The New Haynes Firefighter Manual:
- Offers a fascinating insight into the roles and working lives of firefighters
- Illustrates the training and equipment required to be a firefighter
- Looks at the history and future of firefighting
According to latest Home Office statistics, fire and rescue services (FRSs) in England attended 576,040 incidents between March 2018 and 2019. Of these incidents attended by FRSs, fires accounted for 32 per cent, fire false alarms 40 per cent and non-fire incidents 28 per cent.
The dedication of firefighters in the UK is second-to-none, and as a result they hold a place in the hearts of many. In celebration of these heroic figures, a new book from Haynes, the Firefighter Owners’ Workshop Manual, provides a fascinating insight into the training, equipment, roles and working lives of firefighters.
Written by fire and rescue experts Philip Martin and Duncan J. White, the book tells the story of firefighters, from early firefighting, their role in the Second World War, post-war fire service and through to the modern firefighter and the what the future might look like.
The manual provides a glimpse behind-the-scenes, from the anatomy of an emergency call through to types of emergency incidents that may arise. It also covers major incident case studies. Additionally, the book shines light on the resources and specialist equipment required to do the job including the fire station and fire appliances.
The book also explains how, in the event of a fire, the firefighter’s role extends beyond extinguishing it. Salvage of property will include removing valuables and other contents that could be lost in a fire. In addition, work will be carried out to minimise damage as a result of firefighting operations. Once a fire has been extinguished, the incident commander will liaise with property owners to advise on the next steps they need to consider. A fire investigation will then be carried out in order to determine the most likely cause of the fire, and this too is detailed in the Firefighter Owners’ Workshop Manual.
Talking about the book, Philip, who worked in the UK Fire and rescue Service for 34 years commented: “Behind the exciting image of firefighters rushing to save lives is a profession that has embraced its responsibilities, seeking to work with society to reduce risk and prevent tragedy. Firefighters now work within their communities alongside other organisations and professionals to ensure that people have a good understanding of risk and how to reduce it.
“The firefighter’s role extends into schools and colleges to help educate young people, as well as engaging with adults through safety at work and in the home, in addition to working alongside social and healthcare professionals to help in protecting vulnerable people. Firefighters also train in fire protection and act to enforce fire-safety legislation, which helps to protect the public in the places they live and work.”
Duncan added: “Without question, firefighters share a special place in the hearts of the public; they are regarded as people who will rush to the aid of others and risk their own lives regardless of who may be at risk, or what the emergency may be. Many a young child will have firefighter at the top of their list of what they would like to do when they grow up. Even as adults, we are somehow drawn to watch as a fire engine passes us in the street or on the road. Over history, whether through art or news coverage, the firefighter is often depicted as the character carrying their helpless victim to safety.
“This book really highlights how modern-day firefighters possess a wide and diverse range of skills, techniques and equipment, enabling them to respond to and resolve some of the most extreme emergencies, both natural and man-made. Their role is now far wider than firefighting alone, as is reflected in the change of service title from Fire Service to Fire and Rescue Service.”
The Firefighter Workshop Owners’ Manual is extensively illustrated with photographs, illustrations and diagrams, and is fascinating reading for both those interested in pursuing a career in the service and those who simply want to learn more about the role of a firefighter today.
Title Details
The Firefighter Owners’ Workshop Manual is available from haynes.com priced at £22.99. The book number is H6205. The ISBN is 9781785212055. It is published in October 2019.