Term

Explanation

Advanced life support (ALS)

Highest level of pre-hospital care, normally provided by paramedics (EMT-P)

AED (Automated External Defibrillation)

Use of a small, portable machine that automatically determines if defibrillation is appropriate and if so administers the appropriate defibrillating shock.

Automatic aid (Auto Aid)

System whereby two or more agencies are automatically dispatched simultaneously to predetermined types of emergencies

Automatic fire sprinkler system

A system designed to activate when exposed to heat, dispensing water to control a fire and prevent it from spreading and reaching flashover

Basic life support (BLS)

The lowest level of pre-hospital care, normally administered by First Responder or EMT-B

Battalion Chief (BC)   

A mid-level management position

Call Stacking

Two or more emergency calls dispatched either at the same time or while the engine company is committed to another incident

CalOSHA

California Division of Occupational Health and Safety Association

Combination fire department

A fire department staffed with volunteer and paid firefighters

Confined space

An area that is large enough to be entered, but whose configuration hinders activities of anyone inside.  Includes such items as underground vaults, tanks, storage bins, pits, sewers, etc.

Defibrillation

The delivery of a direct current of electrical shock to the chest over the heart—used when the heart is fluttering instead of beating—to “shock” it back into normal rhythm

Emergency medical dispatch (EMD)

A system whereby 9-1-1 operators/dispatchers evaluate patient symptoms and help the calling party administer first-aid treatment according to predetermined protocols, thus providing care at the earliest possible moment

Emergency medical services (EMS)

The organized system of delivering pre-hospital care

Emergency medical technician (EMT)

A member of the EMS system, trained and certified to  provide advanced first aid.  WFPD suppression staff are required to be EMTs.

Emergency Medical Technician-Defib (EMT-D)

An EMT who has additional training and is certified to operate an automated external defibrillator (AED).

Engine Company

The staff assigned to a fire engine

Engineer/Firefighter

Firefighter trained to drive fire engine and operate fire engine pumps, analyze water flow requirements and other hydraulics, and perform traditional firefighting/fire suppression activities

Education Revenue Augmentation Fund (ERAF)

Legislation enacted in the early 1990s that authorized the State to shift property tax revenues from fire districts to public education

Extrication

Removal of a patient from an entrapment situation

Fire Captain

A fire officer; in Windsor, the highest ranking member of the engine company

Fire engine (different from a “fire truck”)

The “bread and butter” vehicle of the fleet; typically outfitted with ground ladders, water, hose, and a pump.

Firefighter

Entry-level firefighting position

Fire Flow

The amount of water available or the amount the water distribution system is capable of flowing

Fire Marshal

An administrative staff position, assigned to fire prevention and fire code enforcement

Fire Protection District

A non-municipal fire department, charged with providing fire and other emergency response services within its district boundaries.

First Responder

The lowest level of provider in the EMS system, trained and certified to provide basic first aid; also the emergency response staff who are the first to respond to an emergency call

Fire truck

Usually the largest vehicle in the fleet, must be outfitted with an aerial ladder or platform to be considered a “fire truck” (as opposed to a “fire engine”)

Flashover

The point at which everything in the room (or other burning area) reaches ignition temperature (1200-1800 degrees) and begins to burn.  Once flashover occurs, little, if anything, can be saved.

Golden Hour

The first 60 minutes following a traumatic, shock-inducing injury—the most critical treatment period.

Hazardous materials

Chemicals that are explosive, flammable, or otherwise capable of causing death or destruction when improperly handled or released; includes such materials as household bleach, paint, motor oil, etc.

Haz-Mat

Emergency services term used to refer to incidents involving hazardous materials

Immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH)

The maximum level of danger one could be exposed to and still escape.  Examples include a structure fire, car fire, hazardous materials spill, etc.

Incident Command System (ICS)

A management system designed to maintain order and assure optimal deployment of resources at an emergency scene

Insurance Service Office (ISO)

Private organization that formulates fire safety ratings based on fire threat and responsible agency’s ability to respond to the threat, from one (excellent) to ten (no fire protection).  Many insurance companies use ISO ratings to set insurance premiums.  WFPD’s ISO ratings are 3 in the hydranted areas; 8 in the non-hydranted areas

Mutual Aid

A reciprocal aid agreement between two or more agencies, defining what resources each will provide to the other to respond to certain predetermined types of emergencies.

National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA)

NFPA1500

National Fire Protection Association standard on occupational health and safety for firefighters

NFPA 1710

National Fire Protection Association standard for fire suppression operations, emergency medical operations, and specialized operations for the public by career (paid) fire departments

NFPA 1720

National Fire Protection Association standard for fire suppression operations, emergency medical operations, and specialized operations for the public by volunteer fire departments

Occupational Health and Safety Act (OSHA)

The federal agency, under the Dept of Labor, responsible for employee occupational safety

Paramedic (EMT-P)

Member of the EMS team, trained and certified to provided the highest level of prehospital care

Redevelopment Agency (RDA)

[use definition from other glossary]

Rescue Squad

A fire department vehicle designed to carry equipment related specifically to rescue: scene lighting, cribbing, air bags, and other equipment used for incidents such as extrication of victims in crushed vehicles, structure collapse, ground cave-in, etc.

Residential firefighter

An unpaid firefighter who is assigned to a regular 6:00 pm-8:00 am shift

Response time

The amount of time between when a call is dispatched and emergency responders arrive on scene

Sleeper shift

A shift that commences at 6:00 pm and ends at 8:00, staffed by a volunteer; designed to provide added staffing during the nighttime (normally busiest) hours

Truck Company

The staff assigned to a fire truck, whose duties include ventilation, forced entry, search and rescue, etc.

Two-in/Two Out

The procedure of having a crew standing by completely prepared to immediately enter a structure to rescue the interior crew should a problem develop

Type I Engine

Fire engine equipped primarily for urban firefighting

Type III Engine

Fire engine equipped primarily for wildland firefighting

Volunteer Firefighter

A firefighting professional who receives no pay for services rendered

Volunteer Fire Department

A fire department that is fully staffed by volunteers