What are safety precautions for fire?

Many, all of them whenever possible. We face so many different situations, though: vehicle accidents, hazardous materials spills, high angle and water rescue situations...

Basically, we firefighters are the "go to" guys/gals for pretty much any emergency situation. Our first protection is our training. We do plenty of it and constantly practise to stay on top of the skills we need.

The second is our brains. We have to stay alert to all around us, usually in a high-sound environment (truck engines, sirens, general scene noise is overwhelming at times), and the third is our equipment.

Our turnouts (Petch clothes) are fire and heat resistant, tear and water resistant, and provide a layered protection. We make sure the floor ahead of us is sound when entering a fire building, by sounding with an axe.

We always work in teams and we always have radio communication. We have many Standard Operating Procedures (S.O.P.'s) that govern what our department considers safe practice for many situations, but when life is in danger we go beyond what normal people would ever do in order to try and save those lives.

My department will not sacrifice F/F lives for an empty building, though; we do not go overboard for empty property and many of us are alive because of that.