Exam 1 Review Flashcards
What are the four sides of the fire tetrahedron?
Heat, fuel, oxygen. All together form a chemical reaction.
What is ignition temperature?
The temperature at which something will ignite without a spark.
What is flashpoint?
Temp at which the material or substance will spark but will not sustain fire.
Flaming combustion requires how much oxygen?
16% oxygen
What is LEL?
Lower explosive level. Too lean to burn.
What is UEL?
Upper explosive level. Too rich to burn.
Burning dunnage is a Class ___ fire.
Class A
Is gasoline combustible or flammable?
Flammable.
How do you stop a Class C fire?
De-energize the electrical circuit, then treat as a Class A fire.
How many fire classes are there?
Five. A, B, C, D, and K (or F)
How does water help to extinguish a fire?
It attacks the heat side of the fire triangle by cooling the fire.
How does fire spread?
Fire will spread as long as there is material to burn.
What are the characteristics of a Class A BULKHEAD?
Made of steel or similar material.
Insulated with non-combustible material so that the unexposed side average temperature does not rise more than 282°F within the time listed.
A-60, A-30, A-15, and A-0.
Which type of bulkhead is safest?
Class A bulkheads are the safest type, and are required on passenger vessels.
What are the characteristics of class B bulkheads?
Made of non-combustible material except for a thin veneer.
Prevents passage of flame for 30 minutes.
Average temperature rise is a maximum of 282°F for the time listed.
B-15, B-0
What are the characteristics of class C bulkheads?
Made of non-combustible materials.
Do not meet smoke, flame or heat limitations.
Your fire plan shows a class A-30 bulkhead surrounding a fire. The temperature on the outside will _______.
Rise no more than 282°F for 30 minutes.
In other words, it will provide reasonable fire protection for 30 minutes.
Who determines the list of acceptable materials for insulation, steel, etc.?
SOLAS
What are five key factors in fire prevention?
Attitude/set the tone
Good housekeeping
Good maintenance of equipment
Constant vigilance
Drills
What are four kinds of fire detection systems?
Sensors
Alarm panel
Power source
Alarms
How do smoke sensors work?
Ionization and photoelectricity
What is ionization?
Look it up
How does a photoelectric sensor work?
Look it up
What are the two types of heat sensors?
Fixed temperature
Rate of rise
How do bimetallic heat sensors work?
Two different metals with different heat expansion ratios bend and push a contact closed
Resets itself when heat is removed
How do fusible metal heat sensors work?
A fusible device melts at a specific temperature, tripping a spring to close a circuit, setting off an alarm.
Does not reset, must be replaced after tripped.
How do you flame detection sensors work?
They detect light from flickering flames
What are the three means of travel for heat?
Radiation, convection, and conduction.
At what temperature is a substance considered flammable? Combustible?
Below 80°: flammable
Above 80°: combustible
At what percent oxygen will an extinguished fire still smolder?
3%
What is P. A. S. S. ?
Pull, aim, squeeze, sweep
What is AFFF and what does it do?
Aqueous film forming foam.
Smothers fire, and makes a film that stops fuel from vaporizing.
What is the function of the alarm panel in a fire detection system?
Typically mounted on the bridge where it can be constantly monitored
Indicates location of activated sensor, sounds alarm is not acknowledge within a few seconds
Indicates if power is out or batteries are low or if sensor is failing
What is a fixed fire fighting system?
Fixed piping that delivers in agent to a specific space
Can be released locally or remotely, must be authorized by the master!
You might find fixed systems in a paint locker, in the galley hood, in engine rooms, etc.
How many fire extinguishers are required on a ship?
The ships COI will have that information.
Depends on the ships size/gross tonnage, and where the ship is going
What is an international shore connection?
The hose fitting needed to fight fires
Are nozzles required?
Yes!
How many fire stations are required on a vessel?
All areas of the main machinery spaces and cargo holds must be capable of being reached by at least two streams of water, each of which must be from a single length of hose from separate outlets
What is required at each fire hydrant?
At least one length of fire hose, a spanner wrench, and a hose rack or other device for stowing the hose
What kind of nozzle is required?
Each firehose must have a combination solid stream and water spray fire hose nozzle
When are low velocity water spray applicators needed?
On straight stream fire hose nozzles
What requirements are there for hydrant connections?
Connections must be a soft metal such as brass or bronze
Connections must be a uniform design for each hose diameter throughout the boat
What are the characteristics of the fire main system?
Piping dedicated to supplying water for firefighting
Consists of piping, fire hydrants, fire pumps, drain valves, insulation if necessary
Fire pump must be powered from the ships emergency generator
What does a Nomex hood do?
Protects ears neck and a portion of the face from heat.
Why do we need SCBAs?
To protect from heated air, smoke, toxic gases
What is an A-60 bulkhead?
It will take 60 minutes until the temperature reaches 282°F
What is the biggest characteristic of a class C bulkhead?
No insulation
What is the significance of a fit test?
To ensure that the mask has no leaks
What are two kinds of smoke sensors?
Ionization and photoelectric
What are four kinds of heat sensors?
Bi-metallic
Rate of rise
Fusible link
Fixed temp
What is considered a portable fire fighting system
Something 55 pounds or less
What is a JSA?
A job safety analysis. Reviewing what could go wrong and putting in controls to reduce risk prior to starting a job or task
What is the emergency signal when there is a fire on board?
Continuous ringing of the general alarm for 10 seconds, followed by 10 seconds on the ships whistle
How often are drills to be conducted?
Once a week, covering different locations each drill
Where are fire control plans posted?
Along a game way or passage way where they will be seen by all crew, and at DC Central
What is the first thing that must be done when you come across a fire
Sound the alarm – let your shipmates know there is a fire, and where it is located, then grab an extinguisher
What do you do when you hear the fire alarm sound?
Report to your emergency billet – your own personal instructions
How do you indirectly attack a fire?
When it’s too hot to get near the seat of the fire, cool the surrounding area, shoot water into hot over head to make steam which rapidly cools the space.
You could also use a fixed system, cool a watertight door, ventilate the space to remove heat…
Combination direct/indirect attack
Get water to make steam overhead
Then hit seat of fire with straight stream of water
Work in T, Z or O patterns
What is overhaul?
Break up the seat of the fire to stop any smoldering
Use a fire ask, or tools, even spray with straight stream of water
Look for hot bulkheads and cool them
What are the most common extinguishing agents? How do they work?
Water, foam, carbon dioxide, halon, dry chemicals, and dry powder.
They break the chain reaction by cooling, smothering, or oxygen dilution
How does water extinguish a fire?
By cooling. Water absorbs more heat as stream, thus reducing the temperature below the ignition temperature of the burning material.
Displaces oxygen with steam.
Solid stream breaks up fire.
How do you get low velocity fog? High velocity fog?
Low velocity fog applicator
Combination nozzle for HVF
Water is best for which class a fires?
Class A
How does foam work to extinguish fire?
Smothering. Foam is a blanket of bubbles over the fuel, blocking oxygen from the fire.
Foam solution comes in which concentrations?
3% and 6%.
One can of 3% equals two cans of 6%, so you can store more 3% tanks in the same space, making them more space efficient on boats.
What are the three expansion rates of AFFF?
Low: flows freely, washes away
Medium: good flow/stability
Hi: hardly flows
How does CO2 extinguish a fire?
Displaces oxygen. To do this it needs to be confined.
CO2 is non-conductive and therefore good on class C fires
What do you have to watch for with CO2 extinguishment?
Reflash! CO2 has low cooling qualities and therefore is prone to reflash
What is halon?
A great extinguishing agent that is now illegal as it depletes the O-Zone
What is dry chemical and what fires is it used for?
Dry chemical interrupt the chain reaction and Coats the fuel with a fire retardant.
It’s used for class ABC fires, though it may corrode electronics. Not suitable for class D fires
Irritating to humans but not toxic
What is dry powder and what is it used for?
Used on metal fires only, dry powder extinguishers vary as specific types of agents are needed for each different metal.
Very specific uses and locations, training is needed
What is the color and symbol for class a fires? How are they rated?
Green triangle. Rated 1-40. An A30 fire extinguisher will extinguish 30 ft.² of Class A fire.
What is the color and symbol for class B fires? How are they rated?
Red square. Rated 1 to 640.
What is the color and symbol for a class C fires?
Blue circle. No numerical rating.
What is the color and symbol for a class D fires?
Yellow star. Rated only for the type of metal.
What is the color and symbol for class K fires?
Black hexagon. No numerical rating.
A fire extinguisher with a class C designation indicates what?
Non-conductive agent.
What is the volume equivalence of a 1-A extinguisher?
1 1/4 gallons of water.
2-A has two times the extinguishing capability of a 1-A. 10-A has 10 times that of a 1-A, and so on.
How are class B extinguishers rated?
1 to 640. 1-B equals one square foot, 60-B equals 60 ft.²
Should you hold the horn of a CO2 extinguisher?
No! As gas leaves the horn it expands, thus cooling the horn too well below freezing. You will freeze whatever you spray it on
What are the two nozzle types that Bailey covered?
Combination and variable.
Combination has a high velocity fog tip as well as a straight stream orifice.
A variable nozzle is either on or off, with an adjustable bayonet fitting.
With an adjustable bayonet fitting on a variable style nozzle, which direction of the adjuster does what?
Left equals life, right equals rain
Left is a wide spray, right is a narrow stream
What is radiation?
Radiant heat. The transfer of heat from a source across an intervening space.
What is convection?
The transfer of heat through the motion of heated matter such as smoke, hot air, heated gases etc.
What is conduction?
The transfer of heat through a solid body
How do you stop fire from spreading through a ventilation system?
Close the fire damper
What is the proper way to store a fire hose?
With the male fitting on the inside protected by the outer hose
What about static electricity in a CO2 extinguisher?
Drag the CO2 extinguisher to illuminate static electricity before you compress the handle
What type of tool is required at each fire station and is specially designed for use on fire hose connections?
Spanner wrench
What are some ways to prevent fires?
Know your company policy
Everyone is responsible!
Be aware of fire hazard’s
Dispose of oily rags in designated can
What is a combustible liquid? A flammable liquid?
Combustible liquids have a flash point above 80°F
Flammable liquids give off flammable vapors at or below 80°F
What is oxidation?
Oxidation is a process where a substance combines with oxygen.
Fire is rapid oxidation
What is a class a fire?
A as in “ash.”
Wood, cloth, paper, rubber, plastics, etc.
What is a class B fire?
Gases and liquids.
Gasoline, oil, paints, lacquers, alcohols…
What is a class C fire?
Energized electrical
Appliances, switchgear, computers…
When fighting class C fires, De-energized the electrical circuit and then proceed to treat as a class a fire
What is a class D fire?
Metals
Aluminum, magnesium, titanium, sodium, potassium
Extreme danger in powdered form
Best way to extinguish a class a fire
Cool with water
Best way to extinguish a class B fire
Smother to exclude oxygen
