FIRE / RESCUE / EMS TALK

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

~A~

AFFF Foam

Firefighters often use a foam known as aqueous film forming foam, or AFFF. AFFF foam is used on class A fires and class B fires although it is best suited for static pools of flammable liquids. AFFF creates a layer of film between a fuel and the oxygen in the air, causing the fire to suffocate.

Aerial Truck

Also known as a ladder truck or just plain truck. A hydraulically powered ladder, mounted on a vehicle that also carries several different length extension ladders, extrication gear, ventilation equipment, and lighting. May or may not have a bucket or platform on the end. 

Air Bottle

A fiberglass wrapped aluminum cylinder of compressed air that is used by our self contained breathing apparatus. Each bottle carries approximately 66 cubic feet of pure compressed air at a pressure of 4500 pounds per square
inch.

Air Chisel

An air powered tool, usually in the shape of a gun, which vibrates various chisel blades that can be attached to it. It is used primarily to cut through sheet metal, but can be used for other cutting and breaking operations.

Air Pack

A self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) the firefighter straps onto his back to provide breathing air.

Apparatus

Fire trucks such as ladders, engines, rescues, aerials, etc. that are actually used in fire fighting. Does not include command or medical units.

Attack Line

A pre-connected hose line, typically 150 to 200 feet long, used by firefighters to make an initial attack on a fire.

Attic Ladder

A ladder usually 8-10 feet long that usually can be folded so that the two beams touch each other. Also called a scuttle ladder.

Return to Top

~ B ~

Backboard

The long spinal board that patients with any possible back injury are placed on and secured before being placed on the stretcher.

Ball Valve

A valve with an internal ball that stops the water flow. Ball valves are used in many applications, such as inline valves, hydrant gates and nozzles.

Beacon

A warning light with rotating lamps, similar to a lighthouse beacon. The Federal Beacon Ray was once the standard for all fire apparatus prior to the invent of the light bar.

Blitz Line

A pre-connected 2 1/2 inch hose line used to get a large amount of water on a fire in a hurry.

Blitz Monitor

A small, portable monitor that can be deployed by a single person. Blitz monitors are supplied by a 2 1/2" line and typically will flow up to 500 GPM.

Butterfly Valve

A type of valve that uses a flat plate to control the flow of water. Butterfly valves are used on fire apparatus and typically are used on larger lines, such as front and rear suctions and tank to pump lines.  

Booster Line

Booster lines is a hose that is usually one inch in diameter and rubber jacketed. They are used on small fires using the water carried in an apparatus' booster tank and are usually stored on reels.

Booster Tank

The tank on a pumper or quint that supplies booster lines and hand lines at a fire until a connection with a water source can be made. The booster tank on most pumpers is between 500-1,000 gallons. The tank on a quint is usually smaller, carrying only a couple of hundred gallons.

Bubble Gum Light

Another name for the Beacon Ray warning light.

Bus

Another name for an ambulance.

Return to Top

~ C ~

C-Collar

A cervical collar. Placed around the neck of patients with any suspected neck or back injury.

Check Valve

Check valves are used in apparatus plumbing to prevent water (or foam) from flowing backwards through the system. 

Cot

Another name for an ambulance stretcher

Cross Lay

A term for a hose bed mounted cross ways on the apparatus body, typically at the front near the cab. Cross lays are used to store pre-connected hose lines or hose bundles used for quick attack.

Return to Top

~ D ~

Deck Gun

A large and fixed water nozzle attached to a engine. Deck guns deliver larger amounts of water than hand-held hose. (See also Master Stream).

Double Header

A term used when two supply lines are laid from the hydrant to the fire scene by a single apparatus.

Drafting

Pulling water from a source other than accepting pressurized water from a hydrant or another fire apparatus. Cisterns, lakes, ponds and swimming pools are often used in drafting operations. Many departments in rural areas and without fire hydrants use drafting.

Return to Top

~ E ~

E.T.A.

Estimated time of arrival

E.T.O.H.

An abbreviation for ethanol alcohol.

Engine

The engine is also referred to as a pumper because of its ability to pump water. In most cases, an engine carries small ground ladders, supply line to connect it with a hydrant, hand lines to fight the fire with and a tank holding between 500 and 1,000 gallons of water.

Engine Company

An engine company is a combination of a fire engine and the manpower used to staff it. A standard engine company will include an officer, driver/engineer and two firefighters on a pumper truck.

Engineer

The Engineer, also referred to as the Apparatus Operator, is the person that drives the Fire Engine or Ladder Truck. The engineer is also responsible for all of the equipment that is on the engine and making sure that it is clean and in good working condition. They also run the pumps, etc. when they are at a fire.

Extension Ladder

A ladder with two or more sections, allowing it to be extended to a longer length.

Extrication

The process of cutting a vehicle away from the victim of a motor vehicle accident. This can include removal of doors, roof, steering column, or even opening out the passenger compartment by cutting the frame supports.

Return to Top

~ F ~

Fire Ground

The working area around the location of the fire that includes the areas of the apparatus and command centers.

Flat Lay

A method of loading hose in the hose bed, where the hose is laid on the flat, or wide side, rather than on edge.

Foam

Foam is a concentrate mixed with water or air and applied to any material that is on fire or could potentially catch fire. The foam creates a barrier between the material and the heat, preventing ignition of flammable gases. Foam is commonly used on flammable liquid fires (gas or oil), but is also being used in some areas for automobile & structure fire applications.

Forestry Line

A forestry line is a small-diameter, cotton-jacketed hand line used to fight brush and forest fires. Its construction reduces the weight a firefighter has to pull and therefore reduces fatigue.

Forward Lay

A forward lay is when fire hose is laid from the hydrant to the fire scene. (See also reverse lay).

Front Mount

A pumper with the pump mounted at the front of the vehicle, driven directly off the crankshaft of the engine. Front mount pumpers are most common in rural areas where drafting is more common, as the vehicle can pull straight up to a water source. 

Front Suction

A pump inlet mounted at the front of the vehicle, providing more versatility when hooking up to a water source. Front suctions are typically are a 4, 5 or 6" inlet, depending on the size of the pump, and can be used with a hard or soft suction hose.

Return to Top

~ G ~

Gate Valve

A valve that has a flat plate that 

Gated Wye

A wye is an appliance with a single hose inlet and two or more outlets, allowing a supply line to be split for multiple uses. A gated wye has valves to shut off the outlet, allowing one outlet to be unused until needed.

Grover

Grover is the name of the manufacturer of the air horns typically used on fire apparatus.

Growler

The nickname given to the mechanical siren because of its "growl" like sound.

Return to Top

~ H ~

Hall Runner

A narrow salvage cover used to lay down hallways to protect carpet from water and soot.

Halligan

An all-purpose steel prying bar used as a forcible entry tool. Invented by New York City firefighter Huey Halligan. A metal bar, with a prying claw on one end, and the other end has a 90-degree prying blade and a pick. It can be used for forcible entry, vehicle rescue, opening walls, etc.

Hand line

A hand line is a small diameter hose usually used inside a burning structure to directly apply water on to the fire. Hand lines are usually 1.5 or 1.75 inches in diameter.

Hard Suction

Hard suctions are the large black hoses you see mounted on the side of the fire apparatus. They are hard sleeved hoses that are used to draft water. The hard sleeve will not collapse under a vacuum, allowing a pumper to draft
from a water source. Hard suction hoses are hooked directly to the inlet of the pump, and are sized according to the inlet, typically 2 1/2, 4, 5 or 6 inches in diameter.  

Higby Cut

A special cut on the thread of fire hose couplings that makes it easier to mate the threads. One coupling can be rotated backwards until it clicks, or drops into place, and then tightened.

Holmatro

The company name of the hydraulic tool used to cut away vehicles from the passengers. The unit consists of a gas or electric pump, hydraulic lines, and a variety of tools such as spreaders, cutters, and rams. They are used
for opening vehicles involved in collisions to removed the victims.

Hose

Hose is used to deliver water onto a fire and to provide water from hydrants to firefighting apparatus. The types of hose used include hand lines, booster lines and large diameter hose.

Hurst Tool

A rescue tool which is powered by a hydraulic pump. Most familiar is the spreader, which is a pair of tapered arms that can be used to spread open, or pull closed with extremely powerful force. They are primarily used for opening vehicles involved in collisions to removed the victims.

Hydrant Gate

A valve that is mounted to the fire hydrant outlet before attaching a hose. The hydrant gate allows a single outlet to be shut down without shutting down the whole hydrant. This situation may arise if you have two engines being supplied off one hydrant, or if one of the supply lines should fail during a fire. Hydrant gates can be gate style valves or ball valves.

Return to Top

~I ~

Intake Relief Valve

A device used on the inlet side of the pump to relieve excessive inlet pressure. This valve can be an integral part of the pump or part of a large diameter intake valve mounted to the inlet.

Return to Top

~J~

Jaws of Life

The original name given to the tool used in extrication. First made by Hurst company, the tool alone weighed nearly 75 lbs. Today smaller units can be carried by one person.

Jump Line

A hand line stored in an extended bumper (also called a jump bumper) and pre-connected to the engine to allow for a quicker attack.

 

Return to Top

~K~

K-12

A large, gasoline powered circular saw. These usually are found in a large rectangular box, and come with various blades for cutting through wood, metal concrete, etc.

Return to Top

~L~

Ladder Company

Also known as a truck company. A ladder company is a combination of a ladder truck and the manpower used to staff it.  A standard ladder company will include an officer, driver/engineer and four firefighters on a ladder truck.

Ladder Truck

The ladder truck is referred to as such because of its ability to carry a full compliment of ground ladders as well as contains either a telescoping ladder or a platform.

Large Diameter Hose

The biggest hose used by firefighters, large diameter hose (LDH) is sometimes referred to as a water main above ground. LDH is usually 4-5 inches in diameter and is used to supply water from the hydrant to pumper trucks. See also supply hose.

Lay Bed

The hose bed that holds the main supply line that will be laid from the hydrant to the fire scene.

Leader Line

A line usually having a gated wye on the end. Leader lines are usually 3 or 2.5 inches in diameter and the wye usually fees two or three 1.5 or 1.75 inch attack lines.

Return to Top

~ M ~

Manifold Line

A larger diameter hose line (2-1/2") that is branched off into several smaller lines (1-1/2") via an adapter called a "wye."

Master Stream

A large and fixed stream of water. Master streams are used on the end of aerial ladders on ladder trucks and on top of pumper trucks. Master streams can deliver larger amounts of water than hand-held hose.

Midship

A pumper with the pump mounted cross ways on the frame at the mid point of the vehicle.

Monitor

A type of master stream similar to a deck gun, but removable from the apparatus. 

Return to Top

~ O ~

OPQRST

The memory aid used to quickly diagnose a patients problem. The six questions give a  picture of how to proceed in treatment.

Overhaul

The operation on the fireground that includes searching and extinguishing hidden or remaining fires, protecting the scene, and preserving evidence of the fires origin.

Return to Top

~ P ~

PTO

A gear or chain driven device that allows one turning shaft to provide power out to a pump or winch. Fire apparatus PTO's are typically mounted to the transmission or the front of the engine crank.

Pike Pole

A pole, usually wood or fiberglass, of varying lengths, with a metal head attached to the top end. The head has a hook and pike (or point) on it, and is used for pulling ceilings, opening walls, etc. They vary in length from
4' up to 16'.

Pre-Connect

A firefighting hose line that is connected to the pumper and can easily be deployed to attack a fire. These lines are typically 150 to 250 feet in length. A typical pumper will have two 1 3/4" lines and one 2 1/2" line preconnected.

Pressure Governor

Controls pump pressure by controlling engine speed.

Pulseoxymeter

A diagnostic device placed on the end of a finger or toe that is used to check the pulse and oxygen level.

Pump to Tank Line

The plumbing used to fill the booster tank from the pump. 

Pumper

Same as Engine.

Return to Top

~ Q ~

Q2

The model number of Federal Sign and Signal Corporation's mechanical "Growler" siren. Also referred to as a "Q".

Quad

A truck that carries a pump, booster tank, hose and ground ladders.

Quint

A quint is a vehicle equipped with a pump, water tank, ground ladders, and a hose bed, in addition to an aerial device. A quint can perform many functions using one apparatus that would normally require a number of
vehicles. Five = quint

Return to Top

~ R ~

Red Line

Same as booster line.

Reel Line

The red rubber-coated line that is mounted on top of an engine. Usually used to fight small fires such as garbage or small grass fires. Does not deliver a large amount or volume of water needed for the typical house fire.

Relief Valve

Prevents excessive pressure on discharge lines by bypassing water from discharge side to the inlet side of the pump.

Reverse Lay

When supply hose is laid from the fire to the water source, placing the pump at the source of water. (See also forward lay)

Roof Ladder

A 14 to 16 foot ladder equipped with deployable hooks at one end. The ladder is placed flat on a roof with the hooks over the peak, preventing the ladder from sliding off. This allows the fire fighters a place to stand while
performing ventilation and other roof operations.

Return to Top

~ S ~

Salvage Cover

Typically a "blue" tarp laid on the ground to keep items recovered out of the fire from further damage. Also used to centrally located and organize tools used on the fire ground.

Series

Pressure position in a dual-impeller centrifugal pump in which the first impeller's discharge is fed into the eye of the second impeller which then discharges the water from the pump.

Slow Close Valve

A truck valve used to slowly close a line under high pressure or volume to avoid water hammer.

Snorkel

A commercial term denoting a ladder truck with an articulating boom. The Snorkel was made famous when Chicago Fire Commissioner Quinn saw the utility people using an articulating boom and decided it would work perfect as a
fire fighting tool.

Soft Suction

A large diameter hose used to hook up between a pressurized water source and a pumper. A non rigid hose can be used as long as the pressure from the hydrant is greater than what the pumper is taking in, otherwise the hose
would collapse.

Sphygmomanometer

The real name for a blood pressure cuff.

Squad

A squad is not a specific type of apparatus. It is called a squad based on its job assignment and could be an engine, a truck, or special-purpose vehicle.

Stair Chair

A rolling chair used to get patients out of small rooms, hallways, or stairs where a regular stretcher will not fit.

Steamer Connection

Large discharge port on a hydrant

Stortz

A quarter turn coupling that is typically used on large diameter hose. This type of connection was developed in Europe and has replaced the threaded couplings on large hose.

Stretch Bed

A hose bed that stores hose that can be used as an additional supply line, supply line to another vehicle or additional attack lines. 

Squad

A vehicle that carries personnel and equipment.

Stokes

A long basket which can accommodate a scoop stretcher or a long backboard. It is used for moving patients over rough terrain and for water rescues or high-angle rescues. Also called a basket stretcher

Supply Line

Hose line used to supply water from a hydrant to fire apparatus. Many departments use large diameter hose (see above) for this purpose. LDH is sometimes referred to as a water main above ground and is usually 4-5
inches in diameter. However, some departments use smaller 3 inch hose to supply water at a fire.

Return to Top

~ T ~

Tail Board

The full width step at the rear of the vehicle used to access the hose bed. It was once used for firefighters to stand while responding to a fire.

Tank to Pump

The plumbing on an apparatus that supplies water from the water tank to the pump.

Tanker

A fire truck that is used primarily for carrying water to a fire scene. Tankers can be in size from 3000 gallons to 10,000 gallons.

Telesquirt

A 50' to 75' aerial device that can be mounted on a standard pumper, used as a water tower or rescue ladder. 

Top Mount

A pumper with the pump control panel mounted across the front of the pumper body, providing better visibility for the pump operator.

Transfer Case

A transmission like device used to transfer engine power from the driving wheels to the pump.

Transfer Valve

Selector for series or parallel operation on a multistage pump.

Trash Line

Same as jump line, although not necessarily carried on the front bumper.

Triple Combination

A truck that carries a pump, booster tank and hose.

Truck

An apparatus capable of high-level rescue using a compliment of ground (hand) ladders and/or a powered aerial device such as a platform, "straight-stick", or "snorkel".

Two Stage Pump

A water pump with two impellers, capable of pumping in series (pressure) or parallel (volume)

Return to Top

~ U ~

U.S. Department of Transportation

The portion of the federal government that oversees the EMS service.

Return to Top

~ V ~

Victaulic Coupling

A clamp device used to make a flexible joint in the plumbing of a pumper. Victaulics are used to provide flexibility where a welded joint would not survive from movement and vibration.

Return to Top

~ W ~

Water Hammer

The condition that takes place when high pressure or volume water in a line is quickly shut down. The resulting pressure shock of the water is transferred back to the pump where it can create damage to the pump.

Water Tender

Another term for tanker. The term Water Tender was adopted in the West when the municipal fire departments began interfacing with the wildland agencies who used aircraft, known as air tankers, to drop water and retardant on a fire. To prevent confusion, the name Water Tender was used to designate a
ground based water vehicle.

Water Thief

A portable water distribution device with a 2 1/2" inlet and three gated 1 1/2" outlets.

Return to Top