Firefighting Acronyms

Here are some Firefighting acronyms that every firefighter should know. If you have more, add them to the comments. I know that there are hundreds more than this list, I just thought I would save us time and publish the difficult ones as well as some of the most common.

Some are good, some are stupid, others are funny, and yet there are a few that our outdated. Enjoy

ABC Fire – Arm Chair, Binoculars, Coors.

AFA – Automatic Fire Alarm/Actuating Fire Alarm.

AFFF – Aqueos Film Forming Foam

ANFO – Ammonium Nitrate Fuel Oil combination making a high explosive.

ARFF – Airport (or Aircraft) Rescue Fire Fighting.

BC – Battalion Chief.

BLEVE – boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion.

BTU – British Thermal Unit.

CAD – Computer Aided Dispatch.

CC – Cancel Christmas.

CHAOS – Chief Has Arrived On Scene.

COAL WAS WEALTH – Construction, Occupancy, Area, Life Hazards; Weather, Apparatus/Manpower, Special Conditions; Water Supply, Exposures, Age/Access, Location, Time, Height.

CPAT – Candidate Physical Ability Test

DHS – Department of Homeland Security.

DOA – Dead on Arrival.

DTRT – Do The Right Thing. More here.

EDITH – Exit Drills In The Home

EGH – Everybody Goes Home. More here.

EMS – Emergency Medical Services.

EMT – Emergency Medical Technician.

ERG – Emergency Response Guide.

ETA – Estimated Time of Arrival.

ETOH – the chemical symbol for ethanol, or ethyl alcohol, also used to describe someone believed to be intoxicated.

FADO – Fire Apparatus Driver Operator.

FAST (or F.A.S.T.): Firefighter Assist and Search Team (also called Rapid Entry Team or Rapid Intervention Team) — firefighters assigned to stand by for rescue of other firefighters inside a structure; an implementation to support the Two-in, two-out rule; may have specialized training, experience and tools.

FDC  – Fire Department Connection – where the pumping apparatus hooks up to a standpipe and/or sprinkler system on a building.

FDID – Fire Department Identification Number.

FEMA – Federal Emergency Management Agency.

FF – Fire Fighter. Some use firefighter others use fire fighter.

FFFP – Film Forming Fluoroprotein Foam.

FIRE SCALDS – Fire Weather, Instructions, Right Things First, Escape Plan, Scouting, Communication, Alertness, Lookout, Discipline, Supervision. More here (.pdf)

FL – Friction Loss.

FNG – F’ing New Guy; Rookie; Recruit.

FTM – PTB – For the Men – Protect the Brothers. More here.

FUBAR – F’d Up Beyond All Recognition.

GPM – Gallons per minute.

HAZMAT – Hazardous Materials.

HAZWOPER – Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response.

IDLH – Any situation deemed Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health.

KTF – Keep The Faith. More here.

LCES – Lookouts, Communications, Escape Routes, Safety Zones.

LACES – Lookouts, Awareness, Communications, Escape Routes, Safety Zones

LDH – Large Diameter Hose.

LODD – Line of Duty Death.

LUNAR – Location, Unit, Name, Assignment, Resources. Better explained by FFHourly here.

MCI – Mass Casualty Incident.

MVA – Motor Vehicle Accident.

MVC – Motor Vehicle Collision.

NFA – National Fire Academy.

NFPA – National Fire Protection Association.

NFPA – Not For Practical Application.

NIOSH – National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

NIMS – The National Incident Management System.

MUTT – Someone or thing that abuses firefighters.

OIC – Officer in Charge.

OSHA – Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

OS&Y – Outside Screw & Yoke (Valve).

PAR -Personnel Accountability Report.

PASS – Personal Alert Safety System.

POV – Personally (or privately) Owned Vehicle.

PPE – Personal Protective Equipment. Turnout Gear and SCBA for example.

PPV – Positive Pressure Ventilation.

RECEO or RECEOVES – Rescue, Exposures, Containment, Extinguish, Overhaul, Ventilation, Environment, Salvage.

RECEO-VS – Rescue, Exposures, Extinguish, Overhaul, Ventilation,
Salvage.

REVAS – Rescue, Evacuation, Ventilation, Attack, Salvage.

RFB – Remember Fallen Brothers.

RIT or RIC – now more commonly referred to as the FAST team above.

SAR – Search and Rescue.

SCBA – Self Contained Breathing Apparatus.

SCREEO – Size Up, Call for help, Rescue, Exposures, Extinguishment, Overhual.

SLEEVS – Situation, Life safety, Exposures, Extinguish, Ventilate, Salvage.

SNAFU – Situation Normal All F’d Up

U.S.A.R – Urban Search and Rescue.

USFA – United States Fire Administration.

VES – Vent, Enter, Search.

WALLACE WAS HOT – Water, Area, Life hazard, Location-extent,
Apparatus-personnel, Construction-collapse, Exposures, Weather, Auxiliary appliances, Special matters, Height, Occupancy, and Time.

There is also a list of 300 over at Firehouse.com here.