The Public Safety Group Blog

As seasoned fire service professionals know, there are many acronyms and abbreviations used in all aspects of a fire career. Whether these acronyms are used in reference to specific equipment, operational roles, or simply for relevant organization names, mastering these shorthand phrases takes time and practice. To help your students in the field, we have put together a list of 100+ fire service acronyms that can be referenced as they begin to navigate the complex terminology used in the fire service. 

1. AAR: After Action Review
2. AC: Assistant Chief
3. ACLS: Advanced Cardiac Life Support
4. AEMT: Advanced Emergency Medical Technician
5. AGL: Above Ground Level
6. AHJ: Authority Having Jurisdiction 
7. ALS: Advanced Life Support
8. AMLS: Advanced Medical Life Support
9. ARFF: Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting
10. ATLS: Advanced Trauma Life Support
11. BC: Battalion Chief
12. BLS: Basic Life Support
13. CDC: Centers for Disease Control
14. CFO: Chief Fire Officer
15. CRM: Crew Resource Management
16. CPR: Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
17. DL: Distance Learning 
18. DNR: Do Not Resuscitate
19. DOA: Dead on Arrival
20. DOT: Department of Transportation
21. DPS: Department of Public Safety
22. ED: Emergency Department
23. EFO: Executive Fire Officer
24. EGH: Everybody Goes Home
25. EMS: Emergency Medical Services
26. EMT: Emergency Medical Technician
27. EMT-B: EMT-Basic
28. EPA: Environmental Protection Agency
29. EPC: Emergency Pediatric Care
30. ePCR: Electronic Patient Care Report
31. ETA: Estimated Time of Arrival
32. ETD: Estimated Time of Departure
33. ETE: Estimated Time En Route 
34. EVOC: Emergency Vehicle Operator Course
35. FADO: Fire Apparatus Driver Operator
36. FC: Fire Chief 
37. FD: Fire Department or Fire District
38. FDIC: Fire Department Instructors Conference (annual conference)
39. FDSOA: Fire Department Safety Officers Association
40. FEMA: Federal Emergency Management Agency
41. FESHE: Fire and Emergency Services Higher Education
42. FF: Firefighter
43. FPO: Fire Prevention Officer
44. FRI: Fire-Rescue International (annual conference)
45. HazMat: Hazardous Materials
46. HVAC: Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning
47. IAAI: International Association of Arson Investigators
48. IABPFF: International Association of Black Professional Firefighters
49. IAFC: International Association of Fire Chiefs
50. IAFF: International Association of Fire Fighters
51. IAP: Incident Action Plan
52. IC: Incident Commander or Incident Commander
53. ICS: Incident Command System
54. IFSAC: International Fire Service Accreditation Congress
55. IMS: Incident Management System
56. ISFSI: International Society of Fire Service Instructors
57. ISO: Incident Safety Officer
58. JPR: Job Performance Requirements
59. LODD: Line of Duty Death
60. Lt.: Lieutenant 
61. MAC: Multi-Agency Coordination (or Command)
62. MCI: Mass Casualty Incident
63. MPH: Miles Per Hour
64. MVA: Motor Vehicle Accident
65. MVC: Motor Vehicle Collision 
66. NEC: National Electrical Code
67. NFA: National Fire Academy
68. NFC: National Fire Codes
69. NFFF: National Fallen Firefighters Foundation
70. NFIRS: National Fire Incident Reporting System
71. NFPA: National Fire Protection Association
72. NHTSA: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
73. NIMS: National Incident Management System
74. NIOSH: National Institute of Safety and Health
75. NIST: National Institute of Standards and Technology
76. NP: Nozzle Pressure
77. NPS: National Park Service
78. NREMT: National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians
79. NTSB: National Transportation Safety Board
80. NVFC: National Volunteer Fire Council
81. OSHA: Occupational Safety and Health Administration
82. PALS: Pediatric Advanced Life Support
83. PCR: Patient Care Report
84. PD: Police Department
85. PHTLS: Prehospital Trauma Life Support
86. PPE: Personal Protective Equipment
87. PIO: Public Information Officer
88. PSA: Public Service Announcement
89. PSG: Public Safety Group, a Jones & Bartlett Learning Brand
90. PTA: Prior to Arrival
91. RIC: Rapid Intervention Crew
92. RM: Risk Management
93. SA: Situational Awareness
94. SFM: State Fire Marshal
95. SME: Subject Matter Expert
96. SOB: Shortness of Breath
97. SOP: Standard Operating Procedure
98. TC: Traffic Collision
99. TO: Training Officer
100. UL: Underwriters Laboratories 
101. USFA: United States Fire Administration
102. USFS: United States Forest Service
103. UTL: Unable to Locate
104. VFD: Volunteer Fire Department
105. WMD: Weapons of Mass Destruction
106. WUI: Wildland Urban Interface

Fundamentals of Firefighter Skills and Hazardous Materials Response Includes Navigate Premier Access

Fundamentals of Firefighter Skills and Hazardous Materials Response, Fifth Edition, provides new content that meets the intent of NFPA 1010, 2024 Edition Standard on Professional Qualifications for Firefighters that includes Chapter 6: Firefighter I (NFPA 1001) and Chapter 7: Firefighter II (NFPA 1001).

Instructors: Request More Information

Read more:

• Firefighter Training Ideas and Topics for Instructors
• Considerations for Instructors: How to Fight a High-Rise Building Fire
• 5 Key Trends in Fire Service for Instructors
• When Heat Waves Scorch the U.S., Teaching Firefighters and EMS Professionals How to Manage Heat-Related Injuries Takes Center Stage

Looking for more ways to help your students prepare for the fire service? Check out this first-hand account of how one fire instructor is helping her students achieve 100% first-time pass rates on their certification exams. 

To learn more about how the Public Safety Group can help you reach your unique training goals, please contact your dedicated representative today.