CHAPTER 1 - The History and Orientation of the Fire Service Flashcards
Augustus Caesar created what was probably the first fire department, called the Familia Publica, in
A. 100 B.C.
B. 24 B.C.
C. 1 B.C.
D. 10 A.D.
B. 24 B.C.
The first fire insurance company in the United States was established in 1736
A. by George Washington.
B. by Benjamin Franklin.
C. in Charleston, South Carolina.
D. by the Alexandria Fire Department.
C. in Charleston, South Carolina.
In 1871, a historic fire, which was believed to be started by a cow, burned for three days, destroyed more than 2,000 acres and 17,000 homes, and killed 300 people. This was the
A. Great Chicago Fire.
B. Peshtigo Fire.
C. Green Bay Burn.
D. Alexandria Fire.
A. Great Chicago Fire.
Colonial fire fighters had limited equipment, most departments had only buckets, ladders, and
A. hand-powered pumpers.
B. horse-drawn water carriages.
C. fire hooks.
D. hoses.
C. fire hooks.
The first water system valves or fire hydrants used by fire fighters were called
A. fire taps.
B. water valves.
C. water boxes.
D. fireplugs.
D. fireplugs.
Before radios or bullhorns, the __________ allowed communication during an incident. Today it serves as a symbol of authority.
A. chief’s trumpet
B. call box
C. monitor
D. commander’s horn
A. chief’s trumpet
The fire service draws its authority from the governing entity, and the head of the department is accountable to the
A. fire chief.
B. insurance companies.
C. leader of the governing body.
D. civil servants.
C. leader of the governing body.
The theory that each fire fighter answers to only one supervisor is referred to as
A. unity of command.
B. span of control.
C. division of labor.
D. discipline.
A. unity of command.
New fire fighters usually report to a
A. lieutenant.
B. captain.
C. battalion chief.
D. division chief.
A. lieutenant.
The overall responsibility for the administration and operations of the department belongs to the
A. battalion chief.
B. chief of the department.
C. incident commander.
D. government.
B. chief of the department.
The company responsible for securing a water source, deploying handlines, and putting water on the fire is the
A. truck company.
B. brush company.
C. water company.
D. engine company.
D. engine company.
To provide a uniform way to deal with emergency situations, departments develop and follow
A. laws.
B. regulations.
C. standard operating procedures (SOPs).
D. policies.
C. standard operating procedures (SOPs).
The company that specializes in forcible entry, ventilation, roof operations, search and rescue, and ground ladders is the
A. truck company.
B. brush company.
C. water company.
D. engine company.
A. truck company.
In some states, the preferred terminology for standard operating procedures is
A. policies.
B. regulations.
C. rules.
D. suggested operating guidelines.
D. suggested operating guidelines.
The organizational structure of a fire department consists of a(n)
A. chain of custody.
B. incident management system.
C. chain of command.
D. division of labor.
C. chain of command.
Which of the following is not a form of discipline?
A. Regulations
B. Policies
C. Span of control
C. Span of control
Most experts believe that span of control should not exceed how many people in a complex or rapidly changing environment?
A. 3
B. 4
C. 5
D. 6
C. 5
What are the most important “machines” on the fire scene?
A. Hand tools
B. Engines
C. Well-trained fire fighters
D. Ladders
C. Well-trained fire fighters
The majority of fire departments consist of
A. all career fire fighters.
B. mostly career fire fighters.
C. mostly volunteer fire fighters.
D. all volunteer fire fighters.
D. all volunteer fire fighters.
In the 1700s, a fire mark indicated
A. the homeowner had fire insurance.
B. the homeowner was a career fire fighter.
C. the homeowner was a volunteer fire fighter.
D. the home had a previous fire.
A. the homeowner had fire insurance.
The first fire regulations in North America were established in Boston, Massachusetts, when the city banned ____________ and ______________ .
THATCHED ROOFS, WOOD CHIMNEYS
The first volunteer fire company began in Philadelphia in 1735, under the leadership of __________ .
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
__________ developed the first municipal water systems.
THE ROMANS
George Smith, a fire fighter in New York City, developed the first ___________ in 1817.
FIRE HYDRANTS
In Washington, D.C., ____________ were introduced as the first communication tool used to send coded telegraph signals to the fire departments.
PUBLIC CALL BOXES
___________ provide specific information on the actions that should be taken to accomplish a certain task.
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES (SOPs)
Each fire department is responsible for a specific _____________ area.
GEOGRAPHIC
__________ personnel administer prehospital care to people who are sick and injured.
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES
When multiple agencies work together, a unified command system must be established. This system is referred to as the __________ .
INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM
True/False
George Washington established one of the first fire departments in Alexandria, Virginia, in 1765.
FALSE
True/False
The Peshtigo fire storm jumped the 60-mile-wide Green Bay and continued to burn on Wisconsin’s northeast peninsula.
TRUE
True/False
Today almost all fire protection in the United States is funded directly or indirectly through tax dollars.
TRUE
True/False
The organizational structure of a fire department consists of a division of labor.
FALSE
True/False
Captains report directly to chiefs.
TRUE
True/False
The fire fighter is responsible for dispatching units to an incident.
FALSE
True/False
Info techs are responsible for communicating information to the news media.
FALSE
True/False
Consensus documents are developed through agreement between people representing different organizations and interests.
TRUE
True/False
Covering a fire to ensure a low burn is called “banking.”
TRUE
True/False
The battalion chief is the second rank of promotion, responsible for managing a fire company.
FALSE
The number of firefighters a supervisor can effectively manage. This ratio varies, but a ratio of three-to-seven firefighters per officer is considered ideal.
A. Discipline
B. Span of Control
C. Division of Labor
B. Span of Control
Setting expectations for performance through rules, regulations, and policies, and enforcing them.
A. Unity of Command
B. Discipline
C. Span of Control
B. Discipline
Each person within the organization reports to one and only one designated person.
A. Discipline
B. Span of Control
C. Unity of Command
C. Unity of Command
The assigning of various duties to different workers rather than having one worker do an entire project. As a result, the workers become more specialized, more competent, and more productive.
A. Division of Labor
B. Unity of Command
C. Span of Control
A. Division of Labor
How many hours of company training are required by the ISO annually?
A. 6
B. 12
C. 18
D. 192
D. 192
What are the three main prioritites during the Incident Size-up phase?
Property Conservation
Incident Stabilization
Life Safety
Surveys indicate that fire and EMS personnel have attempted suicide at ______ times the rate of the civilian population.
A. 2
B. 5
C. 10
D. None of the above
C. 10
Which of the following tips was recommended for parked emergency vehicles?
A. The driver must remain with the parked vehicle at all times.
B. Emergency vehicles must be parked parallel to the roadway.
C. Chock the wheels if the vehicle is not parked on a flat surface.
D. Use the parking brake and chock the wheels anytime the vehicle is parked.
D. Use the parking brake and chock the wheels anytime the vehicle is parked.
When arriving on the scene of an incident, firefighters must establish a temporary work zone. When the fire truck or other emergency vehicle is parked at an angle across lanes of traffic, to serve as a shield, it is placed in the _________ position.
A. lane control
B. safety
C. barricade
D. block
D. block
Regarding reflective trim on helmets, which of the following is true when working in or near moving traffic.
A. Reflective trim is required only during hours of low lighting (dusk, dawn, nighttime).
B. Reflective trim must cover all sides of the helmet.
C. Reflective trim, at a minimum, must cover the front and back of the helmet.
D. A reflective-trim helmet is not necessary if the firefighter has other reflective stripes on their turnout gear or is wearing a high-visability vest.
B. Reflective trim must cover all sides of the helmet.
Which of the following was recommended when lifting?
A. Lift with your back muscles.
B. Hold the object away from your body.
C. Squat down and straddle the load.
D. Bend at the back and hips to set the load down.
C. Squat down and straddle the load.
Which of the following general precautions should be observed by power tool users?
A. All observers should be kept at a safe distance away from the work area.
B. Tools should be maintained with care. They should be kept sharp and clean for the best performance.
C. Disconnect tools when not in use, before servicing, and when changing accessories such as blades, bits, and cutters.
D. All of the above.
D. All of the above.
Which of the following describes a key responsibly of a firefighter who used the Tag System?
A. The firefighter must wear the tag at all times within the fireground perimeter.
B. Only firefighters who are entering a live-fire building need to use the tag system.
C. All fireground personnel must collect their tag before leaving the scene.
D. The firefighters involved on scene must wait until the designated person who retains the tags hands them back out after the incident.
C. All fireground personnel must collect their tag before leaving the scene.
A firefighter on scene who must set-up traffic cones to divert traffic during daylight hours would most likely be required to wear typical class of safety vest.
A. Class 1
B. Class 2
C. Class 3
D. Class 4
B. Class 2
