Written Expressions
Identify the most appropriate way to communicate a thought or idea to an individual.
Senario: Captain Lewis sent two firefighters into a home with two stories above ground and a basement, to search for the exact location of a reported fire. The firefighters quickly determined that the fire was coming from the basement of the home. Upon further investigation, the fire was pinpointed more precisely to the southeast corner. The most effective way for the firefighters to report the exact location of the fire to Captain Lewis is as follows
A. "The fire is located in a corner of the basement."
B. "The fire is located in the southeast corner of the lower level."
C. "The fire is located in the southeast corner of the basement."
D. "The fire is located on the lower level in the southeast corner."
C. "The fire is located in the southeast corner of the basement."
Written Comp: Firefighters from Engine Company 8 were dispatched to respond to a fire at 10:30 p.m. The fire was at a clothing warehouse in a very busy area of town. Upon arrival at the fire at 10:35 p.m., Firefighter King saw a teenage boy with blonde curly hair, a green tee shirt, blue jeans, and white sneakers running from the warehouse. A young girl with long brown hair, a white sweater, and green pants came up to Firefighter Watkins and stated that she saw some boy break a basement window in the warehouse and crawl inside. When she saw flames on the first floor she reported the fire. A man in his early thirties, with straight blonde hair, blue jeans, and a long-sleeved white shirt, came running up to Firefighter Smith and stated that he owned the warehouse, and that there were large containers of highly flammable cleaning fluids located in the back of the warehouse. A 20 mile-per-hour wind was blowing from the front of the warehouse to the back and could quickly spread the fire to the back. The firefighters who had been positioned behind the warehouse were moved out and Battalion Chief Smith sent Firefighters Casey and Taylor to clear any people out of the surrounding buildings. Upon investigation, it was discovered that the fire was restricted to several racks of clothes at the front of the warehouse. The fire was put out at 10:45 p.m.
According to the preceding passage, the fire most likely was started by:
A. a teenage boy.
B. a young girl.
C. a man in his early thirties.
D. some highly flammable cleaning fluids that caught on fire.
A. a teenage boy.
Firefighter Munsen interviewed four witnesses to an automobile fire that broke out after an accident on Route 15. Each of the witnesses described the incident as follows:
Witness 1 - "As soon as the driver got out of the car, it burst into flames. The fire started in the gas tank."
Witness 2 - "It's a good thing the driver got away before the car was swallowed in flames. The gas tank caught fire right after the collision."
Witness 3 - "After the collision, smoke appeared from under the hood. Then the car became engulfed and the fire caused the gas tank to explode. The driver barely escaped."
]Witness 4 - "Just after the accident occurred, the driver was able to escape before the gas tank caught on fire and the car went up in flames."
Given the above information, Firefighter Munsen should recognize that there is a problem with the description given by witness:
A. 1.
B. 2.
C. 3
D. 4.
C. 3
Foam fire streams are used at different concentration levels for fires of various types. Foams designed for Class A fires should be used at one to four percent concentrations. Class B fires require a foam concentration of between four to seven percent, while Class C fires require a concentration of six to nine percent.
According to the preceding passage, a firefighter who is unsure if a fire is a Class A or Class B fire would be best advised to use a foam concentration of:
A. Two percent.
B. Four percent.
C. Six percent.
D. Eight percent.
B. Four percent.
The table PROVIDED (IMAGE 3) indicates the number of people needed to carry ladders of different length.
According to the preceding table, the following statement most accurately describes the relationship between the length of a ladder and the number of people needed to carry that ladder:
A. as the ladder length is increased by 10 feet, the number of people needed to carry it is doubled.
B. as the ladder length is increased by 10 feet, the number of people needed to carry it is tripled.
C. the longer the ladder, the fewer the number of people needed to carry it.
D. the longer the ladder, the greater the number of people needed to carry it.
D. the longer the ladder, the greater the number of people needed to carry it.
Firefighter Rogers would like to include the following statements in a report about a recent explosion: (These statements are NOT listed in the correct order.)
1) I quickly treated the pedestrian for the injury.
2) The explosion caused a glass window in an office building to shatter.
3) After the pedestrian was treated, a call was placed to the Police Department to ask for help in evacuating the area.
4) After all the glass settled to the ground, I saw a pedestrian who was bleeding from the arm.
5) While returning to the firehouse, I heard a loud explosion. The most logical order for the above statements to be presented in the report is as follows:
A. 2, 5, 4, 1, 3.
B. 5, 2, 4, 3, 1.
C. 5, 2, 1, 4, 3.
D. 5, 2, 4, 1, 3.
D. 5, 2, 4, 1, 3.
Written Comp: Firefighters from Engine Company 8 were dispatched to respond to a fire at 10:30 p.m. The fire was at a clothing warehouse in a very busy area of town. Upon arrival at the fire at 10:35 p.m., Firefighter King saw a teenage boy with blonde curly hair, a green tee shirt, blue jeans, and white sneakers running from the warehouse. A young girl with long brown hair, a white sweater, and green pants came up to Firefighter Watkins and stated that she saw some boy break a basement window in the warehouse and crawl inside. When she saw flames on the first floor she reported the fire. A man in his early thirties, with straight blonde hair, blue jeans, and a long-sleeved white shirt, came running up to Firefighter Smith and stated that he owned the warehouse, and that there were large containers of highly flammable cleaning fluids located in the back of the warehouse. A 20 mile-per-hour wind was blowing from the front of the warehouse to the back and could quickly spread the fire to the back. The firefighters who had been positioned behind the warehouse were moved out and Battalion Chief Smith sent Firefighters Casey and Taylor to clear any people out of the surrounding buildings. Upon investigation, it was discovered that the fire was restricted to several racks of clothes at the front of the warehouse. The fire was put out at 10:45 p.m.
According to the preceding passage, the firefighters who were positioned behind the clothing warehouse were moved out by the Battalion Chief because:
A. there was no fire, or threat of fire, at the back of the clothing warehouse.
B. highly flammable cleaning fluids were located at the back of the clothing warehouse.
C. the fire had spread to the back of the clothing warehouse.
D. the fire had spread to the buildings surrounding the clothing warehouse.
B. highly flammable cleaning fluids were located at the back of the clothing warehouse.
The following list identifies some of the inspection activities that must be conducted on fire trucks on a daily and weekly basis:
DAILY INSPECTION
Chassis: Check underneath and clean up.
Battery: Maintain a charge of 1200 or higher and maintain the water level.
Gauges: (After the first run of the day) inspect the gas, oil, ammeter, temperature, and tachometer.
Engine: Inspect the oil level and all wire connections. Also, clean and dust the engine.
WEEKLY INSPECTION
Body: All screws, bolts and nuts must be kept tight, especially around the doors, brackets, and light frames.
Tires: Inspect and use the gauge to check pressure. Brakes: Maintain all air lines and connections to the wheels.
Consider the following situation: Firefighter Jackson is assigned to inspect a fire truck which has not been on a run for two days. Jackson forgets to do several things that are listed below. According to the preceding passage, of the four actions described below, the potentially most serious error is that Jackson:
A. did not clean the underside of the chassis.
B. failed to use a gauge to check the air pressure in the tires, although he did visually inspect the tires.
C. did not check to see if the screws on the left side of the truck were tight.
D. failed to check the battery for charge and water level.
D. failed to check the battery for charge and water level.
A large margin of safety should be allowed when choosing the size of rope to use for a given task. As an example: If a rope is to be used to lift a load of 410 pounds, one should not choose a rope with a breaking limit of 410 pounds. Rather, one should choose a rope with about seven times the breaking limit of the load to be lifted -- that is, with a breaking limit of 2870 pounds. The table below lists the maximum load that can be lifted, and the breaking limits, for several sizes of rope:
IMAGE OF TABLE WILL BE PROVIDED (IMAGE 1)
According to the preceding table, if a load to be lifted weighs 380 pounds, the size of the rope that should be used to lift this load is:
A. 1/4 inch in diameter.
B. 3/8 inch in diameter.
C. 1/2 inch in diameter.
D. 3/4 inch in diameter.
D. 3/4 inch in diameter.
The maintenance log for a fire truck shows the following entries PROVIDED (IMAGE 4):
Based on the above information, the driver of this fire truck should tell the supervisor that the:
A. electrical system should be checked.
B. brakes should be checked.
C. engine should be checked.
D. tires may need to be replaced.
B. brakes should be checked.
Engine Company 12 is responding to a structure fire at an apartment complex. While responding, Firefighter Randolph reviews the pre-fire plan for the complex and notices that there are two emergency exit stairwells; one is located in the northwest corner while the other is located in the southeast corner. The most effective way Randolph can relay this information to other firefighters in the company is to say:
A. "The apartment complex has stairwells we can use to reach the fire."
B. "The apartment complex has a stairwell in the northwest corner of the complex and one in the southeast corner of the complex that we can use to reach the fire."
C. "The fire can be reached by using the stairwells inside the complex."
D. "The fire can be reached by using the stairwells on the north and south-sides of the complex."
B. "The apartment complex has a stairwell in the northwest corner of the complex and one in the southeast corner of the complex that we can use to reach the fire."
When trying to put out a fireplace fire that is out of control, firefighters should follow these steps in the order given:
1) Stretch a canvas cover in front of the fireplace if the fire has not spread to the inside of the room, in order to prevent damage to the room.
2) Use a small hose line or water fire extinguisher to put out the fire in the fireplace.
3) Find out if the fire has extended to the inside of the walls.
4) Make sure the small hose line or extinguisher is ready for further use.
5) If fire is inside the walls, ceilings or floors, tear them open.
6) Use the small hose line or water fire extinguisher to put out any fire found in the walls, ceilings or floors.
Firefighters are at the scene of an uncontrolled fireplace fire. They have just discovered that the fire has extended into the wall. According to the preceding passage, the firefighters’ next step should be to:
A. tear open the wall with axes.
B. put out the fire in the fireplace.
C. put out the fire in the wall.
D. make sure the necessary equipment is ready for use.
D. make sure the necessary equipment is ready for use.
One of the duties of emergency medical technicians (EMTs) is to know what to do if they arrive at the scene of a suspicious or unusual death before the arrival of a police officer. When this occurs, the following procedures should be followed:
Four pieces of information should be obtained promptly and transmitted to the police:
1) Name of the deceased, if possible.
2) Address of the crime scene and location of the body.
3) Telephone number where the EMT can be reached.
4) Apparent cause and time of death, if known.
The duties of the first EMT at the scene also include:
1) Making sure that no objects at the scene are moved.
2) Getting names and addresses of witnesses and other people at the scene.
3) Noting the exact position of the body and the condition of the victim's clothing.
You and Firefighter Davis are the first two EMTs to arrive on the scene of a deceased person. Upon initial inspection, the circumstances surrounding the death seem suspicious, so you begin the appropriate procedures. Firefighter Davis records the victim's name, the apparent cause and time of death, the location of the body, and the address of the crime scene so that she can phone this information in to the police. In the meantime, you attempt to get the names and addresses of all bystanders. You keep watch to prevent any bystander from leaving the scene, or moving any objects at the scene, until the police arrive. According to the preceding passage, although your efforts were helpful, you and Firefighter Davis committed an error by:
A. obtaining the addresses of all bystanders.
B. failing to record any observations about the victim's clothing.
C. failing to record the apparent cause of death.
D. letting some of the bystanders rearrange items at the scene.
B. failing to record any observations about the victim's clothing.
It is important for firefighters to understand the different types of loads placed on a building in order to evaluate the stability of the structure. Four types of building loads are described below:
Dead Load – This type of load is the weight of the building and any equipment permanently attached or built inside of the building.
Added Dead Load – This type of load is permanently added to the building during a renovation. Despite the addition these types of loads are added without any strengthening of the building.
Live Load – This type of load is the weight of any furnishings as well as individuals who are occupying the building. This type of load is dependent on how the building is used.
Wind Load – This type of load is the force applied to the outside of the building by the wind.
Consider the following situation: Engine Company 35 is dispatched to a structure fire at a restaurant. The owners of the restaurant purchased a convenience store and converted it to a restaurant. While firefighters were working inside the structure, two heavy fume hoods, which were added during the renovation, fell from the ceiling. Luckily, no firefighters were injured as a result of the fall. According to the preceding passage, the load placed on the building could be categorized most accurately as a:
A. Dead Load.
B. Added Dead Load.
C. Live Load.
D. Wind Load.
B. Added Dead Load.
Dead: the weight of the building and any equipment permanently attached.
Added Dead: the weight of any permanent equipment that was added to the building during a renovation.
Live: the weight of any furnishings or individuals inside the building.
Wind: the force applied to the outside of the building by the wind
Three fires took place near the Bay Apartment Complex over a three-week period. All three fires are assumed to be the work of arsonists because, in all three cases, a suspect was spotted running from the residence on fire. The description of each suspect is as follows:
Fire 1. (April 8) - male, White, teenager, around 5'5", about 175 pounds, tattoo on upper left arm, short-sleeve grey shirt, black pants and black shoes.
Fire 2. (April 14) - male, White, teenager, about 5'5", around 145 pounds, white cowboy hat, large scar directly over eyebrow, short-sleeve shirt, blue pants, and black shoes.
Fire 3. (April 22) - male, White, teenager, almost 5'5", about 140 pounds, short brown hair, largesized sunglasses, short-sleeve blue shirt, blue jeans and black sneakers. On April 24, a fourth fire occurs near the apartment complex and a suspect is spotted once again. The description of the suspect is as follows:
Fire 4. (April 24) - male, White, teenager, about 5'5", around 143 pounds, short brown hair, large scar directly over eyebrow, short-sleeve grey shirt, black pants and black shoes.
Based upon the description of the suspects in the first three fires, the suspect in fire 4 should also be considered a suspect in fire(s):
A. 1 and 2 only.
B. 1, 2 and 3 only.
C. 2 only.
D. 2 and 3 only.
D. 2 and 3 only.
Chief Jackson is writing a memo to all personnel prior to introducing new regulations regarding firehouse behavior. Chief Jackson will include the following sentences in the memo. (These sentences are NOT listed in the correct order.)
1) Behavior among the firefighters which reflects mutual respect and fellowship is essential to achieving this atmosphere.
2) Aside from the obvious decline in morale, a breakdown in internal discipline greatly increases the risk of accidents at fires.
3) A major objective of the Division of Fire is to create an atmosphere in the firehouse that is conducive to safe and effective firefighting.
4) Firefighters refusal to share meals together leads to a breakdown in the maintenance of internal discipline.
5) For this reason, the Division sets forth regulations regarding communal activities (e.g., meals) that take place in the firehouse.
The most logical order for the above sentences to appear in the report is:
A. 1, 5, 2, 4, 3.
B. 2, 4, 1, 5, 3.
C. 3, 1, 4, 2, 5.
D. 5, 1, 2, 4, 3.
C. 3, 1, 4, 2, 5.
Firefighters have arrived at the scene of an automobile accident. One of the victims is lying on the ground. The firefighters believe that the victim has a severe back injury so they must get the victim to the hospital as soon as possible. The following steps are used to place the victim on a backboard. (These steps are NOT listed in the correct order.)
1) Position the board on the ground next to the victim.
2) If the victim is not lying on the center of the board, slide the victim to the center.
3) Roll the victim on his/her side so that the board can be placed underneath him/her.
4) Roll the victim onto the board. The most logical order for the above steps is as follows:
A. 1, 2, 4, 3.
B. 1, 3, 2, 4.
C. 2, 3, 1, 4.
D. 3, 1, 4, 2.
D. 3, 1, 4, 2.
Fire Investigator Lopez is investigating the origins of a fire at an apartment complex. Witnesses observed an individual descend a fire escape shortly before the fire started. Each of the witnesses described the individual as follows:
Witness 1 - “He was a male, White or Hispanic, early twenties, about 5’8”, around 175 pounds with short hair. He wore a grey sweatshirt and faded blue jeans. He had a tattoo of a dragon on the back of his neck.”
Witness 2 – “He was a male, White. About 20 to 25 years old, with shoulder length hair. He was about 5’10” and weighed about 180 pounds. He wore old blue jeans and a grey long-sleeve shirt.”
Witness 3 – “He was a light-skinned male, possibly White or Hispanic, in his early twenties, about 5’8” and weighed about 185 pounds. His hair was long and wore blue jeans and a grey sweatshirt.”
Witness 4 – “He was a White male, around 25 years old, about 5’9” and weighed about 180 pounds. He wore a grey sweatshirt and blue jeans. His hair was shoulder length.”
Given the above information, Fire Investigator Lopez should recognize that there is a problem with the description provided by witness:
A. 1.
B. 2.
C. 3.
D. 4.
A. 1.
Operations conducted by fire personnel at fire-related incidents include evacuation procedures. Evacuation procedures are designed to remove fire personnel from situations in which their lives are threatened.
Evacuation procedures are categorized into the three classes described below:
Type 1: Emergency Evacuation - This type of evacuation procedure is used in incidents involving such things as the potential collapse of a structure or hazardous materials. All fire personnel inside the involved building or area will immediately evacuate the involved building or area, leaving all equipment in place.
Type 2: Tactical Withdrawal - This type of evacuation procedure is used when going from an offensive (interior attack), to a defensive (exterior attack), strategy. All fire personnel inside the involved building or area will evacuate the involved building or area with all equipment.
Type 3: Sector Withdrawal - After the use of an Emergency Evacuation or Tactical Withdrawal, all fire personnel shall be outside the involved building or area. However, conditions may be hazardous enough to require complete withdrawal from an entire sector (larger area). If so, this type of evacuation procedure is used. If possible, fire trucks (with all personnel aboard) shall immediately leave the sector by a safe route, leaving all equipment behind. Fire truck radios are then to be monitored for further orders.
Consider the following situation: Firefighters had been fighting a fire at a five-story office building for 30 minutes. Despite their efforts, the building was soon engulfed in flames and several firefighters were forced to leave the building. The Commander in charge of the incident ordered all firefighters to evacuate the building with their equipment and to wait for further instructions regarding an external attack on the building. According to the preceding passage, this situation best represents a(n):
A. Tactical Withdrawal.
B. Tactical Withdrawal followed by a Sector Withdrawal.
C. Emergency Evacuation.
D. Emergency Evacuation followed by a Sector Withdrawal.
A. Tactical Withdrawal.
Some firefighting equipment is listed and defined below:
1) Backboard - A sturdy piece of board used to prevent injured victims from moving before they are transported.
2) Stretcher - A portable cot on wheels used to transport injured or ill victims.
3) Gasoline Circular Saw - A gasoline engine equipped with blades which is used to cut masonry, steel, etc.
4) Gasoline Hydraulic Hurst Tool - A tool powered by a hydraulic gasoline engine and connected to a pump by a high pressure hose. It is used to quickly remove steering wheels, doors, etc. on vehicles in order to free occupants.
5) Gasoline Handy-Billy - A pump powered by a gasoline engine that is used to draw water from pools, ponds, etc. to put out fires in remote locations or where no other water is available.
6) Oxy-Acetylene Cutting Torch - A device that is used to speed entry (or cut) through steel doors or windows, and in rescue operations involving vehicles, machinery, etc.
According to the preceding passage, a gasoline circular saw, gasoline hydraulic hurst tool, and oxyacetylene cutting torch are similar in that they help firefighters to:
A. remove heat, smoke and fumes from the fire area.
B. move victims at the emergency scene.
C. force entry into automobiles, buildings or equipment.
D. supply electricity to equipment used at the emergency scene.
C. force entry into automobiles, buildings or equipment.
SURPRISE! You got Information Ordering!
Firefighters may need to free trapped individuals from vehicles involved in automobile accidents. The following steps should be used when freeing trapped individuals from automobiles. (These steps are NOT listed in the correct order.)
1) Fill the air bags to the appropriate size in order to stabilize the vehicle.
2) Break the lock on the door closest to the victim by using cutting tools.
3) Insert air bags under the vehicle with the trapped individual.
4) Examine the medical condition of the victim and stabilize the victim by identifying life threatening injuries and providing treatment as necessary.
5) Place a collar around the victim’s neck to stabilize the victim’s neck and spine. The most logical order for the above procedure is as follows:
A. 2, 3, 1, 4, 5.
B. 2, 4, 3, 1, 5.
C. 3, 1, 2, 4, 5.
D. 4, 3, 1, 2, 5.
C. 3, 1, 2, 4, 5.
Firefighters perform the following steps in the order given when putting on personal protective equipment:
1) Put on protective coat, trousers, and boots.
2) Pull protective hood down around the neck.
3) Position the Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) on the floor in front of you.
4) Check the cylinder pressure of the SCBA to ensure that it is at least 90% full.
5) Open the cylinder valve slowly and listen for the audible alarm as the system pressurizes.
6) Verify that the SCBA’s low air supply warning is functioning properly.
7) Put on the SCBA including the face piece.
8) Put on a protective helmet and gloves.
Firefighter Reagor’s engine company has been dispatched to a structure fire. According to the preceding passage, after checking to ensure that the SCBA has a full supply of air, Reagor’s next step should be to:
A. put on the SCBA and properly position the face piece to create an airtight seal.
B. verify that the SCBA’s low air supply alarm is functioning properly.
C. open the cylinder valve and listen for the audible alarm as the system pressurizes.
D. position the SCBA on the floor so that it can be put on more easily.
C. open the cylinder valve and listen for the audible alarm as the system pressurizes.
SURPRISE! Look at Visualization Questions 1 and 2!
Question 1 Answer: C
Question 2 Answer: B
Firefighters must be able to identify the severity of a victim's burns to ensure that proper medical attention can be given. In order to classify burns, several factors must be taken into consideration including the victim's age, the location of the body burns, and the extent of the burned surface expressed in percentage of total skin surface. These factors are listed IN PROVIDED IMAGE (IMAGE 2):
Consider the burn victims described below:
VICTIM 1: An adult male who is burned on his chest and abdomen, back and buttocks, and left arm.
VICTIM 2: An infant girl who is burned on her back and buttocks, and both legs.
VICTIM 3: A middle-aged woman who is burned on her head, back and buttocks, and both arms.
VICTIM 4: A five-year-old boy who is burned on both arms and both legs.
According to the preceding table, the victim with the most severe burn (the highest percentage of skin surface damaged) is victim number:
A. 1.
B. 2.
C. 3.
D. 4.
D. 4.
SURPRISE! Look at Visualization Questions 3 and 4!
Question 3 Answer: A
Question 4 Answer: C