Fire Critic An Unadulterated View of the Fire Service
Here are some Firefighting acronyms that every firefighter should know. If you have more, add them to the comments. I know that there are hundreds more than this list, I just thought I would save us time and publish the difficult ones as well as some of the most common.
Some are good, some are stupid, others are funny, and yet there are a few that our outdated. Enjoy
ABC Fire – Arm Chair, Binoculars, Coors.
AFA – Automatic Fire Alarm/Actuating Fire Alarm.
AFFF – Aqueos Film Forming Foam
ANFO – Ammonium Nitrate Fuel Oil combination making a high explosive.
ARFF – Airport (or Aircraft) Rescue Fire Fighting.
BC – Battalion Chief.
BLEVE – boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion.
BTU – British Thermal Unit.
CAD – Computer Aided Dispatch.
CC – Cancel Christmas.
CHAOS – Chief Has Arrived On Scene.
COAL WAS WEALTH – Construction, Occupancy, Area, Life Hazards; Weather, Apparatus/Manpower, Special Conditions; Water Supply, Exposures, Age/Access, Location, Time, Height.
CPAT – Candidate Physical Ability Test
DHS – Department of Homeland Security.
DOA – Dead on Arrival.
DTRT – Do The Right Thing. More here.
EDITH – Exit Drills In The Home
EGH – Everybody Goes Home. More here.
EMS – Emergency Medical Services.
EMT – Emergency Medical Technician.
ERG – Emergency Response Guide.
ETA – Estimated Time of Arrival.
ETOH – the chemical symbol for ethanol, or ethyl alcohol, also used to describe someone believed to be intoxicated.
FADO – Fire Apparatus Driver Operator.
FAST (or F.A.S.T.): Firefighter Assist and Search Team (also called Rapid Entry Team or Rapid Intervention Team) — firefighters assigned to stand by for rescue of other firefighters inside a structure; an implementation to support the Two-in, two-out rule; may have specialized training, experience and tools.
FDC – Fire Department Connection – where the pumping apparatus hooks up to a standpipe and/or sprinkler system on a building.
FDID – Fire Department Identification Number.
FEMA – Federal Emergency Management Agency.
FF – Fire Fighter. Some use firefighter others use fire fighter.
FFFP – Film Forming Fluoroprotein Foam.
FIRE SCALDS – Fire Weather, Instructions, Right Things First, Escape Plan, Scouting, Communication, Alertness, Lookout, Discipline, Supervision. More here (.pdf)
FL – Friction Loss.
FNG – F’ing New Guy; Rookie; Recruit.
FTM – PTB – For the Men – Protect the Brothers. More here.
FUBAR – F’d Up Beyond All Recognition.
GPM – Gallons per minute.
HAZMAT – Hazardous Materials.
HAZWOPER – Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response.
IDLH – Any situation deemed Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health.
KTF – Keep The Faith. More here.
LCES – Lookouts, Communications, Escape Routes, Safety Zones.
LACES – Lookouts, Awareness, Communications, Escape Routes, Safety Zones
LDH – Large Diameter Hose.
LODD – Line of Duty Death.
LUNAR – Location, Unit, Name, Assignment, Resources. Better explained by FFHourly here.
MCI – Mass Casualty Incident.
MVA – Motor Vehicle Accident.
MVC – Motor Vehicle Collision.
NFA – National Fire Academy.
NFPA – National Fire Protection Association.
NFPA – Not For Practical Application.
NIOSH – National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
NIMS – The National Incident Management System.
MUTT – Someone or thing that abuses firefighters.
OIC – Officer in Charge.
OSHA – Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
OS&Y – Outside Screw & Yoke (Valve).
PAR -Personnel Accountability Report.
PASS – Personal Alert Safety System.
POV – Personally (or privately) Owned Vehicle.
PPE – Personal Protective Equipment. Turnout Gear and SCBA for example.
PPV – Positive Pressure Ventilation.
RECEO or RECEOVES – Rescue, Exposures, Containment, Extinguish, Overhaul, Ventilation, Environment, Salvage.
RECEO-VS – Rescue, Exposures, Extinguish, Overhaul, Ventilation,
Salvage.
REVAS – Rescue, Evacuation, Ventilation, Attack, Salvage.
RFB – Remember Fallen Brothers.
RIT or RIC – now more commonly referred to as the FAST team above.
SAR – Search and Rescue.
SCBA – Self Contained Breathing Apparatus.
SCREEO – Size Up, Call for help, Rescue, Exposures, Extinguishment, Overhual.
SLEEVS – Situation, Life safety, Exposures, Extinguish, Ventilate, Salvage.
SNAFU – Situation Normal All F’d Up
U.S.A.R – Urban Search and Rescue.
USFA – United States Fire Administration.
VES – Vent, Enter, Search.
WALLACE WAS HOT – Water, Area, Life hazard, Location-extent,
Apparatus-personnel, Construction-collapse, Exposures, Weather, Auxiliary appliances, Special matters, Height, Occupancy, and Time.
