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Building Construction Related to the Fire Service > Chapter 4 - Building Systems > Flashcards

Chapter 4 - Building Systems Flashcards

0
Q

The means of egress is composed of three parts: ?

A

the exit access, the exit and the exit discharge

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1
Q

Safe, continuous path of travel from any point in a structure to a pubic way is called ?

A

Means of Egress

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2
Q

Stair that usually connects two floors in a multistory building and are not part of the means of egress are often referred to as ?

A

Convenience Stair

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3
Q

Stairs basic components:

Vertical distance between the treads of a stairway or the height of the entire stairway is ?

A

Rise

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4
Q

Basic components of stairs:

The horizontal measurement of a stair tread or the distance of the entire stair length is ?

A

Run

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5
Q

________ stairs have an intermediate landing between floors and reverse direction at that point and is common in modern construction.

A

Return

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6
Q

Two sets of crisscrossing stairs in a common shaft; each set serves every floor but on alternately opposite sides of the stair shaft.

A

Scissor Stairs

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7
Q

Stair with code required fire-rated enclosure construction. Intended to protect occupants as they make their way through the stair enclosure are called ?

A

Protected Stair Enclosure

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8
Q

Generally, protected stair enclosures are required to be ?

A

separated from the rest of the building

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9
Q

What types of doors are required in protected stairs ?

A

Self or automatic closing fire rated doors

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10
Q

Codes have not permitted _____ _______ in new construction for many decades, so the ones that do exist have been in place for many years.

A

fire escapes

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11
Q

Stairways that are designed to limit the penetration of smoke, heat, and toxic gases from a fire on a floor of a building into a stairway and that serves as part of a means of egress are called ?

A

Smoke proof Enclosures

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12
Q

A common alternative approach over the past 25 years to provide a smoke proof enclosure is to pressurize stairwells when the building is in fire mode these is an ?

A

Active Smokeproof Enclosure

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13
Q

This type of stair enclosure is accessed by using a vestibule or an exterior balcony ?

A

Passive Smokeproof Enclosure

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14
Q

Most elevator regulations are based on ?

A

ASME / ANSI A17.1, Safety Code for Elevators published by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers

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15
Q

Elevators can be classified according to their use as _________ or _________.

A

passenger or freight

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16
Q

________ ________ is another term used to describe elevators and is often defined as a passenger elevator that has been designed to carry freight.

A

Service elevator

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17
Q

The two most common types of elevator power are ________ and ________.

A

Hydraulic and electric

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18
Q

Hydraulic Elevators :
As the fluid is pumped in, the ram rises and the attached elevator car moves ________. As the fluid drains out, the car is ?

A

upward / lowered by gravity

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19
Q

Electric elevators are subdivided into either _____ or _______ devices.

A

drum or traction

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20
Q

The most common type of elevator in buildings over six stories is the ________ elevator.

A

traction ( because it is very fast and does not have the height limitations of either hydraulic or drum-type elevators)

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21
Q

The excellent safety record of elevators can be attributed to strict ____________, rigorous _____________ to reduce the likelihood of failure, and numerous safety _________ designed to limit the effects of any failures that do occur.

A

regulation / engineering / devices

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22
Q

Safety features:

This is an electrical switch designed to stop the car by removing power before it reaches the upper or lower limits of the hoist way ?

A

terminal device

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23
Q

Safety features:

These are large springs or hydraulic cylinders and pistons located at the bottom of the pit that act as shock absorbers should the terminal switch fail ?

A

Buffers

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24
Q

Safety features:

This switch slows the drive motor when an elevator starts to exceed a safe speed. Also known as the speed governor ?

A

Speed-reducing switch

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25
Q

Safety features:

It is also connected to the speed governor. This switch is activated if the speed reducing switch fails to slow the car sufficiently ?

A

overspeed switch

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26
Q

Safety features:

These are tapered sets of steel jaws that wedge against the guide rails and bring the elevator to a stop. These are designed to stop a free-falling car ?

A

Car safeties

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27
Q

The vertical shaft in which the elevator car travels and includes the elevator pit ?

A

elevator hoist way

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28
Q

Elevator hoistway enclosures usually are required to be a fire-rated assembly with a ___ or ____ hour rating.

A

1 or 2 hour rating

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29
Q

Tendency of heat, smoke, and other products of combustion to rise until they encounter a horizontal obstruction. At this point they will spread laterally until they encounter vertical obstructions and begin to bank downward ?

A

Mushrooming

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30
Q

To prevent mushrooming, building codes require venting at the top of practically every ?

A

hoistway built today

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31
Q

If a building contains _______ or fewer elevators, the codes permit them to be placed in one hoistway.

A

three

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32
Q

When ______ or more elevators are provided, there must be a minimum of two separate hoistways.

A

four

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33
Q

When more than one hoistway is provided, up to _____ elevators may be located in one hoistway.

A

four

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34
Q

In very tall buildings, elevators are divided into ?

A

zones ( one zone serving the lower floors and another the upper floors)

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35
Q

In tall buildings an elevator zone usually serves ____ to ____ floors.

A

15 to 20 floors

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36
Q

Used for express elevators that serve only upper floors of tall buildings. There are no entrances to the shaft on floors between the main entrance and the lowest floor served ?

A

Blind Hoistway

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37
Q

Doors in elevator installations include both ____ doors and _______ doors.

A

car / hoistway

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38
Q

When the elevator stops at the correct level, the hoistway doors are held open by a _______ ______ attached to a car door.

A

driving vane

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39
Q

A top exit is provided on all electric ________ elevators.

A

traction

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40
Q

Older escalators usually operate at speeds of either ___ or ____ feet per minute; however, speeds have now been standardized at ___ fpm.

A

90 or 120 / 100

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41
Q

The most common method of protecting the vertical opening of an escalator is to use closely spaced ________ in conjunction with draft stops around the opening.

A

sprinklers

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42
Q

Vertical opening protection also can be provided by a ________ _______ at the top of the escalator.

A

rolling shutter

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43
Q

_______ ______ is a term generally applied to the vertical pathway (shaft) in a building that contains utility services.

A

Utility chase

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44
Q

Concealed vertical channel in which pipes and other utility conduits are housed ?

A

Pipe Chase

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45
Q

A _____ ______ provides for the removal of trash and garbage from upper floors of buildings such as residential properties.

A

refuse chute

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46
Q

Refuse chutes are required to be constructed of ___________ material with ______ ______.

A

Noncombustible / rated doors

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47
Q

This is installed as part of an exhaust system for commercial cooking appliances that produce grease-laden vapors ?

A

grease duct

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48
Q

In many complex buildings the HVAC system has become, in effect, a ?

A

life support system

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49
Q

How is it possible to provide heating and/or cooling in a building without the use of ducted systems ?

A

A building that relies on the transfer of heat by means of hot water and radiators would be an example.

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50
Q

Systems that make use of water as the heat transfer medium are known as ________ systems.

A

hydronic

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51
Q

Which widely used NFPA standard contains requirements for protection when the HVAC ducts (both horizontal and vertical) penetrate a fire-rated assembly or smoke barrier ?

A

NFPA 90A, Standard for the Installation of Air-Conditioning and Ventilation Systems

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52
Q

For example NFPA 90A requires that the HVAC duct enclosure be ___ hour fire rated for buildings less that four stories in height and ___ hour fire rated for buildings four stories or greater.

A

1 hour / 2 hour

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53
Q

What draws outside air into the HVAC system ?

A

outside air intake

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54
Q

The use of flammable __________ warrants special awareness on the part of emergency responders dealing with air heating and cooling equipment.

A

refrigerants

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55
Q

(1) Channel or enclosure, usually of sheet metal, used to move heating and cooling air through a building. (2) Hollow pathways used to move air from one area to another in ventilation systems.

A

Duct

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56
Q

In building construction, refers to generally inaccessible spaces between layers of building materials. May be large enough to provide a potential space for fire to spread unseen to other parts of the building is called ?

A

Interstitial Space

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57
Q

_______ _______ means the use of mechanical equipment to produce pressure differences across smoke barriers to inhibit smoke movement.

A

Smoke control

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58
Q

In any case, _________ ________ of fire operation in an HVAC system must always take priority over the normal system functions.

A

automatic initiation

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59
Q

Manual control

The advantages to manual control are elimination of system disruption due to _______ ________ and more specific system __________.

A

false alarms / control

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60
Q

When a HVAC system has both automatic and manual fire mode capabilities, the ________ shall take priority over the _________ control.

A

manual / automatic

p137

61
Q

An obvious disadvantage to manual operation is that it is ?

A

slower than automatic operation

p137

62
Q

A smoke control system should not be activated by using the ?

A

manual pull stations on the building fire alarm system

p137

63
Q

What are the two methods that can be used to protect an enclosed stairwell from smoke ?

A

smoke-proof tower and stairwell pressurization

p138

64
Q

A smokeproof tower is a type of smokeproof enclosure that makes use of a ________ between the corridor and the stairwell that is ?

A

vestibule / open to the atmosphere

p138

65
Q

A pressurized stairwell utilizes a ______ or ____ to provide a slightly greater pressure in the stairwell than the corridor to prevent the infiltration of smoke from the corridor into the stairwell.

A

blower or fan

p138

66
Q

Standard for Smoke Control Systems Utilizing Barriers and Pressure Difference is NFPA ?

A

NFPA 92A

p138

67
Q

One method used for pressurized stairwells is to have a fan supply air to a stairwell at a single point, this is called ?

A

single-injection method

p139

68
Q

Pressurized stairwell

A system that has an air supply shaft running parallel to the stairwell from the supply fan is called a ?

A

multiple injection system

p139

69
Q

Pressurized stairwells:

In a compensated system, the airflow into the stairwell can be adjusted depending on the number of ?

A

doors that may be open

p140

70
Q

______ can be provided in the roofs of buildings to permit the release of smoke and heat from a fire.

A

Vents

p141

71
Q

Venting the heat and smoke enables firefighters to make a faster and safer interior attack and dissipates some of the _______ ______ of a fire.

A

thermal energy

p141

72
Q

What is the minimum feet in either direction of typical heat and smoke vents on rooftops ?

A

4 feet in either direction

p141

73
Q

These are vertical boards, fire-resistive half-walls, that extend down from the underside of the roof of some commercial buildings and are intended to limit the spread of fire, heat, smoke and fire gases ?

A

Curtain boards

p141

74
Q

The depth of a curtain board will vary depending on the nature of the hazards within an occupancy, but should be not less than ____ percent of ceiling height.

A

20 percent

p141

75
Q

Which NFPA standard contains the design methodology for determining the required vent area ?

A

NFPA 204, Standard for Smoke and Heat Venting

p141

76
Q

High-voltage equipment is defined as operating at _____ volts or higher; low-voltage equipment operates at less than _____ volts.

A

600 / 600

p142

77
Q

The electrical force that causes a charge (electrons) to move through a conductor. Sometimes called the electromotive force (EMF) ?

A

Voltage

p142

78
Q

_________ are used to convert high-voltage electricity, as supplied by the electric utility service, to an appropriate voltage for use in the building.

A

Transformers

p142

79
Q

The two most common transformer cooling methods use ?

A

air and oil

p142

80
Q

With the increasing cost of building materials, many buildings are now supplied by the electric utility with ____/_____ services, which can carry the same amount of energy in smaller wire and conduit when compared to traditional 120/240 volt servers.

A

480/277 volt services

p143

81
Q

Nonconductor of direct electric current. Term usually applied to tools that are used to handle energized electrical wires or equipment. ?

A

Dielectric

p143

82
Q

When transformers are inside, the transformer rooms or vaults are required by code to be enclosed in ___-hour fire rated construction if not protected by automatic sprinklers, or ___-hour fire rated construction if they are protected by sprinklers.

A

3 hour / 1 hour

p143

83
Q

An auxiliary electrical power generating device is called a ?

A

Generator

p144

84
Q

Portable generators are powered by small gasoline or diesel engines and generally have ____ and/or ____ volt capacities.

A

110 and/or 220

p144

85
Q

Generators are typically engine-driven with what type of fuel engine being the most common ?

A

Diesel fuel engines

p144

86
Q

Emergency power supplies that require batteries commonly use ____-____ type storage batteries.

A

lead-acid

p144

87
Q

Lead-acid batteries contain ?

A

sulfuric acid and lead

p144

88
Q

_________ - _____ stairs extend in a straight line for their entire length. Landings may be found, breaking up the stairs vertical travel at intervals specified by codes.

A

straight-run

p 109

89
Q

For safety, the measurement of the ______ and ______ must be consistent within a set of stairs.

A

run and rise

p 110

90
Q

____________ stairs are often found as grand stairs or convenience stairs serving only two levels. The minimum width of the run is usually _____ inches.

A

Circular / 10

p 112

91
Q

__________ stairs are typically found in dwellings where they are used to provide access to an attic space that does not have a permanent access stair.

A

Folding

p 112

92
Q

This type of stair design allows stairs to be placed in a very small space ?

A

Spiral stairs

p 113

93
Q

As defined by codes, ___________ stairs are exterior to a building and are open to the air.

A

exterior

p 114

94
Q

_______ stairs are naturally ventilated but may be partially enclosed from the weather. They will have at least ______ side open to provide natural ventilation.

A

Open / one

p 114

95
Q

Fire escape stairs are typically found with _______ ___________.

A

older buildings

p 115

96
Q

Building codes have traditionally required a minimum of one smokeproof stair enclosure for stairs serving building of ______ stories or higher, and more recently, stairs serving floor levels more than _____ feet below the level of exit discharge.

A

five / 30

p 116

97
Q

A common alternative approach over the past 25 years to provide smokeproof enclosure is to ______________ stairwells when the building is in a fire mode.

A

pressurize

p 116

98
Q

Active smokeproof enclosures

The mechanical pressurized system keeps the stair enclosure free of smoke, even when a door is open to the ?

A

fire floor

p 116

99
Q

Building codes typically allow the use of _______ stairs in buildings only when they connect no more than two adjacent floors above basement level.

A

open

p 117-118

100
Q

Hydraulic elevators do not have ________, cars are slowed and stopped by controlling the flow of hydraulic fluid back into the ___________.

A

brakes / reservoir

p 120

101
Q

Traction elevators, similar to drum elevators, use _____________ to reduce the amount of energy needed to raise the elevator.

A

counterweights

p 120

102
Q

Even though counterweights reduce the amount of energy needed to raise the elevators, the heights to which they must operate may require them to have as much as ______ volt power supply.

A

500

p 121

103
Q

Electric elevators

The drive motors may be either __________ current or ____________ current types.

A

direct (DC) / alternating (AC)

p 121

104
Q

During normal operation, the brakes on traction elevators with ______ motors, aid directly in stopping the car at the correct floor. On those with _____ motors, the brakes do not play any part in actually stopping the elevator car. The _________ stops the car and then the brakes are applied to hold the car in place.

A

AC / DC / motor

p 121

105
Q

Safety features:

Buffers cannot safely stop a ______-_________ car. They only stop one traveling at its normal rate of _________.

A

free-falling / speed

p 121

106
Q

No _________, ____________, or ___________ should be run within the hoistway unless it is required for the elevator itself.

A

wiring, ductwork, or piping

p 122

107
Q

To prevent mushrooming, building codes require _________ at the top of practically every hoistway built today.

A

venting

p 123

108
Q

Passenger elevator _______ doors are powered by an electric motor mounted on top of the elevator car. The ______ door does not have locks and can be pushed open at any time.

A

car / car

p 123

109
Q

Some top panels are designed to be opened from inside the car, but all can be opened from __________ and all open ___________.

A

outside / outward

p 124

110
Q

In multiple-elevator hoistways, most elevator cars are equipped with _______ _______ to allow passengers to be transferred laterally from a stalled car to a functioning car next to it.

A

side exits

p 124

111
Q

Side exits may not be provided on cars in hydraulic elevator systems where a manual ___________ valve is provided.

A

lowering

p 124

112
Q

___________ _________, commonly called escalators, are stairways with electrically powered steps that move continuously in one direction.

A

Moving stairs

p 125

113
Q

Moving stairways:

The steps are linked and move around the escalator frame by a chain called the ______ ________.

A

step chain

p 125

114
Q

Moving escalators should not be used during ____________ operations but should be stopped to be available as ________ stairs.

A

emergency / fixed

p 125

115
Q

A __________ system is typically found in manufacturing or storage occupancies and is used to transport items and materials.

A

conveyor

p 126

116
Q

__________ _________ also include stairways and elevator and dumbwaiter hoistways.

A

Vertical shafts

p 126

117
Q

A ______ _________ is a type of utility chase used to contain piping needed for building services such as hot and cold potable water, drain lines, steam, hot and chilled water for heating and air conditioning and sprinkler piping.

A

pipe chase

p 126

118
Q

Pipe chases must be surrounded by ______-___________ construction to ensure free safety.

A

fire-resistive

p 127

119
Q

Occasionally buildings do not have pipe chases but instead use stacked ___________ ____________ rooms.

A

mechanical equipment

p 127

120
Q

An HVAC system provides ___________ air to building occupants. A ventilation or exhaust system may only provide for the __________ of contaminated air, for example, exhaust from a paint spray booth.

A

conditioned / removal

p 130

121
Q

Many HVAC systems involve the distribution of conditioned air through a building from one or more mechanical equipment rooms. Such systems are generally known as ________-_____ systems.

A

forced-air

p 130

122
Q

HVAC ducts often travel ____________ up through a multistory building. With few minor exceptions, the codes require that HVAC ducts be enclosed in a ______-_______ shaft enclosure.

A

vertically / fire-rated

p 131

123
Q

HVAC

________________ air increases system efficiency by reducing the amount of air that must be either heated or cooled to the desired building temperature.

A

Recirculating

p 132

124
Q

Separate fans are generally used for ________ air and for ________ air, but some fans contain dual units or are reversible and can be used for both purposes.

A

supply / exhaust

p 134

125
Q

Air can be cleaned with ________, with _____________ equipment or both.

A

filters / electrostatic

p 134

126
Q

Heating equipment can be fuel fired, such as ________ ______ or _____ ________, or the heat may be produced using __________ or ________.

A

natural gas / oil burner / electricity or steam

p 134

127
Q

With the prohibition of some halogenated refrigerants due to environmental concerns, replacements that may be used, such as ________ and _________, pose a greater hazard for firefighters.

A

butane / propane

p 134

128
Q

An ______ _______ is the air distribution component of the HVAC system.

A

air duct

p 134

129
Q

Sometimes ___________ _________ ( the space between a suspended ceiling and the roof deck ) are used as a return air plenum.

A

interstitial spaces

p 134

130
Q

When the system goes into fire operation, __________ can be opened or closed, depending on the location of the fire, to redirect the flow of air and to exhaust the smoke.

A

dampers

p 135

131
Q

NFPA 92A, requires a minimum pressure difference of ______ inches, water gauge across a smoke barrier in a sprinklered building. This corresponds to a pressure of _________ pounds per square inch.

A

0.05 / 0.0018

p 138

132
Q

_____________ the air supply into the stairwell can be accomplished with pressure sensors that sense the pressure difference between the stairwell and the interior of the building.

A

Modulating

p 140

133
Q

Over pressure relief in a stairwell is accomplished through the use of __________ that open to the __________, thus relieving a pressure buildup in the stairwell.

A

dampers / outside

p 140

134
Q

Curtain boards should be spaced so that they are not farther apart than ________ times the ceiling height.

A

eight

p 141

135
Q

Air cooled transformers, also called “_____” transformers, use the surrounding air to cool the unit through fins and heat sinks installed on the body of the transformer.

A

“dry”

p 142

136
Q

Generators are typically engine-driven, using a _________, ________, or ________ _____ internal combustion engine.

A

gasoline, diesel, or natural gas

p 144

137
Q

Generators:

This tank is typically limited by fire codes to 60 gallons for diesel fuel and are usually kept full by pumping fuel from the main tank ?

A

Day tanks

p 144

138
Q

Lead-acid batteries:

The sulfuric acid in lead-acid batteries releases flammable __________ ______ during battery charging and also during contact with some metals.

A

hydrogen gas

p 145

139
Q

Lead-acid batteries:

The batteries can undergo unusual electrochemical reactions such as “_________ __________” or a battery fire, which may require an emergency response.

A

“thermal runaway”

p 145

Building Construction Related to the Fire Service (14 decks)

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