According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, firefighters in the United States are three times more likely to die while on duty than the average national worker. So in the period from 1992 to 1997, the number of rescuers who died was 16.5 per 100 thousand workers, compared with 4.6 among other specialties. The number of firefighters killed exceeds even the figures for the same period among the police officers, the rate of which is only 14.2 deaths per 100 thousand law enforcement officers.
During the period 2000-2003, the mortality rate among rescuers decreased, but only slightly. For example, in 2001, over 100 firefighters died while on duty at the World Trade Center home that was blown up by terrorists on September 11, 2001. A total of 345 New York firefighters died then. In comparison, in 1998, 87 firefighters died, in 2002 - 102. Approximately half of all deaths occur directly in the process of fires.
According to the US Fire Administration, in 2001 there were just over one million firefighters in the United States. Among them, only 193.6 thousand people were professionals, others were volunteers employed in other areas and are called up to fight the elements only in emergency situations... This number of volunteers is mainly explained by strictly economic factors: it is more profitable for the municipalities of small towns not to retain the full staff of professionals, but, if necessary, to mobilize fellow citizens to fight the fire element. In this way, the settlement saves on costs. The disadvantages of such a system include the fact that amateurs are about three times more likely to die during fires than specialists.
Long-term monitoring shows that most firefighters in the United States die during the cold season. The main enemy of firefighters is not injuries sustained in the process of extinguishing the fire and performing other official operations, but prolonged stress and severe overstrain. So, in 56% of cases, fire brigade workers died due to heart attacks and oncology diseases. Injuries were the cause of 28% of deaths. In other cases, American firefighters got stuck in a flaming building, lost consciousness, or died in accidents.
It so happened that firefighters in America not only and not so much fight fire, but also perform a wide range of other rescue operations. For example, hurricane Isabelle, which covered the United States in September 2003, was fought by firefighters who carried people out of flooded buildings and cleared the streets of broken trees. During recent emergency shutdowns electricity in all major settlements the northeastern United States and Canada, while millions of residents were completely without electricity for 36 hours, firefighters performed a variety of rescue operations. Only in New York itself, 80 thousand were recorded in one night emergency calls... Among them, firefighters freed more than 800 people from elevators stopped in skyscrapers.
In addition, the profession of a firefighter is relatively poorly paid. So in New York, which is on the list of the most expensive cities in the world to live, a firefighter receives about $ 33,000 a year. And for comparison, according to the US Department of Commerce, the average American citizen received about $ 29,000 in 2000.
At the same time, the not very high salaries of firefighters in the United States does not mean at all that it is so easy to get into the service. Applicants for the role of firefighters, likewise, both boys and girls, must be at least 18 or 21 years old (depending on state regulations) and have perfect vision. A candidate for firefighting equipment must be in excellent physical condition and not have any health problems. But the main and decisive criterion is considered to be the intellectual abilities of the future employee. He must have at least a high school diploma with good grades in physics, mathematics, computer science, etc. A prospective rescuer must complete a compulsory training course (English Fire Service Training). The course is based on two sections - theory and practice. During the training of theory, such disciplines as health care, the basics of construction and architecture (ventilation, the topics of resistance of materials, etc. are carefully studied), etc. In practical exercises, endurance in the process of assessing the situation, the speed of making the right decisions, and so on are tested. American firefighters regularly take tests and exams.
American fire trucks are generally longer and wider than European ones - there are simply no medieval narrow city streets in the United States. there are no common standards: each department orders a car according to its taste
Carrycot equipment
includes a fire monitor, a boom control panel and an air supply system: while on the platform, firefighters do not need to consume oxygen from their own cylinders.
Cradle
to save people and deliver soldiers to the fire site. The computer automatically keeps the cradle level with all boom movements.
Swivel and lifting boom
9.4 meters long with a platform with a lifting capacity of 680 kg and a hydraulic pump with a capacity of 7500 liters per minute.
Hydraulic supports
prevent the machine from tipping over with the boom raised. The computer will not allow the boom to be placed in a dangerous position
Suction fitting
for a fire hydrant. The car's own tank is designed for 1100-1900 liters. There are perforated baffles inside the tank to dampen water vibrations while driving.
Crew cabin
accommodates up to 10 people. The internal space is designed taking into account the norms of noise and vibration, there is climate control.
Doors
have a special design without protruding parts both outside and inside. Even when the door cannot be opened fully, the firefighter can freely get out of the car without getting caught in his clothes.
Stainless steel
not cheap, but practical and durable. Lungs body panels stainless steel saves kilograms of weight to hold more water.
Electronics
and all electrical equipment of the vehicle, including beacons with lED lamps, powered by two independent power systems.
Fact!
Fire car lift Seagrave costs about $ 1.1 million. Vehicle length - 12 m, height - 3.3 m. Engine Cummins has a capacity of 500 liters. from.
Equipment. FDNY-the park
Rescue vehicle
Subdivision machines FDNY Rescue nicknamed the workshop on wheels. Freeing victims from the rubble, the fighters use hydraulic shears, saws, and climbing equipment.
Tank truck
Main fire truck FDNY carries 500 gallons (about 1900 liters) of water, a powerful pump, hose equipment and a team of ten people to the fire.
TechnicalHaz-Mat
On fires with hazardous chemicals (emergency chemically hazardous substances, they are hazardous materials) leaves in tandem from the main rescue vehicle and a technical vehicle with a special tool.
Mobile hospital
Medical Unit Machine EMS MERV replaces several reanimation vehicles. In it, doctors can provide assistance to several victims at the same time.
Photo: Legion-media (x4), Peter Stehlik
The famous manufacturer of fire-fighting equipment, the Rosenbauer concern, continues to amaze with the design and capabilities of its fire-fighting machines. So, recently the American branch of the company presented newest series standard fire Avenger ("avenger").
The fire fighter looks very aggressive, its chopped design is with other recent developments of the concern. In addition to the bright design, the Avenger stands out with some solutions that are unusual for American fire engines.
The seats in the cockpit are attached to the rails, as in aircraft, which allows you to quickly change their number. The cab is finished not with plastic, but aluminum with a special coating - this should increase the service life. But the outer body panels, on the contrary, are made of plastic, which is indifferent to rust, and is lightweight.
As for the units, the Avenger is equipped with cummins engines power from 380 to 450 hp Transmission - "automatic" Allison. For better maneuverability, the front axle of the Hendrickson Steertek brand has a steering angle of as much as 64 degrees.
Like other similar machines, the Avenger is made in a modular fashion. Depending on the buyer's requirements, it can be equipped with one of three body options, as well as different models pumps of our own production.
Most of the US car firefighting fleet consists of models that were built to order by private companies. The peculiarity of such cars is that they are created on the basis of civilian models of the vehicle, modified for specific government needs. Among the companies specializing in the production of fire trucks, Mack, GVC, Peterbilt should be especially noted.
Classification of fire trucks in the USA
All models fire trucks are divided into 2 large groups:
1) Classic. Their peculiarity lies in the fact that they are an ordinary truck, which has been modified and re-equipped to perform actions to extinguish fires. Most of the truck manufacturers in the United States have models in their arsenal that, through retrofitting, turn into traditional fire trucks. These car models include Peterbult 330-370, as well as International 4000-7000. These cars have a double cab design, and are also equipped with an extended chassis.
2) Custom. They belong to the category of models without a hood. These vehicles have a wagon-like cab that can accommodate up to 12 people in full uniform. The chassis is self-assembled by the manufacturers, and items such as the gearbox, engine, axles are ordered separately from third-party suppliers. As for the placement of the engine, its traditional location is in the front of the cab. Although the US vehicle fleet includes models that have an engine in the rear of the vehicle.
Firefighting vehicle brand Ahrens-Fox
This maker of devoured cars has gone down in automotive history as the best-selling and most successful brand. The first model appeared back in 1888. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Ahrens-Fox model was released, which had an engine internal combustionlocated in the far part of the rear axle.
The company has had funding problems recently and has been bought out well-known firm in the industry Mack. In 2003, Ahrens-Fox entered the market again, but the rights to it were acquired by HME.
Fire engine brand American LaFrance
Despite the French name, this company has nothing to do with this state. The name of the company comes from the name of its founder. The company has been on the fire engine market since the late 19th century. At the beginning of the 20th century, a model was presented with a knee ladder, the height of which exceeded 33 meters. At the moment, it is the standard for quality and reliability not only within the United States.
However, given its pioneering work, American LaFrance honors the traditional fire engine industry. This is manifested in the fact that on the cars of this company the first chain drives appeared only in 1935, and diesel motors were installed only in 1966.
In the second half of the 20th century, the company produces new model fire truck, which was named "700". Its peculiarity lies in the fact that it has gone through a series of changes that contributed to its transformation into the famous version of the Century fire engines.
Manufacturer Emergency One
The peculiarity of this company is that it is a newcomer to the industry. It was first registered only in 1975. At the moment, the company produces more than 800 vehicles a year, being one of the three leaders in the United States in the production of fire engines for various purposes. Fire departments in almost all states have vehicles from this manufacturer at their disposal.
Emergency One has positioned itself as a seller of fire fighting equipment suitable for all types of work. However, throughout its existence, the company specialized in the production of fire engines equipped with chassis, which were mounted on American jeeps and SUVs. The firm worked in most cases on order, supplying models without hoods.
Thus, we can conclude that the fire engine market in the United States is represented by a large number of manufacturers who specialize in various areas of fire fighting. A number of companies produce models that are modifications of traditional trucks and SUVs, and some companies supply exclusively models assembled in their own workshops on the basis of American components.
Article sent by: FlowerPower
