| Apart from these obvious risks, are some not so | | | | related incidents, however, the opposite is true. At |
| obvious ones that have long term, damaging | | | | least a quarter of all of the deaths that occur to |
| effects in their lives concerning their health and | | | | firefighters, in the United States, are accidents |
| length of life. To understand these risks we need | | | | involving vehicles as they are either returning |
| to be aware of them and how they will ultimately | | | | from a crisis or responding to one. |
| affect our futures as well. | | | | There have also been far too many killed or |
| Self preservation is perhaps the most critical skill | | | | injured during their work at an incident, by other |
| these firefighters can learn. They are taught | | | | vehicles. Following this is the most fatal hazard to |
| during their schooling and drills the importance of | | | | most firefighters everywhere, heart disease. For |
| knowing where they are and the hazards | | | | some, this may come as a surprise, but for |
| surrounding them at all times. There are a few | | | | others it is only logical. Heart problems have long |
| pieces of mandatory equipment to aid specifically | | | | been associated with firefighting, and cardiac |
| in lessening their chances of developing long term | | | | death is, shockingly, the primary cause of death |
| problems. The first of these is their SCBA (Self | | | | for firefighters in relation to on-duty deaths |
| Contained Breathing Apparatus) which is used to | | | | statistics. There are other occupational hazards, |
| filter the air around them in cases of high levels of | | | | such as carbon monoxide, and substances |
| carbon monoxide or gaseous air, as well as aiding | | | | containing nitrogen and carbon, and hydrogen |
| in preventing smoke inhalation. The problem with | | | | cyanide. |
| these -- they are not, as with anything man | | | | Carbon monoxide is most usually found in most |
| made, 100% foolproof, meaning there is still going | | | | fires that occur, but hydrogen cyanide is a deadly |
| to be noxious gasses or smoke inhaled by the | | | | gas created when plastics, cotton, paper, and |
| firefighter. | | | | other things that contain nitrogen and carbon in |
| The PASS (Personal Alert Safety System) is | | | | them, are on fire. These deadly gasses are |
| used primarily as a means of locating firefighters | | | | supposedly filtered through the SCBA, but the |
| inside a burning structure if they have to cease | | | | inhalation of them retards the flow of oxygen in |
| movement for at certain period of time, or if | | | | the body, possibly resulting in Hypoxia which |
| manually deployed. It enables those outside to | | | | ultimately can result in heart trouble. |
| keep track of the movement of the workers | | | | Smoke inhalation is another largely damaging |
| inside, and to enter in and aid them if anyone | | | | hazard. Not only are the lungs effected, but also |
| needs it. Along with these are the personal self | | | | your heart and your body in a myriad of ways |
| rescue ropes. These have proved invaluable of | | | | suffers from the smoke, and can result in |
| late, sadly too late for some. Two firefighters in | | | | atherosclerosis. Hypertension has also been |
| New York lost their lives after jumping from a | | | | attributed to firefighting, due to the noise and |
| fourth story window to get out of the fire. Out | | | | stress involved in any crisis. These situations call |
| of the four who jumped and somehow managed | | | | for speedy actions and quick decisions to be |
| to survive the fall, just one of them had a self | | | | made. |
| rescue rope. Following the incident, the city of | | | | This can be draining emotionally as well as |
| New York has cleared the issue of mandatory | | | | mentally and physically. Over-exertion can also |
| self rescue ropes for all of their firefighters. | | | | result in problems with the heart, as some |
| Of all of the hazards they face in a day, you | | | | firefighters have a tendency to push themselves |
| would think it hard to suffer from any vehicular | | | | physically much farther than is wise. |