Compare and contrast between Firefighter and Paramedic

Saving lives is the ultimate goal for both a fireman and paramedic, but their training and everyday lives are very different. Firemen go through ten to twelve forty hour weeks of classroom and physical training. Paramedics go through two years of intense classroom training and must complete a designated amount of clinical hours, and current Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) course. During both fireman and paramedic training, both require extensive hands on , both can be mentally and physically challenging, and both need Cardiopulmonary Restitution(CPR) training. One of the most important aspects of a fireman and paramedics job is a constant concern for not only their safety but for the safety of everyone around them.

To survive a day in the life of a fireman and paramedic, they both must properly wear and use protective safety equipment. This equipment protects fireman from extreme hot and cold conditions, and paramedics from common and contagious diseases. While they both wear the protective equipment, the equipment itself is very different. Firemen wear oversized pants, jackets, and boots. Depending on the situation, they sometimes wear personal protective equipment and airpacks to protect them from toxic and superheated gases. Paramedics usually wear body substance isolation and face respirator to keep themselves from catching any diseases from bloodborne and airborne pathogens which are spread by droplets. Wearing their safety equipment helps them effectively deal with the situation at hand.

Once the call comes out, both fireman and paramedics race to the scene in their emergency vehicles. Since they both work longs days, it is not uncommon for them to go form asleep to wide awake. Paramedics usually arrive at the scene first. Their vehicle is compact and easily maneuverable. As for the fire truck, the size and derivability limits them to how fast they can travel. When they both arrive at the scene, they work as a team to get the job done.

There is no such thing as a routine call. Unpredictability is the only thing fireman and paramedics can count on. Fireman are put through a rigorous physical and emotional test as they fight fires. Their physical strength is the difference between life and death for a victim. Once they remove the victim from the fire, the paramedics come into play. With their quick thinking and intelligence they are able treat the victims until they can be taken to the hospital. Paramedics not only treat the victims of the fire, but sometimes, the fireman themselves. Entering a fire, fireman put themselves at risk for smoke inhalation, which can cause the fireman to become disoriented and faint.

To comply with state regulations, paramedics must complete the necessary courses to maintain and keep their license. Firemen do not have a license, just a certification, to keep their certification they must be employed with a fire department. Firemen and paramedics must keep up with modern technology. The world is changing everyday and new medicines are being studied to improve life, and lighter and cheaper building materials are being used which can create a potential hazard for firemen

Fireman and paramedics go hand in hand. They must both be team players. Without cooperation and communication lives would be at stake. They both carry very important jobs, and day in and day out they put their lives on the line for citizens. Although their training and everyday lives are different, they both have the same purpose, and that is to save the lives of people in need.