Ch. 13: The ISO at Structure Fires Flashcards
What incident types are considered the most risky for numerous reasons, the greatest of which is the compressed time window that a fire department has to make a difference?
structure fires
What two general areas at structure fires do ISOs need to monitor?
1) Risk and 2) operational effectiveness
What are risks associated with structure fires usually tied to?
tactical priorities and incident benchmarks
An organized reporting activity designed to account for all personnel working an incident.
PAR (personnel accountability report)
What should a PAR include in order to be truly effective?
Radio transmissions with assignment, location, and number of people in the assignment
What are some of the situations or changes that should trigger a PAR?
- Anytime the operational mode has changed.
- Anytime an incident benchmark has been achieved.
- Following the report or witnessing of a flashover or collapse.
- After the report of missing or trapped firefighters.
Who is responsible for establishing control zones at fires?
The ISO
Why must the ISO need to listen for unanswered radio calls and make a judgment of?
Whether the unanswered call indicates communication barriers or the need for rapid intervention to locate the crew not responding.
What does the ISO need to focus primarily on to evaluate rehab effectiveness at structure fire?
the effects of heat, physical exertion, and weather exposure
Who should have radio priority to report conditions, needs, and progress?
Crews engaged in IDLH environment.
Which firefighters are at high risk for injury?
The FFs overdue for rehab.
What is the greatest traffic risk to firefighters at structure fires?
When they are arriving or moving apparatus, especially when water tender shuttle operations are underway.
In which situations should the ISO request an assistant safety officer(s) at structure fires?
- Large buildings with significant fire involvement.
- When a “plans section” is established at the fire.
- Fires in buildings with unusual or unique hazards.
- Anytime the ISO is requested to go into an IDLH environment.
A classification given to the probability that a victim will survive the environment.
rescue profile
What does it mean when it is deemed a zero rescue profile?
There is obvious death or no chance for the victim to survive.
How can reading smoke help determine a zero rescue profile?
Turbulent smoke, black smoke, and superdense smoke issuing from a part of a building are indicators of a zero rescue profile.
A high rescue profile warrants additional risk taking, but what should be monitored so that the risk taking can be adjusted as conditions change?
time, smoke conditions, and firefighting effectiveness
As a starting place, the ISO uses smoke-reading and building-reading skills to define the incident environment in what three dimensions?
the principle hazard, environmental integrity, and the effects of the surrounding elements.
From the ISOs perspective, the principal hazard is what, more than anything else, ______?
is likely to kill firefighters.
What construction features should the ISO pay particular attention to because the firefighter’s safety depends on it?
Fires in void spaces, in basements, and above drop ceilings pose additional threats to working groups.
What kind of concern to the ISO will a fire that has captured a central hallway that will lead to rapid fire spread?
A principle hazard at the incident.
The state of a building, area, or condition being sound, whole, or intact.
environmental integrity
What is the ISOs foundation for effective decision making?
Judging the rate of change (is it getting better or worse - and how fast?)
Which one physical feature has been cited as a significant factor in multiple firefighter deaths?
a sloping grade
