Chapter 14 - Reading Smoke

Question 1

Backdraft

Answer 1

An explosive event that occurs when air is suddenly reintroduced into a closed space that is filled with pressurized, ignition-temperature, and oxygen deprived products of combustion and pyrolosis

Question 2

Black Fire

Answer 2

A slang term for smoke that is high-volume, has turbulent velocity, is ultra-dense, and is deep black; a sign of impending flashover

Question 3

Explosive Growth Phase

Answer 3

A rapid fire growth phenomenon that occurs when combustion air is reintroduced into a ventilation-controlled fire, leading to smoke flame-over and room flashovers

Question 4

Flame-over

Answer 4

A hostile fire even that includes the ignition and sustained burning of the overhead smoke layer within a room or hallway

Question 5

Flashover

Answer 5

A sudden hostile fire event that occurs when all the surfaces and contents of a space reach their ignition temperature nearly simultaneously, resulting in full room fire developmen

Question 6

Flow Path

Answer 6

An avenue that heat, smoke, flames, and combustion air follow

Question 7

Ghosting

Answer 7

A hostile fire event warning sign that is characterized as the intermittent ignition of small pockets of smoke; usually seen as fingers of flame that dance through the upper smoke layer

Question 8

Hostile Fire Event

Answer 8

A fire behavior phenomenon that can suddenly harm firefighters, including explosive growth phase, flashover, backdraft, smoke explosion, and flame over

Question 9

Pyrolysis

Answer 9

Also referred to as Pyrolitic Decomposition, the chemical breakdown of compounds into other substances by heat alone

Question 10

Smoke

Answer 10

The products of incomplete combustion and pyrolysis including aggregate of particles, aerosols, and fire gases that are toxic, flammable, and volatile

Question 11

Smoke Explosion

Answer 11

A hostile fire even that occurs when a spark or flame is introduced into a pocket of smoke that is below ignition temperature but above some aggregate flashpoint.

Question 12

Concept

Answer 12

Societal changes (the way we build buildings and the types/volumes of contests we put in them) have led to more severe content and structure fires with more flashover entrapments

Question 13

Smoke

Answer 13

The products of incomplete combustion and pyrolysis that include an aggregate of particulates, aerosols, and gases

Question 14

Six phases of fire

Answer 14

Ignition, initial growth, ventilation-limited, explosive growth, fully developed, and decay

Question 15

Fire growth concept

Answer 15

The explosive growth phase is often triggered by firefighters opening a door to make entry for fire attack

Question 16

Flow paths

Answer 16

Avenues that convection heat and combustion air travel

Question 17

Cause of smoke igniting

Answer 17

Triggered by two influences that meet. Right temperature (as low as 450F) and right mixture (flammable range that can be as wide as 1-74% in fuel to air)

Question 18

Hostile Fire Events

Answer 18

Smoke explosion, flame-over, flashover, explosive growth, and backdraft

Question 19

Smoke Explosion

Answer 19

Spark induced momentary ignition of a smoke pocket distal to the actual fire

Question 20

Flame-over

Answer 20

Ignition of the upper heat layer and exhaust flow path

Question 21

Flashover

Answer 21

Simultaneous ignition of all surfaces and contents in a room due to radiant heating

Question 22

Backdraft

Answer 22

Sudden detonation of oxygen deficient smoke products within a closed, pressurized space upon the reintroduction of air

Question 23

Warning signs of hostile fire events

Answer 23

Smoke explosion - Increasing pressure in trapped smoke away from a growing fire
Flame-over - Ghosting, smoke flow paths that are moving faster than firefighters can crawl
Flashover - Turbulent smoke that has filled a room, ghosting, exterior vent-point ignition
Explosive growth - Puffing and sucking of smoke at open doors and windows
Backdraft - Closed pressurized box with signs of extreme heat, puffing and sucking of smoke at cracks and seams, yellowish/gray smoke

Question 24

Four attributes of smoke

Answer 24

Volume, velocity, density and color

Question 25

Definition of smoke attributes

Answer 25

Volume - tells little about a fire but provides an impression regarding the potential size
Velocity - Turbulent velocity indicates serious heat, and that a flashover looms
Density - Indicative of the severity of hostile events
Color - Tells the level of heating that is present. Black is hot, white is cool.