Phase 1: Block 6 - Firefighting Fundamentals Flashcards
What is the primary duty of a firefighter?
Saving lives
What is the secondary duty of a firefighter?
Extinguish fires and limit damage to aircraft, shipboard, airfield installed equipment and/ or airfield structures.
What is the fire tetrahedron?
A simple model that illustrates the key components needed to create fire.
What are the four components of the fire tetrahedron?
Oxygen, fuel, heat, and a chemical chain reaction (uninterrupted).
What are the four classes of fires?
Alpha, bravo, Charlie and delta fires.
What is a class alpha fire?
A fire that occurred in combustible materials that produce ash. Ex: Wood/wood products, cloth, textiles, fibrous materials and paper products.
What extinguishing agents are effective against class alpha fires?
Water (H2O) or Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF).
What is a class bravo fire?
A fire that occurred in with flammable liquid substances. Ex: Gasoline, jet fuels, oil and other petroleum based products.
What extinguishing agents are effective against class bravo fires?
AFFF, Halon 1211, Purple K Powder (PKP) and Carbon Dioxide (CO2).
What is a class Charlie fire?
A fire that results from an energized electrical source.
What are the two types of class Charlie fires?
Energized and de-energized
What extinguishing agents are effective against energized class charlie fires?
CO2, Halon, PKP, and H2O in fog patterns at a minimum distance of four feet.
How should a de-energized class charlie fire be treated?
As a class alpha, bravo, or delta fire.
What is a class delta fire?
A fire that occurs in combustible metals.
What extinguishing agents are effective against class delta fires?
Large quantities of H2O in a high velocity fog pattern.
Why is it important to fight class delta fires from a safe distance or from behind shelter?
Small explosions may occur.
What does the extinguishing agent Aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) primarily consist of?
Synthetic fluorocarbon surfactant material.
Is Aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) corrosive?
No
How long is the shelf life of aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) if stored in a protected area?
Unlimited
What two percentages of aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) are approved for naval use?
Three and six percent
Current shipboard equipment requires what percentage of aqueous film forming foam (AFFF)?
Six percent
Water (H2O) is not generally considered suitable for A/C fires involving large amounts of what?
Fuel
When properly applied in an A/C firefighting situation, what does water (H2O) have the ability to do?
Cool the A/C fuselage and provide a heat shield for personnel.
Water (H2O) is an effective agent for cooling what?
Ordnance and batteries
What class of fire is water (H2O) effective on?
Class alpha
What is the chemical name for Halon 1211?
Bromochlorodifluoromethane
Halon 1211 is intended for use on what classes of fire?
Class brave and charlie
While not intended for, what class of fire is Halon 1211 effective on?
Class alpha
How does Halon 1211 extinguish fires?
By inhibiting the chemical chain reaction of the combustion process.
What 2 types of units does Carbon Dioxide (CO2) come in?
15 pound portable units and 50 pound wheeled units.
What classes of fire is Carbon Dioxide (CO2) intended for use on?
Class bravo and charlie
How does Carbon Dioxide suppress fire?
By displacing oxygen to a point below the level to support combustion.
What class of fire is Potassium Bicarbonate (PKP) intended for use on?
Class bravo
How does Potassium Bicarbonate (PKP) extinguish fire?
By breaking the combustion chain.
Potassium Bicarbonate (PKP) does not have what capability?
Cooling
If ignition sources are present, Potassium Bicarbonate (PKP) will not prevent what?
Reflash
