Fire Department Glossary of Terms
5½ min. Response Standard - Combines three time elements of total respone time; dispatch time of 30 seconds, turnout time of 1 minute, driving time of 4 minutes.
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ALS - Advanced Life Support - Advanced field medical procedures performed by EMT-P firefighter/paramedics.
ALS Engine Company - An engine company with at least one paramedic on the crew. Each Salem engine has at least one paramedic assigned daily.
Ambulance Service Area (ASA) - Primary response area assigned by the County Health Division to an Ambulance Service Provider. The Salem Fire Department is responsible for two ASAs, one in Polk County, and one in Marion County.
Apparatus Operator (AO) - Also known as the “Equipment Operator”, “Engineer” or “Driver” in the fire service. That position which is responsible for the driving and operation of fire apparatus.
Apparatus - The term apparatus is used to signify the difference between vehicles and other fire equipment.
ARFF - Aircraft Rescue Firefighting - A discipline of firefighting that is specific to aircraft emergencies and involves specialized training and equipment. To maintain the FAA Rating for McNary Field, SFD is required to maintain a team of 12 ARFF-trained firefighters.
BC - Battalion Chief - First chief officer level and commander of one of the City's two fire battalions. The Battalion Chief is trained to be the primary Incident Commander. Each battalion has a complement of engine companies (five engines south, five engines north), and a ladder company on duty at all times.
BLS - Basic Life Support - Basic field medical procedures performed by fire or medic crews, including first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), clearing blocked airways, and use of automatic or semi-automatic heart defibrillators. This service is generally performed by the fire service nationwide regardless of whether the fire department also provides ALS care from Engines or Ambulances.
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CAD - Computer Aided Dispatch - A computer system to support the community's dispatching, records and management information functions of the Police and Fire Departments by increasing speed and accuracy of dispatch; reducing response times; improving information availability; maintaining location and timing information; and providing accurate record retrieval for reporting and management.
Captain - Also known as a company officer. An individual that is responsible for directing a fire company, usually an engine or ladder crew.
Chief Officer - Any officer of Battalion Chief, Deputy Chief, Training Chief, or Fire Chief rank.
Civil Service Charter - Sections 28 - 48 - Defines persons subject to Civil Service, and the terms and conditions under which Civil Service applies to the fire service.
Civil Service Rules - Body of personnel rules separate from the City's human resources rules that govern many of the personnel situations for civil service employees in the Fire Department.
CMS - Center for Medicare Services
Community Right-to-Know - State and Federal laws that establish the public's right to know about hazardous materials in the community and in the work place.
Concentration - Method of placing multiple fire engines in a specific area or station with an increased average call load. Helps improve response times in a given area. (See also Distribution.)
Condition I - Normal operating mode of the Department. Resources are adequate to meet emergency request for service needs, and to allow personnel and their equipment to be taken out of service for training as needed.
Condition II - Fire and EMS resources at minimum levels due to existing alarms. Under Condition II there is an immediate cancellation of drills, training exercises, inspections, testing, work assignments, etc. Companies return to quarters to stand-by. May also be enacted during extreme inclement weather.
Conflagration - A large, disastrous fire that overwhelms local and regional resources.
Conflagration Act - The Oregon Fire Service Mobilization Plan (OFSMP) allows for drawing and allocating resources from all fire agencies throughout the state for a conflagration and sets up parameters for cost recovery.
Deputy Fire Marshal - Fire and Life Safety Division employee assigned to any or all of the following: Fire Code inspections, oversight of Business Self-Inspection program, fire cause investigations, Fire and Life Safety plans examination, and public education.
Dispatch Time - The time from the receipt of a call at the 911 dispatch center to the notification of emergency response personnel.
Distribution - Method of placing fire stations to adequately cover the geographic boundaries of a fire response area. (See also Concentration.)
Division Chief - Title referring to Fire Department members charged with operational responsibilities of the Department's Emergency Operations, Training, EMS and Prevention Divisions.
Driving Time - The time from the first emergency response unit going en route to the arrival of the first emergency response unit on scene.
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EMD - Emergency Medical Dispatch
EMS - Emergency Medical Service
EMT - Emergency Medical Technician
Engine - Often called a “Pumper”. Primary vehicle for fire, advanced and basic life support service delivery. Vehicle carries 750 gallons of water, a 1500gpm pump, and a variety of fire hoses for water delivery. An engine company is generally the smallest increment of service allocated to a fire station. All of Salem's ten fire stations house one staffed ALS engine.
Enhanced 911 - Automatically identifies the location and the telephone number of the calling party requesting emergency services through 911.
EOC - Emergency Operations Center - The EOC is instituted whenever an emergency or disaster exists that is beyond the ability of normal City Department resources to handle. The EOC centralizes major decision-making and priority of resources. When activated, Fire Department personnel along with operational supervisors from Police, Public Works and General Services participate in staffing the EOC 24 hours a day. The Fire Chief is the director of the EOC.
EOD - Emergency Operations Division
FAA - Federal Aviation Administration. Agency that sets ARFF training and response standards.
Fire and Life Safety Division - Division of the Fire Department charged with fire prevention activities, public education and information, fire code inspections, fire investigations, fire and life safety building plans review, and City Emergency Management.
Firefighter/Paramedic - Civil Service position classification with combined firefighter and medic unit program duties. Incumbents must carry an advanced life support (EMT-P) classification.
Flashover - Phenomenon that describes the point in the growth of a fire where all combustible surfaces in the room ignite and the room becomes completely involved in fire.
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Grass Rig - Specialized four-wheel drive firefighting apparatus that is designed for natural cover, wildland, or other firefighting where pumping while rolling or accessibility of terrain is a requirement. This vehicle may be used in instances where a structure is located atop a steep private drive or in snow and ice conditions.
HAZMAT - Hazardous Material
HAZMAT - First Responder Operational level of trained HAZMAT response that generally handles simple, straightforward HAZMAT incidents.
HMO - Health Maintenance Organization
Incident Commander - “Command” - The term given to the individual that assumes the authority to direct Fire Department operations at an emergency incident. This could be any member of the Department, however, it is often someone of Chief Officer rank.
Insurance Services Office (ISO) - Evaluates City Fire Department, Dispatching, and water supply for community fire insurance premium rate scheduling. Salem currently is a Class Two City on a scale of one to ten.
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Keizer Rural Fire Protection District - Rural Fire Protection District located to the North of Salem.
Ladder Truck - Specialized aerial platform fire apparatus with a full complement of ground and roof ladders, heavy-duty generator, and forcible entry tool system. Crew is trained in ventilation, forcible entry, cutting electrical service, rescue, salvage and overhaul, and water tower use among other functions.
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MCRFPD #1 Marion County Rural Fire Protection District #1 - Rural Fire Protection District located to the east of Salem and North of Keizer.
Medic Unit - Ambulance staffed by at least two personnel and all ALS equipment required for patient transport.
Mutual Aid - Agreement through which fire departments assist neighboring departments during a major incident by either standing by to respond to subsequent alarms or by assisting at the actual incident. This helps all agencies cope in a major situation as well as avoid the extra costs of maintaining a larger staff and more equipment.
National Incident Management System (NIMS) - The command structure by which an emergency incident is managed. Previously referred to as the “Incident Command System” (ICS).
Natural Cover Fire - Synonymous with “Wildland Fires”. Fire that occurs in natural growth such as grass, brush, or trees.
NFPA - National Fire Protection Association.
OHP - Oregon Health Plan
OMAP - Oregon Medical Assistance Program. More commonly known as the “Oregon Health Plan”
Oregon Fire Service Mobilization Plan (OFSMP) - The State Conflagration Act
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Paramedic - EMT-P Emergency Medical Technician certified for ALS care. Initial 1,100 and 24 biannual re-certification hours of education, training and experience with emphasis on pre-natal care and psychiatric emergencies. Certified by the Oregon State Health Division.
Pre-Hospital Care - All emergency medical aid rendered to a patient prior to delivery to hospital staff at the emergency room. Includes care given by first responding ALS engine company.
Reserve Apparatus - Fire apparatus kept in reserve and pressed into service when front-line apparatus is unavailable; may also be used for major incidents.
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Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) - Consists of a compressed air tank (similar to a scuba tank) and an individually fitted full-face mask. This equipment is used in all environments that contain a hazardous atmosphere, such as smoke, gas and strong chemicals. The SCBA mask is also configured with a radio microphone that can connect to the firefighter's handheld two-way radio (See Turnouts below)
SFD - Salem Fire Department. Responsible for incidents within the City of Salem and Salem Suburban Rural Fire Protection District.
Shift - A period of staffing. Salem runs a 3-shift system (A, B, and C). Each shift begins at 8:00 am and lasts for 24 hours.
SRC - Salem Revised Code
SSRFPD - Salem Suburban Rural Fire Protection District - Rural fire district located to the west and south of Salem for which Salem Fire Department provides
fire service by contract. Much of SSRFPD is within the Urban Grown Boundary.
Standards of Coverage - Defines the number of units and methodology of how those units are deployed to a variety of emergencies.
Turnouts - Also referred to as "Bunker Gear", turnouts are the usual protective clothing worn by a firefighter when fighting structural (building) fires, or performing rescues. Turnouts are so named because when not in use, they are kept ready to don quickly by 'turning out' the pants over the boots. This way, the firefighter simply steps into the boots and pulls the pants up. Firefighters are typically expected to be able to don all of their equipment in less than one minute. The heavily insulated turnouts can be uncomfortably hot to wear, but keep the extreme temperatures of a fire away from the firefighter's body. Structural turnouts will fail at approximately 1200°F (650°C). Turnouts consist of a coat, pants and suspenders, leather or rubber waterproof boots, a hood, a strong helmet with eye protection, gloves, a belt, and Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA). When fully outfitted, a firefighter will be wearing about 70lbs (32kg) of gear, not including any additional tools being carried.
Turnout Time - Also referred to as "Reflex Time". This is the time from fire department notification by dispatch to the first emergency response unit going en route.
Uniform Fire Code (UFC) - A national code of minimum standards that is designed to maintain structures in a safe manner once they are built and occupied. The UFC establishes the jurisdiction of the Fire and Life Safety Division to make periodic building inspections.
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Water Tender - Fire apparatus primarily designed to carry water to fire scenes in un-hydranted areas or where the water distribution system volume is inadequate to meet fire flow or fire ground operational needs. Both Salem tenders carry 3,000 gallons of water.
Willamette Valley Communications Center (WVCC) - Agency tasked with receiving 911 calls and dispatching appropriate emergency responders. The WVCC serves Salem and surrounding areas in Marion and Polk counties. Also referred to as “Dispatch”.
Wildland Fire - Synonymous with “Natural Cover Fires”. Fire that occurs in natural growth such as grass, brush, or trees.
Wildland/Urban Interface - The area where natural vegetation fuels (forests and grasslands) and human-made fuels (structures) meet.
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