General Safety

• First responders must be well versed in the equipment they are using.fireman after hard work image by Igor Murtazin from Fotolia.com
  
  Each firefighter and EMT must have extensive knowledge of each piece of equipment they use on emergency scenes. This includes the extrication tools, various fire trucks and a variety of other tools. If an emergency responder is not properly trained in the use of the equipment, he risks injuring himself as well as the other responders. For example, if using the JAWS to extricate a victim, the responder must have knowledge of the vehicle they are cutting into. Some newer vehicles are equipped with side-impact air bags. These airbags have sensors in the top of the doors that can be activated by the JAWS equipment, causing injury not only to the victim still inside the vehicle, but to the responder as well.
  
  

Occupational Safety

• Flairs and reflective gear are necessary to keep first responders safe.emergency injury image by robert mobley from Fotolia.com
  
  While directing traffic after an accident on a busy highway in Missoula, Montana, in December 2008, a firefighter was struck and killed. This tragedy could have been avoided if he was driving a fire truck instead of his personal vehicle as well as utilizing the flairs, alerting oncoming drivers to the accident scene. Responders must carry equipment with them if they choose to drive a personal vehicle to any call, including flairs, reflective vests and flashing lights.
  
  

Personal Protective Equipment

• PPE protects the responder from exposure to diseases.work gloves image by green308 from Fotolia.com
  
  Personal protective equipment, or PPE, usually consists of sterile gloves, sterile gowns, face masks and other equipment that has the specific role of protecting the first responder from external threats. These threats are not only contagious diseases but hazardous materials as well. It is very important that each department implements its own guidelines regarding PPE, as to how and when it is used as well as how to maintain the equipment. PPE is the most important part of emergency responder's safety; therefore, it must be maintained just like a fire truck or ambulance.
  
  

Safety from Infectious Disease

• Responders must treat each patient as if he is contagious.lit d'hopital image by photlook from Fotolia.com
  
  First responders do not know the medical history of a patient unless that patient is alert and able to tell them. This is why all responders treat each victim as if he has an infectious disease. In order to keep themselves and their family healthy, first responders adhere to procedures with latex gloves, face masks and hand sanitizer. If any of this type of gear comes into contact with bodily fluids, it prevents the fluid from coming into contact with the responder. This makes it unlikely that the responder will become ill with any disease the patient may have.
  
  

Hazardous Material

• First responders need special equipment when dealing with hazardous material.Dangerous when wet placard image by k9dg from Fotolia.com
  
  Each city and state has its own adopted rules for handling hazardous materials, such as anthrax or meth labs. Most areas have a special hazardous materials crew that will come to the scene. However, in smaller areas, this is not possible. This is when the first responders must respond to hazardous material calls as well as their other duties. Anyone who is involved with any type of hazardous material must be well trained in the dangers that come with it, such as burning, risk of explosion and exposure. Special hazardous material training as well as full body suits protect them. The suits are full, hooded suits made of special material to protect the responder from all threats associated with hazardous material cleanup.