Responding to "Routine" Emergencies Flashcards
Name four dangers associated with spraying water on a buning pole-mounted transformer.
(1) Explosion, (2) PCB, (3) downed wires, (4) electrocution
The gases generated by burning wiring are not only noxious and deadly, ther are also ________ and ________.
Flammable and explosive
The natural gas intended for domesic use contains 70 to 90 percent ______ , with ________ making up most of the remainder.
(1) Methane, (2) ethane
Natural gas is about _______ as dense as air.
Two-thirds
High-pressure gas transmission lines can be pressurized to as much as _______.
350 psi
Each end user has a gas regulator installed to lower the pressure down to a usable pressure of about ________.
1/4 psi
Name the two probable results of excessive gas flow to an appliance.
(1) The gas flame can either be blown out, possibly resulting in a gas leak, or
(2) the flame may grow, possibly to dangerous heights.
Blocked burner ports, accumulated dirt, and low has pressure can all result in _______.
Delayed ignition
The shutoff found on the supply side of a gas meter is known as a __________.
Meter quarter-turn wingcock
Freshwater weighs approximately _______ lbs per cubic foot at 40 deg F.
62.4 lbs
What two gases are formed within a battery as it charges?
Hydrogen and oxygen
The explosive range of hydrogen is from _____ to ______.
4 percent (lower)
to
71 percent (upper)
What is the principle hazard associated with the fuel lines of modern fuel injected vehicles?
The fuel line, which may convey gasoline at 30 psi, will retain its pressure even after the engine has been shut off
Are power steering fluid and automatic transmission fluid flammable?
Both power steering fluid and ATF are flammable when released under pressure in the form of spray. In a modern vehicle, power steering fluid can be pressurized to as much as 200 psi
A fire impinging on a propane cylinder may lead to what type of explosion?
A BLEVE
Can the fuel tank of a vehicle powered by compressed natural gas experience the same type of explosion as a propane tank?
No. A CNG tank can’t experience a BLEVE, since it contains a gas, not a liquid
When setting out flares to warn traffic of an incident site, how should they be placed?
To beyond the estimated stopping range of oncoming traffic, and slanting to cover the farthest lane occupied by emergency personnel.
When responding to food-on-the-stove call, the type of incident that you encounter depends in large degree on ________.
The type of food being cooked
Smoke from burning food probably contains nitrogen dioxide. Name some of the symptoms of NO2 poisoning.
Nausea, stomach pains, vomiting, oxygen deficiency in the blood, altered blood pressure, headaches, delayed onset of symptoms.
If the shutoff typically found before the flexible connector was invlolved in the fire or doesn’t work, then you should ________.
Shut off the gas meter
What is the best way to stay out of the smoke if, for whatever reason, you aren’t equipped with SCBA at a rubbish fire?
Use the reach of your line and attack the fire with the wind at your back
Why isn’t the type of occupancy an adequate indication of the hazards associated with a fire in the dumpster out back?
Any dumpster is prone to the illegal dumping of hazardous materials
True or false: Because of the many void spaces in trash, it is better to overhaul a dumpster fire manually then hydraulically.
False
The primary life hazard at a dumpster fire is that of _____________.
The firefighter
Perhaps the best way to overhaul a pile of automobiles at a junkyard fire is to use ________ in conjunction with hydraulic overhaul techniques.
Heavy equipment
When directing a master stream into a derelict building, how can an incident commander judge whether too much water is collecting in or being absorbed by the structure
By monitoring the runoff
Carbon monoxide has more than ______ times the affinity for hemoglobin as oxygen.
200 times
True or false: Although burning oil and propane are well known to produce carbon monoxide, natural gas does not.
False
Underwriters Laboratories has set the minimums for CO detectors in its standard known as _________.
UL 2034
Why wasn’t CO poisoning in the home as much of a recoginized problem prior to the 1970s as it is today? Give two reasons.
(1) Improved energy efficiency has made modern homes more airtight, and
(2) many CO-related deaths and illnesses in previous years weren’t attributed to carbon monoxide
By current statistics, how many deaths in the United States are attributable to carbon monoxide poisoning each year? How many illnesses?
About 1,500 deaths; more than 10,000 illnesses
A hemoglobin molecule has how many binding sites for oxygen?
Four
As the body is deprived of oxygen, the body tries to compensate by increasing the _________.
Breathing rate
Given continuous exposure to carbon monoxide, a person’s COHb level will rise until equilibrium is established with __________.
The ambient level of CO
A 3 percent COHb level at a mere 1,400 feet is equivalent to _______ percent COHb at sea level.
20 percent
The smaller the victim’s body mass, the ________ and ________ the effect of CO on his system.
Greater and faster
What tissues of the body are the most quickly and most adversely affected by carbon monoxide?
Those that require the most oxygen–e.g., the cardiovascular system and the brain
Is cherry red coloration of a suspected victim a reliable indicator of CO poisoning?
No
Mild CO poisoning mimics the symptoms of___________.
The flu
With 100 percent oxygen and a tight-fitting mask, the half-life of blood stream CO drops to about__________.
Eighty minutes
True or false: Hyperbaric patients can later suffer a relapse as CO is slowly released from muscle tissue.
True
The vapor density of carbon monoxide is__________.
0.96
The explosive range of carbon monoxide is_________to___________.
12.5 to 74 percent
____________fuels create the most carbon monoxide, ____________fuels generate less, and ___________produce the least.
(1) Solid, (2) liquid, (3) gas
Why will a cold pot temporarily increase the formation of CO when is is placed on the burner of a gas stove?
Because it lowers the temperature of the flame
Before reaching operating temperature, a gas oven can give off as much as__________ppm of carbon monoxide.
800 ppm
What is reverse stacking?
A mechanically induced downdraft
According to the text, a car that hasn’t been warmed up can initially give off________ppm or more of carbon monoxide.
30,000 ppm
In terms of percentages, approximately how many U.S. homes are currently equipped with CO detectors?
Six percent
Who should determine exactly how many ambulances are needed when Dispatch receives a call for a CO emergency?
The officer of the first-arriving fire company
True or false: The amount of CO that sets off an alarm would usually, given time, be lethal.
False
To detect low-level sources, it is important that a firefighter use a CO meter capable of sensing has levels from_________ppm to at least_________ppm, and preferably_______ppm.
(1) 0 ppm, (2) 200 ppm, (3) 999 ppm
Which government agency sets the most stringent standards for acceptable levels of CO?
The EPA
When interviewing an occupant at a CO response, you should first take readings__________.
At the door
If, after a thorough search of the house for CO and defective appliances, you find nothing, you should_________.
Set up a worst-case scenario
A carbon monoxide meter that can record CO activity in a home over time and later download the information into a computer is called a___________.
Datalogger
A gas flame that isn’t properly adjusted and is giving off excess CO will be__________or____________ in color.
Yellow or orange
What sort of detector absorbs ambient CO and is based on synthetic hemoglobin contained in a small gel cell?
Biomimetic
The more CO that the gel cell absorbs, the____________it gets.
Darker
Is the color fo the module a sufficient indicator to tell whether a CO detector is of an old or new design?
No
In a semiconductor detector, oxygen________the electrical resistance of the tin dioxide sensor, whereas carbon monoxide____________it.
(1) Increases, (2) decreases
What is the power source used for a semiconductor detector?
110-volt house current
As semiconductor detectors age, do they become more or less sensitive?
More sensitive
Semiconductor detectors may react to high levels of_____________as if they had been exposed to CO.
Natural gas
This type of detector is composed of three electrodes in a pastelike electrolyte and a membrane that is porous only to gas.
Electrochemical
The typical life span of any carbon monoxide detector is about__________years.
Five years
Originally published in April 1992, UL 2034 was revised in October of what year?
1995
The 1992 version of the standard required that the detectors sound an alarm when the CO present in the air would cause the COHb in a healthy adult to reach__________percent.
10 percent
At 400 ppm, UL 2034 requires a CO detector to sound an alarm within what length of time?
Fifteen minutes
True or false: UL requires that detectors remain silent for a specified period of exposure to specified amounts of CO.
True
The revised UL standard requires that a detector pass the rush-hour test for how many days in row?
Thirty
Does the revised standard require all CO detectors to have reset button?
Yes
The international Approval Service (IAS) standard requires that an alarm not sound before the occupants’ COHb levels reach__________percent.
5 percent
True or false: Carbon monoxide detectors may be triggered by a thermal inversion.
True
