When you enter a fire department, they’ll greet you with a wagging tail and a big, sloppy kiss. Dalmatians, that is. These adorable spotted pups have had a long history in firefighting and bringing joy to fire departments around the world. As the official firehouse mascot, Dalmatians provide companionship and happiness to hardworking firefighters. While there remains some debate over Dalmatians’ origin, one thing’s for sure, these pooches will always have a home at fire departments.

• Horsin’ Around
  Dalmatians and horses have had a long history of friendship. Since the days of traveling by horse-drawn carriages, Dalmatians were trained to be coach dogs and run along side horses. The compatibility between horses and Dalmatians continued when the spotted dogs transitioned to horse-drawn fire engines. Dalmatians were trained to run in front of the fire cart, clear a path and guide the horses toward the fire.
• Protection
  During the time of horse-drawn fire engines, Dalmatians were trained as guard dogs to the firehouse. Dalmatians would protect the highly sought after horses and fire equipment from thieves and other dogs. Even after horse-drawn fire carriages were phased out by motorized fire engines, Dalmatians have remained in the firehouse as guard dogs and mascots.
• Man’s Best Friend
  In addition to Dalmatians’ historical role in firefighting, they also serve as companions to firefighters. Whether it’s their loyal, sweet demeanor, or their unwavering energy and charm, Dalmatians provide happiness and friendship to hardworking firefighters.
• Gentle Disposition
  Loyal, fun-loving and affectionate are just three words that describe the nature of Dalmatians. It’s the even tempered, gentle disposition of Dalmatians that mixes so well with the often high-stress and difficult duties of firefighters.
• Energetic
  While Dalmatians are very sweet and friendly, they can be equally as active and rambunctious. For some people they’re exhausting, but for active and physically fit people, such as firefighters, they can keep up. Dalmatians are incredibly energetic and fast and love to play, run and go for walks, which works well with firefighters’ daily workout requirements and active lifestyles.
• Intelligent
  Despite their sometimes stubborn streak, Dalmatians are extremely intelligent dogs with outstanding memories. They thrive in active, family environments, where they can demonstrate these characteristics, which is most likely why they do so well in firehouses.
• Heroic
  Dalmatians have a long history of being heroes. From their role in leading horse-drawn fire engines to put out fires, to serving as search and rescue dogs, Dalmatians continue to aid in the heroic duties of firefighters.
• Fire Safety Helper
  Dalmatians have been helping firefighters and fire safety educators teach kids how to stop, drop and roll for years. With training, Dalmatians have become demonstrators in teaching fire safety lessons that are both cute and memorable for children.
• Popular
  With their beautiful black and white spots and adorable personalities, Dalmatians have been a popular breed for firefighters for decades. They are also a top choice among fire stations because they are fun-loving and sweet, which is important for interacting with the community.
• Leadership
  Dalmatians have demonstrated a great deal of leadership in the past, and continue to do so in today’s fire departments. They have the ability to lead and follow the directions of their owners, which makes them excellent in firefighting settings.

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There’s nothing mundane about the job duties of a firefighter, because every day brings something new and different for these highly-skilled workers. Whether they are rescuing people after a tragic earthquake, treating patients at the scene of a car crash, or investigating a possible arson fire, firefighters are selfless workers, who are dedicated to saving lives and protecting our land. Here are some different job duties happening in fire departments today:

• Search and Rescue
  Search and rescue is the most important job function of firefighters. Firefighters are trained to search for and rescue trapped victims in burning buildings, motor vehicle accidents and other life threatening situations. Searches are done in two stages — primary and secondary. Primary searches are done first in
  areas closest to the fire. Once the fire is under control, firefighters will begin the secondary search by looking more extensively and in hidden areas. The rescue process varies depending on the location of the victim and the extent of the fire or accident. Firefighters are also trained in rescuing victims of motor vehicle accidents, using cutters, spreaders and rams, also known as the Jaws of Life.
• Fire Control
  While victims are being rescued, firefighters have to contain the fire. In order to do so, firefighters spray water or foam mixtures through a hose onto the fire. The fire becomes extinguished when it is deprived of fuel, oxygen or heat. Firefighters use various equipment and machinery to control fires, such as ladder trucks, pumper trucks fire hoses, fire hydrants, fire extinguishers and other useful tools. Depending on the type and severity of a fire, firefighters will typically attack a fire from the interior, exterior or both. If firefighters enter a burning structure, they must abide by the “two-in, two-out” rule so that no one is left alone in a dangerous situation.
• Emergency Medical Services
  Most firefighters are trained and certified emergency medical technicians and paramedics. Because firefighters are typically first on the scene of a fire or motor vehicle accident, they can assess the victim’s condition and provide emergency care immediately. Those who are trained in emergency medical services can also aid in treating injured firefighters. At the basic level of certification, firefighters-EMTs are qualified to treat patients at the scene, transport them by ambulance to the hospital, as well as check vital signs and manage respiratory, cardiac and trauma emergencies.
• Fire Prevention
  Teaching and enforcing fire prevention methods is an important duty of all fire department workers. In addition to fire safety education, firefighters also do community outreach programs about fire prevention. Fire prevention efforts include, reducing known hazardous materials and conditions, preventing dangerous acts that could start a fire, teaching proper use of fire extinguishers and how to ensure smoke detectors and alarms are working properly. Fire prevention teams may teach the community through safety brochures, educational videos, informative presentations, public safety announcements and much more.
• Fire Safety Education
  Firefighters can be seen teaching fire safety education programs to people of all ages. Firefighters may host programs at the fire station or attend local schools to teach children about basic fire safety tips, such as fire prevention, burn prevention and evacuation procedures. For fire safety in the workplace,
  firefighters may visit offices to educate adults on fire prevention, evacuation procedures and fire hazards, as well as demonstrate installation and maintenance of smoke detectors and proper use of a fire extinguisher.
• Disaster Management
  When disasters strike, firefighters are some of the first rescue service workers on the scene. Wildfires, natural disasters and terrorist attacks are just a few of the many disasters that firefighters help with. They aid in search and rescue, emergency medical services and cleaning up the remains of a disaster. Firefighters are also trained in emergency management, including disaster awareness, evacuation procedures and emergency response plans.
• Fire Inspection & Code Enforcement
  Qualified fire department workers can work in fire inspection and fire code enforcement. Fire safety inspectors evaluate businesses, residential facilities and other places of assembly to ensure compliance with fire safety codes. Inspectors also evaluate evacuation routes, fire prevention equipment and any potential fire hazards. They may work with planners and developers to inspect construction and make sure new building meet state and local fire codes.
• Fire Investigation
  Some firefighters are trained to conduct fire investigations, in which evidence is collected and analyzed after a fire to determine the cause. Fire inspectors will interview witnesses, study the data and prepare reports that help determine if arson or criminal negligence was the cause. With years of experience and additional training, firefighters are eligible to work in fire investigations because of their expertise and knowledge of possible fire causes.
• HAZMAT
  Many firefighters work in hazardous materials units that help prevent, control and clean up hazardous materials, such as toxic chemicals, oil spills, explosives, poisons and radioactive substances. Hazardous materials are often flammable, combustible and dangerous to humans and the environment when used improperly. Therefore, HAZMAT workers are needed to contain these substances and dispose of them accordingly.
• Mop-Ups
  Firefighters are also subject to performing mop-ups after fires, or parts of a fire, are controlled. Mopping up involves extinguishing and removing smoldering, hazardous materials that may reignite or cause further damage. A mop-up operation also includes making sure burning fuel is burnt out, spread or buried to stop sparks, keeping logs and debris from rolling across the fire line and removing any burning roots, tree limbs, stumps or anything that might catch fire in the clean up.

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A destructive wildfire is merciless to the land on which it resides. Each year, 1.2 million acres of US woodland burn, according to weather.com. Vegetation is destroyed and animals are killed or displaced. People also experience the devastation; the long-term costs of wildfires reach into the billions. In 2009, the Station Fire north of Los Angeles burned more than 160,000 acres, costing tens of millions of dollars. Two firefighters were killed and thousands were forced to flee their homes. It was one of the largest wildfires in LA County modern history. Unfortunately, more than four out of five wildfires are caused by the carless behavior of people. Camp fires and cigarettes often spark the blazes, which are facilitated by hot, dry and windy weather. Other times, lightning strikes are the cause and the inferno is fueled by dense vegetation. Below are ten of the most devastating wildfires – manmade or caused naturally – in American history.

• Adirondack Fire – 637,000 acres
  An abundance of dead leaves that accumulated during the autumn and a 72-day drought made conditions in Adirondack State Park in Upstate New York especially conducive to wildfires. The fires were centered in Lake Placid and covered neighboring areas like Schroon Lake, Newcomb and Clintonville.
• Peshtigo Fire – 3.7 million acres
  The 1871 Peshtigo Fire claimed 1,500 lives as it raged through Wisconsin and Michigan; the most of whom died in Peshtigo, Wisconsin, which was about half of the town’s population. According to some accounts, the inferno was started by railroad workers who were clearing land in order to lay tracks during the dry summer. Perhaps the most devastating fire in American history, it’s overlooked in part because the Chicago Fire started on the same day.
• Yacolt Burn – 1 million acres
  The Devil Wind from Eastern Washington helped propagate fires in the southwestern counties of the state on September 11th, 1902. Millions of dollars of timber were lost, and 38 people died in Cowlitz, Clark and Skamania counties. Before the disaster, there wasn’t an organized system for dealing with wildfires in Washington, but that changed in 1903 when a state fire warden was established.
• Great Fire of 1910 – 3 million acres
  Strong winds on August 20th and 21st spread fires across millions of acres of forested land in Montana, Idaho and Washington. As a result, 86 people were killed; many of whom were firefighters. The Great Fire of 1910 helped ensure the US Forest Service would henceforth be used to suppress fires.
• Summer 2008 California Wildfires – 1.56 million acres
  According to the LA Times, the state of California spent roughly $1 billion and the US Forest Service spent about $700,000,000 to fight the summer ’08 blazes, which started in Monterey Country. Initially, more than 2,000 fires were started by a dry-lightning storm. It was estimated that more than 2,300 structures were destroyed.
• October 2007 California Wildfires – 500,000 acres
  Not a year before the destruction that occurred in the summer of ’08, October fires engulfed 1,500 homes in Southern California , killing nine people. Half a million people were forced to evacuate as the fire spread across Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.
• Summer 2004 Alaskan Wildfires – 6.6 million acres
  An irregularly warm and dry summer contributed to an incredibly active wildfire season. A total of 710 fires burned – 426 were caused by humans and 275 were caused by lightning. The three single largest fires were the Boundary Creek Fire, Dall City Fire and Bully Creek Fire, which covered just fewer than 1.5 million acres. More than 2,700 firefighting personnel helped ensure there were no fatalities amid the massive destruction.
• Yellowstone Fires of 1988 – 793,880 acres
  By the end of the summer of ’88, 36 percent of the park was burned by seven major fires. The most destruction occurred on Black Sunday – August 20th – when high winds caused more than 150,000 acres to burn. More than 25,000 firefighters from various states attempted to extinguish the fires, which didn’t cease until November.
• Murphy Complex Fire – 653,100 acres
  The largest fire in Idaho in almost 100 years was a product of six lightning-caused wildfires. It started on July 16th, 2007 near the Idaho-Nevada border, and it burned hundreds of thousands of acres of private, public and state land. Grass, brush and juniper ensured that the fire remained vigorous during the more than two weeks that it burned.
• Great Hinkley Fire – 300,000 acres
  Two fires converged on September 1st, 1894 south of Hinkley, Minnesota, destroying the town along with several others. Officially, 418 deaths were recorded, though many people from the area have speculated that the number was greater, possibly close to 800.The disaster remains one of the biggest in the history of the state.

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