Fire Extinguishing Agents and Classes

Questions and Answers

What is ammonium phosphate?

The salt of ammonium and phosphate (correct)

A type of foam

A type of combustible material

A fire extinguishing agent

What does Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) do?

Used for fire suppression, prevents the fire's contact with oxygen, forming a film over the liquid.

Carbon dioxide fire extinguishers are effective on Class A fires.

False

What type of fires is a Cartridge/Cylinder fire extinguisher effective on?

Class A, B, and C fires Signup and view all the answers

What are Class A fires defined as?

Ordinary combustibles Signup and view all the answers

Class B fires involve what?

Flammable or combustible liquids Signup and view all the answers

What does a Class C fire involve?

Energized electrical equipment Signup and view all the answers

What types of materials are involved in Class D fires?

Combustible metals Signup and view all the answers

What is a Class K fire?

A fire in a cooking appliance that involves combustible cooking media. Signup and view all the answers

What is a clean agent?

Electrically nonconducting, volatile fire extinguishant that leaves no residue. Signup and view all the answers

What is a cylinder in the context of fire extinguishers?

A hand-held cylindrical pressure vessel containing an agent. Signup and view all the answers

What does a dry chemical fire extinguisher use?

A mixture of finely divided solid particles to extinguish fires. Signup and view all the answers

What kind of fires does a dry powder fire extinguisher extinguish?

Class D combustible-metal fires. Signup and view all the answers

What is referred to as the fire load?

The weight of combustibles in a fire. Signup and view all the answers

What is hydrostatic testing?

A way to test pressurized vessels for their strength and leaks. Signup and view all the answers

Define ignition point.

The critical temperature at which a flammable gas can ignite. Signup and view all the answers

What is an incipient stage fire?

A fire in the initial stage that can be controlled by extinguishers. Signup and view all the answers

What are light (low) hazard locations?

Locations with low quantity and combustibility of combustible materials. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Fire Extinguishing Agents and Classes

Ammonium Phosphate: A salt compound used as a fire extinguishing agent, commonly effective against Class A fires.
Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF): A fire suppression agent that forms a film to block oxygen, effective on various flammable liquids.
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Fire Extinguishers: Remove oxygen and heat; effective on Class B (flammable liquids) and Class C (electrical) fires, but not on Class A (ordinary combustibles).
Cartridge/Cylinder Fire Extinguishers: Operate using cartridges, disrupting the fire triangle and effective on Class A, B, and C fires.

Classifications of Fires

Class A Fires: Involve ordinary combustibles like wood, fabric, paper, and plastics—extinguished primarily using water or monoammonium phosphate.
Class B Fires: Comprised of flammable or combustible liquids.
Class C Fires: Involve energized electrical equipment, requiring appropriate extinguishing agents that do not conduct electricity.
Class D Fires: Involve combustible metals such as magnesium and sodium; require specialized extinguishing agents.
Class K Fires: Occur in cooking appliances, involving combustible cooking media (oils and fats).

Specific Extinguishing Agents and Their Characteristics

Clean Agent: Electrically non-conducting agent that leaves no residue; used where sensitive equipment is involved.
Dry Chemical Fire Extinguishers: Utilize powdered agents like sodium bicarbonate and ammonium phosphate to smother flames.
Dry Powder Fire Extinguishers: Specifically designed for Class D fires, utilizing powdered extinguishing agents to smother and crust over the fire.
Film-Forming Fluoroprotein (FFFP) Foam: A protein-based foam that creates a vapor-suppressing film on hydrocarbon surfaces.

Testing and Regulations

Hydrostatic Testing: A method for testing the integrity of pressurized vessels, ensuring they can hold pressure without leaks.
Fire Load: Refers to the total weight of combustible materials present in a given area, impacting fire risk assessments.

Fire Encyclopedia Terms

Ignition Point: The minimum temperature required for combustible materials to ignite when exposed to a flame.
Incipient Stage: The initial phase of a fire that can typically be controlled by portable fire extinguishers.
Extra (High) Hazard Locations: Areas with significant amounts of Class A materials or rapidly flammable Class II combustibles, leading to high heat release rates.
Light (Low) Hazard Locations: Spaces characterized by low quantities and combustibility of Class C materials.

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Description

Test your knowledge on fire extinguishing agents and the different classes of fires. This quiz covers key agents like Ammonium Phosphate and Carbon Dioxide, alongside their categorized effectiveness. Understand the right tools for combating various fire types and enhance your fire safety awareness.