-
What are the duties of a firefighter?
The primary duty of the firefighter is saving lives. The secondaryresponsibility is to extinguish fires and limit the damage to aircraft,shipboard, airfield installed equipment, and/or airfield structures.
-
What is the fire triangle?
The fire triangle is a simple model that includes heat, fuel, and oxygen as thekey components.
-
What is the fire tetrahedron?
Research in the past 30 years has indicated the presence of a fourth criticalelement which is the chemical chain reaction that takes place in a fire andallows the fire to both sustain itself and grow. The addition of a fourthelement is what makes the triangle become a tetrahedron. The removal of any oneof the elements prevents or extinguishes a fire.
-
Describe what a fire is and how to extinguish it.
Fires are divided into four classes. Each class has special characteristicsand therefore requires different methods of extinguishment. It is very importantto use the correct extinguishing method on each class of fire.
-
What is a class alpha fire?
Occur in combustibles materials that produce an ash such as burning wood and wood products, cloth, textiles and fibrous materials, and paper products. Effective extinguishing agents are water (H2O) or Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF).
-
What is a class bravo fire?
Occur with flammable liduid substances such as gasoline, jet fuels, oil, and other petroleum based products. Effective extinguishing agents are AFFF, Halon 1211, Purple K Powder (PKP) and Carbon Dioxide (CO2).
-
What is a class charlie fire?
Are energized electrical fires that are attacked by using non-conductive agents. Effective extinguishing agents are:
- Energized. CO2, Halon, PKP, and H2O in fog patterns with a minimum distance of 4 feet.
- De-energized. Treat as a Class A, B, or D fire.
-
What is a class delta fire?
Combustible metals such as magnesium and titanium. Effective extinguishing agents are H2O in large quantities in high velocity fog, apply water from a safe distance or from behind shelter as small explosions can occur.
-
What is AFFF?
Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF). AFFF liquid concentrates consist primarily of synthetic fluorocarbon surfactant materials that are noncorrosive and have an unlimited shelf life when stored in a protected area. Three-percent and six-percent AFFF concentrate is approved for naval use. Current shipboard equipment requires six-percent concentrate.
-
Describe water in relation to fires.
Water is not generally considered to be a suitable agent for use in combating large aircraft fuel fires without the addition of either foam agents or surfactants. It has the ability, when properly applied, to cool the aircraft fuselage and provide a heat shield for personnel. Water is also an effective agent for cooling ordnance, batteries, and Class A fires.
-
What is Halon 1211?
Halon 1211 (Bromochlorodifluoromethane). Intended primarily for use on Class B and C fires; however it is effective on Class A fires. Halon 1211 is a colorless, faintly sweet smelling, electrically nonconductive gas that leaves no residue to clean up. Halon 1211 extinguishes fires by inhibiting the chemical chain reaction of the combustion process.
-
What size canisters does Carbon Dioxide come in and when would you use them?
Carbon Dioxide 15-Pound Portable Units and 50-Pound Wheeled Extinguisher Units. These units are intended primarily for use on Class B and C fires. CO2 is a colorless, odorless gas that is approximately one and one-half times heavier than air. Fire suppression is accomplished by the displacement of oxygen to below the level that is required to support combustion.
-
What is PKP?
Potassium Bicarbonate (Purple-K-Powder or PKP). PKP is intended primarily for use on Class B fires. The principal chemical in PKP is potassium bicarbonate and the dry chemical extinguishes the flame by breaking the combustion chain. It does not have cooling capabilities, therefore it will not result in permanent extinguishing (reflash protection) if ignition sources are present.
|
|