Changes in the modern fire service
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From excerpts on NWHerald.com:
Despite advancements like thermal imaging and enhanced safety gear, firefighting has grown increasingly challenging. Over the last 25 years, the number of recorded fires has more than halved, yet these blazes are more intense and spread far quicker. Fire departments across the country are rethinking their strategies to confront this evolving danger.
Fire chiefs caution that the decline in fire reports shouldn’t fool anyone into thinking fewer firefighters are needed. In 2014 alone, there were nearly 1.3 million fires reported nationwide—a 4.7% rise from 2013—and these incidents caused $11.6 billion in damages, resulting in 64 firefighter fatalities and 3,275 civilian deaths. While this figure is lower than the 3 million fire calls in 1980, it still reflects a significant challenge.
Roughly three-quarters of the 494,000 structural fires last year originated in residential buildings. However, contemporary homes differ drastically from those built decades ago. Today's homes are larger, constructed with materials that combust at higher temperatures, and filled with flammable furnishings and appliances made from petroleum-based polymers. Even wood furniture, which naturally burns when exposed to heat, is now often coated with flammable polyurethane finishes.
This shift means firefighters must act more decisively to prevent building collapses and have less time to locate trapped occupants in bigger homes. Advanced tools like thermal cameras, while useful, need to be complemented by updated tactics and training.
For instance, conventional wisdom suggests smoke alarms provide up to 15 minutes of extra time to evacuate. Yet, in modern homes packed with synthetic materials, this buffer can shrink to just two minutes. Many local fire services combine firefighting with emergency medical duties. Firefighters are often cross-trained as paramedics or EMTs, stabilizing victims before transport—whether dealing with a broken limb or cardiac arrest.
Take Woodstock Fire Rescue, for example. After merging its fire and rescue districts in 1993, they initially fielded around 1,100 calls per year. Fast forward to today, and they handle over 4,500 calls annually—a staggering increase of more than 300%. Nationally, fire departments handled 31.6 million calls last year, with nearly two-thirds being for medical emergencies.
This growing demand underscores the need for skilled professionals who can handle diverse situations. Yet, it also places immense pressure on these responders, whose workloads continue to swell.