Questions 176 - 200

Question 1

According to STP - Crews operating on levels above the fire should be constantly alert for the potential of fire extension. List the actions crews should take. (STP19 High Rise p16)

Answer 1

 Check concealed spaces, including ducting and pipework with TIC
 Close windows and move flammable materials away from the window
 Always have charged lines of hose
 Maintain communications with outside crews, who can report any externally visible indicators of changed fire activity

Question 2

You are responded to an aircraft on a runway with smoke issuing from behind the piston engine. All passengers and crew are out. It is a radial engine. According to the Firefighters Training Manual, how does the fire risk of this engine compare to an in-line engine and what extinguishing medium would you use? (Topic 3 Section 1 p3)

Answer 2

 Radial engines present a greater fire risk, compared to an in-line engine.
 CO2 or Halons are the most effective in fire control.

Question 3

According to FRNSW Fatigue Management Procedure - Short-term fatigue management is the management of acute fatigue that may occur as a result of tasks undertaken by firefighters during work hours. As a guide, a break from these tasks should be taken how often? (Fatigue Management Procedure p8 of 25)

Answer 3

 A break from these tasks should be taken at least every four hours.”

Question 4

You have been instructed to commence ventilation. According to the Firefighters Training Manual, when determining where ventilation needs to be carried out, what considerations need to be taken into account?

Answer 4

 The nature and proximity of exposures
 The size of the fire
 The seat of the fire
 The wind and weather conditions
 The type of building construction
 The prescence of vertical or horizontal openings and how they may affect ventilation

Question 5

According to SOGs, if co2 is used to extinguish a fire in an underground vault substation what is the minimum time it needs to be kept sealed within the vault? (SOG 14.5 Substations p3)

Answer 5

 20 MINUTES

Question 6

According to SOGs, what is the definition of decontamination? (SOG 10.4 Decontamination p1)

Answer 6

 Decontamination is the process of removing contaminants from people and equipment to prevent further injury and reduce the spread of contaminant.

Question 7

During a bushfire, your sector contains an area where trees and grass are alight under high voltage power lines. According to SOGs, what are the safe working distances and what firefighting activities can you perform? (SOG 14.4 Working Near Powerlines p3)

Answer 7

 Do not engage in firefighting under high voltage powerlines.
 Keep people and vehicles a minimum of 25m clear of a fire burning under or near powerlines.
 Ensure adequate clearance between the highest point of the vehicle and the powerlines. The clearance varies between 3 and 8 metres depending on the voltage of the power lines.
 Avoid areas with tall vegetation under the power lines.

Question 8

You need to attach a delivery to the hydrant outlet. According to the Firefighters Training Manual, hydrants have what types of deliveries? (Section 4 Water Supply 4.4 Hydrants p6)

Answer 8

 Double Delivery
 Elbow Delivery
 Standpipe Delivery

Question 9

A BA team reports to a Breathing Apparatus Control Operator (BACO) two floors below the fire floor at a high-rise structure fire. They provide their BA tallies to the BACO and proceed to the fire floor but remain in the fire stairs for ten minutes before donning BA and beginning firefighting tasks.
Ten minutes after that the BACO is trying to contact the Sector Commander urgently stating that they are running low on air when they are not. According to SOGs, what went wrong? (SOG 9.4 Breathing Apparatus Control 6 Remote entry p2)

Answer 9

Where BA is carried to a remote location before being used, e.g. high-rise buildings;
 “The BA wearer notifies the BACO when they don their facemask and begin using their air supply”, this was not done so the correct entry time on the BA Tally Board was not recorded.
 “The BACO confirms to the IC or their Commander that entry has been made”, this was not done so the BACO and IC/Commander have no idea what time the crews entered the fire floor and donned their BA.

Question 10

According to SOGs, there are five members of a decontamination team. Name all members. (SOG 10.4 Decontamination Check Sheet p2)

Answer 10

1. Decontamination Officer
2. Wash Operator
3. Wash Assistant
4. Disrobe Assistant
5. Pump Operator

Question 11

At an incident, fire crews believe accelerants may have been used. According to Standing Orders, what are possible signs of accelerant use? (Accelerant Detecting Canine p12)

Answer 11

 Characteristic burn patterns
 Indication of fire trailers
 Rapid fire development inconsistent with available combustible materials
 Unusual odours
 Damage to building consistent with a vapour explosion

Question 12

You are in charge of firefighters providing fire protection during helicopter refuelling. You instruct them to wear full PPE. According to SOGs, what full PPE will they wear? (SOG 5.8 Fire Protection for Helicopter Hot Refuelling Check Sheet p1)

Answer 12

 Full structural firefighting ensemble including helmet and gloves
 Flash hood
 SCBA
 Ear plugs - which provide sufficient protection at 50m

Question 13

Under the FRNSW Act 1989, define flammable matter?

Answer 13

flammable matter includes—
(a) any substance capable of ignition or combustion by the application of heat, by means of sparks or spontaneously, and
(b) any substance prescribed as flammable for the purposes of this definition.

Question 14

According to SOGs- Bushfire classes are determined by the level of resources committed to the fire, and its potential impact on the community, economy, essential infrastructure, and not its size. Describe a Class 3 bushfire? (SOG 3.1 Guidelines for Bushfires 5 Classes of Bushfires p17)

Answer 14

 A major bushfire or fires where an appointment is made or is imminent under the provisions of Section 44 of the Rural Fires Act 1997.
 Section 44 enables the NSW RFS Commissioner, through appointees, to take charge of bushfire prevention and suppression operations under certain conditions.

Question 15

In relation to toxic chemicals, what are the four main types of military warfare agents? (Chemical and Toxicology Manual PDF p112)

Answer 15

1. Nerve Agents (G Agents)
2. Blister Agents (H Agents – skin and eye irritants)
3. Blood Agents (Chemical Asphyxiants)
4. Choking Agents (Respiratory Irritants)

Question 16

You are first arriving Station Commander at a fire to find smoke issuing from a single level house. You have not conducted a 360° size up but have given your crew initial tasks.
What actions would most assist in formally assuming command? (SOG 1.2 Command, 3 Process p2)

Answer 16

The first arriving station officer should;
* Confirm via initial radio report to FireCom that an IC is in place
* Name the command, following the naming convention
* Select an appropriate command position, i.e. Fast Attack or Stationary

Question 17

You respond to a High-Rise building. According to SOGs, High Rise buildings are generally described by what characteristics? (SOG4.5 High Rise Structure Fires Check Sheet p1)

Answer 17

 High rise buildings are 25 meters or more in height, with 10 or more levels and numerous essential services.

Question 18

According to the Firefighters Training Manual, what conditions should be determined before carrying out ventilation? (Topic 2 Section 14 p2)

Answer 18

• Location of seat of the fire
• Crews are ready to enter the structure with charged hose lines
• Back up crews are ready to enter
• Communications have been established amongst all crews

Question 19

You are the Incident Commander at a hazardous materials incident and find wastewater coming from an adjoining business is entering the Hot Zone and spreading contaminants. You order this water supply to be shut off, but the business owner next door complains that he will lose money by shutting down production.
What are your general powers in this situation as stipulated under the FRNSW Act?

Answer 19

13 General powers of officers at fires and hazardous material incidents
(1A) At the site of a hazardous material incident, the officer in charge—
(a) may take such measures as the officer thinks proper for the protection and saving of life and property, for confining and ending the incident and for rendering the site safe, and
(b) is to control and direct the operations of any fire brigade.
The site is taken to be such area in the vicinity of the incident as is for the time being determined by the officer in charge.

The OIC at a fire or Hazmat incident may, for the purpose of extinguishing or controlling a fire or confining or ending the incident or rendering the site of the incident safe, without payment -
(a) take and use any water from any source on any land, and
(b) cause water to flow into or be shut off from any main or pipe.

Question 20

FRNSW incident management is consistent with the Australasian Inter-service Incident Management System (AIIMS).
What are the key principles of AIIMS? (SOG 1 Incident Management p2)

Answer 20

1. Flexibility – the method must be able to be applied across all types of incidents, with an incident structure and plans that reflect the needs of the incident.
2. Management by objectives – for every incident a set of objectives must be identified and a plan developed for managing those objectives. There can only be one set of objectives and one incident action plan.
3. Functional Management – 8 functional areas that need to be managed i.e. Control, Planning, Intelligence, Public Information, Operations, Investigation, Logistics, and Finance. The IC is responsible for all functional areas but may choose to delegate one or more of the functions, depending upon the size and nature of the incident.
4. Unity of Command – there must be only one IC, each individual must only report to one supervisor.
5. Span of Control - an individual should only have 5 people reporting to them (optimal is 1:5 ratio), but this can vary between 1: 3 to 1:7, depending upon the activity, geography, or nature of the incident.

Question 21

According to SOGs, Describe the term “All Clear.” (SOG 1 Incident Management Guideline Support Document p46)

Answer 21

 The term “All Clear” indicates that primary and secondary searches have been completed for a compartment, location or the entire structure, at a fire or hazmat incident. This confirms to the IC that firefighters have checked for occupants in those locations, and none have been located.

Question 22

You are the Incident Commander at a large factory fire. There are 8 pumps code 3 at the incident. According to SOGs, list two combinations could you allocate these pumps to achieve three-deep deployment?

Answer 22

COMBINATION 1
1 DEEP
CREWS IN HAZARD ZONE
PUMP 1 tasked in the HOT ZONE
PUMP 2 recycling in the WARM ZONE
2 DEEP
ON-DECK CREWS
PUMP 3 uncommitted on the edge of the WARM ZONE, able to rapidly intervene if required next into the HOT ZONE
3 DEEP
CREWS IN STAGING
PUMP 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 waiting to be deployment
COMBINATION 2
1 DEEP
CREWS IN HAZARD ZONE
PUMP 1 and PUMP 2 both tasked in the HOT ZONE
2 DEEP
ON-DECK CREWS
PUMP 3 and PUMP 4 both ON DECK on the edge of WARM ZONE, uncommitted and able to rapidly intervene if required into the HOT ZONE
3 DEEP
CREWS IN STAGING
PUMP 5, 6, 7 and 8 in STAGING awaiting deployment

Question 23

FRNSW is committed to achieving the principles and requirements of the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Policy, to achieve this what are all employees responsible for? (EDI Policy 7.3 All Employees)

Answer 23

 Creating a culturally safe workplace environment which is free from discrimination, and everyone is valued and treated with respect;
 Working collaboratively to recognise and appreciate equity, diversity and inclusion;
 Identifying and addressing any form of discrimination in the workplace.