Tst Flashcards
Search line
-200’ 3/8” rope
-2” steel ring every 20’
-after each ring there are knots indicating distance, each knot = 20’
In order of priority the most critical areas in a multi story building are
-the fire floor
-the floor directly above the fire
-the topmost floor
Four critical leadership skills
Authority
Mentoring
Conflict resolution
Mission analysis
Impending structure collapse indicators
-heavy fire, no progress after 10-12 minutes in wood or ordinary construction
-walls and floors bowing or sagging
-distortion of doors and windows
-beams pulling away from supports
-little or no runoff while using heavy streams
-new cracks developing or moving
-walls disassemble under stream impact
Benchmark events on the fireground include
-changing attack modes
-significant change in conditions
-fire control or extinguishment
Size up must include only
-what is happening
-what the fire is likely to do
-what may happen
-what will be needed
In absence of an air management sop if crews are working independently from their immediate supervisor, they should track both
Their air supply and their elapsed time on air
Emergency egress techniques
-locate a hose line and follow it out
-crawl in a straight line with hands on floor moving knee to hand
-crawl in one direction (all left or right hand turns) once in contact with a wall
-call out or make noise
To us their radios trapped firefighters may have to alternately turn their PASS devices on and off for _____ intervals
1 minute
Factors when selecting a ground ladder
-primary objectives (rescue, window, or roof access)
-fire size and location
-current and expected fire behavior
Ideal climbing angle for ladders
75 degrees from horizontal
The proper distance of a ladder from a building can be determined by
Dividing the used length of a ladder by four
Used length of a ladder
The vertical distance above ground where the ladder contacts the building
5-6 firefighter pole raise
4 fire fighter pole raise
-performed either perpendicular or parallel to the building
-must be performed perpendicular to the building
Ladder positioning for ventilation of window
It should be placed alongside the window to the windward side. The tip should be even with the upper portion of the window
Ladder position for narrow windows climbing in and out and directing hose streams into them
Tip should be even with the upper portion of the window and on the windward side
Ladder position for rescue
Midline of window slightly below the sill. If window is wide enough the ladder can project 2-3 rungs inside the window to facilitate rescue
Additional ladder placement guidelines
-ladder at least two points on different sides of a building for roof access/ egress
-avoid placing ladders over doors or windows where they can be exposed to heat
-place ladders at buildings strong points such as corners when possible
-place ladder directly in front of window with ladder tip on the wall above for smoke ejector
Bridging gaps with ladders
-If the gap is not more than 1/3 the length of the ladder it can be slid across
-If the gap is more than 1/3 the butt of the ladder is positioned close to the gap, guide ropes are tied to the top of each beam and the ladder is raised to vertical. Then with one or two firefighters heeling the ladder, firefighters slowly lower it across the gap
The time available for escape from a burning building can be as little as ____ after ignition
11 minutes
When a fire is burning inside a building the IC has two basic choices
- Allow the building to burn and use the in scene resources to protect exposures
- Order a search and an aggressive interior attack of the building
One of the most important and most versatile forcible entry tool is the
Rotary saw sometimes referred to as a rescue saw
5 point size up for forcing entry through a door
-type of door
-type of frame around the door
-type of wall into which it is set
-type of hinges/locks
-door movement (swinging, roll up, sliding)
Low occupant load exterior doors open which way
Inward
High occupant load doors open which way
Outward
Best tool to use for forcing an inward swinging metal door set in a metal frame
A rotary saw equipped with a metal cutting blade
Softening the building
Forcing open all doors into a structure
Most common type of industrial/ institutional service doors that firefighters may have to force open
Steel roll up door
Sheet curtain doors
Made up of a few interlocking flexible panels of relatively light gauge metal. Each panel is embossed to give it the appearance of a conventional roll up door. These doors function in the same way as conventional roll up doors
Many roll up doors have a ____ next to the service door
Conventional pedestrian doorway
Telescoping doors
Consist of interlocking, inverted U shaped metal sections
One of the most common methods of cutting through a roll up or sheets curtain door is
To make a large triangular cut (sometimes called a tepee cut) in the center of the door
Disadvantages of the triangular cut
-typically does not create an opening large enough for access by fire attack crews
-openings are usually only large enough to provide an escape route for trapped firefighters, or for firefighters to use the door opening mechanism
-sometimes bends or distorts the door components enough that they do not roll up
Triangular cut size
Apex of the triangle should be atleast 6 feet high in the middle of the door, but the higher the better
Window size up
-type of window
-type of glass
-type of frame or casement
-type of locking or latching mechanism
-type of security devices in use
Lexan
Polycarbonate plastic used for windows. One half the weight of an equivalent sized piece of glass, yet is 30 times stronger than safety glass and 250 times stronger than ordinary glass
Fastest way to remove security bars from windows
To cut the points of attachment
The most effective tool when entry must be made through all types of plastic windows and the only fire service tool that will cut lexan polycarbonate
A rotary saw with a medium (40 tooth) carbide tipped blade
Shattering a plexiglass window
Score a large X on the pane and then strike the intersection of the X with the point of a pick head axe
Cutting laminated and wired glass windows
Cut out the panes with an axe, hatchet, or a glass saw as those used during vehicle extrication
One of the most important aspects of wall breaching operations is
A thorough knowledge of the building gained through preincident planning
These are points where you can breach concrete walls
Knockout panels or blowout panels
Tool of choice for breaching metal walls
A rotary saw
Careful observations during size up may
Give firefighters some indication as to the size and location of the fire, whether the building is likely to be occupied, the structural integrity of the building, and some idea of the amount of time it will take to effectively search the structure
Firefighters should not assume that all occupants are out until
The building has been searched and an all clear declared
The fire attack should be started ____ or ____ with any interior search operations
Before or simultaneously
IFSTA risk management model
-activities that present a significant risk to the safety of members shall be limited to situations where there is a potential to save endangered lives
-activities that are routinely employed to protect property shall be recognized as inherent risks to the safety of members, and actions shall be taken to avoid these risks
-no risk to the safety of members shall be acceptable when there is no possibility to save lives or property
Variables related to the need for search and rescue include
-type of construction
-fire load
-occupancy type
-occupant load
-size of the fire
-how the fire is behaving
If the immediate action of the first arriving crew may save a life, what is not required for them to enter the hazard zone for search and rescue?
A rapid intervention crew
Two objectives of a building search
-locating victims
-obtaining information about the location and extent of the fire
Most severely threatened search and rescue victims
Most cases are the victims closest to the the fire
Where should firefighters begin their primary search
As close to the seat of the fire as conditions allow
Once the fire floor has been searched what is next floor to be checked
The floor directly above the fire
Order of ares of priority for search and rescue
-most severely threatened
-largest numbers
-remainder of hazard zone
-exposures
Some thermal imagers are designed primarily for locating the seat of a fire by being calibrated to respond to temperatures in excess of
900 degrees F
A thermal imager functions by detecting the ____ produced by fire and some living organisms
Heat signature
Condition in which a thermal imager is put out of service by becoming overwhelmed by the heat signature produced by a very intense fire
Whiteout
Two major advantages of using a TIC during primary search
Speed and effectiveness
Safe zoning
-used in support of a fire attack or independently of it
-firefighters create safe zones by closing interior doors to isolate the fire and then remove heat and smoke from uninvolved areas with positive pressure ventilation or hydraulic ventilation
Guarding the line of retreat
When search teams must progress deep into large and complex buildings, their line of retreat must be maintained. This can be done by positioning hose teams at intervals along the line of retreat to cool the hot gas layer and maintain control of the exit corridor
With outward opening doors, firefighters should stay on the ____ side of the doorway so that the door can provide some protection
Hinge
In order of priority the most critical areas in a multistory building are
-the fire floor
-the floor directly above the fire
-the topmost floor
The RIC leader must obtain the following information
-how many firefighters are in distress
-the last know location of the missing firefighter
-if radio contact has been established or a distress signal was received
-the radio channel of the missing firefighter
-if a tag line or hose line can be used to help locate the missing firefighter
development of fuel control fires is limited by
the characteristics and availability of the fuel involved
Variables in smoke behavior that firefighters should look for when sizing up a working structure fire
Smoke volume
Smoke color and density
Air flow (pressure)
Optical density and opacity of smoke
Describes how difficult it is to see through the smoke
Physical density of smoke
Describes how buoyant the smoke is
Ventilation size up considerations for building construction
-age and type of building
-positive construction features
-negative construction features
-occupancy specific construction features
One of the most positive building construction features
Self closing fire doors
Positive construction features
-steel framing members
-self closing fire doors
-automatic sprinkler systems
-built in fire suppression systems
-elevator shafts
-automatic smoke vents
From a ventilation standpoint one of the most helpful features a building can have is
Automatic smoke vents
Negative construction features
-elevator shafts
-synthetic materials
-planters and other landscape features
-security measures
-occupancy related features
Three components when coordinating the ventilation with rescue and fire attack
Timing
Location
Method
Where should a ventilation opening be created
As close to the seat of the fire as safely possible
Casement windows
-open and close using a small hand crank built into the frame
-one or two sided outward swinging sashes
-may be separated by a fixed pane or vertical post called a mullion
-the entire window area is available for ventilation when open
Horizontal sliding windows
-have two or more sashes, one is fixed, the other is removable
-movable sash can be lifted out of the frame from the inside
-half of the window area is available for ventilation
Awning windows
-have one or more top hinged outward swinging sashes
-all openable area is available for ventilation
Jalousie windows
-consist of narrow horizontal panels of glass set in pivoting brackets at each end
-panes overlap
-when open they offer the entire area for ventilation
Projected windows
-also known as factory windows
-may be hinged at the top or bottom and may swing inward or outward
-all the openable area is available for ventilation
Hopper windows
-bottom hinged inward swinging sashes
-look like awning windows that have been installed upside down
-offer all openable area for ventilation
Factor’s that’s must be considered for horizontal ventilation
Location of the fire
Wind direction and speed
Location of ventilation openings
Stem walls
Continuous concrete foundation located between the foundation footing and the first floor
Exterior masonry concrete walls thickness
-usually range from 8-12 inches or more in thickness
How many more times effective are fog streams than smoke ejectors at removing smoke
2-4 times more smoke depending on the type and size of the nozzle, the angle of the spray pattern, and the location of the nozzle in relation to the ventilation opening
Fog pattern size and angle for ventilation
60 degree fog pattern covering 85-90 percent of the opening 2 feet inside the room being ventilated
Before stepping onto any roof fire fighters should _____ and they should continue to do so as long as they are on the roof
Read and sound the roof
Factors that firefighters should look for before stepping onto a roof include
Sagging roof surface
Roof vents that appear to be unusually tall
Large puddles of water
Smoke or fire coming from roof vents
Heavy dead loads
Drop off due to light wells or varying roof elevations
Solar panels
Strongest point of a roof
Where a roof meets an outside wall
Directly over the roof supports
At ridges or valleys
Exception to most roof assemblies having rafters every 12-24 inches on center
Panelized roof and specialty roofs using wooden or metal trusses or laminated beams
Inspection hole
A triangular cut to determine spacing, roof thickness, and possible fire conditions
Distance between a firefighter and anyone using a cutting tool during vertical ventilation
10 feet
Bridge truss roof
Heavy duty trusses with sloping ends. The top chord is shorter than the bottom chord, bottom chord is supported by the outside walls. Truss spacing may be as much as 16 to 20 feet on center
Arched roofs
-bowstring, arches of steel, concrete, or laminated wood
-arches are typically spaced 16-20 feet on centers
-horizontal and vertical forces continuously act on arched roofs
-bowstring, trussless, and lamella arches
Bowstring truss roof
-uses an arch with a wooden or metal bottom chord
-laminated top chord of arches 2x12 inch or larger
-purlins usually 2x10
-perimeter of building and the arches are the strongest points
Bowstring arch roof
-steel tie rods are used instead of bottom chords for lateral support with turnbuckles to maintain proper tension
-have history of early or sudden collapse when when steel tie rods are exposed to fire
Trussless arch roof
-uses massive arches of steel, concrete, or laminated wood buttressed into the ground at each end
-spaced 16 to 20 feet apart
-connected by purlins that run perpendicular to the trusses
-have large rafters covered by a layer of sheathing and roofing material
-over arches are strongest point of roof
Lamella arch roof
-type of trussless arch made up of an interlocking geometric framework on which plank sheathing is laid
-2x12 inch wooden members are bolted together at the intersections with steel gusset plates
-sheathing is usually tongue and groove planking covered with composite roofing material
-lateral support is provided by exterior buttresses or internal tie rods with turnbuckles
-perimeter of the building is the strongest area
-when 10-20 percent of the roof burns away sudden failure of the roof is likely
Steel trusses
-bar joists
-most often used to support a steel deck roof that is welded to the joists
-joists may have significant spans
Common pitched roof trusses
Howe, Pratt, and Fink
Steel clad roofs
Hold in heat and smoke, promote the development of flash over and backdraft conditions, impede ventilation, and increase the chances of roof collapse due to the added weight
Weight of a 1/4 inch steel plate
10 pounds per square foot
Trench ventilation
-primarily a defensive maneuver
-ventilation exit opening that extends from one outside wall to the other
Low rise elevators
Serving the lower floors of the building
Mid rise elevators
Serving only the floors between the low rise and high rise elevators
High rise elevators
Serving only the upper floors
Stack effect
The natural vertical movement of heat and smoke in tall structures.
Effective height of ppv
Positioned at street level are effective up to 22 floors
Areas encompassed by curtain boards
Those containing critical industrial processes or concentrations of flammable liquids or other hazardous materials with high fire potential
