Need help educating a friend....

[GILLEE]

After all of the tv coverage of fire fighters the past several weeks, a friend of mine with no knowledge of the fire service e-mailed me for a few definitions of words she had been hearing (i.e. engine, ladder, etc...).

I sent her a few back and then decided it would be much easier for all of you to help me out and make a list of definitions of fire terminology for civilians.... it is waaay more than I want to type...

So have at it... I will check back in a day or two and forward the list to her...

I'm sure all of you have one or two favorites and she is not shy so don't hold the good ones back....

Thanks in advance.

[Adze39]

http://www.emergency-world.com/eh/terms.htm

This will give you A-Z definitions...

[MFD]

ladder truck= a truck with a big ladder mounted on it
engine aka pumper= trucks used to get the pressure up to get it through the hoses fast
tanker= a truck used usually in rural fire districts to haul water from the water source to the fire
heavy rescue= a truck usually with rescue equiptment on it like jaws of life,generator, night fighters(big lights for car crashes)
grass truck= usually are 4x4 pickups with smaller tanks because the fires are usually smaller.usually equipted with brooms and rakes
turnout gear=gear worn by firefighters to protect them from the flames and heat
SCBA=Self contained breathing appratus this is a source of oxygen for the firefighters in the fire.
cascade system= a system to fill oxygen bottles for SCBAs
GPM=Gallons per min meaning how fast that pump will pump per min.
Lines aka Hose=these are used to put out fires come in many different sizes
Smooth bore and Fog Nozzle=these are nozzles on the end of the hoses
spanners=are a tool used to hell connect coupler to the other coupler on trucks or another hose.
hope this is helpful. we got redneck terms but i don't think she wants to learn those

[Fyrball105]

you go adze>>> looks like that saved us all abit of typing, except for the redneck terms maplewood spoke about, or the department terms noone else understand, I think the link does enough to educate your friend gillee

[kfd232]

CHAOS! - Chief Has Arrived On Scene.

Pucker Factor - The amount of underwear you pucker up your rear from encountering something extra freaky, like when the Chief has arrived on scene.

Conflagration - A huge escalating incident. Generally one that begins once the Chief has arrived on scene.

Incident Commander - The one who is in control of the scene. (usually running things smoothly, until... you guessed it... the Chief has arrived on scene)

Chief - The person who shows up and becomes Incident Commander, instantly increasing the pucker factor 10x and turning the quiet house fire into a chaotic conflagration!

(by the way... I'm just teasing)

Be safe brothers

[NFD270]

I think I have got one...maybe two...


ICS- Idiot Controlling Scene

Cluster- adj. 1. Term used by firefighters when something is a complete cluster F*&% and doesn't look like things will get better anytime soon. 2-(and heres the good one boys and girls) 2. Chief Loses Ur Scene To Explosions Rectally!!!

[larrycook]

Firefighter- Man, woman,- your neighbor, a friend- someone who cares. Someone who will put their life on the line so that someone else may not suffer the loss of family, friends or neighbors. Firefighters all over the world are caring, giving and kind people who fight fires, provide care for injured people and share their love of fellow mankind.

Larry

[GILLEE]

Adze.... you're the king. I haven't seen this one before.

Thanks to you and the others who have replied so far....

[Smokeetr4]

Just to clear up any confusion to our civilian friends-SCBA cylinders are filled with compressed air NOT oxygen. Same thing applies to cascade systems-Cylinders are filled with compressed air.

[fifi]

Hey Larry.

I think your definition says it all.