TB 145 Combustile Metals Flashcards
Burning metal material may be encountered in the form of ___, chips, and other small pieces.
recycled turnings
If water is applied, the results can be a spontaneous, ___ that hurls molten metal hundreds of feet in the air, burning anything in its path.
bright explosion
______, communication, teamwork, and proper tactical adjustments are critical first steps to ensuring a safe and successful outcome at these complicated incidents.
Recognition
Most combustible metal fires produce extreme temperatures ranging from _____ degrees Fahrenheit.
5000 to 9000
These temperatures are high enough to separate water into its basic elements: _____ and _____.
hydrogen / oxygen
Fires involving combustible metals are designated as a class “___” fire.
D
Metal fires burn at extreme temperatures ranging from 5,000 degrees F (____ times the temperatures of a typical structure fire) to 9,000 degrees F.
three
Hydrogen becomes a _____ and oxygen acts as an ____ that accelerates the burning rate, fire spread, and temperature to the higher end of the range above.
free burning fuel / oxidizer
_____ is a factor in determining ease of ignition, rate of burn, temperature generated, and the explosive potential of combustible metals.
Surface area
Metal powders, dusts, turnings, chips, and other small pieces with greater surface area pose _____ hazard than large unprocessed billets, ingots, and processed blocks.
a much greater
The smaller particles, when exposed to fire conditions, can result in an _____ as opposed to larger size pieces such as ingots, etc. that are very difficult to ignite and will self-extinguish when the heat source is removed.
explosion
Combustible metals can be divided into ___ categories:
Alkali metals / Alkali Earth metals, Transitional metals, and Other Metals
two
Recognition of inside or outside ____, _____ and scrubber systems, and recognition of unusual fire/smoke activity will assist companies in identifying the possible presence of combustible metals.
storage bins / dust collection
The Department is in the process of surveying all businesses that utilize combustible metals and will require an NFPA Placard with a “____”. Full compliance is expected by January 2011.
W
These metals (titanium, magnesium, zirconium, and aluminum) shall be indicated by an “____” in the fourth space.
M
criteria for placarding (occupancies that exceed ____ of combustible metals as per Table 4-A of the Los Angeles Fire Code or that process or store 500 pounds or less of combustible metals that are in the form of dusts, chips, powders, turnings, or ribbons).
500 pounds
If multiple hazards exist, the symbols (no more than two) shall be stacked with the most ____ indicated on top and the combustible metal symbol “M” (when applicable) always positioned at the bottom.
severe hazard
Combustible metals present significant hazards:
____ burning temperature
____ reaction to water
Debris from water reactions being thrown through the air
High / Volatile
Members of the LAFD working within _____ of a burning metal product are considered to be working in an IDLH (Immediate Dangerous to Life and Health) environment.
30 feet
For the remainder of this Training Bulletin, a “Fully Encapsulated” Firefighter will be defined as a member wearing full protective personal equipment (PPEs) with gloves and a ______.
self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA)
Extinguishment of combustible metal fires is accomplished through ____ of the burning material.
smothering
If the fire is allowed to burn, this process will occur naturally as an ____ develops over and smothers the burning material beneath.
oxide crust
Traditional firefighting methods utilizing water, foam, Purple “K”, or dry chemical extinguishing agents can ___ this process and actually make the fire ____.
disrupt / worse
Dry powder, under the brand name “_____”, is the only approved product provided by the LAFD to extinguish combustible metal fires.
MET-L-X
MET-L-X is a dry powder composed of a ____ with an added ____ for sealing and other additives to render it free-flowing and cause heat caking or crusting.
salt base / polymer
Supply and Maintenance maintains approximately _____ of MET-L-X and has the ability to deliver it to the scene of the fire.
500 pounds
MET-L-X is applied ___ through use of a shovel or by disbursing the product directly from the storage bucket.
manually
The LAFD currently does ___ have a method to disburse mass amounts of MET-L-X over a large area.
not
Per the manufacture’s recommendations, a ___ layer of MET-L-X is required to effectively smother a fire.
one-inch
______ of product is required for every one square foot of fire.
Ten pounds
The entire stock of MET-L-X maintained at Supply and Maintenance would only extinguish a ____ fire.
fifty square foot
the LAFD is only capable of using Met-L-X to control small fires in the ____.
incipient stage
If no extinguisher is available, ___, graphite powder, dry sodium, G1-R or Met-L-X powder may also be on site and can be used.
dry sand
“Purple K” is not an effective extinguishing agent for _____.
combustible metal fires
Purple K is appropriate for ______ fires only.
“A”, “B”, and “C”
Purple K is a _____ agent as opposed to a dry powder extinguishing agent.
dry chemical extinguishing
Dry chemical works by ___ the chemical fire process, which is counter productive in extinguishing a combustible metal fire.
interrupting
Dry powder extinguishes combustible metal fires by ____ them.
smothering
“Copious amounts of water in a coarse stream” can be effective on certain types of combustible metals in ___.
small quantities
A small amount of product (approximately the size of a ____) that is in the incipient stage of burning may possibly be manually separated from exposures by a fully encapsulated Firefighter through use of a shovel or similar tool.
wastebasket
Firefighters may have the ability to move a burning container such as a dumpster or a 55- gallon drum manually or by using on-site equipment like a ____, or other such machinery.
fork-lift, tractor
If the burning combustible metal is isolated a safe distance from exposures, or if the fire is burning in a container (dumpster, 55-gallon drum, etc) with no exposures, the best course of action may be to let the fire _____.
burn out
Traditional defensive methods of utilizing “water curtains” can increase the probability of a ___ reaction.
violent water
