Terms Flashcards
Accordion load
Arrangement of fire hose in a hose bed or compartment in which the hose lies on edge with the folds adjacent to each other.
Acceptance testing (proof test)
Preservice tests on fire apparatus or equipment performed at the factory or after delivery to assure the purchaser that the apparatus or equipment meets bid specifications.
Acetylene [c2h2]
Colorless gas that has an explosive range from 2.5% to 81% in air; used as a fuel gas for cutting and welding operations.
Acquired building (structure)
Structure acquired by the authority having jurisdiction from a property owner for the purpose of conducting live fire training or rescue training evolutions.
Adapter
Fitting for connecting hose couplings with dissimilar threads but with the same inside diameter.
Aeration
Introduction of air into a foam solution to create bubbles that result in finished foam.
Aerial Device
General term used to describe the hydraulic aerial ladder, elevating platform, or telescoping or articulating booms attached to an automotive fire apparatus that have the means to reach at least 65 feet (20m) above grade, with many being capable of reaching more than 100 feet (30m).
Aerial Fuels
Standing and supported live and dead combustibles not in direct contact with the ground and consisting mainly of foliage, twigs, branches, stems, cones, bark, and vines.
Aerial ladder
A rotating power-operated (usually hydraulically) ladder mounted on a self-propelled automotive fire apparatus.
Aerial ladder platform
A power-operated (usually hydraulically ) aerial device which combines an aerial ladder with a personnel carrying platform supported at the end of the ladder.
A-Frame Collapse
Pattern of collapse that occurs when the floor and/or roof assemblies on both sides of a center wall collapse into what’s ghat be seen as opposing lean-to collapses. This pattern offers a good chance of habitable void spaces on both sides of the center wall.
Air-aspirating foam nozzle
Foam nozzle especially designed to provide aeration required to make the highest quality foam possible; most effective appliance for the generation of low-expansion foam.
Air lifting bag
Inflatable, envelope type device that can be placed between the ground and an object and inflated to lift the object. Can also be used to separate objects. Depending on size, may have lifting capabilities in excess of 75 tons (68.040 kg). Also called pneumatic lifting bag.
Alarm assignment
Predetermined number of fire units assigned to respond to an emergency.
All clear
Signal given to the incident commander that a specific area has been checked for victims and none have been found or all victims have been extricated from an entrapment.
Alloy
Substance or mixture composed of two or more metals ( or a metal and nonmetallic elements) fused and dissolved into each other in order to enhance the properties or usefulness of the base metal.
Ambient temperature
Temperature of the surrounding environment.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 - public law 101-336
A US federal statute intended to remove barriers - physical and otherwise - that limit access by individuals with disabilities.
Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF)
Synthetic foam concentrate that, when combined with water, can form a complete vapor barrier over fuel spills and fires and is a highly effective extinguishing and blanketing agent on hydrocarbon fuels. Also called light water.
Arc
A luminous discharge of electricity across a gap. Arcs produce very high temperatures.
Arched roof
Any of several different types of roofs of which all are curved or arched shaped, resembling the top half of a horizontal cylinder. Typical applications are on supermarkets, auditoriums, bowling centers, sports arenas, and aircraft hangars.
Around the pump proportioner
Apparatus mounted foam proportioner; small quantity of water is diverted from the apparatus pump through an online proportioner where it picks up the foam concentrate and carries it to the intake side of the pump; most common apparatus mounted foam proportioner in service.
Arson
Crime of willfully, maliciously,and intentionally starting a fire (fire setting) or causing an explosion to destroy property. Precise legal definitions vary among jurisdictions, wherein it is defined by statutes and judicial decisions.
Aspect
1 position facing a particular direction; exposure
2 compass direction toward which a slope faces
Asphyxiation
Condition that causes death because of a deficient amount of oxygen and an excessive amount of carbon monoxide and/or other gases in the blood.
A-Tool
A prying tool with a sharp notch with cutting edges machined into it. The notch resembles the letter A. This tool is designed to cut behind the protective collar of a lock cylinder and maintain a hold so that the lock cylinder can be pried out.
Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF)
Synthetic foam concentrate that, when combined with water, can form a complete vapor barrier over fuel spills and fires and is highly a effective extinguishing and blanketing agent on hydrocarbon fuels. Also called light water.
Arc
A luminous discharge of electricity across a gap. Arcs produce very high temperatures.
Ascender
Mechanical contrivance used when climbing rope that allows upward movement but not downward movement
Autoignition
Ignition that occurs when a substance in air, whether solid, liquid, or gaseous, is heated sufficiently to initiate or cause self-sustained combustion without an external ignition source.
Auto ignition temperature
Same as ignition temperature except that no external ignition source is required for ignition because the material itself has been heated to ignition temperature. The temperature at which auto ignition occurs through the spontaneous ignition of the gases or vapor given off by a heated material.
Automatic alarm
1 alarm actuated by heat, gas, smoke, flame-sensing devices, or water flow in a sprinkler system conveyed to local alarm bells or the fire station.
2 alarm boxes that automatically transmit a coded signal to the fire station to give the location of the ala box.
Automatic Location Identification
ALI
Enhanced 9-1-1 feature that displays the address of the party calling 9-1-1 on a screen for use by the public safety telecommunicator. Usually used in tandem with Automatic Number Identification (ANI) services. This feature is also used to route calls to the appropriate Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) and can even store information in its database regarding the appropriate emergency services (police, fire, medical) that responds to that address.
Automatic Nozzle
Fog stream nozzle that automatically corrects itself to provide a good stream at the proper nozzle pressure.
Automatic Number Identification
ANI
Enhanced 9-1-1 feature that displays the phone number of the party calling 9-1-1 on a screen for use by the public safety telecommunicator. Usually used in tandem with Automatic Location Identification(ALI) services.
Automatic Vehicle locator
AVL
System that uses global positioning satellites to determine the exact location of units in the field. This information is relayed to public safety communications centers to help determine the closest unit to send during an emergency.
Automatic closing door
Self closing door normally held in the open position by an automatic releasing device such as a magnetic hold-open device. When the door is released by the hold-open device, the door closes.
Automatic sprinkler system
System of water pipes, discharge nozzles, and control valves designed to activate during fires by automatically discharging enough water to control or extinguish a fire. Also called Sprinkler system
