They must observe their surroundings and need to have an understanding of what’s happening and what’s going to happen. They need to look closely for any changes in the environment. It’s essential to strictly follow orders to detail. They also need to listen for any potential victims. Firefighters must behave in a professional manner. Firefighters are ambassadors of their department, and are accountable for all of their actions. Even when off duty, they need to behave professionally. How a Firefighter behaves at home will carry over how they behave at the station and vice versa. Firefighters must lead by example. Teamwork is essential in the fire service. Firefighting requires the attention and coordination of all crew members. Firefighters depend on each other to succeed. Everybody on the crew must closely pay attention to detail to effectively coordinate work strategies. Every task no matter how big or how small is vital for the organizations success. No job is too big or too small. Supervisors have more training and experience than new Firefighters; therefore closely paying attention to details in any order is critical. Paying attention to detail and having pride in all work is vital. Paying attention to detail on the smaller tasks will almost guarantee that the bigger assignments will be handled in the same …show more content…
The first documented fire service was in ancient Rome. In 24 B.C.E., the Roman Emperor Augustus Caesar formed what was possibly the first fire department. It was called the Familia Publica. The Familia Publica consisted of around 600 slaves, because it consisted of slaves, they had little interest of risking their lives and preserving homes. Therefore fire continued to be an issue. Around 60 C.E. the Emperor Nero established the Corps of Vigiles. The Corps of Vigiles consisted of approximately 7000 free men. The Corps of Vigiles embraced the formal rank structure from the Roman military; which is still used today. In 1871, two major fires significantly affected the advance of fire codes and the fire service. These devastating fires are known as; The Great Chicago Fire and the Peshtigo fire. The Great Chicago Fire burned for 3 days, destroying over 200 acres and 17,000 homes, causing 200 million dollars in damage. This blaze resulted in 300 fatalities and left 90,000 homeless. Meanwhile the Peshtigo Fire was ablaze. This flash forest fire created a “tornado of fore” over 1000 feet high and 5 miles wide. As a result of these tragic fires, strict building and fire codes were enforced. The development of water pumping systems, and improvements to firefighting equipment, communications, and alarm systems help ensure history doesn’t repeat