Do you know what to do if the building you are in is on fire? What if you see a fire outside and there are no grown-ups around? Explore the links at the bottom to learn about fire safety and other ways to keep you and your family safe.

It is important to have an escape plan at your house or school. Do you practice fire drills at school? What about at home? On the right is an example of an escape plan that you could draw for your own house. Think of a good meeting place outside of your house. Then, draw a plan of your house and make sure you have at least two ways to get out. Practice it with your family. Once you are outside DO NOT go back in, even if you forgot something.

This is a picture of a firefigher wearing all of his gear. He might look a little scary, but there is nothing to be afraid of. All of that equipment helps to keep him safe from smoke, fire, and other dangers so that he can put out a fire and help anyone who might be trapped.

If you ever see a firefighter like this you should NEVER hide from him. Even though he might look scary, he is there to help you and he might need your help too!

Here's a list of some of his equipment and what it does.

• Helmet - The firefighter's helmet protects his head from falling debris and sparks near a fire.
• Facepiece - The facepiece, or S.C.B.A., connects to the airpack that he carries on his back. This gives him fresh air to breath so that he does not have to breath unhealthy smoke.
• Coat - A firefigher's jacket is made of many layers of different material. Some layers keep him safe from the fire. Others keep him dry from all the water he uses. And some keep him safe from the heat. In the winter, his jacket also keeps him warm.
• Gloves - His gloves protect his hands from the heat and flames. They also protect him from anything sharp or hazardous.
• Pants - The pants are made from the same materials as the firefighter's coat. They keep him safe from the heat, flames, and water.
• Boots - Finally, his boots keep his feet dry when there is a lot of water. Even though they look like normal rubber boots, there is more to them than that. They also protect him from sharp things on the ground and from heavy things being dropped on his foot!

Please email us at webmaster@amherstfirefighters.org if you have any other questions for us! Don't forget about our glossary if you have any questions about what you read.

• Q: Are you practicing when you are driving through town with your lights and sirens?
• A: No. If we have our emergency lights on, we are going to a real emergency! If we are not going to an emergency, we must obey all the same rules as the other cars.

• Q: Why do fire trucks and ambulances sometimes turn their emergency lights off?
• A: Sometimes there is more than one fire truck or ambulance sent to the same place if the call sounds serious. When the first firefighters get there, they might call the other fire truck on the radio and tell them that everything is ok and that they can go back to the station.

• Q: Why do firefighters cut holes in the roof of a building that's on fire?
• A: We cut a hole in the roof to let the smoke and heat out of the building. When we spray the fire with water, it creates a lot of steam that also escapes out the hole. By doing this, it is easier for us to see and work inside the building.

• Q: Why does the fire truck come when someone is sick?
• A: In Amherst it usually doesn't. However, sometimes the fire truck will respond to a call for someone who is sick because the ambulance might be far away. If the fire truck is closer, it can start to take care of the person until the ambulance arrives. Also, sometimes the fire truck comes if the ambulance asks for more help. Our fire trucks are all equiped with first aid supplies and AEDs.

• Q: One day I saw fire trucks from another town parked in Amherst's station. Why?
• A: This is called "Station Coverage." When there is a big fire in our town and all of our fire trucks are sent to put it out, some of the fire trucks from our neighboring towns come to our station just in case there is another emergency in town. Someimes they also come to help us fight the fire. Ambulances from other services also come to town and help when this happens.

• Q: How many firefighters does it take to put out a fire?
• A: It depends on the type of fire. Three or four can put out a dumpster fire or a car fire. If a building is on fire, it takes a lot more. Most firefighters agree that it takes at least twenty firefighters to put out a fire in even a small house because there are many jobs that must be done. Big fires, like a fire in a factory, can often require dozens (or even hundreds) of firefighters. Forest fires, like the ones in California, can easily require hundreds of firefighters working around the clock.

Last Updated: 3.30.08