Fire Behavior
What are the 3 states of matter?
Solid, Liquid, & Gas
What are the 2 systems used to assemble wood-frame buildings?
Balloon-Frame & Platform Frame
When operating a fire extinguisher the reccomended technique to use is P.A.S.S.
What does P.A.S.S. stand for?
- P: Pull the safety pin.
- A: Aim the nozzle at the base of the flames.
- S: Squeeze the trigger to discharge the agent.
- S: Sweep the nozzle across the base of the flames.
Which NFPA Standard covers "Standard for Fire Doors and Other Opening Protectives".
NFPA 80
A structural component that is composed of smaller pieces joined to form a triangular configuration are known as what?
Trusses
What are the 4 components of the fire tetrahedron?
Fuel, Heat, Oxygen, & a Chemical Chain Reaction
For a Type I Construction what is the minimum number of hours of fire resistance it must have?
Type I constructions must be constructed or protected so that it has at least 2 hours of fire resistance.
List all classes of fires and what they type of fire they represent.
- Class A Fires: Ordinary Solid Combustible Materials
- Class B Fires: Flammable or Combustible Liquids
- Class C Fires: Energized Electrical Equipment
- Class D Fires: Combustible Metals
- Class K Fires: Combustible Cooking Oils & Fats.
Which NFPA Standard covers "Standard for Portable Fire Extinguishers".
NFPA 10
Explain the difference between a "Dead Load" vs. a "Live Load".
- Dead Load: Is the weight of the building itself
- Live Load: Is the weight of the building's contents.
What are the 4 stages of a ventilated, solid-fuel fire?
Incipient Stage --> Growth Stage --> Fully Developed Stage --> Decay Stage
What are the 5 types of construction.
- Type I Construction: Fire Resistive
- Type II Construction: Noncombustible
- Type III Construction: Ordinary
- Type IV Construction: Heavy Timber
- Type V Construction: Wood Frame
What are 3 of the 4 methods of extinguishing a fire?
- Cooling the Fuel: If the temperature of the fuel falls below its ignition temperature, the combustion process will stop.
- Cutting Off the Supply of Oxygen: Creating a barrier that interrupts the flow of oxygen to the flames will extinguish a fire.
- Interrupting the Chain of Reactions: Some extinguishing agents work by interrupting the molecular chain reactions required to sustain combustion.
- Removing the Fuel.
Which NFPA Standard covers "Standard on Types of Building Construction, provides detailed requirements for each type of building construction".
NFPA 220
What does the abbreviation "UL" stand for and what do they do?
Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. (UL): The organization that developed the standards, classification, & rating system for portable fire extinguishers.
Fuels are materials that store energy. Energy exists in many forms what are 3 of the 5 types of energy?
- Chemical energy is the energy created by a chemical reaction.
- Mechanical energy is converted to heat when two materials rub against each other and create friction.
- Electrical energy is converted to heat energy when it flows through a conductive material.
- Light energy is produced by electromagnetic waves packaged in photons and travels as thermal radiation.
- Nuclear energy is stored in radioactive materials and is converted to electricity by nuclear power generating stations.
What are 2 of 4 key factors that can affect fire behavior
- Combustibility.
- Thermal conductivity.
- Decrease in strength at elevated temperatures.
- Thermal expansion when heated.
The Traditional Lettering System has assigned each class of fire both a shape and color.
What are all of shape and color associations with each class of fire?
- Class A: Green Triangle
- Class B: Red Square
- Class C: Blue Circle
- Class D: Yellow Star
- Class K: Black Hexagon
Which NFPA Standard covers "Standard for Low-, Medium-, and High-Expansion Foam".
NFPA 11
A process in which material is decomposed, or broken down, into simpler molecular compounds by the effects of heat alone; this often precedes combustion.
Pyrolysis
What are the 3 primary mechanisms by which heat is transferred?
Conduction: Heat transfer to another body or within a body by direct contact.
Convection: Heat transfer by circulation within a medium such as a gas or a liquid.
Radiation: Combined process of emission, transmission, and absorption of energy traveling by electromagnetic wave propagation between a region of higher temperature and a region of lower temperature.
List 5 signs that may indicate a possible collapse.
Signs of collapse may include the following:
- Cracks in walls, especially cracks that develop or grow during a fire
- Leaning walls
- Pitched or sagging doors
- Doors stuck in shifted frames
- Moaning/groaning or cracking sounds
- Any type of movement or vibrations
- Movement or shifting of water on the floor
- Smoke pushing through cracks in the wall
- Lack of water runoff from firefighting operations
Class A & Class B extinguishers have a number rating that indicates its relative effectiveness and extinguishing capacity.
What does this number represent for Class A vs. Class B Extinguishers?
For Class A Extinguishers: This number represents the amount of water it contains.
For Class B Extinguishers: This number represents what is about 40% of the area of burning fuel that an expert can consistently extinguish.
Which NFPA Standard covers "Standard for Fire Fighter Professional Qualifications"
NFPA 1001
Identify the following types of fire conditions:
1. A transition phase in the development of a compartment fire in which surfaces exposed to thermal radiation reach ignition temps simultaneously, and fire spreads rapidly throughout the space, resulting in full involvement.
2. An explosion resulting from the sudden introduction of air into a confined space containing oxygen-deficient products of incomplete combustion.
3. Condition in which unburned fuel from the originating fire has accumulated in the ceiling layer to a sufficient concentration that it ignites and burns.
1. Flashover
2. Backdraft
3. Rollover (AKA Flameover)