Firefighters are dedicated to fighting fire and providing assistance to victims of various accidents.
A firefighter is a person whose job is to fight fire and provide assistance during the development of various types of accidents . The name comes from the term pump since it was common for, to put out a fire, water to be obtained from a river or well near the site of the incident through a hydraulic pump .
For example: “I am proud because my son is a firefighter and he strives every day to help others,” “The firefighters came instantly and were able to extinguish the fire in a few minutes,” “The neighbors called the firefighters to rescue a “cat that had fallen into a sewer.”
The fire brigades
Groups of people dedicated to fighting fires, known as fire brigades , emerged in the Roman Empire . Currently, firefighters usually work in publicly owned bodies , although there are countries that have firefighters who work for private companies.
Firefighters can be volunteers or paid . In the first case, these are men and women who, in their free time, fulfill these functions. Salaried firefighters, on the other hand, belong to the police or other security forces and receive a salary for their work.
Due to their risky work, firefighters can suffer health problems, injuries or even lose their lives. That is why they are individuals highly valued by society since they work for the well-being of the community, risking their own lives.
The building where firefighters rest, carry out administrative tasks, store their work materials and wait to be called to act is called a barracks . The pump trucks are also parked there.
Firefighters usually travel by fire engine, a vehicle with various equipment and resources.
Requirements to do this job
The media usually focus on the results of the tasks carried out by firefighters: "they managed to put out the fire" , "they successfully rescued the victims" . Needless to say, they are shown as true heroes , something they well deserve; However, it is not so common to talk about the harsh demands that this profession entails , both on the physical and psychological levels.
One of the first filters is a series of medical requirements , after having overcome purely legal issues such as having reached the age established by law to sign an employment contract. Among the most common are the following: not having manifest obesity; chest circumference that reaches or exceeds 4 cm; corpulence index from 3 to 5; spirometry exceeding 3000cc; not having lost any limbs, nor lips; not have marked infantilism, flat feet, scoliosis, deafness, varicose veins, shortening of any limb or myopia of 2 or more diopters.
On the other hand, there are the difficult physical tests that every aspiring firefighter must overcome, for which prior training is necessary. Some of the most common are the following: 100 meter speed test; 1000 meter race; 100 meter swim; horizontal jump; climb the rope
In addition to these tests , there is a long list of others that are even more difficult, such as: 200, 1500 and 2000 meter race; 50 meter swim; Cooper and Barrow test; 1 meter vertical jump; ball throw; agility circuit; flexibility; pull-ups; apnea; balance; abs; shoulder and bench press; floor bench
Qualities of firefighters
As can be seen, being a firefighter requires impeccable physical condition, great dedication to physical exercise and constant health care, in addition to courage and selfless dedication to others at crucial moments.
But the demands do not end here, since applicants must also pass theoretical exams, the contents of which vary depending on the country and region, although they usually cover topics ranging from law to the environment.