Essentials of Fire Fighting (4th Edition)
Chapter 1 Terms
Firefighter Orientation & Safety

Aerobic Capacity
Measure of cardiovascular fitness that takes into account oxygen capacity and efficiency of the lungs and blood in the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

Backdraft
Instantaneous explosion or rapid burning of superheated gases that occurs when oxygen is introduced into an oxygen-depleted confined space. It may occur because of inadequate or improper ventilation procedures.

Chain of Command
The process of relaying information through supervisors/leaders to the person responsible for an incident or group.

Command
Act of directing, ordering, and/or controlling resources by virtue of explicit legal, agency, or delegated authority.

Company
Basic fire fighting organizational unit consisting of firefighters and apparatus; headed by a company officer.

Critical Incident Stress
Stress caused by encounters with gruesome, horrific, or disturbing incidents.

Debriefing
Process of sharing feeling and thoughts about incidents to provide stress relief.  Synonymous with Defusing.

Defusing
Process of sharing feeling and thoughts about incidents to provide stress relief.  Synonymous with Debriefing.

Discipline
Training expected to produce a specific character or pattern of behavior.

Division
Subunit of the incident command system. It is composed of a number of individual units that are assigned to operate within a defined geographical area.

Flashover
Stage of a fire at which all surfaces and objects within a space have been heated to their ignition temperature, and flame breaks out almost at once over the surface of all objects in the space.

Group
Subunit of the incident command system. It is composed of a number of individual units that are assigned to perform a particular function.

Hypertension
Abnormal elevation of blood pressure.

Incident Action Plan
Strategic goals, tactical objectives, and support requirements for the incident. All incidents require an action plan. For simple incidents, the action plan is not usually in written form. Large or complex incidents will require that the action plan be documented in writing.

Incident Commander (IC)
Person in charge of the incident management system during an emergency.

Incident Management System (IMS)
Management system of procedures for controlling personnel, facilities, equipment, and communications so that different agencies can work together toward a common goal in an effective and efficient manner.

Intravenous
Inside a vein.

Logistics Section
Section of the incident management system responsible for providing facilities, services, and materials; includes the communications unit, medical unit, and food units within the service branch and also includes the supply unit, facilities unit, and ground support units within the support branch.

Modular Organization
An organizational structure made up of divisions and sectors that may be adapted to fit the situation.

Multijurisdictional
Incident involving more than one jurisdiction.

Reciprocal
Interchanged, owed, or given to each other.

Resources
All of the immediate or supportive assistance available to help control an incident including personnel, equipment, control agents, agencies, and printed emergency guides.

Sector
Geographic or task-based subdivision within the Fireground Command System or National Fire Service Incident Management System.

Supervisor
Individual responsible for command of a division/ group/sector.

Telecommunicator
Person(s) responsible for relaying incident information to companies.  Synonymous with Dispatcher.

Triage
System used for sorting patients to determine the order in which they will receive medical attention.