
systems personnel

Apparatus and
Fire alarm equipment
personnel maintenance
personnel

1–36
REVIEW QUESTION

How are qualifications for different

line positions regulated?

What types of staff functions support

and supplement line functions?

1–37
Learning Objective 8

Describe fire department

organizational principles.

1–38
Fire service members must understand
department organizational principles.

Chain of
command

Unity of
command (Cont.)

1–39
Fire service members must understand
department organizational principles.

Span of
control

Division
of labor

Discipline

1–40
REVIEW QUESTION

What are the organizational

principles of the fire service?

1–41
Learning Objective 9

Locate information in departmental

documents and standard or code
materials.

1–42
Learning Objective 10

Distinguish between fire department

SOPs and rules and regulations.

1–43
Personnel must know how to locate
information in fire department regulations.

First, ask your

supervisor

May be on file at
May be posted administrative
office

1–44
The fire service is regulated by a
variety of rules and procedures.

• Guide to decision making

• Set boundaries, establish
Policies standards of conduct

• Detailed plan of action

• List step-by-step for conducting
Procedures policy
(Cont.)

1–45
REVIEW QUESTION

What steps can be taken to locate

information in department policies?

1–46
The fire service is regulated by a
variety of rules and procedures.
• Federal
• State/provincial
Laws, Statutes,
or Ordinances • Local

• Standard – Set of principles, protocols, procedures

Codes and • Code – Collection of rules and regulations
standards

• Issued from top command

Orders and • Used to implement departmental policies
Directives

1–47
REVIEW QUESTION

How are policies and procedures

different from one another?

1–48
Learning Objective 11

Explain the ways the fire service may

interact with other organizations.

1–49
Fire service personnel will interact with
various other organizations.

Courtesy of Tim Burkitt/FEMA

Emergency
EMS and
disaster
Hospitals
management

Law (Cont.)
enforcement

1–50
REVIEW QUESTION

What other organizations may

provide services to the public along with
firefighters?

1–51
Fire service personnel will interact with
various other organizations.

Utility Public
companies works

Other
Media
agencies

1–52
REVIEW QUESTION

What should a firefighter do when

approached by members of the media?

1–53
Summary

• Firefighting is a profession with a long

and proud tradition of service to the
community.

(Cont.)

1–54
Summary

• To perform as a firefighter you need

physical skills, and knowledge of the
regulations that govern your
organization, the laws that regulate fire
service, the incident command system,
as well as, an understanding of
agencies that interact with the fire
department.

1–55