The sudden pain felt when a fiery hot object touches your body is unmistakable. Your skin is your largest organ, and when it’s harmed, it loses its ability to fight infections – which can lead to dire consequences. You can’t underestimate the severity of a painful burn, and treatment must be sought immediately after one has occurred. According to the American Burn Association, roughly 500,000 people receive medical treatment for burn injuries each year, and many burn-related accidents, 43 percent, occur inside the home. Here are a handful of items that are most commonly responsible for burning their unsuspecting users.

• Clothing Irons
  If you use a clothing iron on a regular basis, you’ve probably burnt yourself on more than one occasion. There may not be another dangerous item that we feel just as comfortable using. But not many have mishandled it like former major league pitcher John Smoltz, who scalded himself while attempting to iron his shirt – while wearing it.
• Curling Irons
  A high percentage of burns are caused by curling irons. Many women have paid a high price for curly-haired beauty, enduring burns to their faces, arms and hands. And many of their sons and daughters have hurt themselves by grabbing curling irons they didn’t know were hot. Straightening irons have also been known to cause a burn or two.
• Barbecue Grills
  It’s a rite of passage for American males to suffer a burn caused by the open flame while grilling steaks, hamburgers and hotdogs. The scar left behind is certainly much more acceptable than a beauty mark caused by a curling iron. However, injuries from grilling can be much more severe simply because there’s direct contact with fire.
• Ovens
  Have you ever instinctively reached into 300-400 degree oven to retrieve a dish that was near completion only to realize that you forgot to put on your oven mitts? If you’ve learned the hard way that forgetfulness isn’t an option when dealing with hot kitchen appliances, your duties as head chef were likely halted for an indefinite period of time. Stovetops are also dangerous because burners (apt name) can easily be mistaken for being off after they’ve been left on.
• Pots and Pans
  Cooking can be dangerous. Pots and Pans conduct heat and take a while to cool after they’ve spent time in the oven or on a stovetop. Additionally, boiling water or any other liquid cultivated during the cooking process is harmful to your skin. Pots that sit atop a stove are vulnerable to being knocked over; this is a cause of many spill-related burns.
• Fireplaces
  Lighting a perfect fire is a difficult task. It takes just the right amount of wood and/or gas to make it burn in a controlled manner over a long period of time. In the process of tending to the fire, many adults burn themselves by coming into contact with the flames. The barrier doors of a fireplace also reach high temperatures; not unlike the surface of a hot stove.
• Radiators
  When a radiator is located inside of your home, the possibility exists that you or your housemates could suffer a burn with inadvertent contact. Some radiators can heat up to 150 degrees, making them especially harmful to young children. Fortunately, you can purchase an attractive radiator cover that would serve to prevent human contact while removing it from sight altogether; thus improving the safety and decor of your home.
• Tea/Coffee Cups
  We’ve all heard the stories about frivolous lawsuits undertaken by greedy lawyers on behalf of clients who scalded themselves with fast food coffee. Of course, nobody needs millions of dollars to treat such burns. But if you were to have experienced that kind of pain, you’d be looking for someone on whom to take out your anger too.
• Microwaved foods
  Popcorn enthusiasts know all about the hot burst of steam that arises after opening a package that’s fresh out of the microwave. Many over-exuberant popcorn lovers who just couldn’t wait to munch on the salty goodness have burned their arms and hands. Prospective popcorn devourers have also endured corneal abrasions caused by peering directly into the bag of steam.
• Light bulbs
  It’s a common mistake for people to change light bulbs too soon after they’ve burnt out without allowing them to cool, causing painful blisters and thus limited use of their hands. Exposed light bulbs that aren’t covered can be dangerous – as harmless as they seem.
• Fireworks
  New Year’s Eve and Fourth of July celebrations are incomplete without heavy doses of fireworks. Many of the people who pop fireworks receive heavy doses of pain meds by the end of the night because they’ve burnt themselves. In serious cases, second degree burns are incurred, causing the skin to blister and become extremely red.
• Cigarettes
  Smoking gets a bad rap because of what it can do to your lungs, but have you considered what it can do to your skin? Cigarette burns seem innocuous; however they can be quite painful. The cherry can reach more than 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit – not something you’d want touching your skin regardless of its small size.

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Female firefighters have been putting out flames for almost 200 years, while continuing to burn down boundaries of gender discrimination, harassment and negative criticisms from their male counterparts. While firefighting remains a predominately male profession, female firefighters make sure that their efforts are noticed and their voices are heard, so they can keep doing what they do best – fight fires. Here are 10 amazing female firefighters who’ve changed the face of the profession:

1. Molly Williams
   Known as the first female firefighter, Molly Williams was a slave in New York City and a member of the Oceanus Engine Company No. 11 in 1815. She was remembered for pulling the pumper to fires through heavy snow during a blizzard in 1818. Williams wore a calico dress and checked apron when fighting fires, but she was known to be just as hardworking as the male firefighters. There is very little known about her personal life, but her firefighting efforts remain an important part of women’s history and paving the way for female firefighters.
2. Marina Betts
   Marina Betts made history as a volunteer firefighter in Pittsburgh in 1820. Known for her unwavering dedication, Betts was said to have never missed an alarm during her 10 years of service, and was remembered for pouring buckets of water over male bystanders who refused to help put out fires.
3. Lillie Hitchcock Coit
   Lillie Hitchcock Coit is also considered to be one of the first female firefighters in America. Dating back to 1859, Coit became an honorary member of San Francisco’s Knickerbocker Engine Company No. 5 as a teenager, when she helped the company haul the engine to a fire on Telegraph Hill.
4. Emma Vernell
   Emma Vernell was known as the first recognized female firefighter in the state of New Jersey. After her firefighter husband died in the line of duty, Vernell became a firefighter herself at Westside Hose Company No. 1 in 1920, at the age of 50. She is regarded for her firefighting contributions, as well as her courageous move into the profession late in her life.
5. Judith Livers Brewer
   Judith Livers is known as the first paid firefighter. Livers was hired in 1974 by the Arlington County, Virginia, Fire Department. Livers became interested in firefighting when her husband was studying for his fire science classes in order to be a firefighter. Motivated by the idea of saving lives and preventing damage caused by fires, Livers became a firefighter herself. Judith Livers retired from Arlington County in 1999 at the high ranking position of battalion chief.
6. Toni McIntosh
   Toni McIntosh is known as one of the first black female career firefighters. McIntosh was hired in 1976 by the Pittsburgh Fire Department and served more than 11 years at the station. She is regarded as one of the first black female firefighters to be paid for her fire fighting services, as well as the most tenured female firefighter in the U.S.



7. Bessie Hudson
   Bessie Hudson is making history for being named the first black female battalion chief of Orange County Fire Recue in Orlando, Florida. During her nearly 20 years of firefighting, Hudson has overcome some serious obstacles of racism and cultural differences, but always ended up on top. In 2004, Hudson was promoted to lieutenant, and now she has been promoted to battalion chief.



8. Bonnie Beers
   Seattle’s first female firefighter may have retired in 2008, but this brave woman’s legacy lives on and continues to inspire women firefighters. Beers joined the Seattle Fire Department in 1978 to some dismay. She faced gender discrimination, harassment, bullying and other negative reactions from the all male fire department. Holding her ground, Beers forged through the criticisms, did her job well and became a role model to other female firefighters throughout her 30 years of service.



9. Brenda Berkman
   Brenda Berkman is known as the first female firefighter of the New York City Fire Department. Although this heroic firefighter retired in 2006, her contributions to the profession continue to make a difference for female firefighters today. Berkman is widely known among New York firefighters for her 1982 lawsuit against the city for its discrimination against women in physical exams, arguing that some of the requirements were unnecessary for the position. Berkman won the lawsuit and became a New York City firefighter, but not without years of harassment and abuse from male firefighters. However, Berkman stuck to her job, became lieutenant and was one of the first rescue workers to report to Ground Zero on Sept. 11.



10. Dany Cotton
    Dany Cotton continues to make headway as the deputy assistant commissioner of the London Fire Brigade. With 22 years of service under her, Cotton is the highest ranking operational woman in the United Kingdom’s fire and rescue service, and the first female firefighter in the UK to receive the Queen’s Fire Service Medal. Even at a managerial position, Cotton still attends emergencies and handles crisis management, while promoting the field of firefighting to women.

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Suffering a house fire is a devastating experience. Each year, $8.6 billion in property loss is estimated due to fires, according to FEMA. When the damage is severe, countless precious belongings are lost, depriving the owners of a portion of their lives. However in many cases, there are a select few items that withstand the inferno. The average house fire burns at a temperature of about 1,100 degrees Fahrenheit, which isn’t hot enough to destroy most metals and earthly-made substances. And if an item is well-placed and small in size, its chances of survival increase drastically. Below is a list of things that are often found intact underneath the rubble during the aftermath of a house fire.

1. Jewelry
   Although they may endure superficial damage when they’re engulfed by flames, most items of jewelry maintain their compositions amid high heat. Diamonds, which are formed below earth’s surface under intense heat and pressure, melt at about 6,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Gold melts at a much cooler temperature – about 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit – but that’s enough to survive most house fires. Platinum jewelry is the priciest, so it’s a good thing that the metal’s melting point is just higher than 3,200 degrees Fahrenheit. Sapphire and Ruby also possess extremely high melting points.
2. Silver Coins
   Coin collectors who own myriads of silver coins – like the quarter prior to 1965 – might find them to be their most durable possessions. The melting point of silver is just below 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit. So that valuable 1804 Silver Dollar from Queller’s Collection just might live to see an additional 200 years.
3. Filing Cabinets
   Steel filing cabinets are built to last so that businesses won’t have to deal with the loss of important files after building fires. Many people keep personal documents in filing cabinets, which are often kept in home offices. Their steel composition and usual placement within a home – often away from the kitchen or fireplace – give them a high survival rate.
4. Tools
   Do-it-yourselfers might not have to repurchase the tools they’ll need to rebuild their homes after a fire. Steel tools are extremely durable – the melting point of carbon steel is between 2,600 and 2,800 degrees Fahrenheit, and the melting point of stainless steel is roughly 2,700 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Silverware
   Most forks, knives and spoons are composed of stainless steel. So even if the fire started in the kitchen, it’s possible that not every item in the room perished. Their small size and placement also allows them to take the heat.
6. Cookware
   Cookware is built to endure extremely high temperatures. Most pots and pans are made of steel and iron; the latter of which melts at just below 2,800 degrees Fahrenheit. Like silverware, their placement within confined spaces helps them survive the not-so-severe fires.
7. Barbecue Grill
   Go figure that an item made for fireside cooking could outlast a fire. Most grills are composed of steel or iron, which allows them to last for decades. Of course, most are kept in the backyard – away from the worst of the inferno. But they still may have to endure falling debris.
8. Some Appliances
   When sifting through the ruins after a house fire, it’s common to find an appliance or two that remains intact amid the chaos that surrounds it. Many appliances these days are made of stainless steel, which gives them a sleek design and durability.
9. Stone Table
   The oldest rocks on this plant have survived billions of years of wear and tear, so it’s no surprise that a stone table could outlast a simple house fire. It took thousands of degrees of heat to make the rocks, and it’ll take thousand of degrees of heat to melt them.
10. Firesafe
    The steel composition of a firesafe allows it endure 1,700 degree infernos. Imagine if the entire house was made from the same material as a firesafe? House fire problem solved.

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Like any industry, firefighters also have their own phrases, terms and lingo to communicate with each other while on the job. Using short phrases and specific terminology allows firefighters to reach their destination prepared and ready to tackle the flames in a quick and efficient manner. Here are 10 firefighting phrases and terms you need to know:

1. Two-In, Two-Out
   The phrase, “two-in, two-out” refers to firefighting in teams of two, so that firefighters are never left alone during dangerous tasks. There must be at least two firefighters together when entering and exiting a structure. While inside, they must have direct visual or voice contact with one another, as well as voice or radio contact with the firefighters outside.
2. Sides A, B, C, D
   Sides A, B, C and D are labels that help firefighters distinguish each side of a building. From the outside of a building and going in a clockwise direction, side A or Alpha is the front of the structure. The left side is B or Bravo, the rear side is C or Charlie and the right side is D or Delta.
3. Size-Up
   A size-up is a term for the initial evaluation of an incident. Firefighters size-up an incident by reporting the extent of the fire and potential hazards they may face, such as occupancy, location and path of fire, type of smoke, resources needed and additional information that will make the search and rescue process more efficient.
4. Fully Involved
   Fully involved is a size-up term that means fire, heat and smoke are blowing out of every entrance in a structure. When a fire is fully involved, firefighters must apply fire streams before they can enter the burning building.
5. Flashover
   A flashover is the simultaneous ignition of combustible materials in an enclosed space, and is the most dangerous stage of a fire. A flashover occurs when certain materials become heated and release flammable gases that reach an auto-ignition temperature, causing the materials to combust and the room to burst into flames. The average temperature of a room that flashes over is anywhere from 1,000 to 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit.
6. Strike The Box
   The phrase, “strike the box,” was used in early firefighting, when firefighters would strike a bell or box on the wall to signal an emergency call. Some of today’s stations still say, “strike the box,” to alert their dispatch center to send more fire engines.
7. First Due
   The phrase, “first due,” signifies the first fire engine at the scene of the emergency. This engine group will typically size-up the fire, prepare for extinguishing and call for back up if they need the second due fire engine.

8. Code-1
   Code-1 is a low priority emergency call for fire fighters to respond as soon as possible, without lights and sirens.
9. Code-2
   Code-2 is a medium priority emergency call that means to respond now, using lights and sirens if necessary.
10. Code-3
    Code-3 is a top priority emergency call that tells firefighters to respond right away, using their lights and sirens and expediting.

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Arsonists are some of the most stealthy, mysterious and down-right malicious criminals in history. Revenge, insurance money and boredom are just some of the reasons why arsonists attack. With thousands of acres ruined, millions of dollars in damage and thousands of innocent victims killed, arsonists are to blame for much of America’s destroyed lands and financial woes. Here are 10 famous arsonists and why they made it on the list:

1. John Orr
   John Orr was a former fire captain and arson investigator for the Glendale Fire Department in Southern California, and to much surprise, a serial arsonist. During the ’80s and early ’90s, there were a series of fires around the Los Angeles area that were going unsolved. Investigators noticed that the fires were started in areas next to major highways and, ironically, while arson investigation conventions were going on nearby. During the investigation, police discovered an important piece of information — a fingerprint on a time-delay incendiary device from the 1987 fire in Fresno, California. The fingerprint was linked to arson investigator John Orr. In addition to the fingerprint evidence and seized accelerating devices belonging to Orr, there was an earlier incident that sparked suspicion. Orr was one of the arson investigators assigned to a 1984 South Pasadena fire that destroyed a hardware store, killing four people. All of the arson investigators agreed that the cause was an electrical fire, but Orr insisted that it was arson. Orr was convicted and charged with three accounts of arson and is currently serving life in prison.



2. Paul Keller
   Paul Keller is one of the most notorious serial arsonists in American history. This Seattle man is responsible for at least 70 fires and three deaths in and around the Seattle area during the ’80s and ’90s, with unsolved cases even popping up in recent years. This polished looking advertising salesman and active churchgoer was ruthlessly setting fires to homes, churches, businesses throughout four counties, making this one of the worst serial-arson cases in state history. Finally in 1993, Keller was found guilty and sentenced to 99 years in prison.



3. Julio Gonzalez
   Julio Gonzalez, a Cuban immigrant, was responsible for setting fire to the Happy Land nightclub in Bronx, New York, in 1990, which killed 87 people. The night of the fire, Gonzalez was thrown out of Happy Land after getting into a fight with his girlfriend who worked there. Gonzalez returned to the nightclub intoxicated and poured a can of gasoline along the club’s only stairway and started the fire. Most victims were trampled or suffered from asphyxiation. Gonzalez was charged with 174 counts of murder and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.



4. Marc Thompson
   In 2002, Marc Thompson, a Chicago investment executive, intentionally set fire to his two-story home to collect $730,000 in insurance money. Thompson, who was apparently short on money to support his high-profile lifestyle, used his 90-year-old mother to make it appear like she set the fire to kill herself. Thompson put his mother in the basement, spread lacquer thinner on the walls and set the fire, where she later died. He received $600,000 in insurance money and his mother’s death was ruled a suicide, until investigators took a closer look at Thompson’s finances and extreme debt. After a number of suspicious money transactions and identity covers, Thompson declared bankruptcy. Thompson was tried in federal court, was proven guilty and sentenced to 190 years in federal prison.
5. Earth Liberation Front (ELF)
   Known for using fire to spread their message against exploitation and destruction of the environment, the eco-terrorist group named ELF has caused millions of dollars in damage by setting fires around the world. In 1998, ELF caused $12 million in damage at Vail, Colorado, by setting fire to part of the ski resort. ELF announced that they set fire to Vail because of its plan to expand, which would ruin a sacred lynx habitat in the state. This particular act of arson drew national attention and remains one of the top domestic terror threats in the U.S. The Elves also torched some 30 SUVs at an Oregon dealership, in addition to burning down a five-story, 206-unit condo project in San Diego in 2003, as well as several laboratories, multi-million dollar homes, excavators and much more. Many of the ELF arsonists were arrested and served, or are still serving, jail time.



6. Terry Barton
   A love letter went terribly wrong in the 2002 case of Terry Barton, a U.S Forest Service Worker, who burned a letter from her estranged husband, which caused a massive wildfire that burned 138,000 acres outside of Denver and destroyed more than 100 homes. Investigators found the remnants of some burned matches and a letter mailed to Barton, who called in the fire and later admitted to starting it. Barton pleaded guilty to the arson charge, was sentenced to six years in federal prison and was ordered to reimburse the federal government $14.6 million.



7. Raymond Lee Oyler
   Raymond Lee Oyler was arrested and charged with murder during the 2006 Esperanza wildfire that destroyed 40,000 acres across the San Jacinto Mountains. This deadly fire was caused by arson and worsened when Santa Ana devil winds picked it up. Five firefighters were killed while defending a vacant home that was destroyed by the fire. Oyler was arrested for the Esperanza fire, as well as two wildfires in the summer of 2006. He was convicted of five counts of first-degree murder, 20 counts of arson and 17 counts of using an incendiary device, in which a jury called for the death penalty in a 2009 hearing.



8. Jason Robert Bourque and Daniel George McAllister
   A fairly recent arson case involving 10 church fires in east Texas has two young men behind bars. Jason Robert Bourque and Daniel George McAllister were charged with one count of felony arson for the burning of a rural Smith County church near Tyler, Texas. The two men were arrested in connection to one of 10 church fires, which DNA evidence linked one of the suspects to the fire. If convicted, the men could face life in prison.



9. Benjamin Christensen
   Benjamin Christensen, a former Whites Crossing, Pennsylvania, volunteer firefighter is responsible for setting seven fires that destroyed buildings, homes, business and even landmarks from 2007 to 2008. He was said to have set the fires out of boredom and anger. Christensen’s case marks one of the largest multi-agency arson investigations in history. In a 2009 hearing, Christensen pleaded no contest, in which he faces a maximum of 20 years in state prison and 20 years of probation.



10. David Berkowitz
    David Berkowitz, also known as ‘Son of Sam,’ was a serial killer who was responsible for killing six people and injuring several others in New York City from 1976 to 1977. Berkowitz is most infamously remembered for murdering women, but his destructive behavior first began by setting fires throughout the city. His arson spree involved setting hundreds of fires to buildings in an attempt to vent his anger. One of the fires that Berkowitz set was outside of Craig Glassman’s apartment door, in which firemen found .22-cal shells in the ashes that didn’t get hot enough to set off. Glassman lived directly under Berkowitz and was a recipient of his hate mail, which was a major link in connecting the letters and murders of Son of Sam to Berkowitz.

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