Emergency medical actions in firefighting operations

Background. Being called to a firefighting operation is a rare albeit typical scenario for emergency physicians, which apart from medical expertise requires efficient collaboration with the firefighting team. Aim. This article outlines the characteristics of collaboration with the team and incident commanders of the fire service and of the medical aspects in firefighting operations, whereby treating the victims of fire as well as hazards to the firefighters are considered. Method. This overview is based on a selective search of the literature and own experiences in emergency medicine and firefighting. Results. Collaboration with the fire service needs to respect the organizational and leadership structures at the scene. Firefighting staff are mainly endangered by the enormous cardiopulmonary strain of the mission, by the rapid development of fire phenomena as well as diverse kinds of accidents. The main features of fire victims are smoke intoxication, burns as well as other injuries. Choosing the right hospital for optimal treatment is crucial. Conclusion. Medical expertise and basic knowledge of methods and tactics employed by the fire service are prerequisites for successful participation as an emergency physician in a firefighting operation. An integrative view of all aspects of injuries of the fire victims and the subsequent therapeutic decisions represent special challenges, which have not yet received much attention in the medical literature.