Firefighting Slang, Jargon, and New Words from Double-Tongued Dictionary

Citations in the Category Firefighting

Firemen, fire-fighters, fire departments, sappers, hooks and ladders, fire-jumpers, helitack, wildfires, etc. You can also see entries assigned to this category.

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pinner fire n. The June 23 blaze consumed a mere five acres and burned for just more than an hour—a small-scale spark and burn that California Department of Forestry (CDF) officials often refer to as a “crackerjack” or “pinner” fire. [English Firefighting] [full cite] (Jul. 10, 2006)

rehab v. Topsfield Fire Chief Ronald Giovannacci said firefighting in the summer requires added safeguards. Regardless of temperature, firefighters go through a process known as “rehab.” After a certain amount of time fighting a fire they are replaced by a fresher firefighter. Then they are re-hydrated and evaluated by paramedics on the scene. In the winter time firefighters are “rehabbed” after 40 minutes. During the summer, rehab takes place after 20 minutes. Extra precautions in the summer include disrobing the resting firefighter and cooling them off as best as possible with misting fans. [English Firefighting Jargon] [full cite] (Jul. 27, 2006)

rotorhead n. Helitack crews consider themselves an elite corps within the fire service, which prompts a certain amount of ribbing from their fellow firefighters—most of it good-natured, some of it not. In conversations and on Internet message boards, they hear themselves referred to as “rotorheads” and “heli-donnas.” [English United States Firefighting Jargon] [full cite] (Nov. 16, 2004)

shake and bake n. They go through what is called shake n’ bake training and it’s something the public has never seen before…until now.…At first, the men are timed. They get all their gear on in about 30 seconds. But the rules keep changing. When they scatter the gear, it takes longer. And then it gets really interesting. The two lieutenants running the exercise make the guys turn their face masks around so they can’t see. They also make it so loud in the room, they can’t hear each other. Then they spread out the gear. This time the men are forced to find another way to communicate with their brother firefighters. It’s all about teamwork. [English Firefighting Slang] [full cite] (Feb. 5, 2007)

smoke eater n. Smoke eaters—Firemen. [English Firefighting Slang] [full cite] (May. 13, 2005)

snag n. The burn had consumed four acres when Holmes and a few other team members approached a tree known in forestry parlance as a “snag"—dead or dying timber that poses a threat of falling. [English Environment Firefighting] [full cite] (Oct. 5, 2004)

snag n. Marty Vanausdol cuts down a burned tree—a snag in fire crew parlance—to clear a safe path along a fire line in West Yellowstone, Mont. [English Firefighting] [full cite] (Oct. 6, 2004)

snag n. A Bitterroot National Forest firefighter was fatally injured Monday morning after he was struck by a falling snag while battling a small fire near the Lost Trail Pass ski area. [English Firefighting] [full cite] (Oct. 6, 2004)

snag n. A bolt of lighting had struck a 70-foot-tall snag—a standing dead tree—in the Tin Cup Creek drainage of the Kalmiopsis Wilderness early that morning, and was burning in what looked like knee-high brush. [English Firefighting] [full cite] (Oct. 6, 2004)

snag n. Cash L. Hopkins, 25, an inmate from the Indian Ridge Corrections Center in Snohomish County, was killed Aug. 18 at the Ace Creek fire when a burning snag fell on him. [English Firefighting] [full cite] (Oct. 6, 2004)

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