Chapter 1: Intro To The Fire Service & Firefighter Safety Flashcards
Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP)
An entity responsible for receiving 9-1-1 calls and processing those calls according to a specific operational policy.
What is the overall mission of the fire service?
To save live and to protect property and the environment from fires and hazardous situations.
How are fire departments organized?
Most common is Scalar, defined as having uninterrupted series of steps. Decisions and information are directed from the top (fire chief) to the organizational structure.
Fig 1.2
What specialized Jobs and divisions exist within the fire service?
- Fire apparatus operator/driver
- Hazardous Materials (Haz mat)
- Rescue Technician
- Airport Fire Fighter
- Wildland Fire Fighter
- Emergency Medical Services
What is a fire apparatus operator?
Personnel trained to drive fire truck to and from fires and other emergencies. They must be able to operate fire apparatus pumps and aerial devices, are responsible for servicing and maintenance.
What is a hazardous material technician?
Personnel certified to mitigate hazardous materials and chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or explosive (CRBNE) emergencies.
What is a rescue technician?
Personnel certified to perform rescues in special areas such as high-angle (rope), trench, structural collapse, confined space, vehicle and machinery, water, ice, and cave or mine rescues.
What is a airport fireman?
Firefighters specially trained in airport operations and ARFF.
What is a Wildland firefighter?
Personnel trained to extinguish fires in outdoor vegetation, including the wildland/urban interface.
What is emergency medical services personnel?
Personnel trained to the levels defined in the National EMS Scope of practice model.
What types of written regulations affect firefighters?
Policies and Procedures
What is a company officer?
Personnel who supervise a fire company in the station and at fires and other emergencies. They may also supervise a group of companies within their response area.
What are fire department incident safety officers?
Person who monitors operational safety at emergency incidents. This task may be assigned to any qualified fire officer during the incident.
What are fire department health and safety officers?
Person who monitors the department’s health and safety program.
What is a District/Battalion Chief?
Personnel who supervise a group of fire companies and stations. They may also manage units responsible for logistics, fire prevention, training, planning, or other functions.
What is an Assistant/Deputy chief?
Personnel who manage a variety of upper-level functions, such as emergency operations, administration, fire prevention, or training.
What is a Fire Marshall?
Personnel who manage the fire prevention, plans review, and investigation divisions. They may hold a chief officer rank.
What is a Fire chief?
Person responsible for all operations within the department.
How do fire departments interact with other organizations and agencies?
To work efficiently they need to know the types of services they provide.
What type of Service does EMS & Hospitals provide?
EMS provide complete medical services, or they may supplement the services provided by the fire department. Hospitals may provide direct assistance to units at a scene either by radio communication or dispatching a medical professional to the scene.
What type of service does Emergency/Disaster management provide?
These agencies manage emergency and disaster response by coordinating multi-agency activities.
What type of service does law enforcement provide?
They assist with incident scene security, traffic and crowd control, firefighter protection, fire investigation, and explosives disposal.
What service does utility companies and pubic works provide?
They assist in incidents by shutting off natural gas lines, electricity, or public water mains.
What service does the media provide?
They can alert the public of traffic events, evacuations, and fire department activities. They can also inform the public of fire and life initiatives.
What are the skills of a Firefighter 1?
- Establish work ares at emergency scene
- Force entry into structures
- Set up use of ground ladders
- Extinguish fires as part of a team
- Conduct search and rescue in a structure as part of a team
- Overhaul a fire scene and conserve property
- set up electrical lighting and equipment to illuminate a scene.
- Tie knots appropriate for hoisting tools
- connect pumpers to hydrants and perform hose lays for fire attack.
- Turn off building utilities
- Route emergency and nonemergency telephone calls.
- Communicate over department radios using appropriate procedures.
- clean, inspect, and maintain equipment.
- prepare apparatus hose for response
What is the role of a Firefighter 1?
Assist other team members in meeting the incident priorities for life safety, incident stabilization, and property conservation.
What fire and life safety initiatives have been created to help reduce firefighter line of duty illnesses, injuries, and fatalities?
The 16 firefighter life safety initiatives created in 2004 by the National Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) also known as everyone goes home.
What are some requirements of NFPA 1500 that relate to firefighter safety and health?
- Use appropriate PPE
- Maintain situational awareness
- Be healthy and in good physical condition
- Adhere to all safety regulations
- Maintain PPE and training equipment
How do fire department programs help combat illness, injuries, and fatalities?
Wellness programs and initiatives required in NFPA 1500
What are the most common line of duty illnesses and injuries that affect firefighters?
- Cardiovascular disease
- Respiratory disease
- Cancer
- Minor strains and sprains
How do physical fitness and healthy lifestyle practices affect firefighter performance and safety?
Physically fit firefighters are more productive and less likely to suffer injuries.
How do fire department member assistance programs benefit firefighters?
Offers easily accessible, confidential assistance with personal problems that can affect job performance.
What safety guidelines should be followed when riding in the fire apparatus?
- Always be seated and securely belted in before the apparatus moves.
- Always wear hearing protection or radio headsets
- Secure all loose tools and equipment
- Close cab doors securely
- On unenclosed apparatus, close safety gates or bars securely
What should firefighters do to ensure safety at a structural fire scene?
- Follow supervisors orders
- Follow department SOPs
- Wear appropriate PPE
- Work as a team
- Maintain communications with team members and command
- Do a risk/benefit analysis for every action
- Never operate without supervision
- Perform an initial assessment and maintain situational awareness.
What safety guidelines should be followed when deploying and using emergency scene lighting?
- Use two personnel to safely carry portable generators if needed
- Ensure portable generators are positioned downwind so exhaust fumes do not present an ignition or contamination hazard.
- Wear hearing protection when operating portable generators if needed
- Be aware that generator noise can make communications near these devices difficult.
- Always adjust lights to a height that allows light to be directed toward the scene, but not in the eyes of approaching drivers
- Remove damaged cords with faulty insulation or exposed wires from service.
- Do not immerse power cords and connections in water
- Never connect more lights than the power source can support
What types of personal accountability systems may be in use at an incident?
Passport System, SCBA tag system, and Computer based electronic accountability systems
What safety guidelines should be followed at highway/roadway incidents?
- Turn off all forward facing lights including headlights
- Minimize flashing lights on the vehicles sides and rear.
- Turn off lights that face approaching traffic, to avoid blinding or distracting drivers
- Look before you move
- keep an eye on moving traffic
- walk facing oncoming traffic
- follow department SOPs
Which fire service organizational principle refers to the formal line of authority, responsibility, and communication within an organization?
Chain of Command
Which type of fire department is continually staffed by full-time paid firefighters who typically live in the station?
Career
The basic unit of firefighting operations is called a
Company
What is the difference between the roles of Firefighter 1 and Firefighter 2?
A firefighter 1 works under the direct supervision of a firefighter 2 or company officer
Why did the NFFA develop the 16 firefighter life safety initiatives in 2004?
Provide the fire service with a blueprint for making changes
Written regulations such as organization’s policies and procedures clarify expectations and _______ _________.
Delegate authority.
What must a fire departments health and safety program address?
All anticipated hazards to which members might be exposed
NFPA 1500 requires all personnel operating in an immediately dangerous life and health atmosphere?
Be fully equipped with the appropriate PPE
What does it mean to practice situational awareness on the fireground?
Being observant about hazards and changing conditions.
When does the response to an emergency begin?
As soon as the department is notified of the emergency
Emergency scene lighting and portable rescue equipment are powered by apparatus mounted generators, the apparatus’ electrical system, or _______ _______ ________.
Portable electric generators.
What are personnel accountability systems designed to do?
Track personnel in and out of IDLH environment
When operating at highway / roadway incident scenes, apparatus lights can…
….. confuse motorists and make the situation more hazardous.
What control zones are established to secure an incident scene?
Hot, warm, and cold zones
What is the passport personnel accountability system?
Often called the tag system. Each team member has a passport that they give to their supervisor before entering the IDLH zone.
What is the SCBA tag system?
Firefighters give their tags to a supervisor who records their entry and expected time of exit. Exit time is based on the air pressure of the lowest SCBA in the team.
Battalion 1
Fire department organizational subdivision consisting of several fire service companies in a designated geographical area.
Chain of Command
Order of rank and authority in fire and emergency services.
Body Substance Isolation (BSI)
Comprehensive method of infection control in which every patient is assumed to be infected; PPE is worn to prevent exposure.
Cold Zone
Safe area outside of the warm zone where equipment and personnel are not expected to become contaminated and special protective clothing is not required; the IC post and other support functions are typically located in this zone.
Company
Basic firefighting organizational unit consisting of firefighters and apparatus.
Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI)
Device designed to protect against electrical shock; when grounding occurs, the device opens a circuit to shut off the flow of electricity.
Ground Gradient
Electrical field that radiates outward from where the current enters the ground; its intensity dissipates rapidly as distance increases from the point of entry.
Hot Zone
Potentially hazardous area immediately surrounding the incident site; requires appropriate protective clothing and equipment and other safety precautions for entry.
Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLD)
Description of any atmosphere that poses an immediate hazard to life or produces immediate irreversible, debilitating effects on health.
Incident Commander (IC)
Person in charge of the incident command system and responsible for the management of all incident operations during an emergency.
Incident Command System (ICS)
Standardized approach to incident management that facilitates interaction between cooperating agencies; adaptable to incidents of any size or type.
Intrinsically Safe
Describes equipment that is approved for use in flammable atmospheres; must be incapable of releasing enough electrical emergency to ignite the flammable atmosphere.
Inverter
Step-up transformer that converts a vehicle’s 12- or 14-volt DC current into 110- or 220-volt AC current.
Personnel Accountability System
Method for identifying which emergency responders are working on an incident scene.
Rehabilitation
Allowing firefighters or rescuers to rest, rehydrate, and recover during an incident; also refers to a station at an incident where personnel can rest, rehydrate, and recover.
Risk-Management Plan
Written plan that identifies and analyzes the exposure to hazards, selects appropriate risk management techniques to handle exposures, implement those techniques, and monitors the results.
Situational Awareness
Perception of the surrounding environment and the ability to anticipate future events.
Span of Control
Maximum number of subordinates that one individual can effectively supervise; ranges from 3-7 individuals or functions, with 5 generally established as optimum.
Staff Personnel
Personnel who provide administrative and logistical support to line units.
Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)
Formal methods or rules to guide the performance of routine functions or emergency operations. (Typically written)
Traffic Control Zone
Organizational zone established on or near a roadway for the rerouting of traffic and protection of civilians and responders; may include a hot, warm, or cold zone depending on the incident.
Unity of Command
Organizational principle in which workers report to only 1 supervisor in order to eliminate conflicting orders.
Warm Zone
Area between the hot and cold zones that usually contains the decontamination corridor at hazardous materials incidents.
Wildland/Urban Interface
Line, area, or zone where an undeveloped wildland area meets a human development area.
What is the goal of scene management?
To create a work area in which emergency responders can perform their duties safely and effectively
When parked at a scene, in what direction should the front wheels be turned?
Away from the scene
What do some department SOPs require of apparatus lighting at a roadway incident?
- turn off all forward facing light, including headlights
- minimize flashing lights on the sides and rear
- turn off all lights that face approaching traffic
- turn off all headlights unless they are being used to illuminate the work area or warn motorists that the vehicle is in an unexpected location
What U.S. department requires all personnel at roadway incidents to wear high-visibility vests?
DOT
At roadway incidents, what is your first form of protection?
To be visible to the drivers of passing vehicles
What is the standard model for Incident Command in the US?
NIMS-ICS
What should you do if an item needs to be repaired or replaced?
Report it to your supervisor
What should you do if you feel that you are getting stressed or overheated?
Tell your supervisor
What should you do if you feel that you are getting stressed or overheated?
Apparatus Exhaust and chemical cleaners
Accidents while responding to/returning from emergencies are the _____ leading cause of firefighter fatalities.
2nd
What is situational awareness?
Perception of the surrounding environment, and the ability to anticipate future events
How often should you clean all of your PPE?
Annually and after every incident
How many Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives are there?
16
What nonprofit organization, created in 1992 by Congress to lead a nationwide effort to honor America’s fallen firefighters?
National Fallen Firefighters Foundation
What is standard of care?
Level of care that all persons should receive (care that doesn’t meet this is considered inadequate)
OSHA regulations are __________ recognized safety standards.
Nationally
OSHA regulations apply only to federal and private sector employees (T/F).
True BUT 25 states operate OSHA plans that provide equivalent protection to federal OSHA standards
What program provides counseling for personnel involved in highly stressful incidents (child fatalities, mass casualty incidents, or death of a fellow firefighter)?
Critical incident stress management (CISM)
What are wellness programs intended for?
Helping with health-related issues
What is a written plan that analyzes the exposure to hazards, implements appropriate risk management techniques, and establishes criteria for monitoring their effectiveness?
Risk management plan
What does the departmental safety and health program address?
All anticipated hazards to which members might be exposed (alcohol abuse, hazardous materials releases, driving during emergency responses, etc)
How often are proficiency training and evaluation required for fire department members?
Annually
What is one serious long-term consequence of stress?
Hypertension
What 4 types of cancer are firefighters at greater risk of contracting and why?
Testicular, prostate, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and multiple myeloma (cancer of the bone marrow); the cause is exposure to carcinogens that are present in all fires and in the exhaust fumes of apparatus
When can you remove your SCBA?
Only when your supervisor/IC says so
What respiratory diseases can the chemicals found in smoke contribute to?
Asthma, lunch cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
What is a condition, substance, or device that can directly cause injury or loss (source of a risk)?
Hazard
What is the leading cause of firefighter fatalities?
Cardiovascular diseases
What was the leading types of injury among firefighters according to NFPA?
Strains and sprains
According to the NFPA in 2010, what was the leading cause of death in firefighters?
Stress or overexertion (including strokes, heart attacks, etc)
NFPA and ________ publish annual statistics on firefighter fatalities and injuries.
US Fire Administration (USFA)
