Fire Suppression Flashcards
1
Q
1st Alarm Structure Fire
- First arriving PFA unit or member:
A
- Establish command
- Conduct size-up
- Develop Strat goals and tact obj
- Communicate the IAP
- Ensure orders and assignments are understood
- Engage
2
Q
1st Alarm Structure Fire
- Initial arrival report:
A
- Size
- Height
- Occupancy type or common name
- Condition (NS, SS, WF)
- Immediate needs
- Actions (360, stretching line, command only)
- Assume, announce, position command *announce “alpha side”
3
Q
1st Alarm Structure Fire
- Follow up report:
A
- 360 Complete report
- Update description/conditions (basement, location of fire, and safety concerns)
- Update actions: “pulling attack line”
- Update needs: more resources
- Determine and announce Strategy: offensive/defensive
- Pause for feedback
- Assignments
4
Q
1st Alarm Structure Fire
- Command Transfer
A
- Upon arrival, BC announces arrival and confirms assignments and IAP by contacting IC
- BC reviews IAP, the BC or second IC announces that he is taking command and confirms strategy
5
Q
1st Alarm Structure Fire
- Specific Considerations:
A
- 1st arriving - pull past
- IC determines the appropriate strategy based on critical fire ground factors (life safety, access, building occupancy, arrangement, resources, special hazards)
- Before entry, IC considers immediate rescue, location and stage of fire, and available resources for 2 out
- If change in IAP results in change of risk profile, the IC should communicate the change
6
Q
1st Alarm Structure Fire
- 2nd arriving engine’s responsibilities:
A
- Perform Reset
- Deploying attack lines
- Water supply
- Supply standpipe, sprinkler, or master streams
- “Two-out” crew
- Officer should be prepared to assume command
- Division/Group should be given to the second arriving officer
7
Q
1st Alarm Structure
- 3rd arriving engine’s responsibilities:
A
- Any of the responsibilities outlined for the second-in
- RIC
8
Q
1st Alarm Structure Fire
- Support Ops responsibilities:
A
- Forcible entry
- Search & Rescue
- Anti-vent &/or door control
- Laddering the building
- Vent
- Salvage and overhaul
- Assist w/ fire cause determination
9
Q
Two In/Two Out
- SHALL apply to all offensive fires except:
A
- Incipient stage fire
- “Known rescue”
- Fought from non-IDLH
10
Q
Fire Ground Vent
- Actions FFs can take to prevent a rapid fire progression:
A
- Maintain control of the door to isolate the fire
- Control ventilation of Windows
- Get sufficient water on the fire ASAP and into the gas layers
11
Q
Vent Size-Up
A
- Primary purpose (vent for search or vent for extinguishment)
- Wind direction
- Location of smoke or fire - vent limited
- Is vent needed? What type? Where?
- Where are victims most likely located?
- Where are FFs located and are they ready for vent?
12
Q
Vent Tactics
- Anti-vent is optimum strategy where?
A
- A hose line is not in position
- Vent openings may spread fire into roof spaces
- A vent limited fire might advance towards a rapid fire progression event
- A clear reason to open has yet to be identified
13
Q
Hose lines SHALL be defined by:
A
- Attack lines
- Two-out line
- Exposure line
- Back-up line
- Overhaul line
14
Q
Hose lines Offensive Strategy
A
- Support fire attack and primary search
- Reset when vent limited fire conditions exists and the fire is self vented
- Control and extinguish the fire
- Placed between fire and exposed occupants
- Control means of egress (hallways, stairways)
15
Q
Hose lines
Defensive:
A
- Size and location depends on available water supply
- Protect exposures and limit fire spread
- Confine and extinguish the fire to the building of origin
16
Q
Search
- Methods of protecting search crews:
A
- Recognizing and mitigating of vent-limited conditions (i.e. Reset)
- ID & control flow paths
- Position hose lines to protect search
- Establish two-out crew ASAP
- ID & hardening alternative means of egress
17
Q
Initial deployment of RIC(s)
- Critical safety tasks to be evaluated:
A
- Egress means are established and maintained
- Secondary means of egress are ID, unlocked, or easily opened
- Ground ladders are placed to Windows above 1st floor
- Adequate two-out line is in place
- Second ladder is placed to roof during roof ops
- Utilities are secured
18
Q
RIC(s) for special ops
A
- High rise fires: should be assigned to the staging area, lobby, or other appropriate location
- Specialized rescue: truck, USAR, or support personnel
- Hazmat: techs may be assigned
19
Q
Lost or trapped FFs
- Situational awareness and practice self- survival techniques
A
- Be assigned to a group/division or crew lead
- Have an assignment or objective
- Keep crew intact with radio
- Wear PPE & practice air management
- Keep crews in visual, voice, or touch
20
Q
Calling a May Day
A
- Activate May Day pressing bob, mayday x3, and NUCAN
- Command repeats NUCAN
- Command should transmit emergency tone followed by brief description on tactical channel
- Deploy RIC & ensure NUCAN was received
- Command should consider rescue group sup
21
Q
Command’s May Day response
SHALL accomplish 7 actions:
A
- Transmit situational brief on tactical channel
- Deploy RIC
- Consider rescue group sup and separate safety officer
- Incorporate rescue effort into IAP
- Order additional resources
- PAR: command must have this info before rescue plan is fully developed
22
Q
IC’s additional considerations during May Day
A
- Do not abandon the FF position unless necessary
- A second RIC for entire incident
- Additional safety officer
- Control access and prevent unassigned entries
- Watch structural stability
- Consider aides for IC & rescue group sup
- Anticipate additional ambulances
23
Q
Water Supply
Areas with hydrants “urban”
A
- Usually 2nd or 3rd engine
- Supply Capt should air hydrant location and lay
- Big fire, delayed 2nd due- 1st should lay own supply
- Supply should consider reverse lay
- Each master stream should have own water supple
- water supply group and water department may be established
24
Q
“Rural” Water Supply
A
- Request additional tenders early
- tender ops require space
- narrow drives- 1st should lay a single or dual 3” on side of the road
- supply engine Capt should assume water supply officer
- nursing or porta tank
- extended ops- minimum of 3 tenders
- consider static water supple (3rd engine)
- calc tender cycle time and notify IC of the estimated available water flows
25
Q
Automatic Fire-Alarm Response
1st Arriving Unit
A
- perform size-up
- assign units as needed
- investigate to determine the cause of the alarm
- the cause must be documented in NFIRS
1 engine or truck emergent, FIC non-emergent (all fire alarms except single family residential
AlarmR (residential): 1 engine or truck non-emergent
26
Q
Operating with fixed fire protection systems
Fire sprinklers
A
- If known fire, the apparatus SHALL pump to the FDC
- SHALL be connected to a fire hydrant
- once activated, SHALL NOT be shot down until ordered by the IC
27
Q
Fire standpipes
A
- 4 or more stories in height, as well as below and above grade parking structures are typically equipped in every stairwell
- standpipes SHALL have priority of supply efforts over sprinkler systems when interior ops
- water should not be pumped until unused hose connections are capped or valves closed
- apparatus pumping the FDC SHALL be connected to a fire hydrant
28
Q
High Rise
Most problems relate to:
A
- difficulties of access
- complexities of construction
- # of occupants in these structures
- Occupant life safety and FF safety is the highest priority
- FF fatigue
29
Q
Most effective high rise strategy
A
- aggressive fire attack
- control of the building environment
- coordinated occupant movement
30
Q
Initial high rise assignments
A
- 5 engines, 2 trucks, SO, BC, 1 ambulance
- 1st arriving engine: recon and fire attack
- 2nd arriving engine: lobby control/stair and FDC
- 3rd arriving engine: 2nd hose line, pre-position non-IDLH
- 4th arriving engine: base and staging (2 floors below) and support stairwell ops
- trucks: support ops on fire floor and floors above and recon for vent
31
Q
High rise
A- attack
A
- 1st & 3rd arriving engines
- take command
- recon, set up for attack, and make attack
- no elevators
- check annunciator panel
- Knox key- take only what you need
- communicate plan with others
- take essential equipment (extra cylinders, irons, hose)
- ascending stairs (officer sets pace, check standpipe on way up)
- determine what is going on (CAN)
- transfer or pass command
32
Q
High rise
L- lobby, stairwell, and supply
2nd arriving
A
- be prepared to assume command
- establish water (reverse out, take off equipment, protect hose)
- get control of building: lockout elevator, Knox, re-check annunciator, control HVAC, altern means of communication
- lobby: traffic control, direct crews, accountability
- set up stairwell: recon (best for attack and rescue), vent stairwell (make sure it is getting done), get equipment moving up the stairwell
33
Q
High rise
Base/staging
4th arriving
A
- base: outside 200 ft, crews report to base, establish equipment cache, area manager tracks crews and assignments, communicate w/ IC or logistics regarding crews
- Staging: 2 floors below, area to refill cylinders, rehab (paramedic assisted), reenforce stairwell ops, assign one crew member to lobby, tell lobby crew member is assigned
34
Q
High rise
Support ops (1st arriving)
A
- objective: perform recon of the floors above and support attack ops and life safety
- one crew recon the floors above and fire floor
- take essential equipment
- vent assessment on way up
- one crew assigned vent, consider PPV stairwells
- recon stairwells for ops (FFing and life safety
- vertical rescue: assign if needed
35
Q
High rise
BC & Command staff
A
- assume command
- approximately 200 ft away
- determine viability of attack plan and adequacy of resources
- assign logistics section chief to manage lobby, stair, base and staging
36
Q
High rise
Modes of operation
A
- investigation mode ( nothing showing): 1st truck assist with recon and prepare to vent
- high rise attack mode ( visible signs): order big, order early
37
Q
Fires in structures 1-3 stories in height
Rescue operations
Rescue efforts in following order:
A
- those victims most immediate threatened
- the largest concentration of victims
- the remainder of the structure
- use interior access to remove victims when possible
- secondary rescue of elevated platforms, aerial ladders, ground ladders, fire escapes
38
Q
Fires in 1-3 stories
Additional considerations:
A
- center hallway- 2 hose lines ( 1 attack and 1 to protect hallway)
- ASAP, hose line to the floor above
- personal rescue devise on 3 stories and above
39
Q
Below grade fires
1st arriving
A
- should consider basement involvement ( balloon frame)
- confirm basement conditions prior to making entry. If there is basement involvement, the IC should adjust IAP to directly attack the basement fire
40
Q
Below Grade Fire
Size-Up
A
- perform 360
- determine whether there is a basement, what type, and location/# of access
- determine conditions in the basement
- ID current ventilation profile and predict expected flow path
41
Q
Below Grade Fires
IAP
Strategic Considerations:
A
- Consider attack into basement window
- suppression will be most efficient and safest when fire attack from same level
- reset
- working on the floor above the basement should be avoided if possible
- high probability of victims may necessitate ops above - flow path SHALL be controlled
42
Q
Below Grade Fires
Tactical Considerations:
A
- 1st hose line - rapid knockdown. Poss reset
- the following factors would preclude the descent of 1st line down the interior stairs:
• high heat conditions
• questionable stability of stairs
• initial size-up indicating a serious fire condition - the status of the interior basement door is a critical factor and should be communicated
- search may be conducted above fire or in basement (risk profile) - door control should be maintained
43
Q
Below Grade Fires
Safety Considerations:
A
- stairwell can be chimney
- is basement finished or unfinished
- sounding the floor and floor sage is not reliable
44
Q
Carbon Monoxide, HCN, and Asbestos in overhaul and post fire ops
General Procedures
A
- all SHALL wear full PPE and SCBA during overhaul
- fire investigators SHALL wear the appropriate PPE
- the IC, SO, or designated member SHALL make a safety site survey and air monitoring prior to removal of any PPE
- on-going air monitoring SHALL be done during the overhaul and investigation process
45
Q
Asbestos
Decon Procedures:
A
- overhaul with least amount of people
- all exposed to asbestos should undergo gross Decon (HEPA Vac) - breathing air during
- members conducting Decon SHALL also be protected
- all PPE laundered upon returning to station
- shower immediately upon return
46
Q
Atmospheric Monitiring
A
- should not be used in visible smoke
- personnel without SCBA SHALL NOT be allowed in structures unless 0ppm CO 0ppm HCN
- CO vapor density .97, HCN .94 so monitoring for both gases should be done 3-8 ft above the floor
47
Q
VEIS
Resources:
A
Requires an entry crew of two or more supported by a hose line crew.
48
Q
VEIS
1st arriving IC:
A
- SHALL conduct a size-up
- establish command
- communicate IAP to responding units
49
Q
VEIS
Scene size-up:
A
- should be a search tactic when:
• there is a known probable occupant(s)
• conventional means of access for primary search is compromised by fire or when VEIS is a more obvious choice to quickly locate and rescue the victim(s)
50
Q
VEIS
IAP
Strategic considerations for IC:
A
- tactical op SHALL be communicated to all units
- the IAP SHALL be modified to coordinate the VEIS with all other fire ground ops. Support of the VEIS is the priority
- while VEIS is being performed, PPV & PPA should not be used
- consider assigning a VEIS group sup
- plan for additional VEIS ops in different locations
- all other ops should not interfere w/ VEIS
- command only option or passing command
51
Q
VEIS
Tactical considerations:
A
- maintain strict accountability
- maintain situational awareness
- confirm PPV and PPA are not used
- confirm adequate resources
- confirm crew assigned VEIS understand objectives
- communicate tactical supervisors
- ensure 2nd ladder of equal length is pre-positioned
- give timely and concise CAN report to IC
- upon exit, VEIS sup SHALL report a PAR
- constantly reassess conditions and re-evaluate risk profile
52
Q
VEIS
Task considerations:
A
- positioning
- ventilation
- entry
- sill control
- isolate
- search and rescue
- egress: if different egress, this SHALL be communicated to VEIS sup
- hose line
53
Q
VEIS
Safety considerations:
A
- IC SHALL confirm the VEIS matches PFA’s risk profile
- all personnel not directly involved in the VEIS SHALL maintain strict radio discipline
