If you’re new to the fire service, or even just contemplating a career in the greatest profession, you might not realize just how much firefighters love acronyms – and you certainly don’t want to walk in the door that first day not having a clue what everyone else is talking about.
Here’s a look at some of the most common fire service acronyms. Hopefully you’re already familiar with a few!
- AAR: After-action review
- AFFF: Aqueous film forming foam
- ALS: Advanced life support
- ASE: Active shooter event
- BC: Battalion chief
- BLEVE: Boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion
- BLS: Basic life support
- CAD: Computer aided dispatch
- CAFS: Compressed air foam system
- CAN: Conditions-Actions-Needs
- CBRNE: Chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, high-yield explosives
- COAL WAS WEALTH: Construction, occupancy, area, life hazard – water, auxiliary systems, street conditions – weather, exposures, apparatus and personnel, location, time, hazards
- DCD: Descent-control device
- EMS: Emergency medical services
- FAST: Firefighter assist and search team
- FDNY: Fire Department City of New York
- FEMA: Federal Emergency Management Agency
- GPS: Global positioning system
- HOT: Hands-on Training
- IAFC: International Association of Fire Chiefs
- IAP: Incident action plan
- ICS: Incident Command System
- IDLH: Immediately dangerous to life and health
- IMT: Incident management team
- LCES: Lookouts, communications, escape routes, safety zones
- LDH: Large-diameter hose
- LODD: Line-of-duty death
- LUNAR: Location, unit number, name, assignment (or air supply status), resources needed
- MCI: Mass-casualty incident
- MIH: Mobile integrated healthcare
- MVC: Motor vehicle collision/crash
- NFPA: National Fire Protection Association
- NIMS: National Incident Management System
- NIOSH: National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health
- PAR: Personnel accountability report
- PASS: Personal alert safety system
- PPA: Positive pressure attack
- PPE: Personal protective equipment
- PPV: Positive pressure ventilation
- PTSD: Post-traumatic stress disorder
- RECEO-VS: Rescue, exposures, containment, extinguish, overhaul – ventilation, salvage
- RIC/RIT/RAT: Rapid-intervention crew; rapid-intervention team; rapid-assessment team
- SAR: Search and rescue
- SCBA: Self-contained breathing apparatus
- SOP/SOG: Standard operating procedures; standard operating guidelines
- TIC: Thermal imaging camera
- UAS/UAV: Unmanned aircraft systems; unmanned aerial vehicle (drone)
- USAR/US&R: Urban Search and Rescue; Urban Search & Rescue
- VES/VEIS: Vent-enter-search; vent-enter-isolate-search
- WUI: Wildland-urban interface
