U.S. Investment Immigration community listens to stories happening in the United States:
Farewell
Thousands of colleagues gathered from across the country to pay their respects, while tens of thousands of citizens wept as a massive national flag was hoisted in the city sky—who is worthy of receiving this honor, almost equivalent to that of a great man's funeral or even a state funeral?
It is the ordinary firefighter, who sacrificed their life in the battle against fire, becoming a hero revered and admired by all.
On June 5, 2013, over 40,000 people gathered at the Reliant Stadium in Houston, the fourth largest city in the United States, to attend the memorial service for four firefighters who tragically lost their lives when a building collapsed while they were extinguishing a fire on May 31. The stadium's massive screen displayed the names and life videos of the four heroes, and when the families of the fallen entered the venue, the entire audience stood to pay their respects. Approximately 3,000 firefighters from across the nation joined the collective remembrance that day, with fire trucks and emergency service vehicles from cities like New Orleans and Dallas lining the long streets leading to the stadium.
This was the deadliest day for the Houston Fire Department in its 118-year history in a single fire incident. The Houston Fire Department is the third largest fire department in the United States and one of the busiest fire systems.
On June 30, a month later, 19 firefighters perished while battling a fire in Arizona. These firefighters were all part of the Granite Mountain Hotshots team, who had undergone rigorous training, including running, rock climbing, yoga, and more. The forest fire broke out on June 28, covering an area of 8,400 acres (approximately 34 million square meters). Due to the intensity of the fire, helicopters were unable to reach the scene for emergency assistance, and these firefighters were not able to take shelter in an emergency refuge (a tent-like bag), leading to this tragic outcome. Among the fallen firefighters were a soon-to-be father, a devoted father of four, and a son who followed in his father's footsteps to become a firefighter; their loss is deeply mourned.
Chris Barron, Executive Director of the Texas Firefighters Association, emphasized that, according to incomplete statistics, 18 Texas firefighters have died in the line of duty so far in 2013, which is three times the annual average.
Reflection
In the midst of sorrow, this has sparked reflection on the safety operations of firefighters.
The United States is a country with many fires. Statistics show that fire-related deaths rank third among various disaster incidents (the first is traffic accidents, and the second is various criminal activities), with significant annual losses in terms of lives and property due to fires.
Industry insiders point out that the reasons for firefighter fatalities include scattered command orders and the possibility that firefighters skipped basic risk assessments before initiating firefighting tactics. "Daily medical and routine calls keep us busy, causing us to overlook many of the most basic safety information," Barron revealed. All fire departments in Texas temporarily halted their daily operations on June 7 to review and reflect on basic safety training and standard operating procedures.
Professional System
Firefighters in the United States operate under a professional system, making firefighting their lifelong career, with government pensions upon retirement. New firefighters are recruited annually, with educational requirements of at least a high school diploma, and undergo a year of training. This includes four months of basic training covering physical fitness, basic skills, and fundamental knowledge, followed by six months of practical training and concentrated training, which must be passed through examinations to become a certified firefighter.
According to U.S. law, the number of firefighters in major cities is determined by the population size, with a typical standard of one firefighter for every thousand people. Each state has a fire headquarters, and cities within the state have fire brigades, which are further divided into teams, battalions, and companies based on regional characteristics.
The U.S. fire department believes that fire science and technology is an applied science and thus places great importance on transferring research results from other sectors for use in firefighting. For example, they utilize computer technology to establish city fire communication dispatch control centers in some large and medium-sized cities. The computer systems store data on the distribution of city streets and fire facilities, deployment of firefighting resources, and plans for mobilizing firefighting forces during emergencies. In the event of a fire, the center can control and remotely activate emergency lighting equipment for the fire department, open garage doors, and issue firefighting commands. The application of these technologies has significantly improved the efficiency of dispatch command and firefighting operations.
The casualty rate for U.S. firefighters during firefighting operations is relatively high, and with the advancement of industrial technology, combating modern fires poses greater risks than in the past. For instance, the personal protective equipment used by U.S. chemical firefighting teams typically includes: air respirators with toxic filtration devices, protective clothing against chemical corrosion and high temperatures, hazardous gas alarms, gas detectors, hazardous liquid and solid detectors, non-contact hot spot detectors, explosion-proof flashlights, containment booms, rapid-expansion leak-stopping bags, low-pressure container puncture repair kits, hazardous materials containment barriers, decontamination equipment, and goggles.
Ranked First in Respect
The American public holds firefighters in high regard, and brave firefighters are often seen as heroes in their hearts. Firefighters also receive high compensation, and fire departments are sought-after workplaces for many. A survey conducted by an American organization revealed that firefighters ranked first among the most respected professions, while the president ranked 26th. Fire chiefs in the United States earn around $200,000 annually, while regular firefighters earn about $125,000. After retirement, firefighters can receive a pension of $100,000 per year.
According to surveys, among the top ten dream jobs for American children, firefighters rank fourth, following professional athletes (basketball, football, and baseball), performers (singers, actors), and secret agents.
In our country, firefighters are on active duty, which differs from the professional system of Western firefighters, as active-duty firefighters are limited by their service period and may leave the firefighting profession before they have fully acclimated to the job, leading to a faster turnover. In contrast, Western professional firefighters are generally more experienced but have a slower turnover rate.