Fire Departments
The first fire department was developed in 24 BC, by the emperor Augustus, as he felt that having watchmen on posts alerting citizens of fires would help in decreasing the number of injuries and deaths.
The technique of passing buckets of water from person to person, to put out the blaze, was invented at this period of history.
There was no such thing as a shock-absorbing lanyard to help these fire watchmen when dealing with bad fires.
The use of hooks and rope would pull down buildings in front of the fire to stop it from spreading down the path. This technique is used in order to ensure firebreaks.
Centuries later, after the Great Fire of London in 1666, it was the insurance companies of the time, not the government, who developed the fire brigades.
The government began to enforce its power on the brigades almost two hundred years after they were formed.
Although these were technically fire departments, and their use of axes and certain techniques of the past were used, technology is not where it is today, with devices such as safety harnesses used now for the protection and efficiency of firefighters.
North America only formed its first real fire fighting department after a big fire in 1631, and only in 1648 were fire wardens assigned the job.
This is the start of the first fire department in the United States.
Preventing The Fire
It is a positive thing that technology has advanced so that when fires start to spread, for example in forests, there is forestry fire equipment which will definitely help in putting the fire out.
However, what’s even better than stopping a fire is preventing it from starting in the first place.
Fire prevention sectors of fire departments have been implemented with firefighters trained in stopping fires from occurring.
Their job is to do research into why fires began as well as the best ways they could have been prevented. On top of this, they are also tasked with providing educational material for the wider public to train them in how to stop fires from happening.
In some countries and communities, volunteer firefighters and local individuals have much more authority and responsibility in helping to avert fires.
In some cases, the danger of local individuals trying to help but getting injured themselves is a problem.
However, with the availability of more equipment such as shock-absorbing lanyards to the public, the hope is that with enough understanding of the situation, these injuries can be prevented.
Fire Departments Around The World
Fire departments work differently depending on which region of the world they are in, as well as how a country sets up its provincial and state lines.
In Britain, fire departments are organised with regard to counties, boroughs, and specific districts. France is arranged in terms of an extension of the French Army and Navy. Germany is divided into cities and towns, with professional firefighters deployed in the cities and volunteer fighters in smaller towns.
Training is regulated all across the globe as knowing how to effectively prevent and put out fires, as well as how to use equipment such as the safety harness correctly, will ensure that there are fewer fires and that fires will not endanger citizens and animals as it has in the past.
Fighting The Fire
Fighting fires has evolved from the start of fire safety.
The use of axes and hooks and ropes has become far less of a tactic to decrease the spread of the fire, however, they are still used today in some capacity alongside the new equipment and techniques used, such as the forestry fire equipment which has helped save many lives.
Using all of these techniques and equipment will go a long way in not only stopping fires but also in helping to innovate and improve the technology to the point where fires are not as dangerous as they are.
With most fires, water is used in large quantities to get the fire to a point where it is able to re-spark is not a possibility.
If a fire has been started with a liquid that is flammable, then other special agents are used such as fire foams which will stop the liquids from spreading the fire altogether.
Of course, not all fires are the same and as such there are different ways in limiting the amount of spread a fire can have, the amount of oxygen it can use, and how it will be put out.
Additional Equipment
Firetrucks and fireboats, as well as helicopters, are all kitted out with specific devices and equipment which will help for various fire cases.
Firehoses, air tankers, ladders, fire tankers, and fire extinguishers are all devices that can be found in or on these vehicles.
Elevating platform trucks are able to raise firefighters to hard-to-reach spaces and with the use of safety harnesses these fighters are able to get the job done as effectively as possible.
It is safe to say that technology in stopping fires has come a long way since the axe and water bucket days of the past.
The beautiful thing is that there are companies such as Invuyani Safety that want to supply the highest quality fire fighting equipment and attire to help improve the reliability of our firefighters.
At The Scene
Within the fire department, there are even more factions that deal with specific parts of a firefight.
These inter-departmental groups are tasked with focusing on rescuing people, preservation of buildings that could be affected by the fire, stopping the spread of the fire, as well as sifting through the debris to find the cause or causes of the fire.
Firefighters don’t just jump into action and start trying to extinguish the fire, as many movies have portrayed the situation.
They actually do a lot of analysis before starting their procedures as they want to be as time conscious as possible.
Luckily there are many professionals in the field who have built up an understanding of how to best go about their task, training their staff in the best way possible.
It doesn’t hurt that the equipment is ever-improving in the firefighting sector and will help save lives and buildings at a much higher rate as time goes on.
The Different Uses Of Hoses
In the past, hoses were only used to spray large amounts of water at a fire, which would cool it down and stop it from being able to start up again.
This is still used today as it is an effective method of ceasing a fire, however, there are other substances that are better at stopping specific types of fires than water.
Forestry Fire Equipment includes these different types of nozzles which come with substances such as fog or foam which will all have their benefits.
Fog is good at absorbing the heat of the fire quicker than other substances and water is able to reach further distances, spreading its reach.
Foam is better at stopping flammable liquids from lengthening the lifespan of the fire.
Water Additives
Traditional water has been used throughout history in order to put fires out but there have been advancements in the addition of certain chemicals which increase the effectiveness of water usage for firefighters.
What these chemicals do is make the water much more penetrable to the fires, with small drops being formed which will spray out, reducing the amount of heat the fire is providing.
Foam chemicals activate in the water which creates a sort of covering, spreading over the fire surface. These foam chemicals act as a barrier, preventing the flammable liquids from maintaining the heat in the area.
The Salvaging Process
The salvaging process of a person’s items, including in some cases a business’s products, is another service that firefighters offer as they understand that in many cases some things are irreplaceable and the cost of having to purchase or manufacture items could seriously affect an individual’s life.
Smoke and water damage can delay a business from being able to function for weeks, even months, which will affect the profit a business makes. This is serious because some businesses can go under from this atrocity.
Forest Fires
Forest fires can spread quickly as with an abundance of grass, bush, and trees all in one area, flammable objects are easily sparked.
The California fires are a recent example of how forest fires can impact an entire city, with public and private property, humans, and animals being affected, in some unfortunate cases with the loss of life.
These types of fires are really difficult to control and also difficult to stop. Forestry Fire Equipment has been designed and innovated to help in increasing the chances of putting out forest fires as quickly and effectively as possible.
Firebreaks are the most effective ways in which to control a forest fire, however, the unpredictability of nature such as wind, falling trees, and the unknown flammable liquids which may have been left there in the past, can result in such a task being difficult, even with the advance in Forestry Fire Equipment.
The best way to ensure that forest fires do not spread as badly as they can is to respond to an alert as soon as possible.
Many firefighters, volunteers, and everyday individuals have all contributed to helping during such a time.
Preventing Fires
Knowing how to prevent fires can stop these hapless fire incidents from occurring. Understanding that fire departments use equipment such as safety harnesses may allow you to understand how they stop fires safely, but what about how to stop the entire process from starting?
Preventative methods are as follows:
- Ensure that you have a constant view of any candles you may be using
- Move any and all external cooking appliances away from close proximity to your house. The reason for this is that open flames can blow onto flammable surfaces and start a fire
- Ensure that your smoke detectors in your office or home is functional and is plugged in at all times as this will help you, and the fire department, respond in the most time-efficient way
- If you are away or are sleeping these devices can help save your life
- Do not smoke inside as the risk of any of the material falling on a carpet or sparking a curtain can lead to the rapid spread of fire
- Make sure that someone is watching the food that is being cooked at all times as this will prevent the fire from moving around in the kitchen, which can be very dangerous
- Drinking huge amounts of alcohol while smoking can be life-threatening if you were to fall asleep, with a lit cigarette in your possession, it could fall and start a fire. This could be risky for you and anyone in your residence
Invuyani Safety
Invuyani Safety supplies a whole host of equipment and fire safety clothing, including their shock-absorbing lanyards. They are focused on not only providing the highest quality equipment to fire departments across South Africa but also on doing their part to prevent and stop hazardous uncontrolled fires from claiming lives and destroying property.
Being in the game for many years, Invuyani has done its research and is able to give firefighters the best products and the best chance of success.
Contact Invuyani Safety For More Information
Invuyani Safety is the leading supplier of fire protection equipment. Their goal is to help firefighters do their job to the best of their ability. With high-quality equipment and attire, it’s no wonder why Invuyani Safety is seen as such a reputable supplier. Contact Invuyani Safety for more information.