Chapter 1 Flashcards
POFF Pg62
What are the most common foam concentrate storage methods?
pails - 5 gallon
barrels - 55gallon drum
intermediate bulk containers (tote containers) -
250-450gallons
foam tenders - 1500-8000gallons
apparatus tanks
fixed fire-suppression system tanks
on-site storage tanks - 3000gallons
POFF Pg60
What are the four basic methods by which foam may be proportioned?
eduction (induction)
injection
batch mixing
premixing
POFF Pg60
However under certain circumstances, 3% foam concentrates can be mixed at 6%, know as ___________.
doubling up
POFF Pg59
A number of draw backs exist to the use of emulsifiers, what are they?
1) used with fuels that are 1” or less in depth
2) once mixed in fuel, fuel is unsalvageable
3) does not work effectively with water soluble or water miscible fuels
4) negative effect on fish/aquatic life
POFF Pg59
Emulsifier is designed to __________ with the fuel.
mix with fuel, breaking it into small droplets and encapsulating them.
POFF Pg59 Emulsifiers are a type of foam concentrate that are intended for use with which class of fires?
class a or class b
POFF Pg58
High-expansion foam concentrate has the following characteristics:
stores at temperatures ranging from 35 to 120degrees F
not affected by freezing and thawing
poor heat resistance because the air-to-water ration is very high
Expansion ration of (high) 200:1 to 1,000:1
(med) 20:1 to 200:1
POFF Pg58
High expansion foam concentrates have three basic applications:
concealed spaces such s shipboard compartments, basements, coalmines, and other subterranean spaces.
fixed-extinguishing systems for specific industrial uses such as rolled or bulk paper storage
Class A fire applications, slow draining
POFF Pg57
Vapor-mitigating foam concentrates are designed solely for use on ___________.
unignited spills of hazardous liquids
POFF Pg57
When alcohol-resistant AFFF concentrates are applied to polar solvent fuels, they create a ___________.
the membrane separates the water in the foam blanket from the attack of the solvent.
POFF Pg56
Aqueous Film Forming Foam has the following characteristics:
available in 1, 3, and 6% concentration
premixable in portable fire extinguishers and apparatus water tanks
stores at temperatures ranging from 25-120degrees F
Freeze-protective with a nonflammable antifreeze solution
good low temp viscosity
suitable for subsurface injection
fair penetrating capabilities in baled storage fuels or high surface tension fuels such as treated wood
compatible with dry chemical extinguishing agents
rather fast draining
film-forming characteristics adversely affected by fuels in excess of 140degrees F
oxygen additives
POFF Pg55
Film Forming Fluoroprotein
Foam alcohol-resistant formulation AR-FFFP including some of the following advantages:
multipurpose
storage
premixable
subsurface injection
plunge into fuel
POFF Pg55
Film Forming Fluoroprotein Foam (FFFP) conforms to the following characteristics:
available in 3 and 6% concentrations
stores premixed in portable extinguishers and fire apparatus water tank
compatible with simultaneous application of dry-chemical fire-fighting agents
performance not affected by freezing and thawing
use with either freshwater or salt water
POFF Pg54
Fluoroprotein Foam concentrates exhibit the following characteristics
available in 3 and 6% concentrations
stores at temperatures ranging from 35 to 120degrees F, however it can be freeze-protected with nonflammable antifreeze solution
performance not affected by freezing and thawing
premixable for short periods of time
maintains rather low viscosity at low temperatures
compatible with simultaneous application
delivered through air aspirating equipment
suitable for use on gasoline that has blended
POFF Pg54
Regular protein foam concentrate conforms to the following characteristics:
available in 3 and 6% concentrations
excellent water retention capabilities
high heat resistance
performance can be affected by freezing and thawing
stores at temperature ranging from 35 to 120degrees F
compounded for freeze protection using a nonflammable antifreeze solution
not compatible with dry-chemical extinguishing agents
only used on hydrocarbon fuels
POFF Pg51 Good class B finished foam must contain the right blend of the following characteristics:
water retention
finished foam life
heat resistance
multipurpose use
viscosity
knockdown speed and flow characteristic
fuel resistance
vapor suppression
alcohol resistance
quarter-life
POFF Pg51
How long does it take synthetic foam concentrate to degrade?
20 to 40 days
POFF Pg47 Common guidelines listed for class A foam concentrate proportioning.
fire attack and overhaul with standard fog nozzle.
0.2-0.5%
exposure protection w/ standard fog nozzle. 0.5-1%
most operations with a compressed air foam system 0.2-0.5%
POFF Pg45 The following terms explain the characteristics that affect class A foam:
surface tension reduction
expansion
drainage
consistency
retention
viscosity
POFF Pg42
Using foam, a halon substitute, and dry - chemical agents together is commonly referred to as:
multi-agent attack
POFF Pg42
What is NFPA 1150
standard on fire-fighting foam chemicals for class A fuels in rural, suburban, and vegetated areas (1999)
POFF Pg41
Most modern foam concentrates may be stored for long periods of time in excess of how long?
10 years
POFF Pg41
What is NFPA 11?
standard for low, medium, and high expansion foam (2002)
POFF Pg40
What is foam concentrate -
what is foam solution -
what is foam propotioner -
what is finished foam -
foam concentrate - liquid founding foam storage container before the introduction of water
foam solution - mixture in the proper ration of foam concentrate and water before the introduction of air.
foam proportioner - device that mixes foam concentrate in the proper ratio with water
finished foam - completed product after air is introduced into the foam solution and after it leaves
POFF Pg39
Finished foam extinguishes and prevents fire by the following methods:
separating - creates a barrier between the fuel and burning vapors
cooling - lowers the temperature of the fuel and adjacent surfaces
suppressing (or smothering) - prevents the release of additional flammable vapors access to oxygen in the atmosphere. Reduces possibility of reignition.
POFF Pg32
Class B foam concentrates are effective as a ________ and a ___________ on Class B liquids because finished foam can ___________ on their surface.
fire-extinguishing agent
vapor suppressant
float on their surface
POFF Pg31
CLass A foam
involving class A materials by reducing what?
water’s surface tension
POFF Pg30
While water continues to be the primary weapon against fire, it does have the following limitations or disadvantages:
does not provide and effective barrier against reignition
will not adhere to vertical surfaces
has difficulty being absorbed by some materials
may react with some burning materials
may cause water damage to unburned property
may cause a structure to collapse because of water’s weight
may spread burning flammable liquid
may cause pollution by runoff
may create electrocution hazard
freezes
POFF Pg30
At 500degrees F the amount of expansion of water is approximately ___________. At 1,200degrees F is approximately ___________.
2,400 times
4,200 times
POFF Pg30
At 212degrees F a cubic foot of water expands approximately _________ it’s original volume.
1,700 times
POFF Pg29
The advantages of water that are extremely valuable for fire extinguishers are:
water is readily available and inexpensive
water has a greater heat-absorbing capacity than other common extinguishing agents
a relatively large amount of heat is required to change water into steam, therefore more than heat will be absorbed by a given quantity of water
the greater the surface area of the water exposed the more rapidly heat is absorbed.
POFF Pg29
What has been the primary extinguishing agent for fire involving Class A fuels?
water
POFF Pg28
What is the most common method of cooling?
water
POFF Pg28
What are the four methods by which a fire can be extinguished?
reducing its temperature
eliminating available fuel
excluding oxygen
stopping the uninhibited chemical chain reaction
POFF Pg28
What would a Class D fire’s classifications?
combustible metals such as aluminum, zirconium, sodium, potassium
POFF Pg27
The oil capacities of transformers may range from ___________ large and __________ small
20,000 to 25,000 gallons - large
300 to 20,000 gallons - small
POFF Pg27
What is a Class C fire classifications?
energized electrical equipment such as household electrical appliances, transformers, etc…
POFF Pg27
What are Bases?
Are corrosive water soluble compounds that react with acids to form salts
POFF Pg27
What are acids?
are corrosive chemicals that react with water to produce hydrogen ions
POFF Pg27
What are Polar Solvent Fluids?
are flammable liquids that have an attraction for water and are miscible (they dissolve in water)
POFF Pg27
What is a hydrocarbon fuel?
are petroleum based organic compounds that contain only hydrogen and carbon
POFF Pg26
What are Class B fire classifications?
Flammable and combustible liquids and gases such as gasoline, oil, natural gas, etc…
POFF Pg26
What are Class A fire classifications?
ordinary combustible materials such ad wood, cloth, paper, rubber, and any plastics.
POFF Pg24
What is a back draft?
is an explosive ignition of the gases when air enters the space and mixes with these hot gases.
POFF Pg23
What is thermal layering of gases?
tendency of gases to form layers according to temperature
POFF Pg22
Relative humidity is a measurement of ____________
moisture content in both the air and solid fuels in the vicinity of a fire.
POFF Pg20
Rollover occurs when?
when flames move through or across unburned gases during fire progression
POFF Pg19
Flashover temperature can range from __________ to ________ and ignition of carbon monoxide range from _________.
900 - 1200degrees F
1128degrees F
POFF Pg19
Flashover is ____________.
the transition between the growth and the fully developed fire stage, but it’s not a specific event.
POFF Pg19
The growth stage continues as long as ___________
there is sufficient fuel and oxygen available.
POFF Pg18
The ignition stage is ____________
the period when the four elements of the fire tetrahedron come together and flaming combustion begins.
POFF Pg16
The fire tetrahedron includes ________________
fuel, heat, oxidizer, chemical reaction
POFF Pg16
Fire burns in the two basic combustion modes :
flaming and smoldering
POFF Pg16
What are combustible liquids?
liquids that must be at temperatures greater than 100degrees F to release flammable vapors
POFF Pg15
What is a flammable liquid?
liquids that release enough vapors to support combustion temperatures at less than 100degrees F
POFF Pg12
Fuel gases evolve from solid fuels by what process process the chemical decomposition of a substance through the action of heat
pyrolysis
POFF Pg11
Fuel may be found in any of three states of matter :
solids
liquids
gases
POFF Pg10
How does radiation transfer heat?
transmission of energy as an electromagnetic wave without an intervening medium
POFF Pg10
How does convection transfer heat?
transfer of heat by the movement of heater air or liquid
POFF Pg9
How does conduction transfer heat?
from one body to another by direct contact of the two bodies
POFF Pg8
Heat generated by lightning is ________(what kind) and when discharged at an excess of ____________.
static electricity
60,000degrees F
POFF Pg8
What is resistance heating?
refers to the heat generated by passing an electrical current through a conductor such as a wire or an appliance
POFF Pg7
What is heat of solution?
it is the heat released by the dissolving (solution) of matter in a liquid
POFF Pg6
What is heat of decomposition?
it is the release of heat from decomposing (decaying) compounds usually due to bacterial action
POFF Pg6
What is spontaneous heating?
it its the heating of an organic substance without the addition of external heat
POFF Pg6
What is heat of combustion?
it is the amount of heat generated by the combustion or oxidation reaction
POFF Pg6
What are the four types of chemical reactions?
heat of combustion
spontaneous heating
heat of decomposition
heat of solution
POFF Pg5
Very slow oxidation is commonly known as:
rusting or decomposition
POFF Pg5
Normal oxygen content of air is __________ and nitrogen and composed of trace amounts of elements.
21% oxygen
78% nitrogen
1% elements
POFF Pg5
What most commonly oxidizes fuels?
the oxygen in air
POFF Pg5
What is combustion?
the self-sustaining process of rapid oxidation (chemical reaction) of a fuel, which produces heat and light
