Why Firefighters are so Important to Their Community | Marty Lancton

Firefighting is a dangerous profession, with many dangers other first responders face. Fires are deadly and explosive, and their unpredictable nature of them is what makes firefighters such an essential asset to their community.

The majority of what firefighters do is put out fires, which can save lives and property alike. They are trained to evacuate buildings before entering them, making sure everyone is safe. Even if a firefighter dies in the line of duty, it means their community is still safe. The loss of a firefighter is tremendous to their community, but it can be mitigated by proper training and preparation.

Reasons Why Firefighters are an Important Asset to Their Community

They can deal with hazardous materials

Firefighters have extensive experience dealing with toxic chemicals that would kill or injure almost anyone else. It could be cleaning up after a chemical spill, removing contaminated chemicals from a building, or even searching for victims inside a structure that has been engulfed in flames.

They can protect buildings through fire codes and regulations

In addition to putting out fires, firefighters also keep the public safe by upholding safety procedures at construction sites, schools, hospitals, and many more places where people gather. They make sure no one gets hurt or injured because of code violations.

They are equipped with specialized equipment

In most cases, firefighters carry special tools designed to help them fight fires safely. These include breathing apparatus, ladders, axes, flashlights, hoses, oxygen tanks, and more. Sometimes they bring along extra clothing in case they end up needing to wear protective gear while working on a hot blaze. As you can see, every single item they use helps keep them safe and ready for action.

They provide emergency medical help

Not only does a firefighter’s job require them to be very aware of their environment, it also requires the ability to assess situations quickly and know how to treat different injuries. While this isn’t as necessary when there isn’t a major incident going down, it certainly plays a vital role during one, and that’s why they should always be prepared to do whatever it takes to assist those who need assistance.

They put off all sorts of fires

Whether residential, commercial, or wild fires, firefighters have extensive training and experience to deal with them effectively. This includes not only managing and extinguishing them, but finding ways to contain and combat the spread of these blazes too.

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About Marty Lancton

Patrick "Marty" Lancton is a Houston, Texas native and a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience as a union President and Vice President, business owner, partner, board member, and state-certified firefighter. He's incredibly involved in and passionate about the lives of the first responders, especially firefighters, from all around the Houston, Texas area.

Marty Lancton's journey as a firefighter and paramedic with the first responders began in the year 2000, when he joined the City of Cedar Park Fire Department in Cedar Park, Texas. After three fulfilling years, he then moved to the City of West University Fire Department in West University, Texas. He stayed at the fire department until 2009 before moving to the City of Houston Fire Department, and has remained there to this day.

Marty Lancton has served in a number of positions of authority within the first responders community. For example, since 2015, Marty has served as the Chairman of the Executive Board for the Houston Professional Firefighters Association Charitable Foundation. Not only that, but also in 2016, Marty was elected President of the Houston Professional Firefighters Association, and in 2017, he even joined the State Association of Firefighters as the Vice President for the Executive Board of Directors. Marty Lancton also joined the Texas AFL-CIO as Vice President of the Executive Board of Directors. In 2019, Marty accepted a senior fellow position from the British American Project. Most recently, Marty made huge career advancements by joining the American Leadership Forum and the United States Executive Committee of the British American Project as a Senior Fellow in 2020. To learn more about Marty Lancton, visit his websites!