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Fire Safety > Fire entrapment > Flashcards

Fire entrapment Flashcards

1
Q

What does LACES stand for?

A

Lookouts
Anchor Points
Communications
Escape Routes
Safety Zones

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2
Q

What is LACES used for?

A

Safety work procedures dictate that all fireline personnel utilise a system of LACES to avoid fire entrapment and other incidents in which compromise fire fighter safety

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3
Q

When does fire entrapment occur?

A

When fireline personnel are threatened by a sudden change in fire conditions and are unable to utilise escape routes to access safety zones

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4
Q

What is fire entrapment?

A

Fire entrapment is a life threatening situation where personnel on the fireline are threatened by a sudden change in fire conditions and are unable to use escape routes to access safety zones

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5
Q

What is Fire Entrapment Avoidance?

A

It’s the use of fire suppression strategies and tactics that take current and predicted fire behaviour into consideration in order to avoid fire entrapment scenarios.

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6
Q

What is essential to remember for fire entrapment avoidance?

A

Fire entrapment avoidance requires that personnel recognise the fuels, weather and topography that can cause hazardous fire behaviour and use LACES to prevent fire entrapment

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7
Q

What are hazardous fuels?

A

Fuels that fire can spread through quickly (Hazardous fuels) include:
- Fine fuels eg. grass, needles, twigs, small trees and logging slash
- Dead or diseased fuels eg. cured grasses, dead standing or downed trees and ‘red needle’ branches
- Closed spaced fuels eg. dense forest, ladder fuels from ground, large amounts of dead and downed fuels on the forest floor
- Unburned fuels between personnel on the fireline and the fire’s edge or below firefighters on steep slopes

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8
Q

What constitutes hazardous weather?

A

Weather factors that contribute to unpredictable and/or high rates of fire spread include:
- Wind increasing or changing direction
- High temperature and low humidity
- Prolonged drought in the area with low fuel moistures
- Thunderstorms can cause strong and gusty winds, wind shifts and extreme downdrafts

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9
Q

What constitutes hazardous topography?

A

Topography that increases the rate of fire spread includes:
- Steep slopes that preheat fuels above while burning material rolls downhill
- Aspect - south or southwest facing with high temperature and light fuels
- Chimneys, gullies, and canyons that funnel fires

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10
Q

What can happen when there is a 90 degree shift in wind direction

A

Flank of fire becomes the head

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11
Q

What can happen when humidity < temperature

A

Dry,light fuels have increased potential and spread rates

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12
Q

What can happen when the 30-30-30 rule occurs?

A

To meet the “crossover” territory, temperatures would need to be 30 C or higher, relative humidity would need to be 30 per cent or lower, and the winds would need to be 30 km/h or greater. This increases the potential for rapid rate of spread.

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13
Q

What can happen when there are slope winds?

A

Increased spread rate and intensity upslope with daytime heating and downslope at night

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14
Q

What can happen when there are valley winds?

A

Potential fire spread up valley with daytime heating and reversing direction at night

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15
Q

What can happen when there’s an approaching thunderstorm

A

Potential for downdrafts with increase sin wind speed and rate of spread

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16
Q

What can happen when there’s an approaching dry cold front?

A

Potential for low level jet at the height of the convection column, increasing convective circulation and faster surface spread

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17
Q

What can happen when there’s light, open fuels?

A

Potential for rapid initial spread

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18
Q

What can happen when there’s dead trees or tops?

A

Long range spotting and falling trees

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19
Q

What can happen when there’s a fuel type change?

A

Changes in spread rate and fire intensity

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20
Q

What can happen when there’s complex topography eg. ridge tops, gullies, and canyons

A

Turbulent winds funnel in gullies and lee waves or eddies at ridge tops both cause an increase in fire spread

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21
Q

What can happen when there are steep slopes > 50%

A

Flame attachments (distance to upslope fuels) and rapid spread. Burning debris rolls downhill.

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22
Q

What can happen when there’s a smoke and haze layer?

A

Greater spread and fire intensity above the smoke than below the inversion layer

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23
Q

What can happen when there’s an increase in smoke venting?

A

Atmospheric inversion lifting - increases in fire spread and intensity

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24
Q

What can happen when there’s black smoke above surface fire?

A

Torching potential that may transition into a crown gire

24
Q

What can happen when there’s dust devils and fire whirls?

A

Surface level instability and erratic fire spread

25
Q

What can happen when there’s a towering convention column?

A

Fire whirls and long range spotting

26
Q

What do lookouts do?

A

Continuously assess and monitor fire conditions. They’re located at a good vantage point with a view of the entire fireline.

27
Q

What is the communications aspect of LACES?

A

Ensuring all fire personnel on fire line are updated on the hazards

28
Q

What do anchor points do?

A

An anchor point is an advantageous location from which a fire control line can be constructed and secured by fire crews. These areas usually provide a barrier to the fire’s spread and can be natural fuel breaks or existing ifre barriers such as burned over areas, roads, rivers, lakes, sweaps and areas of bare rock.
All control lines need to start and finish at an anchor point to ensure crew safety at all times.

29
Q

What are escape routes and safety zones important for?

A

How to move quickly out of potential entrapment situations. Escape routes provide rapid access to safety zones for firefighters who are retreating from a threatened fireline position.

30
Q

What is situational awareness?

A

Constantly observing the fuel, weather, and topography that can cause hazardous fire behaviour, as well as how other factors including suppression tactics, aircraft, and heavy equipment use and involvement of structures or hazardous material may influence fire heaviour.

31
Q

What are the most common escape routes?

A

Control lines

32
Q

What is the minimum distance between fire personnel and the flames?

A

At least 4 times the maximum flame height. This distance has to be maintained on all sides if the fire has the ability to burn completely around the safety zone.

33
Q

What are some possible safety zones?

A
  • Large water sources, marshes and bogs
  • Large rocky areas
  • Large clearings
  • Large areas with sparse fuel
  • Large deciduous patches
  • A large burned over area
  • Downslope from the fire
34
Q

What does a safety zone downwind mean?

A

There is more heat impact and a larger safety zone is required

35
Q

What does a Safety Zone in heavy fuels mean?

A

There is more heat impact and a larger safety zone is required

36
Q

What does a safety zone upslope mean?

A

There is more heat impact and a larger safety zone is required

36
Q

What must happen for escape routes to be established?

A

Escape routes must be scouted, flagged, bucked out and timed.

37
Q

What is the Safety Margin?

A

The safety margin is the cushion of time in excess of the time needed for firefighters to use an escape route to get to a safety zone before a fire gets to that location.

38
Q

What is the Critical Distance?

A

The critical distance represents ta point where the fire challenges the safety margin. A supervisor will need to establish the rate of spread of the fire and determine a critical distance trigger point that results in a crew withdrawal if the fire reaches this point?

39
Q

How is safety margin calculated?

A

Safety margin = Escape Time - Fire Arrival Time

40
Q

How is Critical Distance calculated?

A

Critical Distance = Rate of Spread x (Escape Time + Safety Margin)

41
Q

What factors can affect firefighter travel rates over escape routes?

A
  • Traveling uphill dramatically decreases a firefighters rate of travel
  • Use of improved escape routes with rough trail constructing by removing or cutting large deadfall and flagging can increase firefighter travel rates by up to 40%
  • Dropping packs and suppression equipment can increase a firefighter’s rate of travel by up to 20%
41
Q

What can you do to improve travel rate in a fire entrapment scenario?

A

Fire personnel using an improved escape route and dropping packs and hand tools can travel up to 2 times faster than if they attempt to travel over an unmarked and unimproved route with full suppression gear.

41
Q

What is the first decision you must make in a potential entrapment scenario?

A

Whether or not escape to your safety zone will be possible. This decision is based primarily on fire behaviour and the availability of a safe escape route.

41
Q

What is the number priority when reaching a safety zone in a potential entrapment scenario?

A

Airway protection - 1 breath of hot, toxic gas can fatally burn a firefighter’s lungs and airway

42
Q

What do you do if fire entrapment appears likely?

A

Stay calm and don’t panic. You need to locate a survival zone and take fire entrapment survival action.

42
Q

What is a survival zone?

A

A survival zone is an area where firefighters, who are unable to access a designated safety zone, can avoid flame contact and prolonged exposure to heat and smoke

43
Q

What are fire entrapment survival actions?

A
  • Maintain a low profile by staying close to the ground (within 1 foot) will
    reduce radiant heat exposure.
  • Shelter yourself in a large area that has light fuels or is free of fuels (rocky
    area, wet area, ploughed field, a burned area, bulldozed clearing, etc.).
  • Find a fuel free depression or trench. Preferably behind a rock or dirt pile
    to block radiant heat.
  • Watch for flames that can ‘wrap’ around the sides of any objects you are
    sheltering behind. Try to remain mid-object, stay low and move behind a
    larger object if necessary.
  • Protect yourself with clothing by keeping sleeves down, collar up and
    gloves, goggles and hard hat on.
  • Lie flat, facedown and parallel to the flame front.
  • Stay face down and protect your airway by taking shallow breaths while
    close to the ground.
  • Dig a depression with your hands to make a well for breathing.
  • Curl your arms and hands around head and ears.
  • Cover yourself with dirt if possible.
  • Wet down clothing if possible.
  • Do not wear synthetic clothing or packs that may burn and stick to skin.
44
Q

What considerations should you think about when taking refuge in a vehicle?

A
  • If fuels are light, survival chances inside a vehicle are fair. But if fuels are heavy, survival chances inside a vehicle are poor.
  • A vehicle that sits higher has a greater exposure to heat for occupants in the cab
  • Heat is retained in the vehicle after the fire front passes due to the heat sink effect of the metal the vehicle is made up of
  • Under lower temperatures conditions, large volumes of smoke seep into the cab even when windows are tightly rolled up. Under higher temperature conditions, the cab interior will melt and give off toxic fases. Both smoke and gases will force fire personnel without respiratory protection to leave the cab
45
Q

What is a last resort you should consider when you’re forced to retreat from a safety zone and can’t access your safety zones?

A

Taking refuge in your vehicle. If you’re in a good location, stay put and don’t risk a worse entrapment situation by driving through smoke and heavy roadside fuels. If you’re not in a good location, then keep moving

45
Q

What should you do if you are forced to stop in a fire entrapment situation with your vehicle?

A
  1. Turn lights on in smoky conditions.
  2. Look for a place where the fire is less intense; avoid saddles, draws, and areas of heavy fuels below the road.
  3. Look for rock outcroppings, ridges, or wide spots in the road and park behind a natural barrier or structure.
  4. Avoid parking on the downhill side of the road, under power lines, or under overhanging vegetation.
  5. Position the vehicle to provide maximum protection from the approaching flame front. Burn out around the vehicle if time permits.
46
Q

What should you do if you are forced to stop in a fire entrapment situation with your vehicle?

A
  1. Advise your immediate supervisor and request retardant or water drops on surrounding fuels.
  2. If available, use the vehicle’s pump to deploy a fog pattern over the cab.
  3. Maintain control, stay calm, display a positive attitude, and maintain communications. Avoid panicking.
47
Q

What actions should fire personnel take inside a vehicle during an entrapment?

A
  1. Wear all personal protective equipment and cover exposed skin.
  2. Set the parking brake, leave the motor running at high RPM, and keep lights on.
  3. Roll up windows but do not lock doors.
  4. Cover windows with reflective sunshades.
  5. Protect your airway, remain low in the vehicle, face the door away from the fire, and use a dry bandanna to cover your nose and mouth. Use coats or floor mats for extra heat protection.
48
Q

What should you expect if you remain inside a vehicle during a fire?

A
  1. Temperatures may reach 95° C.
  2. Smoke and sparks may enter the vehicle.
  3. Plastic parts may melt and give off toxic gases.
  4. Windows may crack.
  5. Exposed skin may receive radiant heat burns.
49
Q

What should you do if the vehicle catches fire or windows blow out and you have to exit before the fire passes?

A
  1. Exit the vehicle from the side away from the greatest heat.
  2. Stay together and move low to the ground while moving away from the vehicle.
  3. Locate a survival zone, consider using the uphill ditch of the road, and follow fire entrapment survival action training.
  4. Check for and treat injuries after the fire passes.
50
Q

What are the key actions to take during a heavy equipment entrapment?

A
  1. Advise the immediate supervisor and request retardant or water drops.
  2. Deploy a fog pattern over the cab if water is available.
  3. Never stay on the machine; retreat to a trench dug behind the machine.
  4. Park equipment sideways to the flames, lower all attachments, and turn off the engine.
  5. Move into the trench behind the machine and follow fire entrapment survival action training.
51
Q

What should you do if you are in a fire entrapment situation with structures nearby?

A
  1. Advise the immediate supervisor and request retardant or water drops.
  2. Park the vehicle in a safe place if you leave it.
  3. Move combustible materials and vegetation away from the structure.
  4. Bring hand tank pumps, extinguishers, and charged hoses into the structure.
  5. Remove light material from windows and cover them with heavy materials.
  6. Close all windows, doors, and vents except for a fireplace vent.
  7. Fill sinks, bathtubs, and buckets with water, soak towels and rags for use.
  8. Stay on the ground floor, maintain access to a door or window away from advancing flames, and avoid upper floors and basements.
  9. Be prepared to exit quickly if forced to by heat and smoke.
52
Q

What are the key points to remember for building entrapments?

A
  1. Structures can protect trapped fire personnel.
  2. Remove flammable fuels near the structure and ‘fireproof’ the building.
  3. Be prepared to exit the structure if forced to by heat and smoke.

Fire Safety (5 decks)

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