Fire Words

Also called a pumper. It carries its own water tank, so the crew can start on the fire before they hook up to a hydrant. It may carry short ladders on its side; that doesn't make it a ladder truck.

In the fire service, “truck” means this rig: an aerial ladder or platform, lots of ground ladders and rescue tools, and little or no water. Its crew handles forcible entry, search, ventilation and rescue.

Also called a tractor-drawn aerial. The rear driver, the tillerman, steers the back wheels so the long truck can turn tight corners. The two drivers talk by headset and buzzer signals.

Also called a platform. The bucket usually has a water nozzle, and stabilizer legs called outriggers go down to the ground before the ladder goes up.

Names vary a lot by region: “rescue,” “heavy rescue” and “squad” can mean different rigs in different cities. It has no big aerial ladder and usually no hose bed.

Many towns still call it a “tanker.” National incident typing says “water tender” for the ground vehicle and saves “tanker” for aircraft.

Western and federal agencies call it a wildland engine. Many are four-wheel drive, and wildland crews wear lighter gear than firefighters at house fires.

Fireboats pump straight from the water around them, so they don't run out. Some can also pump water ashore when the city's water mains fail.

“Turnout gear” and “bunker gear” mean the same thing. It has three layers (outer shell, moisture barrier and thermal liner), and the reflective stripes help people see firefighters in the dark.

The badge is called the front piece or shield. Helmet colors for rank, like white for chiefs, are a local custom, not a national rule.

Its full name is SCBA, self-contained breathing apparatus. The cylinder holds compressed breathing air, about 21% oxygen like room air, never pure oxygen.

The SCBA face piece is full-face and positive-pressure, and many have a voice amplifier. The breathing sound can frighten small children, which is why firefighters often suit up slowly in front of kids on school visits.

The attack line brings water to the fire; the bigger supply line brings water from a hydrant to the engine. Hose usually comes in 50-foot sections, and a hose full of water is “charged.”

Smooth-bore nozzles make a solid stream; fog nozzles twist from a straight stream to a wide spray. The handle is called the bale: pulled back is open.

In many towns the cap color shows how much water a hydrant can flow (NFPA 291 suggests light blue for the most), but towns vary. The nut on top is usually five-sided and takes a special hydrant wrench.

A typical engine carries a 24-foot extension ladder and a 14-foot roof ladder; ladder trucks carry many more and longer ones. A roof ladder's hooks fold out to grab the peak of a roof.

The flathead axe has a flat striking face; the pick-head axe has a spike on the back. A flathead axe slid together with a Halligan bar is called “the irons.”

Designed by FDNY Deputy Chief Hugh Halligan around 1948, it pries, pierces and wedges. It's a common tool for forcing doors open.

It's used during overhaul, opening walls and ceilings to find hidden fire, and for ventilation. Lengths vary with the building, often 6 to 12 feet.

A thermal imaging camera (TIC) reads surface temperature differences. It cannot see through walls, glass or water, and firefighters are taught not to rely on it alone.

The generic name is hydraulic (or battery) extrication tools: spreaders, cutters and rams. “Jaws of Life” is one maker's trademark.

Adults remember P.A.S.S.: Pull the pin, Aim low at the base of the fire, Squeeze the handle, Sweep side to side. Only a grown-up who knows how should use the right extinguisher on a small, contained fire, with a clear escape route and no dangerous smoke. Everyone else must be leaving and someone calling 9-1-1 from outside. If unsure or the fire grows, get out.

About 6 in 10 US firefighters are volunteers (NFPA, 2023). Say “firefighter,” not “fireman”: women serve at every rank.

A company officer, usually above lieutenant, often responsible for a station or company across all shifts. Exact duties vary by department.

Short for probationary firefighter. Probation commonly lasts about a year (6 to 24 months, depending on the department), and probies traditionally pitch in on chores like washing the rig.

NFPA's title is driver/operator. Departments also say engineer, chauffeur, motor pump operator or pump operator, and in some it's a rank.

Many firefighters are also EMTs or paramedics. Many fire departments run ambulances; in other places EMS is a separate agency or company.

The professional term is telecommunicator. Dispatchers can send help while they're still asking questions, so keep answering.

“Firehouse” is common in the Northeast; “fire station” or “station” elsewhere. Many crews work 24-hour shifts and eat, sleep and train there.

“Apparatus” is the fire service word for all fire vehicles. Rigs are often backed in so they can leave nose-first.

Many newer stations use small individual rooms instead. Turnout gear stays in the bay or gear room, not beside the bed.

Crews commonly chip in their own money for meals and shop together in the rig, so they can leave right away if a call comes in.

Modern rigs carry an electronic siren (wail, yelp and hi-lo), and many also have a mechanical siren and air horns. The shiny bell up front is mostly for tradition and parades now.

Dalmatians were carriage dogs, bred to run alongside horses. The firehouse story rests mostly on tradition, which is why we say “people say.”

Put alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level. Test them monthly and replace them 10 years after the date they were made. Three loud beeps means fire; one chirp every 30 to 60 seconds means a low battery or a worn-out alarm. Children can sleep through a smoke alarm. Practice a drill at night and plan who will wake and help each child.

Teach “nine-one-one,” not “nine-eleven.” In a fire, get out first and call from outside.

Pick one a safe distance in front of the home, find two ways out of every room, and practice the escape plan at least twice a year, once at night.

It's only for clothing on fire, not for when the smoke alarm sounds. Pair it with “get out, stay out” so kids don't mix the two up.