Are you a volunteer fire fighter who may be called out to help when a major disaster strikes in your area? Read on and discover checks for important fire safety equipment that you should conduct to ensure that you will be safe and ready to help those in need in case a fire outbreak occurs and you go out to help. This information is particularly helpful if you do not take part in the equipment tests and drills conducted by the fire department in your area.
Check Your Personal Protective Gear
Volunteers may rarely be called to help the fire department so some of your personal protective gear may develop defects that you do not learn about until you need to use that equipment. For instance, your fire-resistant overalls may have developed tears during your last mission to help during a fire outbreak. Such defects can lower the degree of protection that such gear gives you so you should regularly (every month, for example) check and try on your PPE so that you confirm that it is in good working condition.
Test Your Portable Radio
Portable radios are vital in communicating with fellow fire fighters during an emergency, so it is your duty to ensure that your radio is functional at all times. Switch it on and use it to communicate with another volunteer in another location close to your residence so that you are sure that nothing is wrong with it. Check the batteries to confirm that they are not leaking and replace them if you have used them for long and they no longer have much power left on them.
Service Your Hand Tools
A volunteer fire fighter can render limited help if his or her hand tools are not working properly, so ensure that your tools are in shape to perform their task of getting into or out of buildings during a fire. Sharpen your axe and paint any metallic tools that may be prone to corrosion so that they do not let you down as you help a colleague or rescue a trapped resident during a fire.
Check Your Medical Kit
The life of a colleague or a victim may depend on that oxygen tank you carry as you answer a call for help from the fire department. It is therefore very important that you check, test and confirm that all your medical supplies are intact and ready to be used at a moment's notice.
The above information may seem commonplace to the regular fire fighter but it is an important reminder to that volunteer who rarely sees firefighting action. Such a person can easily overlook an important equipment check so use the suggestions above to refresh your memory about things that you should not overlook.Share