The Bottom Line: Things you should know about firefighters!
The Full Story:
- Red and blue also signify emergency services around the world.
- Check out the cool video @IFFD (International Firefighters Day’s Twitter account) made as promotion for May 4th
- According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 97 on-duty firefighters died in the U.S. in 2013, 31% being from rapid-fire progresses and explosions. 33% were caused from overexertion/stress/ or medical issues.
- According to Firefightersday.org, on the first Sunday in May, they ask the public to Sound Off in respect of past firefighters. Sirens sound for 30 seconds followed by a minute’s silence in memory of and respect for the fallen fighters who were lost in the line of duty “or passed before us.”
- Most firefighters are volunteers. Yup - 75% of all firemen are actually volunteers. They choose to run into burning buildings and save lives, not for the fame or fortune but to just help out their community. And they don’t even get paid.
- Firefighters enter buildings with temperatures greater than what you cook meat at in your oven. A burning building typically reaches 600 degrees on the bottom floor and can get up to typically 1500 degrees in the ceiling! Most people don’t cook their food at more then 450 degrees.
- Firefighters are expected to get dressed in less then 2 minutes. They need to have everything on in less then 2 minutes! This includes their turnout gear and SCBA (what they use to breathe with in burning buildings) correctly in less than 2 minutes. All of that gear plus the tools to do the job can weigh anywhere between 80 to 120 pounds.