Glossary Flashcards
Numeric Codes used to communicate predefined situations or conditions.
10-Codes
A rule of thumb used for estimating the length of time until structural collapse occurs.
20-minute Rule.
It states that when a heavy volume of fire is burning out of control on two or more floors for 20 minutes or longer in a building of ordinary construction, structural collapse should be anticipated.
A system established on the fire ground to ensure that everyone entering the area has a specific assignment, to track all personnel at the scene, and to identify the location of any missing personnel if a catastrophic even should occur.
Accountability system
A floor area with at least two rooms separated by smoke-resisting partitions in a building protected by a sprinkler system, or a space located in an egress path this is separated from other building spaces.
Area of Refuge
An occupancy used for the gathering of 50 or more persons for deliberation, worship, entertainment, eating, drinking, amusements, awaiting transportation, or similar uses; or used as a special amusements building, regardless of occupant load.
Assembly Occupancy
The fire-arriving engine company that goes directly to the fire building without securing a water supply
Attack Pumper
A fire condition that occurs when oxygen (air) is introduced into a super-heated, oxygen-deficient compartment charged with smoke and pyrolytic emissions, resulting in an explosive ignition.
Backdraft
Also know as elevation pressure, the pressure required to overcome the weight of water in a piping or hose system. Each vertical foot of water in a pipe, hose, or tank exerts a pressure of 0.434 psi at the base.
Backpressure
An older type of woof-frame construction in which the wall studs extend vertically from the basement of the structure to the roof
Balloon-Frame Construction
The tactical-level management units immediately subordinate to the sections in NIMS hierarchy. Units are subordinate to the logistics, finance/administration, and planning sections. Divisions and Groups are subordinate to the operation sections.
Branches
Branches are used to reduce the span of control at very large operations or to manage a particular functions/agency
An occupancy used for account and record keeping or the transaction of business other than mercantile.
Business Occupancy
An organization structure establishing a line of authority and responsibility along which orders and instructions are passed
Chain of Command
e.g. - Incident commander to operations section to branch director to division supervisor to company officer to fire fighter, or a reply to a higher level in reverse order
Foam used on fires in Class A fuels such as vegetation, wood, cloth, paper, rubber, and some plastics
Class A Foam
An area where personal protective clothing is not required; command post, rehab, and medical treatment should be located in the _______.
Cold Zone
The area endangered by a potential building collapse; generally considered to be an area 1 1/2 times the height of the involved building.
Collapse Zone
Subdividing of a building into small areas (rooms) capable of limiting the spread of fire and the products of combustion.
Compartmentation
A plan used when a property have more than three buildings or when it is necessary to show the layout of the premises and relationship between the buildings on site
Complex Pre-incident Plan
A reaction to fire conditions in which groups take shelter together to provide mutual support.
Convergence Cluster Phenomenon
The time available until the structure becomes untenable
Critical Time
The weight of a building; consists of the weight of all materials of construction incorporated into a building, including but not limited to floors, roofs, ceilings, stairways, built-in partitions, finishes, cladding, and other similarly incorporated architectural and structural items as well as fixed service equipment
Dead Load
The phase of fire development in which fire has consumed either the available fuel oxygen to a point that the fire begins to diminish in intensity.
Decay Phase
A tactic utilized during a structure fire when it is very difficult to remove occupants from the building. Occupants are either protected at their present location or moved to a safe location within the building.
Defend-in-Place
A type of fire attack in which exterior fire suppression operations are directed at protecting exposures.
Defensive
A sprinkler system in which all sprinklers or applicators are open. When an indicating device, such as a smoke detector, is activated, the deluge valve opens and water discharges from all of the open sprinklers simultaneously.
Deluge System
An occupancy used to house four or more persons under varied degrees of restraint or security where such occupants are mostly incapable of self-preservation because of security measures not under the occupants’ control.
Detention and Correctional Occupancy
Firefighting operations involving the application of extinguishing agents directly onto the burning fuel.
Direct Attack
The principle that an incident or task should be broken down into smaller, more manageable tasks and personnel assigned to complete those tasks (developing job skills in a concentrated area to allow for more productivity).
Division-of-Labor Principle
The tactical-level management unit in charge of geographic area
Division
Walls designed to limit horizontal spread of the fire that extend partially down from the underside of the roof. (usually no more that 20% of the height of the compartment)
Draft Curtains
Using a computer to navigate by pointing and clicking through a series of drop down menus in a graphical user interface.
Drilling Down
Systems in which the pipes are normally filled with compressed air or nitrogen. When a sprinkler is activated, it releases air from the system, which opens a valve so the pipes can fill with water.
Dry Pipe Sprinkler Systems
An occupancy used for educational purposes though the 12th grade by 6 or more persons for 4 or more hours per day or more than 12 hours per week.
Educational Occupancy
Fire that moved into areas not originally involved, including walls, ceilings, and attic spaces; also, the movement of fire into uninvolved areas of a structure.
Extension
Buildings, vehicles, or other property threatened by fire that are external to the building, vehicle, or property where the fire originated.
External Exposures
The section that tracks and provides financial and administrative services required to compensate people or organizations providing goods and services at the incident scene
Finance/Administration Section
A wide area beyond the hazard control zones, usually staffed by police to keep unauthorized people away from the scene.
Fire Perimeter
An oxygen-sufficient condition in which room temperatures reach the ignition temperature of the suspended pyrolytic emissions, causing all combustible contents to suddenly ignite.
Flashover
The movement of heat and smoke from higher pressure fire area toward lower pressure areas on the interior and exterior of the structure
Flow Path
A fixed facility consisting of an enclosure house a foam concentrate supply tank, a foam solution proportioning system, a pump, and sometimes an extra supply of foam concentrate that can be added to the proportioning system.
Foam house
A plan for a property with a substantial rick to life and/or property; includes a drawing of the property, specific floor layouts, and a narrative describing important features.
Formal Preincident Plan
The act of performing tasks outside the incident’s organizational structure.
Freelancing
As related to fire fighter injures, a measure of how often an injury occurs; for example, sprains and strains are the most frequent fire fighter injury.
Frequency
Refers to a fire in which the heat release rate and growth rate are controlled by the characteristics of the fuel, such as quantity, chemistry and geometry, and in which adequate air for combustion is available.
Fuel-Controlled
Fuels provided by a building’s contents and combustible building materials.
Fuel Load
Fire Load
The phase of fire development at which the fire is free-burning and consuming much of the fuel.
Fully Developed Phase
The tactical-level management unit in charge of function.
Group
The phase of fire development at which the fire is spreading beyond the point of origin and beginning to involve other fuels in the immediate fire area.
Growth Phase
The area in which emergency responders are working it can be subdivided into no-entry, hot warm, and cold zones
Hazard Control Zones
An occupancy used for purposes of medical or other treatment or care of 4 or more persons, where such occupants are mostly incapable of self-preservation due to age, physical or mental disability, or security measured not under the occupants’ control
Health Care Occupancy
An operating are considered safe only for individuals wearing appropriate levels of personal protective clothing; established by the IC and safety officer.
Hot Zone
