Ch 9 Building Features And Concerns Flashcards
The structural case or border into which a window is set
Frame
The glass and/or thermoplastic, usually transparent that is set into a window frame
Glazing
The metal wood or plastic framework that surrounds and supports the glazing (window glass)
Sash
(S=surrounds, supports, sash)
Casement, awning, hopper, projected and jalousie type windows are all examples of ______ windows
Swinging (5 types)
This type of glass is the most common type, is the least expensive type and used where strength is not required. Will easily crack with flame content or ambient smoke heating usually around ______ degrees Fahrenheit.
Annealed (or plate)
600°F
Thermoplastic type compounds are _____ time stronger than safety glass
250
This glass is subjected to a temperature of 1150°F and quickly cooled.
Not as strong as tempered glass. Typically used in modern residential and commercial applications.
Breaks into smaller shards than plate/annealed
Heat strengthened glass
______ glass is ___ times stronger than annealed glass. Crumbles into small pieces.
Tempered
5
This test mimics a 2 x 4” wood stud projectile in a storm with 110 mph winds. To achieve this, a 9 lb 2 x 4” 6 foot Douglas fir or white pine stud is shot into the window from an air cannon at 35 mph.
Large missile (up to three stories)
This test mimics rooftop gravel is being propelled by 110 pound wind. Here a 2 g steel ball bearing, 5/16 inch in diameter, is fired at a window at 55 mph.
Small missile (greater than three stories)
2800 hp radial engine placed in front of the window with the propeller creating wind of 110 to 120 mph. The water injected into the prop wash, which mimics 8 inches of water an hour.
Rain test
Air leak test pushes and pulls the membrane of the fractured window over _____ hours.
5
Moving panel or other cover used to close an opening in a wall
Door
The structural case, border, or track into which a door is set
Jamb
A receptacle that receives a deadbolt latch from a locking mechanism. A protrusion that stops the door and keeps it from swinging past the jamb.
Strike
Multiple types of glass: _____ and ____ are the toughest to break
- Tempered glass
- Those with polycarbonate layers (ballistic-resistant)
Security bars and removal
Immediately?
In a timely manner?
- In a timely manner
- Some priority given to removal if
firefighters engaged interior
Natural gas is shut off at the meter with a _____ turn of an in-line valve. Nordstrom valves are _____ turn. P. 223
- Half-turn (no mention of residential or commercial)
- Quarter-turn
Solar Water Heating:
In a Closed-Coupled system, a storage tank is mounted _____ the panels on a roof where as in a Pump-Circulated system, the tank is mounted _____ the level of the panels.
- Above
- Below
Concerning solar panels, a range of ____ to ____volts DC is commonly employed for operation with the amperage to be in the range of ____ to ____ amps, and wattage for a low of _____ to high between _____ and ____ watts
- 12 to 24 volts (low voltage)
- 5 to 7 A
- low of 10, to highs between 175 and 210 W
A 3 x 4 residential PV panel weighs about _____ pounds
40
The amount of cantilever is based on at least a ratio of ______
- 3:1
- Roof span 30 ft,
cantilever 10 feet over
front of bearing wall
If the distance from a roof to the top of a façade or parapet wall exceeds about _______, a ladder from the roof to the top of the facade/parapet wall is necessary
5 feet
When considering renovated versus remodeled, let’s consider a _____ occupancy as a small to moderate conversion, and a _______ as an overhaul of a building
- Renovated
- Remodel
Anchor tie plates or joist rafter plates arrangement may be ______ where as tie-rod and spreader arrangement will be _____
- Orderly (directed by
gravity pocket rafters) - Random (directed by
weak areas)
The ____ is a relatively new product, consisting of a light collecting optic, small diameter reflective conduit, and diffusing fixture. It is visible above the roofline and appears as a small glass bubble or parabolic lens. Diameter can range from _____ to _____ inches
- Tubular daylight device
(TDD) - 10 to 28
(Can add light to ANY room or space where there are no windows)
Four factors to be considered when evaluating fire escapes:
- Type
- Age
- Ladders
- Location
Fire escapes are TALL
Three types of fire escapes
- Party escapes (or
balconies) - Screened stairways
- Standard fire escapes
Four kinds (arrangements) of ladders used on fire escapes
- Permanent or stationary
(standard) ladder - Gooseneck ladder
- Drop ladder (guillotine)
- Counterbalanced stairs
If there is a fire escape WITHOUT a gooseneck on the FRONT of the building, it is likely _____
The back escape HAS a goose neck ladder
If there IS a fire escape with a gooseneck on the FRONT of a building, it is likely ____
There is NO fire escape on the rear
This glass is among the most difficult to break and is used for strength for security and fire resistant purposes
Wired glass
May imitate glass such as plexiglass, and Lexan, is significantly stronger than glass of the same thickness. Is 250 times stronger than safety glass, and often requires the use of power tools.
Thermoplastic compounds
This glass must contain a layer of polyester or poly vinyl film sandwich between two layers of standard or tempered glass. Can be torn from the sash with common tools and manual effort.
Laminated glass (or safety glass)
This glass is formed using various polycarbonate layers clad with glass. The thickness also determines the difficulty of forcible entry. Power saws are necessary to defeat the glass, and even with proper tools, the progress will be slow.
Ballistic-resistant glass
Concerning windows, wood frame construction walls are normally about ______ to ______ inches thick
4 to 6 inches
Concerning windows, unreinforced masonry has an inset of ____ inches or more while newer masonry construction will often have an inset of about ____ inches or less
- 8” (unreinforced)
- 4” (newer masonry)
The four basic types of windows
- Stationary
- Sliding
- Pivoting
- Swinging
The most common types of windows are the _____ and _____ because of their simplicity
- Vertical sliding (single or
double-hung) - Horizontal sliding
Pivoting windows pivot in the middle of the sash placing ____ both inside and outside the wall plane when opened.
Glass
Swinging windows are those where the _____ swing inward or outward
- Sash and glass
There are numerous glass coatings or films that can be added to existing glass for energy conservation, noise reduction, and protection from falling glass and earthquakes. These films are commonly _____ thick.
4.0 mm
_____ and _____ create the greatest concern for firefighters when handling an incident in an impact resistant building
- Forcible entry
- Emergency escape
challenges
Four basic TYPES of doors
- Swinging
- Sliding
- Overhead
- Revolving
SSOR
Electrical system components for buildings include
- Supply feed
- Main shut off
- Circuit protection
- Transformers
- Distribution wires
- Outlets
Parapet walls can extend from ____ to ____, depending on the occupancy and type of wall
1 ft to well over 8 ft
Six considerations when dealing with façades (FOHASH)
- Fire spread investigation
issues - Overhang
- Height/shape
- Attachment
- Supports
- Height from roof
Facade is FOHASH
There are two types of wall construction that can be encountered with light wells, ____ and ____.
____ is the most common.
- Combustible siding over wood frame
& Noncombustible - Combustible siding over a wood
frame
Fires in (lower/upper?) floors of multistory buildings that access the lightwell are potentially more dangerous than fires in (lower/upper?) floors
Lower more dangerous than upper
Cellular Antennas
Coaxial cable connects the antennas to the equipment room, and is similar, but considerably larger than the coaxial cable that is used for computers, audiovisual systems, and other household items. Power runs through coaxial cable with the power level normally ____
Less than 5 watts
Minimum distances personnel should maintain from cellular antennas (front/sides/back/touch)
- Front - 10 ft
- Sides/back - 3 ft
- Never touch
_____ is the most common form of electrical current. ____ power sources cannot be shutoff, although they may be isolated.
- AC
- DC
The key to safety from electrical shock is ____. Warning signs include burning odors, arcing, ground gradient (tingling), and metallic distortion (glowing, discoloration, peeling paint).
Awareness
What three types of buildings are likely to include automatic dampers or shutoffs to minimize smoke spread?
- High-rise
- Mega-box
- Large
(NO Big Box)
With septic systems, the two types of tanks are __ and __, and septic’s primary hazard is ___
- Holding tank
- Leaching tank
- Sinkholes/collapse from
apparatus
Buildings with these solar features are easy to spot, as they will typically have an entire exterior wall (usually multiple stories) that is glass (or high-density acrylic).
Passive solar system
Two types of Solar Water Heating (SWH) or Solar Hot Water (SHW) systems
- Close-coupled (Tank
above) - Pump-Circulated (Tank
below)
This construction feature lacks compressive loading and can be considered like a vertical cantilever.
Parapet
Three areas that must be checked if fire has extended into the facade, particularly from the interior of the building
- Origin of fire building
- Attic space
- Facade
What is a good starting point to recognize a change to an original building?
- Windows (visible clue)
- Roofs
(Doors added in Quick
Summary)
Electrical utilities are normally visible on the exterior of residential and commercial buildings and are often a practical indicator of interior remodel from two points:
- Type of Wiring
- Number of electric
meters
Another variation of the light well is the term ___, given to a light well that is between two interconnected buildings
- Half well
(Half the light well serving one building and the other half serving the adjoining building
Which skylight is described?
- Flush or raised slightly
- Found mostly in older
buildings
- Prone to leakage
- Can be fixed or
openable
- Can have power
Glass Panel
Which skylight is described?
- found in legacy and
newer buildings
- Can be flush with roof
plane (colored or
frosted) or attached to a
wood or metal riser
- Residential removed
with hand tools,
Commerical with power
tools
Plastic
Concerning cellular towers and antennas, this component consists of the receiving and transmitting antennas, the room that contains all of the necessary system electronics, coaxial cable, and a power supply with backup power
Base Station
Rooftop antennas, commonly referred to as flat-panel or sector antennas, are approximately __ ft wide by __ ft high and can be found in __ and __ configurations
- 1’ x 4’
- Single and Multiple
(Single can be used for
transmit and receive)
This is the inability of the human body to dissipate excessive heat generated by the RF waves.
Thermal Effect
This being identified can assist in early identification of a cellular equipment room
An air conditioning room in an unlikely location
Hands-on operation with razor wire should be employed only when necessary or as a last resort. Razor wire made from ____ is easily cut whereas razor wire reinforced with ____ must be cut with bolt cutters, is under significant tension, and cutting this wire is not recommended.
- aluminum
- steel
Because the look of cellular towers is not appreciated by some municipalities, they can be disguised or camouflaged to be more visually appealing. Plastic/fiberglass panels that look like the exterior of a building, but enclose the antennas are often referred to as?
Roofmask panels
What are the five types of swinging windows?
- Casement
- Awning
- Hopper
- Projected
- Jalousie
Rooftop HVACs typically have these types of power sources
- Utility gas
- Higher voltage (220V)
Regarding the overhang façade, there are three primary concerns that should be evaluated:
- The distance a facade extends
outward from a building - Soffit paneling on the underside,
hiding voids and creating difficulty
and breaching - Collapse, blocking primary access
and egress and compromising hose
lines
Three basic ways to open a façade:
- Front
- Bottom
- Back
It is normally advisable to lower a fire escape ladder to keep it from inadvertently lowering and causing an injury to civilians and/or firefighters during incident. Most cases it is advisable to do what rather than use fire escape drop letters?
Ladder the lower balcony with fire department ladders
There are six considerations for firefighters when encountering a façade. Which of the following is not one of those considerations?
A. Attachment
B. Orientation
C. Support
D. Height and shape
P. 231
With discussing types of glass, ballistic resistant glass should immediately raise two noteworthy concerns:
- Other security features in EXTERIOR
doors - Increase TIME needed for fireground
operations
Commercial facilities that use large quantities of gas will likely have this type meter and they can be spotted by ____ or ____ casting of the meter
- Rotary vane
- single circular
- twin circular
The four types of overhead doors (RSST)
Rolling - integral locking slats
Sheet curtain - thin corrugated metal
Sectional - thin metal/wood &
steel/metal hinges
Tilt-up - Spring hinges, must be able to cut interior strengthening members
(RoSheSeTi)
2 types of Glass doors (both substantial doors)
- Frameless - 3/4 tempered
- stile (aluminum cross member)
top and bottom - Aluminum framed
- heat treated, tempered or
laminated glass- Commercial buildings
This type of overhead door is characterized by interlocking steel slats that are manually or mechanically raised or lower by cables winding on or off a drum at the top of the door
Rolling steel doors
This type of overhead door are solid doors made of thin corrugated metal and manually operated by cables winding on or off a drum at the top of the door
Sheet curtain doors
This is an electrochemical energy conversion device that converts oxygen and hydrogen into water, with direct current (DC) electricity being a by-product of the conversion process
Fuel cell
Two obvious disadvantages with fuel cells:
- Because they produce DC voltage, there must be an inverter
- Most concerning hazard for firefighters, however, is the storage and use of pure hydrogen
