Firefighter
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Firefighters are people who have the responsibility of putting out fires. Their job often also includes helping with other emergency calls. Firefighters use many different types of equipment to deal with all kinds of emergency situations.


Firefighters are based at and respond to emergency situations from a Fire Station (Also Known As a Firehouse or Firehall). Firefighters deal with many kinds of emergency situations. When their help is needed, they drive to the location of the emergency on a vehicle called a Fire Engine (Also Known As a Fire Truck or Fire Apparatus). These vehicles have the equipment they often need to deal with all kinds of emergency situations. Fire Engines carry equipment that helps in putting out fires. They also carry equipment for Medical Emergencies,Hazardous Materials Events and Technical Rescue Incidents.
Firefighters wear heavy clothing to protect them from the heat of a fire. This is called bunker gear or turnout gear. They wear equipment to help them breathe in areas that are filled with smoke. They normally also wear a mask to protect themselves from breathing in smoke and very hot air and gases. This helps them to protect themselves and those that they serve.
Fire departments change
The name of the agency that firefighters work for can be different in each country. Common names include a a fire department, fire service, fire and rescue service or fire brigade. Fire departments are usually government agencies that are funded by taxes. Some place, such as airports, have their own firefighters.
At some fire departments, the firefighters work full-time. They stay at the fire station and wait to be called out to an emergency. They work during both the daytime and at night. Villages and small towns normally have part-time firefighters. They have other jobs outside of the fire service. These firefighters will drive from their home or workplace to the fire station when their help is needed. They may be volunteers, or they may be paid for doing this job. In the United Kingdom, these paid firemen are known as "retained firefighters".