Acute

Sharp or severe, Having a rapid onset and short duration

All-Hazard concept

Provides a coordinated approach to a wide variety of incidents. all responders use a similar coordinated approach with a common set of authorities, protections and resources.

Atypically stressful event

NFPA standards to describe incidents that have a likelihood of causing critical incident stress

Battalion

The first organizational level above individual companies or stations

Body substance isolation

Comprehensive method of infection control in which every patient is assumed to be infected. PPE is to be worn.

Carcinogen

Cancer-producing substance

Chain of command

Order and rank of authority in the fire and emergency service.

Chronic

Long term and reoccurring

COPD

Term for several diseases that result in obstructive problems in the airways.

Code

A collection of rules and regulations that has been enacted by law in a particular jurisdiction. Usually address a single subject area.

Code enforcement

Process of enforcing a body of law aimed at reducing fire and life safety hazards as well as mandating the proper installation and maintenance of building/structure fire and life safety features to provide adequate community fire prevention

Community risk reduction

The fire departments or other agency's identification and prioritization of risks to the community followed by the integrated application of resources to improve public safety through minimizing the probability or occurrence and the impact of unfortunate events

Ground fault circuit interrupter

Device designed to protect against electrical shock. the device opens a circuit to shut off the flow of electricity.

Ground gradient

Electrical field that radiates outward from where the current enters the ground.

Immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH)

Description of any atmosphere that poses an immediate hazard to life or produces immediate irreversible, debilitating effects on health.

Intrinsically safe

Equipment that is approved for use in flammable atmospheres must be incapable of releasing enough electrical energy to ignite the flammable atmosphere.

Inverter

Step-up transformer that converts a vehicles 12-24-volt DC current into a 110-220-volt AC current

Mitigate

To cause to become less harsh or hostile, to make less severe, intense or painful, to alleviate

Policy

Organizational principle that is developed and adopted as a basis for decision-making.

Power take-off system (PTO)

Mechanism that allows a vehicle engine to power equipment such as a pump, winch, or portable tool. usually attached to the transmission

Response district

Geographical area to which a particular apparatus is assigned to be first due on a fire or other emergency

Span of control

maximum number of subordinates that one individual can effectively supervise.

3 to 7 with 5 being optimum

Standard operating procedure (SOP)

Formal methods or rules to guide the performance of routine functions or emergency operations.

Unity of command

Organizational principle in which workers report to only one supervisor in order to eliminate conflicting orders.

Wildland/urban interface

Line, area, or zone where an undeveloped wildland area meets a human development area

Risk management plan

Written plan that identifies and analyzes the exposure to hazards, selects appropriate risk management techniques to handle exposures, and monitors results.