Chapter 8 - Utilities and Other Hazards Flashcards
Utility companies usually feed power in the high-rise buildings from where?
Underground.
What do transformer vaults do
Step the very high voltage down to lower voltage.
How must the power be shut off from transformer vaults
Remotely step down from point to point.
Firefighters must not be committed to the interior of a transformer vault until what?
The utility company representative absolutely guarantees all power has been cut.
Where is primary power in the building killed?
The switchgear room.
What are bus ducts rising up through the building?
Electrical risers.
What are large freestanding electrical control cabinets with big high amp breakers?
Motor control centers.
How many amps does mechanical equipment operate on?
480-volts or more.
How many volts does overhead lighting in high-rise buildings operate on?
277 volts.
What are generators in high rises usually driven by?
Diesel.
Generator powered lighting is limited to what areas? (4)
Corridor lighting.
Escape route lighting.
Stairwells.
Critical rooms.
Base building generators typically supply at least enough power for what? (7)
Emergency lighting.
One elevator per elevator bank.
The fire pumps.
Critical HVAC equipment.
Smoke removal systems.
Pressurization fans.
The alarm system.
There’s usually a breaker panel for emergency lighting in electrical rooms on which floors?
Every third to 5th floor.
Critical equipment sometimes fails to receive emergency power because of failed what?
ATS
Automatic transfer switch
What are four causes of generator failure?
Total power transfer happening too fast.
Poor fuel quality.
Dead batteries.
Bad transfer switches.
What is a UPS system?
Uninterruptible power supply
What are the three sources of electrical supply in a UPS system?
Utility company supply.
Batteries.
Generators.
What is the most likely encountered UPS?
A large metal cabinet with a few lights, switches and very cryptic labeling.
What do UPS systems always have?
Batteries.
What type of gas does gel cell batteries give off
Hydrogen gas.
In addition to hydrogen gas what is another threat of wet cell batteries?
Sulfuric acid.
Gas can only be turned off where? (2)
In the gas room where it enters the building.
At the individual pieces of equipment it supplies.
What color are signs that show where gas lines cross through open ceiling spaces?
Bright yellow.
What is the best practice in terms of treating antennas?
Treat them all as a threat and stay at least 10 ft from them.
