Routine Emergencies Fire Engineering Flashcards
Insulation of burning wire containing PVC will give off what gas?
Hydrogen Chloride
What is contained in some transformer coolants that give off carcinogens when they burn?
Polychlorinated biphenyls
A fluorescent fixture that is blinking, dim, or not working can indicate:
Overheated ballast
What does a typical ballast transformer consist of?
Fine copper wire wound around an iron core
Where can a ballast normally be found?
Encased in a metal box attached to the reflector hood
What can cause a ballast to overheat?
Short in the transformer core
Failure of the capacitor, light starter, or one of the fluorescent lamps
What is a normal temp for a ballast?
140 degrees
Ballasts manufactured before 1979 can contain what?
PCB-contaminated dielectric fluid; produces dioxin contaminated smoke
Fluorescent lamps manufactured after what year contain thermal protection to protect the ballast from overheating?
1968
When did UL require thermal protection for recessed lighting?
1982
How many times does an electrical system try to restore power automatically?
3 times; 3 trips to lockout
Before residential use, voltage is stepped down to about how many volts?
124; 240 for heavy users
What is the appropriate way to flood a manhole?
Unmanned, open-butt hoseline. 2-1/2” or larger line, tied off or heavy object to keep it from moving
What are the most common home-heating fuels?
Oil and gas
What are the most common home-heating fuel oils?
No. 2 oil; No.6 oil for commercial applications
What are the most common home-heating gases?
Propane and natural gas
Fuel oil is separated by viscosity into how many levels of oil?
No. 1 through No. 6 oil. 1 is the lightest, 6 the heaviest
How many cubic feet of air does a gallon of oil require to burn completely?
2,000
What is the typical sized fuel storage tank for private dwellings?
275-gallon tank
How much fuel do oil burners consume per hour for domestic and commercial installations?
Domestic between 1-10 gallons of fuel per hour
Commercial up to 50 gallons per hour
Domestic oil burners operate how many hours per day?
8 hours of every 24; 1,500 hours a year
Home heating unit fuel pumps deliver fuel at what pressure?
100psi
Motors for heating units operate at what RPM?
1,725 rpm for older units, 3,450 for newer ones
The nozzle assembly for heating units separates fuel into how many droplets of fuel at what pressure?
55 billion per gallon at 100psi
What are the two types of ignition systems in use for oil burners?
Intermittent or interrupted ignition systems; Constant ignition systems
Residential boilers have limited controls. Residential boilers operate at what maximum pressures for hot water and steam?
15psi for hot water and 2psi for steam
Of all the problems with burners, what poses the greatest danger?
Delayed ignition (puff back)
What is the leading cause of delayed ignition in home heaters?
Faulty ignition
The burning of pooled oil in the combustion chamber after the burner shuts down is called what?
Afterfire
What are the indicators of a “white ghost”?
Pearly white smoke looks like steam, tastes and smells like oil
What are signs of a blocked or disconnected flue or chimney?
Smoke that fills the burner room and an oily odor
How may residential water heaters are in use today and how many are getting ready to malfunction?
100,000,000; 1%
At what limits will the temperature-pressure valve operate on a water heater?
Water exceeds 210 degrees or pressure exceeds 150psi
What are the components of natural gas for domestic use?
70-90% methane with ethane making up most of the remainder
How dense is natural gas relative to air?
Natural gas is two-thirds as dense as air
What is the flammable range of natural gas in air?
4-14%
What pressure is natural gas delivered to appliances in the home?
1/4psi or 7 inches of water column
Air typically constitutes what percentage of all flammable gas-air mixtures?
90%
What percentage of oxygen does motor coordination become affected? Judgement and fatigue set in? Lose consciousness and die?
17%; 10-14%; 6-10%
What is the weight of fresh water per cubic foot?
62.4 pounds per cubic foot at 40 degrees
1/4 of fires are what kind of fires?
Vehicle fires
What is the explosive range of hydrogen?
4-71%
Smoke from burning food likely contains:
Sulfur, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon monoxide
Rubber, carpeting, or upholstery burning can produce what gas?
Hydrogen cyanide
What is produced from burning carpeting?
Acrolein
Burning trash containing plastic can give off what?
Hydrogen chloride
Burning plastic containing PVC can contain what gas?
Phosgene gas
What affinity does carbon monoxide have relative to oxygen?
Over 200 times; 200-270 times
How many deaths and illnesses are caused from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning each year?
1,500 deaths and over 10,000 illnesses
Who developed the first affordable CO detector?
Dr. Goldstein in conjunction with the Quantum Group
What percentage of carbon monoxide is absorbed into body tissue?
15%
One half of the carbon monoxide a person absorbed into the blood stream can take how long to leave the system?
5 hours
How much higher with the COHb of the fetus continue to rise relative to the mother?
As much as 15%
How much longer is the fetal COHb half life of carbon monoxide than the maternal mother?
3-5 times longer
What percentage of carbon monoxide poisonings present with cherry red coloration?
10%
What percentage of studied patients seen at the hospital for flu-like symptoms actually suffered from low-level CO poisoning?
23.6%
With 100% oxygen and a tight fitting mask, the half life of CO drops to what duration?
80 minutes
How much CO can a stove give off before reaching operating temperature?
35-400ppm
Oven as much as 800ppm
What term is used in place of backdraft pertaining to chimney or flues?
Downdraft
A car can give off how much CO before being warmed up?
30,000ppm
What percentage of homes have CO detectors?
6%
What ppm do Chicago and FDNY set for wearing SCBA for CO?
Chicago 35ppm; FDNY 9ppm
