Unless something has gone totally awry, firefighters shouldn’t spend all their time fighting off flames. Even if they’re wildland firefighters who can spend days or even weeks battling a burning forest, there will be some downtime in between fires. But what do they do during that time? That’s what we’re here to answer with this article about what firefighters should do when not fighting fires.
Respond To Other Emergencies
Even if there aren’t any fires that day, there’s a good chance everyone will head out in the trucks a couple of times a day. That’s because firefighters respond to emergencies other than fires. Car accidents, gas leaks, and hazardous material spills are just a few of the calls they receive regularly. They are one of the few first emergency responders who you’ll see at almost any accident or crime scene.
File Reports
Of course, after they come back, the fire department needs to fill out paperwork for all these incidents. It’s crucial to keep detailed records of everything in case information from the event is required in the future. That means everyone who was at the scene needs to give their own report of what occurred and file it afterward. It can be a tedious process, but it’s vital for liability reasons.
Check Equipment and Vehicles
Once the more important stuff is out of the way, that’s when firefighters have a bit more freedom to do what they want. However, that doesn’t mean they get to slack off. After every trip, someone needs to look over the vehicles and gear they used in the previous emergency to ensure that everything is in proper working order. There are many reasons why tool inspections are necessary, but the most important is the fact that a broken one could lead to an unnecessary injury or casualty.
Physical and Job Training
On top of making sure the gear is in tip-top shape, firefighters need to do the same for themselves. Almost every fire department will have gym equipment for their staff to utilize in their downtime. Of course, physicality is only part of it. Since firefighters respond to so many calls, they need to make sure they are quite knowledgeable about all the various types of disasters. That means hitting the books and running through practice scenarios are common around the firehouse.
Rest and Relaxation
Finally, the last thing on our list of what firefighters should do when not fighting fires is to get some rest. Firefighting is a physically demanding job, and if firefighters don’t know how to turn it off in between calls, they’ll tire themselves out before the end of the day. Obviously, resting means more than just getting some sleep when needed. It could mean sitting down and watching some TV or playing a game with others. As long as they don’t take advantage of these types of activities, there’s nothing wrong with firefighters having fun with their leisure time.