After five days the fire department of Hamburg finally managed to control the fire of a fabric-hall full of gas bottles. With help of the fire department of Hamburg Airport, the Police and a special robotic Unit from the Vechta Fire Department. Source: Polizeireporter_Hamburg

Took a big L This year because I wasn't prepared. I'll never fail to prepare again, passion is back for first time since academy in 2013.

Not trying to start any debates but which did you prefer and why?

I’m sure it can vary but I’m a new guy in a city department and I’m not sure if I should bid to an engine or ladder first.

I have previous fire experience. Engine work is nice because you’re quite literally the problem solver and it’s always a good feeling when you finally get to the fire and that thermal layering mixes around you as the fire goes out. However, I like the technicality of truck work. No water. Not tied to any hose lines. Roof work is rewarding when you get a good hole for the interior guys.

I can always move spots as the years go on but just looking for some input! Thanks.

Hi everyone 👋 I’m a therapist who works with first responders (police, fire fighters, EMS, etc) and medical professionals. Something I’ve noticed is how many of you carry heavy stress but rarely reach out for support.

I’m curious: in your opinion, what are the biggest barriers?

• Stigma?
• Confidentiality concerns?
• Scheduling?
• Or just not wanting to “open the floodgates” after a long shift?

I’d really love to understand this better from your perspective. Thanks in advance for any insights 🙏

Sorry for being late, originally planned to post this on the exact day of August 12 but forgot to

On August 12, 2015, multiple explosions occured in the port of tianjin in northern china, caused by a warehouse with hazardous materials whose license had expired.

A total of 173(8 presumed dead) people lost their lives in this incident, with 24 being active service firefighters, 80 being volunteer firefighters(5 of the presumed dead), 11 being police officers and 58 being civilians(3 presumed dead); it was the incident with the highest casualties among firefighters and first responders in general in China.

What makes it even sadder is that according to news articles, many of these firefighters were about to become fathers or husbands before their deaths.(and for the 1 female firefighter, a mother.)

(skip the context if you want)

For context, before 2018, Chinese firefighters(outside of People's Armed Police Forestry Corps, which are irrelevant here) were mostly split into two categories: Active Service firefighters and Career Firefighters(very similar to volunteer firefighters in USA).

Active service firefighters(现役消防员) were full time firefighters under the China Fire Services, a ministry of public security active service force, meaning they were organizationally under local police however they were people's armed police(aka national guard) personnel, meaning they were treated as active service members and would recieve vet benefits(in fact even those who are still in service but joined before 2018 also get vet benefits). In 2018 during reforms the china fire services were merged with the PAP forestry corps to form the China Fire and Rescue, china's first civilian firefighting force, with full time firefighters now being treated as civil employees.

Career firefighters(专职消防员) are quite similar to volunteer firefighters in the states, except they do recieve salary(though lower than full time firefighters) as contractors. prior to 2018, local governments and buisnesses could have their own career firefighter units, though in 2018 career firefighter units under local governments were merged into the full time fire department; However they are still seen as part time governemnt contractors and not civil employees.

During the 2015 explosions, since the police officers(who were private police under the port of tianjin public security bureau) and volunteer firefighters were not civil employees(aka non-staff), the eligability of whether they could recieve prizes was questioned. Then-primier Li Keqiang responded that "they are all heroes, there is no "non staff" in heroes "(他们都是英雄，英雄没有“编外”！), and that the volunteer firefighters and private police would recieve the same condolences and awards as the active service firefighters.

Here is a list of all the heroic firefighters who lost their lives in the explosions(All info used is publicly avaliable).

Active service firefighters

All active service firefighters were under the China Fire Services Tianjin Fire Department, now known as the Tianjin Fire and Rescue.

Also keep in mind, I use the term enlisted even for commissioned officers since it's not always stated whether they enlisted and simply kept getting promotions or were commissioned.

The ministry of public security honor roll is used; For where they came from I used news articles or baidu baike(aka the chinese equivalent of wikipedia)

Corporal Cheng Yuan(成圆)

Firefighter of the Economic-Technological Development Area Brigade 8th Street Company; Born June 1994(21 years old at the time), enlisted(since full time firefighters used to be active service so joining was known as "enlisting") December 2011(served for 3 years, 8 months). From Yongzhou, Hunan.

(Memorial on the Ministry of Public Security 2016 Honor Roll )

Private Chen Bowen(陈博文)

Firefighter of the Economic-Technological Development Area Brigade Specialist Company's Specialist Squadron(specialist units are in charge of stuff like HAZMAT, USAR or out of control fires). Born January 1996(19 years old at the time), enlisted September 2014(served for 11 months). From Tianjin.

(Memorial on the Ministry of Public Security 2016 Honor Roll )

Private Cai Jiayuan(蔡家远)

Firefighter of the Economic-Technological Development Area Brigade 8th Street Company. Born June 1996(19 years old at the time), enlisted September 2014(served for 11 months). From Yongzhou, Hunan.

(Memorial on the Ministry of Public Security 2016 Honor Roll )

Corporal Gao Hongsen(高洪森)

Firefighter of the Economic-Technological Development Area Brigade Specialist Company's Firefighting Squadron. Born November 1995(19 years old at the time), enlisted December 2012(served for 2 years, 8 months). From Tianjin. He was the first active service firefighter to enter the disaster area.

(Memorial on the Ministry of Public Security 2016 Honor Roll )

Private First Class Guo Junyao(郭俊瑶)

Firefighter of the Economic-Technological Development Area Brigade 3rd Street Company Firefighting Squadron. Born January 1996(19 years old at the time), enlisted September 2013(served for 1 year, 11 months). From Jining, Shandong.

(Memorial on the Ministry of Public Security 2016 Honor Roll (keep in mind, the memorial says he was born november, which other sources say is a typo))

Major Jiang Zeguo(江泽国)

Assistant Commissar of the Economic-Technological Development Area Brigade, responsible for Specialist units. Born October 1979(35 years old at the time), Enlisted December 1999(served for 15 years, 8 months). From Bozhou, Anhui.

(Memorial on the Ministry of Public Security 2016 Honor Roll )

Captain Li Hongxi(李洪喜)

Commissar of the Economic-Technological Development Area Brigade 8th Street Company. Born July 1981(34 years old at the time), enlisted December 1999(served for 15 years, 8 Months). From Anshan, Liaoning.

(Memorial on the Ministry of Public Security 2016 Honor Roll )

Private First Class Li Yuanhang(李远航)

Firefighter of the Economic-Technological Development Area Brigade Specialist Company. Borne June 1994(21 at the time), enlisted September 2013(served for 1 year, 11 months). From Luohe, Henan

(Memorial on the Ministry of Public Security 2016 Honor Roll )

First Lieutenant Liang Shilei(梁仕磊)

Subsitute Commander of the Economic-Technological Development Area Brigade 8th Street Company. Born Feburary 1989(26 at the time), enlisted June 2012(Served for 3 years, 2 months). From tianjin

(Memorial on the Ministry of Public Security 2016 Honor Roll )

Staff Sergeant Lin Haiming(林海明)

Squadron leader of the Economic-Technological Development Area Brigade Specialist Company's Specialist Squadron. Born November 1985(29 years at the time), enlisted December 2003(served for 11 years and 8 months). From Yingkou, Liaoning

(Memorial on the Ministry of Public Security 2016 Honor Roll )

Sergeant Liu Cheng(刘程)

Firefighter of the Economic-Technological Development Area Brigade 8th Street Company. Born November 1992(22 at the time), Enlisted December 2009(served for 5 years, 8 months). From tianjin

(Memorial on the Ministry of Public Security 2016 Honor Roll )

Private Ning Yu(宁宇)

Firefighter of the Dongjiang Port area brigade tianbao road company. Born June 1996(19 at the time), enlisted September 2014(served for 11 months). From Deyang, Sichuan.

(Memorial on the Ministry of Public Security 2016 Honor Roll )

Private First Class Ning Zimo(宁子默)

Firefighter of the Economic-Technological Development Area Brigade Specialist Company firefighting squadron. Born April 1994(21 at the time), enlisted September 2013(served for 1 year, 11 months). From Jining, Shandong

(Memorial on the Ministry of Public Security 2016 Honor Roll )

Corporal Pang Ti(庞题)

Squadron leader of the Dongjiang Port area brigade tianbao road company 2nd Squadron. Born October 1991(23 years at the time), Enlisted December 2010(Served for 4 years, 8 months). From Suizhou, Hubei.

(Memorial on the Ministry of Public Security 2016 Honor Roll )

Staff Sergeant Shao Junqiang(邵俊强)

Squadron leader of the Economic-Technological Development Area Brigade Taihu Road Company Specialist Squad. Born January 1985(30 at the time), enlisted December 2003(served for 11 years, 8 months). From tianjin.

(Memorial on the Ministry of Public Security 2016 Honor Roll )

Second Lieutenant Tang Ziyi(唐子懿)

Platoon leader(unknown which platoon) of the Economic-Technological Development Area Brigade 8th Street Company. Born November 1989(25 years old at the time), enlisted december 2009(served for 5 years, 8 months). From tianjin.

(Memorial on the Ministry of Public Security 2016 Honor Roll )

Staff Sergeant Tian Baojian(田宝建)

Firefighter of the Dongjiang Port area brigade tianbao road company Chauffeur squadron. Born May 1985(30 years at the time), enlisted December 2005(server for 9 years, 8 months). From Tianjin.

(Memorial on the Ministry of Public Security 2016 Honor Roll )

Lieutenant Colonel Wang Jiliang(王吉良)

Deputy brigade commander of the Economic-Technological Development Area Brigade. Born October 1971(43 at the time), enlisted December 1990(Served for 24 years, 8 months). From Dezhou, Shandong. Highest ranked active service firefighter killed in the explosions.

(Memorial on the Ministry of Public Security 2016 Honor Roll )

Sergeant Wang Qi(王琪)

Firefighter of the Dongjiang Port area brigade tianbao road company.Born March 1991(24 at the time), enlisted December 2008(served for 6 years, 8 months). From tianjin

(Memorial on the Ministry of Public Security 2016 Honor Roll )

Corporal Yang Gang(杨纲)

Firefighter of the Economic-Technological Development Area Brigade 8th Street Company 1st Specialist Squadron. Born July 1992(23 years old at the time), enlisted December 2011(served for 3 years, 8 months). From Chongqing.

(Memorial on the Ministry of Public Security 2016 Honor Roll )

Sergeant Yin Yanrong(尹艳荣)

Firefighter of the Economic-Technological Development Area Brigade Specialist Company Specialist Squadron. Born January 1990(25 years old at the time), enlisted December 2008(served for 6 years, 8 months). From Harbin, Heilongjiang

(Memorial on the Ministry of Public Security 2016 Honor Roll )

Private Yuan Hai(袁海)

Firefighter of the Dongjiang Port area brigade tianbao road company. Born September 1997(17 years(and 11 months) old at the time). Enlisted September 2014(served for 11 months). From Deyang, Sichuan. Youngest active service firefighter killed in the explosions.

(Memorial on the Ministry of Public Security 2016 Honor Roll )

Corporal Zhen Yuhang(甄宇航)

Firefighter of the Economic-Technological Development Area Brigade 3rd StAllreet Company Chauffeur squadron. Born August 1993(22 years at the time), enlisted December 2011(served for 3 years, 8 months). From Baoding, Hebei.

(Memorial on the Ministry of Public Security 2016 honor roll)

Private First Class Zi Qinghai(訾青海)

Firefighter of the Economic-Technological Development Area Brigade 8th Street Company. Born July 1995(20 years old at the time), enlisted September 2013(served for 1 year, 11 months). From Zhoukou, Henan

(memorial on the ministry of public security 2016 honor roll)

Volunteer Firefighters(known as career firefighters in china)

All volunteer firefighters came from the Port of tianjin public security bureau(a public security bureau is the chinese term for police department) firefighting branch.

For the volunteer firefighters this source, news articles along with baidu baike is used:

https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_14009957

Yin Legang(殷乐刚)

Born 1980(35 at the time of incident)

Dong Zepeng(董泽鹏)

Born 1996(19 years old), from Zhangjiakou, Hebei

Fan Chunyu(樊春雨)

Fan Xingyun(范兴运)

Han Junbo(韩军波)

Jia Hongguang(贾洪广)

Qi Jixu(齐吉旭)

Born 1997(18 years old), from Dezhou, Shandong

Tang Xianwang(唐先旺)

Born 1996(19 years old), from Henan

Chen Xiande(陈宪德)

Cui Fukang(崔富康)

Cui Zhenyu(崔振宇)

Born 1997(18 years old)

Dong Yaoyong(董尧勇)

Fan Xiaofei(樊小飞)

Han Zhigang(韩志刚)

He Chengpeng(何成朋)

Hu Le( 胡乐)

Born 1994(21 at the time), from Xiaogan, Hubei

Jia Naiyuan(贾乃源)

Jin Xiaogang(靳晓刚)

Lei Chi(雷驰)

Born March 1995(20 at the time), from Suining, Sichuan

Lei Yong( 雷勇)

Li Fuyue( 李富越 )

Born 1994(21 at the time), joined in 2012(served for 3 years)

Li Xiao(李潇)

Born 1990(25 at the time), from Zhangjiakou, hebei

Li Xueming(李学明)

Born 1997(18 years old at the time)

Li Changxing(李长兴)

Born 1996(19 at the time), joined July 2014(served for 1 year, 1 month), from Cangzhou, Hebei

Liu Beiwen(刘倍文)

From Datong, Shanxi

Liu Chuang(刘闯)

Liu Guogang(刘国刚)

Born November 1985(29 at the time), joined September 2004(served for 10 years, 11 months), from Zaozhuang, Shandong

Liu Tianlong(刘天龙)

Born 1994(21 at the time), from Heilongjiang

Liu Yue(刘悦)

Liu Zhiqiang(刘治强)

Born 1997(18 at the time), From Zhangjiakou, Hebei

Liu Chuntao(柳春涛)

Born 1993(22 years old), From Zhangjiakou, Hebei

Lu Yanhui(禄燕辉)

Meng Zhanli(蒙占立)

Peng Debao(彭德宝)

Born 1993(22 years old)

Ren Yuhao(任宇浩)

Born December 1997(17 years, 8 months old), from zhangjiakou, hebei

Song Fuchang( 宋福昌)

Song Tianyi(宋天意)

Su Yang(苏杨)

Born August 1997(18 years old)

Sun Weiqi( 孙伟奇)

Born August 1959(56 years old). Drove the first fire engine that responded.

Wang Jun( 王俊)

Wang Quan( 王全 )

Born 1975(40 years old)

Wang Shijie(王世杰)

Sun Yunfei( 孙云飞 )

From Zhangjiakou, Hebei

Nie Quanxing(聂全星)

Zhang Shengping(张圣平)

Born 1987(28 years old).

Liu Mingyang( 刘明阳 )

Wang Shengmin(王胜民 )

Born 1998(17 years old). From Dezhou, Shandong

Jiang Liming(姜立铭 )

Born march 1989(27 years old), from Jixi, Heilongjiang

Li Mingxing( 李明星 )

Born 1988(28 years old), from fujian

Li Zhi( 李志)

Born July 1989(27 years old), from Zhangjiakou, Hebei

Wang Yu(王宇 )

Wei Junbing(魏俊冰)

Xu Baolong(徐宝龙 )

Xu Ridong( 徐日东)

Yang Weiguang(杨伟光 )

Born 1991(24 years old at the time), from Zhangjiakou, Hebei

Yu Xiaobo(余晓波 )

Yue Xiaoning( 岳晓宁)

Zhang Fu(张甫)

From Xuchang, Henan

Zhang Qian(张乾 )

Born 1994(21 years old), from Tianjin

Wang Mingyue( 王明月)

Zhou Qingshan(周青山)

From Dezhou, Shandong

Zhang Sumei(张素梅)(Female)

Born 1990(25 years old), joined in November 2014(served for 9 years). From Zhangjiakou, Hebei. The only female firefighter killed in the explosions.

Xue Ning(薛宁 )

Born 1996(19 years old)

Yuan Jianjing(原建京 )

Yuan Xuxu(苑旭旭 )

Born 1997(18 years old)

Zhang Qi(张奇)

Born 1986(29 years old), from Dezhou, Shandong

Zhang Rutao(张如涛 )

Zhu Xiaowei(朱晓伟 )

Zhang Guangyang(张广杨 )

Zhang Mengyu( 张梦宇)

Zhao Jiaao( 赵家澳)

Zheng Guangliang(郑光亮 )

Born 1997, from Cangzhou, Hebei

Zhu Jun(朱君)

Presumed dead volunteer firefighters:

Chang Jingli(常景立)

Wang Shengpeng(王胜鹏)

From Dezhou, Shandong

Wang Wenxu(王文旭)

Wang Shaojie(王少杰)

Wang Chunming(王春明)

Good day all, recently a volunteer department (at least their trustees) have approached our fire board about them merging into our fire district. We are just solving our own problems with full time staffing, better pay/benefits, equipment, etc.

This department in question is WILDLY unprofessional. When we show up to their fires they won’t go interior as they will literally hand you their hose line even though they’ve been on scene for 10-15 minutes. Not to mention they have a sexual predator and several other members who protect said predator.

I feel like all of this and other unknown things should be made known to the public and/or our fire board. However I’m not comfortable with doing so due to us not being unionized. Nor do the majority of our guys want to become unionized.

To me it seems like a recipe for disaster and I want to look out for the great guys we already have. Currently I’m the most senior full time firefighter and I feel like it’s my responsibility to do what’s right but we don’t have protection from a union. Any help on this matter would be greatly appreciated.

I'm a recent fire school grad/current EMT student who will be heading to the field within the next few weeks, and have recently received my first station assignment. I am going to a single company station which has a quint, and it's the only ladder on its side of town. Generally in my department, assignments to a ladder are given to more experienced personnel, and one of the reasons for that is our in-house fire academy primarily focuses on engine skills (dragging hose, using the nozzle, forcible entry, etc.)

As such, I want to familiarize myself with any resources regarding truck skills. I know quite little about vertical ventilation, VEIS, overhaul, and other tasks commonly given to a truck company. I know that these are things my company should be teaching me once I'm actually at the station, but I want to get ahead and be as well prepared as possible. If anyone has advice or resources I should look at, please let me know. Thanks!

So my county in Texas is switching to a new dispatching and Unit numbering system. We are copying it from Jefferson County Kentucky’s old system apparently. Our Chief and the director at the EMA like it, idk if either of them are from that area or they just found it but whatever. The dispatching system is switching from a relatively new automated system back to pager tones and a human dispatcher. The automated system just had some issues and a lot of chiefs didn’t like it. Anyway, there are 6 departments in the county. The way the numbering will work will be as a followed, every unit will have a four digit number, the first two numbers are the “department number” our department will be 25. The third number will be the type of apparatus. 0 for chief officers, 1 for duty officers and misc personnel, 2 for reserve apparatus, 3 for engines, 4 for ambulances, 5 for truck companies, 6 for tankers, 7 for brush units, 8 for rescue and hazmat apparatus and equipment, and 9 for utility vehicles. The fourth number will be the station number. So my Engine company will be “unit 2532” and our neighbor district will have “unit 6601” for the fire chief for example. Anyway i just wanted some thoughts about this, and suggestions or anything like that? Im not sure how i feel about it but i think its better than having 4 different apparatus calling out as “Engine 1” on a fire scene.

I've seen people where Fitbits to G-Shocks to Garmin's. Even saw a provide where a Rolex, which didn't last long.

What do the circled signs mean? I know FDC is the fire department connection. The sign under that is max pump in pressure.

Someone said it means you guys aren't supposed to enter the building to fight a fire. If that's the case, doesn't it completely defeat the purpose of the FDC and standpipe being live?

Just completed confined space and aced a test 💪🏾

Decades ago I was the acting shift Captain on the Friday heading into Labor Day weekend. The Grumman Aerialcat had been taken out of service by yesterday's shift. Out of central station we ran two crews and a Battalion Chief. One crew staffed an engine and the other crew cross-staffed the rescue and ladder. Toward the end of the afternoon the engine crew picked up the ladder from the maintenance shop. Two separate times an engine crew member told me that one of the two main lift cylinders on the ladder had blown a seal and therefore the ladder was not to be raised over the weekend. We had the big toolbox but not the big tool. We were toned out for a structure alarm. During the organized chaos of donning gear the Battalion Chief pointed over my shoulder to the ladder and said "Blew A Seal". I quickly wiped my mouth with my hand and loudly stated "Mayonnaise Just Had A Ham Sandwich"

Tru Story.

So not to long ago I made a post about how terrible I slept at the fire station and have tried multiple different things to try and make my sleep better. I recently tried a weighted blanket for one night. We woke up for a call at 3 am and I decided to to try out the blanket that night. Usually most of us cant go back to sleep after waking up from a call like that later in the morning. It took me a while but when I finally did go back to sleep I slept past shift change and that has never happened. Years of searching just to discover a weighted bink bink would solve it.

Hello! I myself am Not a Firefighter, but am Curious about it. Although I was born and raised in Canada, I'm curious about other countries Firefighting. So, my question is for Japanese Firefighters -

How long did your probation period last, if you had one?

What do we all think of this? Seems pretty nuts to me. They are actively getting in the way of wildlands guys as they do their job out there. I dont think this should be allowed or encouraged. Firefighting is a lot more important than .... risking 20 guys dressed exactly like firefighters crossing the Canadian border?

For my dept the Chief designated August to test the hoses. He also designated Sept to Nov for hydrant testing. Some of the guys don't like testing hoses because of the heat but at the end of the day, its part of our job. We start early right after morning check offs so the weather is tolerable.

The mini fire van is a vehicle of the HKFSD for firefighting in the outlying islands(e.g. cheung chau or lamma island) where the roads are narrow;

it's really cute honestly

Source

https://www.hkfsd.gov.hk/eng/gallery/fireappliances/MT-PM.html

Maybe you set it up. Maybe you walked right into it.
Either way, there’s always that one moment that people still talk about.

What’s the one prank that you’ll never forget?

Maybe about a week ago something happened at my apartment complex but the leasing office never told us what it was. I was leaving my building and suddenly like 3 or 4 fire trucks show up along with several police cars. They block everything off. They go to the top of the roof of my building but we don’t know why. No fire alarm went off either. Does anybody have a clue/guess on what they might have been doing?

I’m 18 right now soon to be 19 and I have my pre service firefighting degree.

What’s a good job to work before I get hired on? For example I recently put in a request to work with St. John Ambulance.

Any suggestions on jobs I can get with an EMR licence as well? What jobs did you have before you became a firefighter?

Hello there folks, I’m a 15yo Explorer and was recently able to pickup a radio strap for free through my program and was just wondering one thing, what is this extra strap/ piece and what does it do, I don’t know what it’s called so I wasn’t able to research it so I turned here for help! (I’m holding it in the picture)

Looking for guys who work on 48/96 departments. Our department is researching it and would love people to talk to. Please pm me if you can!

Hey there. Paramedic here. I have a fitness test at the volly station I'm joining tomorrow. I have very minimal experience working at a fire department. I'm joining to gain more certs and to see if I enjoy the other side of public safety. Any tips on being the new guy? Things that can help me be a good member of my station? The service I'm joining does QRS- but I'm under the impression that I'll be there only paramedic there. Any good ideas for QRS?

I know it's a super broad question. Thanks everyone.