Chapter 1 Key Terms

Question 1

All-Hazard Concept

Answer 1

Coordinated approach to a wide variety of incidents: all responders use a similar, coordinated approach with common set of authorities, protections, and resources

Question 2

Atypically Stressful Event

Answer 2

Used to describe incidents with likelihood of causing critical incident stress by NFPA

Question 3

Carcinogen

Answer 3

Cancer-producing substance

Question 4

Code

Answer 4

Collection of rules/regulations usually addressing a single subject area

(Fire code, Building code, or Mechanical code)

Question 5

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter

Answer 5

Device designed to protect against electrical shock. When grounding occurs the device opens a circuit to to shut off flow of electricity

Question 6

Ground Gradient

Answer 6

Electrical field that radiates outward from where the current enters the ground

Question 7

Cold Zone

Answer 7

Safe area outside of the warm zone where equipment and personnel are not expected to become contaminated. Incident command post is usually here.

Question 8

Warm Zone

Answer 8

Potentially hazardous area immediately surrounding incident site requiring apprpropriate PPE / Equipment.

Question 9

IDLH

Answer 9

Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health

Question 10

Intrinsically Safe

Answer 10

Equipment for use in flammable atmospheres which must be incapable of releasing enough eletrical energy to ignite flammable atmosphere

Question 11

Inverter

Answer 11

Step-up transformer that converts 12 - 24 volt DC current into 110 - 220 volt AC current

Question 12

Mitigate

Answer 12

Cause to become less harsh or hostile; to make less severe, intense or painful; to alleviate

Question 13

Power Take-Off System (PTO)

Answer 13

Mechanism that allows a vehicle engine to power equipment such as a pump, or portable tool; it is typically attached to the transmission.

Question 14

Procedure

Answer 14

Outline of steps that must be performed in order to properly follow an organizational policy

Question 15

Span of Control

Answer 15

Maximum number of subordinates that the one individual can effectively supervise

Range from three to seven with five being optimum

Question 16

Unity of Command

Answer 16

Organizational principle in which workers report to only one supervisor in order to eliminate conflicting orders

Question 17

Warm Zone

Answer 17

Area between hot and cold zone that usually contains the decontamination corridor at hazardous materials incidents.