THE JOB of a firefighter
has changed dramatically
from the time when firemen
would fight fires without
the aid of self-contained
breathing apparatus equip-
ment.

By Surj Rattan
News Reporter

And that change in a large part
is due to changes in technology
and attitude, says North Van-
couver City Fire Department Insp.
Dave Burgess.

Burgess said he felt the need to
educate the general public about
the role today’s firefighter plays
after he heard people refer to the
job of a firefighter as a ‘‘simple’’
one,

He added that fires today in-
voive a broad spectrum of man-
made products ihat all give off
highly toxic and poisonous gases.

“One breath could be your
last,’ said Burgess. ‘‘These same
products burn faster and hotter
than products produced even 10
years ago.

“To consider entering a fire
without full protective equipment
would be suicide.”’

He added that firemen today
are exposed to a wide range of
life-threatening elements, not just
fire. Burgess said firefighters,
because they are often the first to
respond to a medical emergency,
are exposed to several blood-bone
diseases, including hepatitis B and
the HIV virus.

In order to protect themselves,
city fire department crews are in-
Structed to wear specially designed
medical examination gloves when
treating patients.

An enhanced 9-1-1 computer
system installed at the North Van-
couver City fire department hall is
also evidence of the new and im-
proved image of firefighters.

NORTH VANCOUVER City firefighter Erik Bjarnason tears off a print-out of a call before leaving the hall.

NEWS photo Mike Wakefield
The use of computers is one

of several changes being mac to the career cf firefighting.

Burgess said that the North
Vancouver City fire department
does much more than just fight
fires. A regular day at the firehall
includes a full day of training and
maintenance.

Burgess said today’s firefighter
spends more time training than
most other professions. The job
of firefighters includes working in
the areas of:

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