Fire 1 MOD 3

What information should be communicated to your supervisor or crew members?

-Changes in heat level

-Changes in fire behavior

-Changes in visibility

-Number of victims/ Occupants and location

-Indications of ceiling and floor collapse

-Locations of safe havens

What are the psychological effects of obscured vision?

-Disorientation

-Fear

-Claustrophobia

-Panic

How can you overcome the psychological effects of obscured vision?

-Remain calm

-Control your breathing

-Maintain your situational awareness

-Stay in contact with your partner

-Focus on your assigned tasks

-Rely on your other senses (hearing and touch)

What are the situations when a MAYDAY is called for?

-Air emergencies

-Lost/ disoriented

-Entanglement

-Rapid fire development

-Collapse/ Trapped

What conditions need to be considered to determine if the interior is tenable for firefighters?

-(No evidence of) structural collapse

-Heat levels

-Duration of the interior operations

-Staying within acceptable limits for the PPE and SCBA provided

When are the times when you need to check your air supply gauge?

-Before entering an IDLH atmosphere

-After periods of heavy work

-At specific intervals (based on SOP's)

-When resting

-Before beginning a new assignment

-When the assigned area is reached

What is your point of return based on?

How much air you consume

-How much air is required to exit the IDLH atmosphere

-You're team's physical and mental condition, and the lowest cylinder gauge reading of any member on the team

-You're departments SOP's

-Environmental conditions

What are the tools and equipment that you should have when getting ready to search?

-Forcible entry tools

-A hand light

-Thermal imagers

-A search line

What can thermal imagers do?

-See sources of heat

-Identify temperature differentials on surfaces

-Locate victims and hidden fire

What should you do when you encounter fire in a room during search operations?

Close the door (isolate the fire by doing this) and report the condition

Who should the firefighter coordinate with prior to creating an exterior opening?

Incident command and ventilation teams

What should your supervisor be notified of immediately?

Any room or rooms that could not be searched

What is a priority before any search?

Locating and isolating the fire

How can doors be marked during a search?

-Specially designated door markers

-Latch straps over door knobs

What direction should you turn when leaving a room after searching it?

Turn the same direction as you did to enter

Why should egress passageways always be controlled during a search?

So search teams can escape if conditions change rapidly

When are primary searches conducted?

Before and during fire suppression

When should a firefighter crawl during a primary search?

When heat and smoke require them to

What is the VEIS method?

A search technique intended to provide a rapid search of individual rooms that can be accessed from the exterior, usually through a window

Vent

Enter

Isolate

Search

When is VEIS usually chosen as a rescue tactic?

When there is a credible report of possible victims in survivable areas of the structure

What is a secondary search?

A slow, thorough search conducted after the fire is under control

What type of patients is the incline drag especially useful for?

Unconscious victims

When is the webbing drag useful?

When the heat and smoke force you to stay low, or the victim is a downed firefighter wearing SCBA

Who can the cradle in arms lift/carry be used for?

Children or small conscious adults

What should you do when you believe your life is in immediate danger?

Call a MAYDAY

What is LUNAR?

A common acronym in the fire service that describes the info to transmit in a MAYDAY report

Location

Unit

Name

Assignment

Resources

What actions must be taken immediately following a MAYDAY?

-All radio traffic ceases, and only traffic relating to the MAYDAY is allowed

-The IC will determine which activities will be delayed or redirected to assist with searching for the firefighter who has broadcast the MAYDAY

-The Rapid Intervention Crew (RIC) is dispatched to locate the downed firefighter

What means may be used to notify crews of an evacuation?

Radio messages or apparatus audible warning devices

What evacuation notification method is best for large structures?

Radio message

What do all units on the scene have to do when an evacuation order is given?

-Give a personnel accountability report (PAR)

-Exiting crews should proceed to designated safe areas outside the collapse zone

Once the RIC has entered the structure, what should they do that may help them find the downed firefighter?

Stop frequently and briefly remain silent, especially after moving from one room or area to another

What are the general guidelines when removing a firefighter with a functioning SCBA?

The team must move the firefighter carefully so as not to dislodge the mask

What are the general guidelines when removing a firefighter with non-functioning SCBA?

The team must either connect the firefighters facepiece to a functioning SCBA or quickly remove the firefighter from the hazardous atmosphere

During what type of support operations might a firefighter conduct air monitoring?

Trench and confined space technical rescue

What are the 4 gases that a typical 4 gas monitor will test for?

-Lower Explosive Limit (LEL

-Oxygen (02)

-Carbon Monoxide (CO)

-Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S)

What is a bump test and what do they verify?

A calibration performed on monitors being taken to an incident, Performed before mounting an apparatus. It verifies the performance of the gas detector and ensures that the sensors respond to the correct target gas or gasses in the correct amounts

What is tactical ventilation?

The planned, systematic, and coordinated removal of heated air, smoke, gases or other airborne contaminants from a structure, replacing them with cooler and/or fresher air. It is a tool to help Firefighters control a fire.

What does tactical ventilation allow the firefighter to do?

Control the flow of oxygen, smoke, and hot gases to control the rate of fire growth and spread and to support suppression and rescue operations.

What will cause an increase in the combustion rate during a fire that is ventilation limited?

Coordinated tactical ventilation (until water is applied)

_____________ without ______________ can lead to flashover.

Ventilation without coordination

What affects how soon a flashover occurs?

The longer the structure or compartment is allowed to burn with adequate ventilation and without water being applied, the sooner flashover occurs

Which means of heat transfer is the primary mode of heat transfer in a structure fire?

Convection

To be effective tactical, ventilation must be coordinated with what?

With an immediate fire attack

What are the safety considerations when ventilating?

-Careful planning

-Communication of scene observations to the incident commander (IC)

-Systematic application of procedures for removing the contaminates

-Coordinating with other fire ground activities

-Recognition that all openings (Doors, windows, and other openings) allow ventilation

-Recognition of the advantages and disadvantages of environmental conditions (wind and temperature) at the scene

What is unplanned ventilation?

The failure of windows, doors, and structural members as a result of heat/ fire exposure

What can unplanned ventilation influence?

Fire behavior in ventilation-limited fires

What can affect exterior exposures?

Radiation and/ or direct flame contact

How can convection affect exposures?

It carries hot fire brands or embers aloft

What are the indications of a possible roof collapse?

-Melting asphalt

-Smoke coming from the roof

-Fire coming from the roof

-Building systems such as HVAC units sagging or leaning

-Spongy roof (a normally solid roof that springs back when walked upon)

What should be outlined in the SOPs for inspection and maintenance of ventilation equipment?

-Common items to be inspected

-Inspection and maintenance schedule

-Level of maintenance that firefighters provide

-When non firefighting personnel should perform maintenance

-Procedures for documenting inspections and maintenance

What is the oldest type of ventilation?

Negative Pressure Ventilation (NPV)

What are safety guidelines for using smoke ejectors?

-Ensure that people, clothing, curtains, and draperies that are near to the fan or that could be drawn into the blades are secured or removed before starting a smoke ejector

-Turn off smoke ejectors when using them

-Carry smoke ejectors by using the handles provided for that purpose

-Avoid standing in the outlet area of the smoke ejector; the discharged air may contain flying debris

What does positive pressure fans work best on?

Fires that are confined to an adequately vented compartment

When done correctly what does the PPV do?

Creates a slightly higher pressure in adjacent compartments, which will force the products of combustion (smoke) to the exterior of the structure through exhaust opening(s) that either exist or have been created

When should hydraulic ventilation be used?

-May be used in situations where other types of forced ventilation are unavailable

-Can be used to clear a room or building of smoke, heat, steam, and gases after a fire has been controlled

What does vertical ventilation involve?

Involves creating openings in a roof or using existing openings to channel smoke, hot gasses, and products of combustion out of the structure

When/why should an inspection hole be cut in a roof?

-Before cutting any type of ventilation hole

-Helps to determine the location of a fire, the presence of fire below the roof, and construction features of a roof

How big should a trench cut be?

4 or more feet wide and extend the width of the building

When is a flashover likely to occur in a basement fire?

When the basement has no exterior access

What deficiencies should be corrected or reported when inspecting hose?

-Evidence of dirt or debris on the hose jacket or couplings

-Damage to the hose jacket

-Coupling loosened from the hose

-Damage to the male and female threads

-Obstructed operation of the swivel

-Absence of a well- fitting gasket in the swivel

What type of washing does hard rubber booster hose, hard intake hose and rubber jacket collapsible hose require?

Rinsing with clear water, a mild soap may be used if necessary

How should woven jacket hose be cleaned?

Any dust and dirt should be thoroughly brushed or swept off of the hose. If brushing or sweeping does not remove the dirt, wash it with clear water while scrubbing with a stiff brush

What should be done when fire hose has been exposed to oil?

It should be washed with a mild soap or detergent using scrub brushes or straw brooms. Make sure the oil is completely removed. The hose should then be rinsed thoroughly with clean water

What causes thermal damage to fire hose?

Excessive heat exposure or direct flame contact

-Charring

-Melting

-Weakening of the outer jacket

-Dehydration of the rubber lining

What is an example of organic damage?

Mildew and mold (discoloration patch on hose)

What can be done to reduce age deterioration?

Unused hose loads should be removed and repacked on a regular schedule. When reloading hose, pack the hose loosely and fold the hose in places where it was not previously loaded

What type of load is recommended to reduce deterioration?

Flat load

What are the three more common hose rolls?

-Straight roll

-Donut roll

-Twin donut roll

What is a straight roll?

Start at the male end, and roll to the female coupling end. When the roll is completed, the female end is exposed, and the male coupling is protected in the rolls center

When is a donut roll used?

When hose is likely to be deployed for use directly from a roll

What is the purpose of a twin donut roll?

To create a compact roll that can be easily transported and carried for special applications such as high- rise or standpipe operations

What load is the easiest to load?

The flat load

What does a combination load permit?

This load permits the apparatus to make a forward lay from the water source to the fire, followed by a reverse lay back to the water source (cannot split lay)

What is friction loss?

The part of total water pressure that is lost while forcing water through:

-Pipes

-Fittings

-Fire house

-Adapters

What are dry barrel hydrants designed for?

Designed for use in climates with freezing temperatures, the barrel remains dry until the main control valve is opened

What are wet barrel hydrants?

Usually installed in climates without prolonged periods of subfreezing weather, Have water in the hydrant at all times

What are examples of static water sources?

May be accessed through drafting. May include:

-Lakes

-Ponds

-Rivers

-Swimming Pools

-Large above ground animal water tanks

-Portable water tanks

What is a ball valve?

Used in pumper discharges and gated wyes. Are open when the handle is in line with the hose and closed when it is at a right angle to the hose. (the valve itself contains contains a ball inside of it)

What is a clapper valve?

Used in Siamese appliances and fire department connections (FDC) to allow water to flow in one direction only. (flat disk hinged inside the valve that operates like a door)

What are the three main functions of nozzles?

-Controlling water flow

-Creating reach

-Shaping the hose stream

What do smooth bore nozzles produce?

Produces a solid hose (water) stream

What is a basic fog nozzle?

An adjustable- pattern fog nozzle in which the rated discharge is delivered at a designated pressure and setting

What is a constant gallonage fog nozzle?

An adjustable pattern fog nozzle that discharges at a constant rate throughout the range of patterns from a straight stream to a wide fog at a designated nozzle pressure

What is a constant pressure (automatic) fog nozzle?

An adjustable pattern fog nozzle in which the pressure remains relatively constant through a range of discharge rates

What is a constant/select gallonage nozzle?

A constant discharge rate fog nozzle with a feature that allows manual adjustment of the orifice to maintain a predetermined discharge rate while the nozzle is flowing

What type of flow is 10-125 gpm?

Low flow(s)

What type of flow is 70-200 gpm?

Mid- range flow(s)

What type of flow is 70-350 gpm?

High flow(s)

What is a piercing nozzle used for?

Used to pierce material such as stucco, block, wood, and lightweight steel in order to access fires in concealed spaces

What is a cellar nozzle used for?

Consists of a rotating head with outlets that distribute water in a circular pattern. The nozzle and hose are lowered into a cellar, attic, cockloft, or confined space through a hole cut in the overhead surface

What do ball valves provide?

Effective nozzle control with little effort

In a two firefighter method for hose operations during an interior attack, what is the role of the two firefighters?

The nozzle operator and the backup firefighter

What can a hose strap be used for in the two firefighter method?

To reduce the effects of nozzle reaction

When water is converted directly to steam, it absorbs ___ times more energy than when it is vaporized into steam. It also rapidly expands approximately ___ times.

5x/ 1,700

What is an example of fuel removal?

Wildland fire fighting crews often dig trenches to remove fuel in the path of the fire to try and contain it

What type of fire is fuel removal rarely an option for?

Structure fires

What type of suppression is it when firefighters allow all available fuel to be consumed while firefighters protect exposures?

Fuel removal

What is an example of oxygen exclusion?

-Placing a cover on a pan of burning grease

-Flooding a compartment with an inert gas such as carbon dioxide (displaces the oxygen and disrupt the combustion process)

-When a building occupant closes the door to the fire room before leaving the building

What are the observable results of proper hose stream application?

-Visible reduction in flame output

-Reduction in smoke volume

-Changes in smoke color (darker to lighter)

-Temperature reduction within the compartment

What is a shielded fire?

A fire you cannot see from the doorway because it is located in a remote part of the structure or objects are shielding the fire