Firefighting Study Guide PDF

Study Guide CHAPTER 13 Dry Barrel vs Wet Barrel ○ Dry: For use in freezing temperature climates; main control valve is at base of the hydrant below the frost line; one main stem that supplies all outlets at once ○ Wet: Have...

Study Guide CHAPTER 13 Dry Barrel vs Wet Barrel ○ Dry: For use in freezing temperature climates; main control valve is at base of the hydrant below the frost line; one main stem that supplies all outlets at once ○ Wet: Have water in the hydrant at all times; operating stem for each outlet Static Water Supply location ○ Pool ○ River ○ pond ○ portable water source ○ lake 3 Key Components to Water Shuttle Operation ○ Dump site at fire ○ Fill site at water source ○ Mobile water supply apparatus to haul water from fill site to dump site 4 Types of Valves ○ Ball, Butterfly, Clapper, Gate Wye vs. Siamese ○ Wye- appliance with 1 Female inlet and multiple or 2 Male outlets. Divide single hoseline into 2 or more lines ○ Siamese- appliance with 2 Female inlets and 1 Male outlet. Combines multiple lines into one line Adapter/ Reducer ○ Adapter: fitting that connects hose couplings with similar threads and the same inside diameter ○ Reducer: Used to connect a smaller-diameter hoseline to the end of a larger one Forward vs Reverse Lay ○ Forward- laying supply line from the hydrant/ water source to the fire ○ Reverse- laying supply line from the fire to the hydrant/ water source Factors that affect hose stream ○ Velocity ○ Flow rate ○ Gravity ○ Wind direction and Velocity ○ Air friction ○ Operating pressure Steam Conversion Rate ○ At 212 degrees water expands 1,700 times its original volume as it turns to steam Characteristics of smooth bore nozzle ○ Operate at low nozzle pressures ○ Are less prone to clogging with debris ○ Can be used to apply compressed-air foam ○ Mall allow hoselines to kink due to less pressure ○ Do not allow for selection of different stream patterns 3 Main Functions of nozzle ○ Controlling water flow  ○ Creating reach ○ Shaping the hose stream Characteristics of Fog Nozzles ○ Feature adjustable discharge patterns ○ Can provide protection to firefighters with a wide fog pattern ○ Can be used for a variety of applications ○ Offer a variety of nozzle choices and manufacturing options ○ Can be used to apply certain types of foam 4 Types of Fog Nozzles ○ Basic Fog - designated nozzle pressure and setting - gpm and psi vary based on stream ○ Constant gallonage fog nozzle - maintains gpm regardless of stream type ○ Constant pressure (automatic) fog nozzle - GPM dependent on PSI given to nozzle ○ Constant/select gallonage fog nozzle - manually select gallonage from nozzle Master Stream flow rates ○ 350-1250 gpm 3 Nozzle Control valves ○ Ball valve ○ Slide valve ○ Rotary Stream Flow Rates (low volume, handline, master) ○ Low Volume: < 40gpm supplied by ¾”-1 ½” hoseline ○ Handline Stream: 40-350 gpm supplied by 1 ½”- 3” hose ○ Master Stream: > 350 gpm supplied by 1 or more 2 ½” or LDH hose Characteristics of Fog Streams ○ Can be adjusted to suit the situation ○ Can be used for hydraulic ventilation ○ Can be used for vapor dispersion ○ Can be used for crew protection ○ Expose the maximum water surface for heat absorption ○ May be used to cool the hot fire gas layer as well as hot surfaces ○ Have shorter reach or penetration than solid or straight hose streams ○ Can be more affected by wind than are solid or straight hose streams ○ May disturb thermal layering in a room or compartment if applied incorrectly ○ May intensify the fire by pushing fresh air in the fire area if used incorrectly 4 major types of hose stream patterns ○ Straight: semi-solid stream produced by fog nozzle ○ Fog: water stream of finely divided particles ○ Broken: stream of water that has been broken into coarsely divided drops (cellar, piercing nozzles) ○ Solid: hose stream produced from a fixed orifice, smooth bore nozzle Hose Stream limiting Factors ○ friction, wind, gravity, velocity lost Friction loss increased by: ○ pipes, fire hose, adapters, elevation, distance CHAPTER 6 Extinguisher fire classes ○ A (Green Triangle) Ordinary Combustibles  ○ B (Red Square) Flammable and Combustible Liquids and Gases ○ C (Blue Circle) Electrical ○ D (Yellow Star) Combustible Metals ○ K (Black Hexagon) Kitchen/ Cooking Oils Class D Metals ○ Titanium ○ Lithium ○ Magnesium ○ Potassium ○ Sodium Methods to extinguish fire ○ Smothering, cooling, chemical flame inhibition, saponification 3 methods of fire extinguisher expels ○ Manual pump, stored pressure, pressure cartridge Commonly used dry chemicals ○ Sodium bicarbonate, potassium chloride, monoammonium phosphate, potassium bicarbonate PASS ○ Pull, aim, squeeze, sweep Inspecting extinguishers ○ External condition ○ Hose nozzle ○ Weight ○ Pressure gauge CHAPTER 5 FBAR- Firefighter Breathing Air Replenishment System ○ used in high rises/ required in buildings 75ft + CHAPTER 4 Potential vs. Kinetic ○ Potential: Stored energy possessed by an object that can be released in the future to perform work once released ○ Kinetic: Energy possessed by a moving object because of its motion Different types of energy ○ Chemical, Electrical, Mechanical, thermal, nuclear, light Energy measured in what units? ○ Joules Quantity of heat required to change temp of 1 gram of water by 1 degree celsius? ○ 4.2 joules Exothermic vs. Endothermic ○ Exothermic: Chemical reactions between two or more materials that changes the materials and produces heat ○ Endothermic: Chemical reactions in which a substance absorbs heat Fire Tetrahedron ○ Oxygen (Oxidizing agent) ○ Fuel (Reducing Agent) ○ Heat ○ Chemical chain reaction  Piloted Ignition vs. Auto Ignition ○ Piloted: when a mixture of fuel and oxygen encounters an external heat source with sufficient heat or thermal energy to start the combustion reaction ○ Auto: occurs without an external flame or spark 4 types of electrical Energy- ○ Resistance ○ Overload or overcurrent ○ Arching ○ Sparking Convection ○ Transfer of heat by movement of fluid liquid and gasses Conduction ○ Transfer of heat by physical contact Radiation ○ Transfer of heat energy by electromagnetic waves Vapor Density ○ Density of gas in relation to air, air has a vapor density of one Specific Gravity ○ Ratio of mass of an equal volume of water Flashpoint ○ Minimum temperature at which a liquid gives off sufficient vapor to ignite but does not sustain combustion Fire Point ○ Temperature at which liquid fuel produces sufficient vapor to support combustion Solubility ○ Degree to which a solid, liquid, or gas dissolves in a solvent (usually water) Miscible ○ Materials that are capable of being mixed in all proportions Polar Solvents ○ Flammable liquids that mix readily with water 4 Stages of Fire ○ Incipient - 3 elements of fire triangle come together and combustion begins ○ Growth - isolated flames, rollover, flashover ○ Fully developed - all combustible materials in compartment are burning ○ Decay - Oxygen content is reduced, heat levels decline, heavy smoke Flashover vs. Backdraft ○ Flashover occurs when all the combustible materials and gases ignite simultaneously due to heat ○ Backdraft occurs when a vent limited/ oxygen depleted space has been filled with a large volume of smoke and gases and oxygen is introduced into this space. Causing instantaneous explosion or rapid burning of superheated gases High/ Mid/ Low Neutral planes ○ High: indicates that the fire is in the early stages of development or fire above your level ○ Mid-level: compartment has not yet ventilated or flashover is approaching ○ Low-level: may indicate that fire is reaching backdraft conditions or that fire is below you CHAPTER 12 How is the diameter of hose measured? ○ Measure from the inside diameter of hose Supply vs. Attack lines? ○ Supply transports water from water source to apparatus ○ Attack lines transport pressurized water from pumping equipment to nozzles, FDCs; and from standpipes to hose connected. NFPAs 1961, 1962, 1963 ○ 1961 standard on fire hose ○ 1962 standard on inspecting and testing ○ 1963 standard on fire hose connections 5 Parts of coupling ○ Shank ○ Higbee cut ○ Higbee indicator ○ Rocker lug ○ Swivel 3 Types of lugs ○ Pin ○ Recessed ○ Rocker lug Types of damage to hose (6) ○ Chemical ○ mechanical ○ Thermal ○ Corrosion ○ Organic ○ Age deterioration Common Hose Rolls ○ Straight ○ Donut ○ twin donut 3 most common loads for supply ○ Flat ○ Accordion ○ Horseshoe LDH Hose definition ○ 3.5” or larger Preconnect load types ○ Flat load ○ Triple layer load ○ Minuteman load ○ Booster hose reel CHAPTER 14 Methods to extinguish fire Direct attack ○ Uses a solid or straight stream directly onto burning material Indirect attack  ○ Can be made from inside or outside. Direct stream towards ceiling to cool Combination attack ○ Uses Indirect attack toward the ceiling and direct attack towards the fire Transitional attack ○ Uses exterior fire attack through ventilation opening to help transfer from vent limited to fuel limited fire. Reduces potential for flashover 4 Common types of control valves ○ Piv ○ Wpiv ○ Piva ○ Os&y Mercaptan ○ Propane has no natural odor, but mercaptan gives it a distinct smell Ground Cover Fire ○ Weeds ○ Field crops ○ Forests ○ Grass ○ Brush ○ Similar vegetation 3 Basic types of Ground Cover Fires ○ Ground ○ Surface ○ Crown 3 Main influences on ground cover fires ○ Fuel ○ Weather ○ Topography Weather factors that influence fires ○ Wind ○ Temperature ○ Temperature difference ○ Relative humidity ○ Precipitation Other topographic factors influencing fires ○ Aspect- Compass direction a slope faces ○ Local Terrain features- canyons, ridges, ravines ○ Drainages- create wind-flow restrictions. Creates turbulent updrafts/ chimney effect SECTION E General Staff ○ Operations, Planning, Logistics, Finance/Administration 3 Basic Levels of command ○ Strategy ○ Tactical ○ Task IC Responsibilities ○ Setting strategic goals and tactical objectives ○ Overall management of incident  ○ Life safety ○ Incident Stabilization ○ Property Conservation Safety Officer Responsibilities ○ Identifying and monitoring hazardous and unsafe situations ○ Ensuring operational and personnel safety PIO ○ Relays accurate information between the IC and all stakeholders ○ Advising the IC on information dissemination and media relations ○ Obtaining and providing information to the Planning Section, community and media Liaison ○ Communicates between the Command Staff and Supporting agencies at an incident ○ Helps coordination of efforts between incident personnel and assisting/ cooperating agencies Leadership Traits ○ Supervisory ability ○ Communication ○ Decisiveness ○ Intelligence ○ Self-Assurance ○ Initiative ○ Sense of priority ○ Interpersonal skills ○ Empowerment ○ Preparedness ○ Proactiveness 3 Strategic Goals for all emergency situations ○ Life Safety ○ Incident Stabilization ○ Property Conservation Briefing Operational Period ○ Delivered at beginning of operational period at a lengthy incident