Fire Service Safety, Scene Management, and Communications

Flashcards covering safety protocols, accountability systems, roadway scene control, electrical gear, telecommunication systems, and incident control zones.

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI)

A safety device required on auxiliary electrical equipment outlets to protect personnel from electrical shock.

NFPA 70E

Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace.

Passport System

An accountability system, also known as a tag system, where company officers maintain a passport listing crew members and give it to an Accountability Officer (AO) to attach to a control board.

SCBA Tag System

An accountability system where a tag attached to each firefighter's SCBA is collected by an Accountability Officer (AO) to track entry time and expected exit time based on the lowest-reading SCBA in the team.

Computer-Based Electronic Accountability Systems

Safety tracking systems utilizing radio- or radar-based transmitters attached to PPE or digital SCBA features to automatically track firefighter position, air supply, and emergency alarms.

Ground Gradient

An energized area where electrical current from downed power lines flows outward in all directions through the ground, with voltage dropping progressively as distance increases from the point of contact.

Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD)

The document that outlines the minimum requirements for establishing traffic control zones at highway and roadway incidents.

Traffic Control Zone

A coordinated area set up at or near a roadway incident to maintain responder safety and safe operations while managing oncoming traffic flow.

Watch Room

A designated area in a fire station staffed during work shifts to monitor radio communications, answer calls, acknowledge alarms, and maintain dispatch records.

Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP)

A central telecommunications location that receives all emergency calls in a jurisdiction and routes them to the appropriate fire, EMS, or law enforcement dispatcher.

Emergency Service Specific Telecommunications Center

A dedicated dispatch center operated independently by a single agency, such as a fire department, emergency medical service, or law enforcement agency.

Enhanced 9-1-1 (E-9-1-1)

A public alerting system that integrates computer-aided dispatch (CAD) with telephone equipment to automatically display the caller's phone number, location, and routing directions.

Wired Telegraph Circuit Box

A historical street corner alarm box that sends a unique location identification code to the communications center when a lever on its door is pressed.

Radio Fire Alarm Box

An emergency alerting box featuring an independent radio transmitter powered by a battery, small solar panel, or spring-wound alternator.

Hot Zone

The restricted area at an incident scene where trained personnel operate directly to resolve the core emergency condition.

Warm Zone

The limited access area immediately surrounding the hot zone where personnel in full protective equipment directly support hot zone operations, such as running lighting or hydraulic power units.

Cold Zone

The support area surrounding the hot and warm zones containing the Incident Command Post (ICP), rapid intervention crews (RICs), staging, rehabilitation, and crowd control lines.

Fixed Lights

Emergency scene lighting mounted directly on an apparatus or telescoping poles and powered by the vehicle generator or electrical system to illuminate the overall scene.

Portable Electric Generator

A lightweight power source driven by a small gasoline or diesel engine, carried by two people, providing outlet capacities of $110\text{-}$ and/or $220\text{-volt}$.

Inverter

An electrical device used to convert an apparatus' $12\text{-}$ or $24\text{-volt}$ direct current (DC) into $110\text{-}$ or $220\text{-volt}$ alternating current (AC) for low-power lights and tools.