What Should Be a Firefighter's Main Job?

Summary of Article: The Chief of the Los Angeles Fire Department ("LAFD") today announced that he intends to shift firefighters from fighting fires to responding to 911 calls for medical help. He said the reason is that now 80% of all 911 calls in LA are for medical emergencies, not for fires. 

Discussion with Kids: 

• What do firefighters do? How do they work as a team to fight fires? (They conduct searches and rescues in a fire, they work together to hoist heavy ladders onto buildings, they work together to cut holes into roofs to release heat and toxic spoke that can accumulate in buildings on fire). 
• If there is a fire, how do you get a firefighter to come to your house? What do you call? (911) If there is a medical emergency, who do you call? (911). 
• Which type of calls do you think are most common for 911? A study has recently found that 80% of 911 calls are for medical help. (That means if there are ten calls, 8 are for medical help.) As a result, the LA Fire Chief has decided to take some firefighters away from fighting fires and to move them onto ambulances. 
• What do you think of this idea? What are good things about it (more people to help with medical emergencies; faster response time to 911 calls)? What are bad things about it? (perhaps fires will be understaffed)
• What would you do if you were fire chief? 
• Let's practice dialing 911 on a pretend phone. What do you say when the operator answers?