Firefighting Function

Firefighting is one of fifteen main Emergency Support Functions (ESF) established by the government to organize the response structure for any type of emergency or disaster. These functions break down the response by the aspect of protection covered but, all have the end result of “providing support, resources, program implementation, and services that are most likely needed to save lives, protect property and the environment, restore essential services and critical infrastructure, and help victims and communities return to normal following domestic incidents” (Public Health Emergency, 2015). ESF #4 encompasses all aspects of firefighting but is more focused on larger scale types of emergencies requiring a Federal firefighting response. Fire protection is one aspect of life most individuals take for granted. Local fire department personnel stand ready every minute of every day across this country. Depending on the location of the department will determine the type and time of response. For urban areas where tax collection is ample, fire departments will have paid professionals available twenty-four hours a day standing by to answer the emergency call. In rural areas where funding is scarce, a volunteer force conducts the fire service. When an alarm sounds, bringing valuable firefighting equipment and expertise to the source of the fire can be delayed due to the latency of response from volunteers. Volunteer firefighters may not live near fire departments so the deployment of fire trucks is not always as prompt as paid professionals. Either way, the same intent to protect life and property, in that order, is the goal. On larger scale events, Emergency Support Function manages and coordinates these firefighting activities. The fire service covers all levels and aspects of fire protection from urban to rural as well as woodland area firefighting; whatever the call, firefighters are there. During times of disaster the need for fire service personnel may be the direct result of the incident or coincidental to the disaster. Any major emergency may invoke the need for these professionals. Firefighting invokes the need to detection, suppression, and prevention of fires on all federal, state, and local lands. The role of the fireman is not just extinguishing the local house fire. Preplanning for an emergency is always the first step down the path to success. Guidelines were created through the ESF function that enable local fire departments to properly field equipment and train their force on preparing for all types of emergencies within their areas of responsibilities. No two emergencies are exactly the same. This is the reason firefighters must prepare for all sorts of disasters from what some might consider routine false alarms, to hazmat disasters, and to emergencies that scale in comparison to 9/11. Identifying the possibilities is endless. With each type of disaster comes some sort of specific response. A specific response may deem the need for specialized equipment that …show more content…
With the extensive amounts of possibilities of disasters, undergoing these processes are daunting tasks, but are supported by the Emergency Support Function. Procurement of all types of specialized equipment and the need for training is supported in some fashion of this function. Preparation cannot ever halt. Again, preplanning is key. During disasters, normal telephonic communications functions may be interrupted. Early planning and preparation with procurement of back up emergency radio communication is necessary. The ordering of additional equipment is a high priority with the National Incident Command Center. While normal channels of communication become routine, disasters bring the unknown. Telephone services are often interrupted which is the need for radio. Most fire departments already work through radio but continuously building on additional radios and repeater systems that retransmit radio communications aid during the time of …show more content…
A limited number of departments across the country are all-inclusive and self-sustaining. Herein lies the need for assistance from neighboring agencies. Mutual aid is an effective and efficient way to relieve most of the burden on every single community fire department. With an implementation of a single Incident Command System, all departments train in similar manners that make the acceptance of mutual aid assistance compatible. Regardless of the agency, all federal, state, and local agencies utilize the same Incident Command System structure. The most vital aspect of assistance from any agency may be as easy as the changing of a radio