1ncident Safety 0fficer Flashcards
The ISO can classify environmental integrity in what four ways and how do they affect risk?
stable and not likely to change (subtracts from risk)
stable but changing slowly (may or may not add risk)
unstable changing slowly (adds to risk)
unstable and changing quickly (exponentially adds risk)
What do you call the series of conditions and events that lead to an unsafe situation that result in injury and/or property damage?
accident chain
Establishing the required levels of PPE for SUPPORT personnel at a tech rescue incident falls to who?
ISO (with info from ASO-RT)
After you are assigned the ISO function at an incident, the FIRST order of business is to do what?
confirm the IAP with IC
As a rule, ISOs should have face to face communication with the IC how often?
15 minutes at routine incidents
more often if conditions change
Most hazards associated with building electrical components can be eliminated by what?
shutting off the power at the main (ineffective if buildings have UPSs)
The roots of risk management and dedicated safety officer lie in the development of what NFPA standard?
1500
What is a complete work designed to be adopted as law by an AHJ?
codes (NFPA’s Life Safety Code is the best known)
Who should evaluate the LZ prior to helicopter arrival?
ISO or ASO
The HAZRIT often stages where?
escape area
Statistics show that the majority of deaths and injuries on the fire ground occur at what type of fires?
residential structure fires
What is the best pace for hazmat incidents?
slow, methodical, and intellectual
Extruded steel used for beams and columns loses how much strength at 1100 degrees F?
50%
What zone contains RIC?
warm
Under “Other Hazards”, the ISO must assess the possible impact of any ____________ or ___________ hazards on FFs.
physical or atmospheric
Using the RIC officer as the ISO is what?
NOT recommended
NFPA 1710 summarizes that ______ persons are needed for a simple, low hazard single family dwelling fire?
14
Using a traffic barrier without traffic calming strategies is ___________.
not advised
Cold drawn steel loses how much strength at 800 degrees F?
55%
When fighting fires near down power lines, what type of nozzle shouldn’t be used?
solid stream
What are the characteristics of ordinary Type 3 construction?
non combustible bearing walls (masonry)
combustible roof and floor (wood)
What is a hostile fire event that occurs when a spark or flame is introduced into a pocket of smoke that is below ignition temp but above aggregate flash point?
smoke explosion
How many people in a water shuttle operation on a wildland fire?
5 plus driver/operators
After RIC engagement, who does the RIC officer report to?
operational function (IC, operations, group/division)
In the 5 step process to predict collapse, which steps make up the identify, analyze, and decide method?
Steps 1 & 2 - identify
Steps 3 & 4 - analyze
Steps 5 - decide
One’s mental state can be improved through __________.
physical fitness adequate sleep nutrition stress reduction stay calm attitude
What do you call fire phenomena that can suddenly harm FFs?
hostile fire event
What do you call the presence of electrical current?
energized
Bright blue cables on a car can indicate what?
medium voltage
What is defined as an individual’s gradual process of becoming accustomed to an environment?
acclimation (most difficult to implement)
What is the ISO’s role in “rehab”?
making sure IC established it and then evaluate effectiveness
What do you call an arched roof that uses a weave of octagon, triangle, or diamond pattered roof beams?
lamella
What are the minimum distances for apparatus placement around exposed electrical conductors?
( starts at 0-50,000 and ends at 750,000-1,000,000)
0-50,000 - 10 feet 50,000-200,000 - 15 feet 200,000-500,000 - 20 feet 500,000-750,000 - 35 feet 750,000-1,000,000 - 45 feet
The NTSB and DOD will ask that aircraft crash sites be treated as what?
crime scene
The ISO’s role with regard to RIC is threefold:
- evaluate incident conditions to determine need for RIC standby
- ensure adequate resourcing of RIC
- communicate info to RIC officer
When the smoke appears uniform (same color and velocity from multiple openings) you should begin to think what?
fire is in a concealed space (deep seated)
Smoke produced by natural or unfinished products changes to what color before turning black?
tan or brown
Construction that uses solid wood or steel beams is referred to as what?
conventional construction (opposite of truss construction)
What is the difference between direct cause and root cause?
direct cause – immediate event that caused accident
root cause – factors that if corrected would prevent reoccurrence
What are the four types of control zones based on severity?
no entry zone hot zone warm zone (decon & ric standby) cold zone (command post & staging)
What are the two main strategic approaches to an incident?
offensive defensive (not same as risk...offensive can have low risk at times and defensive can have high risk at times)
Who is the safety officer for a training activity?
IIC unless delegated
The strategic goals of the ISO and ASO at WMD events should be:
gather recon and threat info
analyze options
develop safety action plan
As a basic rule when should “self-rehab” take place?
after each bottle
What is a scheduled event and is characterized by a more formal agenda designed to promote healing and closure?
debriefing
Black fire is a sure sign of what?
impending flashover
What do you call a beam that spans an opening in a masonry wall?
lintel
Humidity is also important in what other way?
how it affects FFs
The ISO’s role for a simple IAP is what?
review it, make suggestions, then sign off on it
more complex incidents will require specific forms be filled out
What color is barrier tape for hot zone?
red
What are some other characteristics of Founders’ era buildings?
minimal fire stopping
minimal code requirements
aging issues
most floor to wall connections are gravity
major fires will present threat of wall collapse
What are some of the more important elements of NFPA 1561 that pertain to ISOs?
automatic response appoint ASOs when necessary member of command staff authority to stop or alter activities ensure REHAB area is established
What is the process of minimizing the chance, degree, or probability of damage, injury, or loss?q
risk management
Often, the connection is the ________ in structural failure during fires?
weak link
What are some characteristics of legacy buildings?
better code requirements durable strength improved detection and suppression systems more reliable utilities PREDICTABLE FIRE SPREAD
What makes a well written SOP?
if FFs follow it
Which of the IMTs have designated personnel who are trained and on call for safety officer positions?
Type 1, 2, & 3 IMTS
(they use SOF instead of ISO)
What are the pre-established guidelines for “no notice” drills?
- must have been previously practiced
- don’t wait for info “half-life” (do it soon after practicing)
- have a safety plan (state “this is a drill”)
- pre-notify key personnel
- use an SO
- if the drill involves fire, scrap the “no notice”
- be practical
- CONGRATULATE before you EVALUATE
During the Legacy era, balloon framing was all but supplanted by what?
platform framing (also introduced use of drywall)
When making inquiries for a PIA, stay away from questions that can be answered how?
yes/no
What do you call electrical wire that is dual insulated and multi-wire, with a hot, neutral, and ground all wrapped in a single sheath?
romex
Other than unsurvivable, what other spaces can have zero rescue profile?
those that pose NO threat to occupants (people are simply not in danger)
Smoke at a building fire is being developed by what two sources?
incomplete combustion
pyrolitic decomposition
What are the ISO functions?
Monitor incidents Evaluate hazards/risks Develop preventative measures Intervene to prevent harm Communicate safety messages
IAP review
What type of incidents have become the most regulated of all incidents to which FD respond?
hazmat
There is no safe time window for interior operations when a building is what?
under construction or being renovated
definite NO GO
What can be defined as a direct order to immediately stop, alter, suspend, or withdraw personnel, activities, and ops due to an imminent threat?
firm intervention (should always be relayed to IC)
What type of collapse is where the building can accept the failure of a single component and still retain some strength?
partial collapse
When multiple and significant injuries have occurred, the ISO should request help from who for the investigation?
HSO
The first step in developing a formal SOP is what?
establish an administrative process to create, edit, alter or delete processes
The ISO should contribute in what way to the PIA?
officially
What does “thick, black, fast smoke” mean?
close to the seat of the fire; possible ventilation limited
What should the diameter of the clear zone needed for landing a helicopter?
100’ (nothing over 12” on the ground)
What are the five minimum components of rehab (listed in priority order?
rest hydrate BLS monitoring energy nutrition accommodation for weather
Zoning tape is a protective measure but can also serve as what other piece of the MEDIC Action Model?
Communicate
What are some of the historical “weak links” that are listed under Step 3?
connections, overloading, occupancy conversion, trusses, void spaces, stairs, large interior spaces, parapet walls, facades
Who’s mission is it to promote innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology?
NIST
An organization plagued by injuries or suffering from costly accidents usually has a deficiency in what?
training effort
What are common symptoms of ASD?
flashbacks, dreams, depression, and worry
The ISO’s role in procedures is similar to what?
quality control officer
A wildland incident is considered contained only when what?
control line surrounds the perimeter
Moderate and heavy collapses should trigger the ISO to request ________.
ASO-RT
Unfinished wood that is being rapidly heated emits what color of smoke?
brownish (collapse warning sign)
What is defined as the unintended, and often sudden, release of stored, residual, or potential energy that will cause harm if contacted?
hazardous energy
Once the span of control grows past what, should the IC include an ISO?
3
What is the process of developing one’s analytical ability using principles, concepts, and values?
education (deals with the why)
What are strict directives that must be followed with little no flexibility?
procedures
What degree of understanding should a FF have for apparatus driving?
proficient under stress
Bright orange cables on a car indicate what?
high-voltage power
What does “dirty white smoke with velocity” mean?
heat pushed smoke that has traveled some distance
Which part of the MEDIC Action Model is the “input”?
Monitor
Cars that run on CNG are required to have stickers in what two places?
right rear of vehicle
adjacent to fill location
While wearing PPE ensembles, FFs can sweat out how much water per hour?
over a quart
When an operational mistake is made and an injury occurs, the PIA becomes secondary to what?
accident investigation
What is a publication that offers procedures, directions, or standards of care as a REASONABLE means to address a condition or situation?
guide
What do you call the exploratory examination of the incident scene conditions and activities?
reconaissance
What types of questions should be used in an interview?
ask open ended
avoid leading questions
avoid interrupting
While radio communications is essential, what is preferred and most effective?
face to face
At what points do internal body temperatures begin to affect physical performance?
> 101 degrees F
<96 degrees F
PPV should be stopped if fire is discovered where?
behind FFs
What is an early warning sign that the core temperature is elevated?
transient heat fatigue (not a true injury)
If rehab is effective at wildland fires, the routine should still be ___________.
energetic
What are the three steps to the investigative process?
Information collection
Analysis and Reconstruction
Recommendations
In low light conditions, use spotlights to illuminate overhead obstructions that with ______ feet.
300
What is the fire control team?
minimum two qualified FFs
one is ignition officer
one is ready observe
(they supervise the setup process)
What does the risk taking formula become for hazmat incidents?
risk taking = CHEMICAL PROPERTIES +/- integrity +/- other hazards +/- resource effectiveness
What is the unit of measure for VOLUME of current flow?
amp
Wildland Flame Length Interpretation
< 4’ – direct hand lines
4 to 8’ – flanking attack, indirect fire breaks & wet lines
8 to 11’ – direct attacks are dangerous
>11’ – defensive measures required
The liability for injury or loss from a live fire training incident will fall directly on what two people?
IIC and SO
What is the all inclusive term for all constructed or natural barriers and treated fire edges used to control a wildland fire?
control line
What do you call being keenly dialed into the conditions and activities present at a given incident?
situational awareness
What is an activity, condition, or inaction that is judged to have the capability but not immediacy to cause harm and warrants monitoring?
potential threat
What are the three strategies to abate or mitigate ergonomic stressors?
awareness (most used & most simple)
accommodation
acclimation
How many Type 1 and Type 2 IMTS are staged around the US?
Type 1 - 16
Type 2 - 32
What symptoms are more aligned to an ASE as opposed to other causes?
- outward crying
- emotional outbursts of anger and intolerance toward coworkers
- total shutdown of interaction with others
What do you call the actual action used for mitigation?
countermeasure
When should the ISO recuse themselves from the investigation process?
ISO was one injured
ISO was directly involved in property damage
LODD occurred
multiple, and significant, injuries to FFs occurred
Making rehab provisions available for all participants at a training exercise falls to who?
IIC
What is defined as the chance of damage, injury, or loss?
risk
Environmental integrity considerations at a hazmat include what four things?
weather
infrastructure stability
container condition
hazardous energy
When are some times that FORMAL rehab needs to be established?
physical labor > 2 hours
high rise fire not controlled by single company
wildland fires needing more than initial company
specialty team incidents
weather extremes > 1 hour
Who is usually responsible for making a judgment regarding control zone sizes/distances?
ISO
What places the trainee in the hot seat to perform ISO functions?
coaching
How long should the “self-rehab” breaks be?
first one 10 minutes
all others after this 20 minutes
It is well documented that most LODDs are what related?
stress (cardiac)
What is “zero time” on the risk taking graphs?
time of arrival
What is an organized system in which a working team is replaced with another working team that is already dialed in and ready to replace them?
“on-deck system”
What do you call the ignition of smoke?
flame over
What refers to a gathering during or immediately after the incident and is characterized by informal peer to peer discussion?
defusing
In the decay phase, available fuels become consumed and the fire wanes. This has led to some calling this phase what?
fuel limited phase
What is the three step process for reading smoke?
Step 1 - view the smoke VVDC
Step 2 - Analyze contributing factors
Step 3 - Determine rate of change for each attribute
If a building is sprinkler protected, the presence of low-lying smoke can indicate what?
fire is not being controlled by sprinklers
Established hot zones should include what six things?
communicated level of PPE two it two out formal accountability system assignment of RIC cyclic PARs marking or flagging with solid red tape
What ISO trap is evident with the ISO who spends too much time looking for missing, damaged, or inappropriate use of PPE?
bunker cop syndrome
Who researches, investigates, and recommends safe procedures, processes, and habits?
NIOSH
The ISO should request an ASO at a wildland fire in the following circumstances:
widespread area "plans section" established fire active > 4 hours IC has asked ISO to develop safety plan fire response involves air support
How is cold zone marked?
green tape with SUPPORT ZONE or STAGING AREA
Smoke is the fire talking to you – its telling you the _________?
future
What is the most obvious indicator of unsurvivable space?
fully developed fire (post flashover)
What is the hallmark of a good ISO?
ability to continually reassess risk vs benefit
When an outside agency takes over an investigation, what does the ISO become?
witness
What type of law deals with rules of conduct in civil or criminal matters?
statutory law
What is the safety team at live fire training?
designated SO interior standby team outside building monitor fuel shutoff officer ignition officer
Hot zones are those operational areas that are judged to be ____________?
IDLH
What is the legal phrase for the effort to act in a reasonable or prudent way, given the circumstances, with due regards to laws, standards, and accepted conduct?
due diligence
What is perhaps the most important decision that the ISO has to make at the incident scene?
determine appropriate level of risk taking
Should the ISO be tracked by the accountability system?
YES
What color is barrier tape for “no entry” zone?
red/white chevron
What degree of understanding should a FF have for fire behavior and incident command systems?
proficient
A successful ________ program prevents FFs from experiencing fatigue and mental drain.
rehab
When the ISO senses that face to face communication seems off or non existent, attention should be paid to what?
rehab effort
or other stress related issues
Of all the people factors affecting safety, which is the hardest to address?
attitude
While velocity can help you understand how hot it is and where it is, density tells you __________.
how bad things are going to be
What makes up the Operational Safety Triad?
procedures
equipment
personnel
What are the three communication options of an ISO in regards to collapse potential?
emergency evac
precautionary withdrawal
planning awareness (just sharing info with IC)
What is the primary mechanism to prevent heat stress?
sweating
How does the time window for initial effectiveness at a wildland fire compare to that of a structure fire?
structure fire – measured in seconds and minutes
wildland – minutes and hours
What are Dr. Gasaway’s three levels of situation awareness?
Capturing clues and cues
comprehending the situation
predicting the future
What is the difference in prescriptive vs performance codes?
prescriptive says HOW it will be accomplished
performance says WHAT it needs to do when done
How do you calculate distance between you and lightning?
seconds between lightning and thunder multiplied by 5 is distance in miles
What are the four key attributes of smoke?
volume
velocity
density
color
What is a good rule of thumb for feeding FFs?
feed now if its been > 2 hours
feed every 2-3 hours during demand
feed more often if its cold
Situations that warrant ASO consideration include, but are not limited to:
large buildings with significant fire
situation where a “Plans Section” is established
fires in building with unique or unusual hazards
situations where ISO enters IDLH
mayday declared
What are the most common fire ground injuries?
sprains and strains
followed by thermal burns
What is the 5-Step Classic Risk Management model?
IEPCM
Identify Evaluate Prioritize Control Monitor
What do you call key phrases that signal completion of significant tactical objectives?
benchmarks
What is a wildland fire event that is sudden, but short-lived rise in rate of spread or fire intensity that is usually attributed to wind, fuel, or topographical changes?
flare-up
What characteristic of smoke by itself tells us very little about the fire?
volume
What are adaptable templates that allow flexibility in application?
guidelines
Above all, a well applied SOP improves departmental what?
safety
The prevention of thermal stress injuries can be accomplished through what three things?
accommodation (remove FF from environment)
rotation
hydration
Under NIMS, who is able to deploy NATIONWIDE as a safety officer?
SOF1
A collapse zone is a more specific form of a no-entry zone for who?
ANYONE including FFs (this book says 1 1/2 times)
What should dictate a mandatory rehab cycle for FFs working at structure fires?
departmental policies
Who is responsible for development of national minimum consensus standards, codes, or guides?
NFPA
How does NFPA 1500 communicate the “risk taking level”?
low
medium
high
What ISO trap best describes ISOs who spend an inordinate amount of time ensuring they are not held personally responsible?
CYA Mode
What typically outlines details and procedures that have the force of law issued by a government authority?
regulation
Who is ultimately responsible for the safety of all members operating at an incident?
IC (serves as safety officer if no one else is)
Breakdown of National Incident Typing Scheme
Type 5 (LOCAL) - no general staff, no written IAP Type 4 (LOCAL) - command and gen staff as needed, no written IAP Type 3 (REGIONAL) - command and gen staff being used, written IAP is required Type 2 (MULTI-REGIONAL/STATE) - requires resources from out of the area, most or ALL positions used, Type 2 IMT used, written IAP for each operational period, multiple ops periods Type 1 (FEDERAL) - Type 1 IMT manages incident
What is a water or water agent sprayed on the ground as a temporary control line?
wet line
Which three parts of REHAB commonly get left off during “self rehab”?
Energy nutrition
Accommodation
BLS monitoring
What is the solution-orientation approach and what does it do?
ISO brings problem and possible solution to IC
this gives IC a head start on problem solving
What is a unit of measure for the amount of energy a specific application uses?
watt
In 1970, Congress passed the Williams-Steiger Act, which created what?
OSHA
What is the portion of an electrical circuit that is at zero potential with respect to the earth?
ground
What will cause a fire to moved from ventilation limited phase to the explosive growth phase?
introduction of air
The relaxation area of rehab will achieve better results if positioned where?
out of sight of the incident (mental break)
What does “thin, black, fast smoke” mean?
flame pushed smoke; fire nearby but well ventilated
Who is responsible for assigning additional instructors to ensure the proper instructor to student ratio?
IIC
While the general approach of the PIA is to look back, the overriding goal is to what?
look forward to the future
What is the ergonomic stress equation?
ergo stress = physical setting + worker relationship to setting + task requirements
What ISO trap describes the ISO who pitches in and helps crews with their tasks?
Worker Trap
What did the transition from prescriptive codes to performance codes give way to?
lightweight construction
To predict collapse, the ISO uses what three part method?
identify
analyze
decide
Humid climates will do what to a smoke plume?
keep it tight
During standby, who does the RIC officer report to?
ISO
What six things need to happen when it becomes apparent that a member or crew is unaccounted for?
- Verify last known position
- Declare “emergency traffic”
- Activate RIC
- Assign ASO to monitor RIC
- Use runners to check non IDLH areas
- Second alarm or mutual aid
The National Fire Academy developed courses that split the safety officer into what to titles?
health and safety officer (HSO)
incident safety officer (ISO)
Threatened buildings in the “i zone” are typically classified in what two ways?
defensible
indefensible
(difference generally being distance of building from burning vegetation)
