Engine Company Operations - December 2013 Flashcards
The first due engine company will generally do what on a box alarm?
Proceed ahead of the truck or rescue, if housed together
Lay the primary supply line
Deliver on-scene report
Perform the 360 lap of the structure
Communicate result of the 360 lap and make a command statement
Force entry, if without special service, and control door entry
Advance the initial attack line and extinguish the fire
Perform search and coordinated ventilation, if needed, while advancing the hoseline.
Page 7 and 8
The second due engine company will generally do what on a box alarm?
Ensure the primary water supply is established
Assume command of the incident, if assigned
Ensure successful deployment / advancement of the initial attack lines
Deploy a second hoseline
Page 8
The third due engine company will generally do what on a box alarm?
Position on the opposite side of the involved structure from the first due engine
Lay the second supply line
Perform a visual inspection of side charlie and report findings to command
Deploy a third hoseline
Page 8
The fourth due engine company will generally do what on a box alarm?
Ensure the secondary water supply is established
Assume the roll of the Rapid Intervention Team (RIT).
Take proactive measures to increase the safety of members to increase the safety of members operating inside the IDLH (i.e., placing portable ladders, forcing doors, cutting security bars off windows) while maintaining readiness if a RIT activation occurs.
Page 8
When responding to a fire alarm, what should personnel assume?
That the building is on fire and it is not a false alarm.
Page 8
On a fire alarm, which unit is expected to go to the reported fire floor or area of the alarm? What should they report back?
Truck or Rescue
They should report back if it is a false alarm or the exact location of the fire
Page 9
If an engine company arrives to a fire alarm without a special service piece and the unit is staffed with 4, what should be considered? Why?
Consideration should be given to leaving one firefighter at the apparatus. If a fire is found, the officer can radio the remaining firefighter and engine driver.
Page 9
Today’s fires burn at a rate of _________ times faster with rapidly increasing heat compared to fires of just 20 years ago.
10
Page 10
What are the 4 parts of the fire tetrahedron?
Oxygen - Enables a fire to sustain combustion
Heat - Needed to raise the material to its ignition temperature
Fuel - Any combustible material in the form of a solid, combustible fluid, or gas.
Chain Reaction - Fire ignition when the three elements are present in their necessary condition
Page 10
What is a flash over?
Flash over is the stage of a fire in which all surfaces and objects within a space have been heated to their ignition temperature and simultaneous ignition of all surfaces and objects in the space occurs.
Page 11
Between what stages of fire does a flash over occur?
Between the growth an fully developed stage.
Page 11
What is rollover?
Rollover is observed when flames present in layers of smoke as a result of heated gases that are pushed under pressure from the fire area into un-involved areas
Page 11
What is a backdraft?
A backdraft is an explosion that occurs when additional oxygen is introduced into a smoldering fire as heated gases enter their flammable range and ignite with explosive force.
Page 11
When do backdraft conditions typically exist?
During the decay stage after the fire compartment has consumed all available oxygen
Page 11
What is thermal layering?
The tendency of gases to form into layers according to temperatures
Page 11
What is stratification?
The layering of smoke and gas clouds.
Page 11
As solid fuels are heated, combustible gases are driven from the substance, this process is known as _________?
Pyrolysis
Page 11
The stage of a fire in which all surfaces and objects within a space have been heated to their ignition temperature and simultaneous ignition of all surfaces and objects in the space occurs is known as _______.
Flashover
Page 11
This is observed when flames present in layers of smoke as a result of heated gases that are pushed under pressure from the fire area into un-involved areas
Rollover
Page 11
An explosion that occurs when additional oxygen is introduced into a smoldering fire as heated gases enter their flammable range and ignite with explosive force.
A backdraft
Page 11
The tendency of gases to form into layers according to temperatures is known as ______?
Thermal layering
Page 11
What are the four stages of fire growth?
- The incipient stage
- The growth stage
- The fully developed stage
- The decay stage
Page 12
This stage of fire growth begins when heat, oxygen and a fuel source combine and have a chemical reaction resulting in fire.
The incipient stage
Page 12
The incipient stage is also know as _____ and is usually represented by _____________.
ignition
A very small fire which often self-extinguishes before the following stages are reached
Page 12
This stage occurs when the fire increases in size from small flames to full fire that involves the entire room.
The growth stage
Page 12
The growth stage my be a rapid event taking seconds to occur or a prolonged event taking hours relying on what four variables?
Combustible content (fuel load including contents and structure)
Oxygen supply (pre-existing, fire created, or firefighter created ventilation)
Room size
Insulating qualities of the compartment (room).
Page 12
During the growth stage, what is often scene in an adjacent compartment?
What should this serve as a warning of?
Rollover
That the fire area may be reaching the point of flashover
Page 12
At what point does the potential for flashover exist?
As the fire progresses through the growth stage and into the fully developed stage
Page 12
What actually happens to create the conditions for flashover?
Radiation feedback from the ceiling and the walls heats the smoke and gases given off by the burning materials and the combustible contents of the room.
When the contents have been heated to their ignition temperature, flashover of the compartment can occur.
Page
12
During this stage, the entire room and contents are involved in fire.
Fully developed stage
Page 12
What happens in the fully developed stage of fire?
The fire continues to burn until all available fuel and oxygen in the room or area is consumed or extinguished.
Page 12
The stage occurs once all available oxygen is consumed.
The decay stage
Page 12
What happens in the decay stage?
Although some oxygen remains in the fire area, visible flames start to diminish and the fire continues to smolder. High heat and smoke conditions remain and the potential for backdraft is present.
Page 13
What are the warning signs of backdraft?
Heavy dense smoke with no visible flame in a tightly closed occupancy
Black smoke pushing around closed doors or window frames.
Glass stained with smoke condensation and pulsating from the pressure of the fire
Reversal of air movement pulling smoke back into a building through a doorway
Page 13
What his the difference between modern and legacy materials?
Legacy material consist of natural materials, such as cotton, wicker, solid wood and dimensional lumber.
Modern materials are man-made materials, such as plastics, synthetics, polyurethane, and polyester.
Page 13
What does HRR stand for? What is it?
Heat Release Rate - The amount of energy released over time
Ventilation guidelines relating to fire attack include these 15 points:
- Air is introduced anytime a door is open or a window is broken
- Ventilation must be coordinated with the progress of the hoseline and the engine officer’s order
- The outside vent crew and engine company must coordinate on where and when to ventilate
- Charged hoselines should be in place prior to ventilation in most situations
- The engine company should observe the change in conditions prior to entering the structure and while advancing their hoseline within the structure
- Do not ventilate windows and doors that do not need opening
- It is not necessary to ventilate compartments that are not on fire or do not have a hoseline in close proximity
- Doors being forced open must be controlled (hinged doors should be pulled shut until the crews are ready to advance through them).
- Large glass sliding doors should be cautiously vented due to the large air intakes that may be created and the breaking of these doors does not allow for closing if needed.
- Controlling the air getting to the fire limits fire growth and extension
- Understand the impact of ventilation on the development of fire
- Consideration must be given to limiting ventilation to a tactical position at the fire room.
- An active fire pulls air to itself while pushing hot gases, smoke and fire away
- Wind speed and direction may have dramatic effect on the fire
- Indiscriminate ventilation will spread the fire
Pages 14 and 15
How should the nozzle be set when doing hydraulic ventilation?
2 feet from the opening with a fog pattern covering 80% of the opening
Page 15
What are the 5 fireground principles of smoke?
- Smoke is potential fuel
- Smoke density and color together are an indicator of the flammability
- Velocity (speed) and pressure are indicators of heat and flow path
- Volume is an indicator of fire intensity
- All of the above indicators form an incident profile regarding the location, status and extent of the fire
Page 16
All smoke is filled with high levels of of __________ and _______ that if left unchecked will result in fire.
Carbon and Carbon Monoxide
Page 16
Smoke color is an indicator of what two things?
What is burning and the flammability of the smoke
Page 16
What do the different colors of smoke tell you about the fire status and the smoke flammability?
White - Indicates moisture or early stage incipient fire. Too lean to contribute to fire load
White / Grey - Indicates moisture or early stage incipient Class A fire. Too lean to contribute to fire load
Grey - Early stage incipient / free burning fire with Class A and B fuel sources. Smoke possibly reaching the LEL levels.
Grey / Black or Brown - Fully developed fire with Class A and B fuel sources that is most likely ventilation limited. Smoke is in the flammable range and subject to burn if heat is available.
Black / Brown - Fully developed or decaying stage fire that is extremely ventilation limited. Smoke is typically to rich to burn
Page 17
The speed of smoke provides what two critical pieces of information?
The general location of the heat source
The fire’s current flow path
Page 17