Fires are scary and can be devastating. No one ever expects that their school or home will catch fire. At school, students and teachers practice fire drills so that everyone knows exactly what to do in case of a fire, but it’s also important that you do the same at home. It’s also important that you know what to do to help prevent fires. Almost $300 million in property damage happens each year because of fires started by kids playing with matches or other types of fire! Matches and lighters aren’t toys and shouldn’t be played with. It’s also essential that all kids know that firefighters are there to keep them safe if an emergency happens.
Inspirational Jobs: Firefighters
Many kids dream about firefighting as a career. Firefighters must have graduated from high school and completed emergency medical technician (EMT) training. It’s more common than ever for firefighters to have a college degree in a subject like fire science, too.
All firefighters attend a fire academy where they are taught about preventing and fighting fires. Along with learning how to use firefighting tools like ladders, fire trucks, and hoses, new firefighters also learn about building codes. They also spend time practicing first aid and other types of emergency medicine. Graduating from the fire academy requires passing tests. Some tests are written and judge how well the new firefighter has learned about safety and how fires are fought in different types of buildings. Physical tests include going upstairs while carrying firefighting equipment.
Firefighter Facts for Kids
There are different types of firefighters. Some work for cities, towns, or counties, and their job is to prevent and put out fires in homes and other buildings. Other firefighters work to stop wildfires from burning unoccupied land. Most firefighters are also trained in emergency medicine so they can assist people who have been injured or are sick. In fact, in some areas, fire trucks are sent to the scene of all medical emergencies because the truck has most of the same equipment as an ambulance and the firefighters are trained EMTs.
Just like there are different types of firefighters, there are also different types of vehicles used in firefighting. An engine is a truck that pumps water. A rescue truck is the vehicle sent if a building collapses or to help with car accidents. The fire chief has their own car, known as the fire chief car. Fire trucks have tools and ladders to help firefighters rescue people trapped in burning buildings.
A Day in the Life of a Firefighter
Firefighters never know when they are going to be needed. But that doesn’t mean that they don’t have other things they have to do every day when they are on duty. Most firefighters work 24-hour shifts. When their shift starts, they check in at the fire station and talk to the firefighters going off duty about the things that have happened in their shift. They then spend the morning checking equipment, working out, attending training sessions, and shopping for food and other necessary supplies for the firehouse. After lunch, the firefighters spend time on paperwork, doing public safety training events in the community, and doing other fire prevention work. Anytime a call for help is received, firefighters stop what they are doing and go to help.
Fire Safety and Prevention 101
It’s important for kids and adults to know basic fire safety. The one thing every home needs is working fire alarms. There should be one on every floor of the house, and there should also be smoke detectors near the bedrooms. You should test fire alarms each month and replace their batteries as needed. It’s also important that every home has a plan for escaping fires and that everyone who lives in the home knows the plan and practices it. When a fire starts, it’s important to leave the building at once. Sometimes, there’s a lot of smoke; in this case, drop to the floor and crawl out because smoke rises. Once you’re outside, find a way to call 911 to get help.
- Fire Safety for Kids
- Fire Safety
- Fire Safety for Children
- Teaching Kids About Fire Safety
- Are You a Fire-Safe Kid?
- What to Do in a Fire
- Ten Tips for Avoiding Injury in a Fire
- Children and Fire Safety
- Life of a Firefighter
- Become a Firefighter
- Careers That Count: So You Want to Be a Firefighter?
- National Junior Firefighter Program
- How Do You Become a Firefighter?
- Firefighters Are Friends: Teaching Kids Fire Safety Basics
- Become a Wildland Fire Junior Ranger
- 15 Fire Safety Tips for Kids From a Firefighter
- Real-Life Rescue
- Explore a Fire Engine
Jeffrey Nadrich
Jeffrey Nadrich is a nationally-recognized California plaintiff’s personal injury attorney. He is a graduate of UC Berkeley and UC Hastings College of the Law. He has successfully represented thousands of injury clients over the last 40 years.
