Fire Objectives
List the three types of safety zone categories and describe one example of each.
Burn-already burned ground Natural features- rock, river, rockslides Constructed features- fireline, water line, retardant line
Explain the importance of the proper use and maintenance of their Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
Take care of it. If you break it, you pay for it.
methods for breaking the fire triangle
oxygen-suffocate fire with dirt or water to rob the fire of oxygen heat- cool the fire by applying water, dirt, retardant, or a combination fuel- separate the fuel to prevent combustion or remove fuel during fireline construction
List the benefits of maintaining a high level of physical fitness and health.
pack test, when tired, they're most likely to get hurt
*what do tankers do
plane that drops retardant
fireline
any cleared strip or portion of a control line from which flammable material has been removed by scraping or digging down to mineral soil
safety procedures for engines/dozers/tractor plows
approach from front, they cant see you so get out of their way, seatbelts, sit down, be quiet
assess fuels by
arrangement, continuity, compactness, loading
fire shelter is a
precaution
a V trench does what
prevents rolling items over the line
scratch line
quick and dirty, just getting it done fast as you can, not neat
*radio troubleshooting practices
radio traffic overloaded, poor location, low battery, loose antenna, operating on wrong channel
situational awareness
being able to observe surroundings and make appropriate choices
Given an assignment in a wildlife environment, describe factors in that environment which could impact safety.
bugs, snags, box canyons, narrow canyons, rolling rocks
control line
comprehensive term used for all constructed or natural fire barriers and treated fire edges used to control the fire
reinforcing or preventing slopover/reburning the treated area by
constructing fireline, limbing, fireproofing fuels outside of line, dropping snags, burning areas of unburned fuel near line
*spot fire found
report to supervisor, begin initial attack and suppression, flag area of spot fire, flag to main fireline if close
constructed fireline
retardant line, highway/road, handline, dozer line, tractor line, plow line, wet line
*fire shelter is not a
say to take risky tasks
methods to extinguish burning materials without water
scraping, digging, separating, turning logs/other heavy materials
methods of mopup
scraping, digging, stirring, mixing, separating, turning logs and other heavy materials
how to use four senses to detect hot materials
sight- white ash touch- feel with back of non-dominant hand smell- smoke hear- crack and pop of burning materials
*hose lay types
simple and progressive
seat
single engine air tanker
*threats to control line
spotting, rolling debris, creeping, radiant heat
*techniques to safely apply water for fire suppression
spray at edges, wet line, mix soil with water, spray water with use of handtools, water bars
*Define nine fire behavior terms. How long is a chain?
spread- movement of fire, ROS-rate of spread), measured in chains > (66 feet), converts to acreage easily smoldering- fire burning without flame and barely spreading creeping- fire burning with a low flame and spreading slowly running- fire spreading rapidly with a well-defined head backing- fire moving away from the head, downhill, or against the wind spotting- sparks or embers produced by the main fire are carried by winds or convection columns torching- fire burning on the surface, but periodically igniting the crown of a single or small group of trees or shrubs before returning to the surface. Although sometimes confused with crowning this behavior is not as serious as a crown fire crowning- fire that advances across the tops of trees or shrubs more or less independent of the surface fire. High intensity and high forward rate of spread. Use crown fire or crowning with care because it describes a very serious fire situation blowup- sudden increase in fire intensity or rate of spread of a fire sufficient to preclude direct control or to upset existing suppression plans
*Name the two (1) position(s) above the firefighter in the chain of command.
squad/engine boss, incident commander
boneyard is
taking partially burnt, put in a pile, and check 3 times
Explain the importance of keeping personal gear and assigned area in fire camp clean and organized.
may get lost, stolen, burnt, broken, don't take valuables, have all necessary items so you are well enough to do the job (ibuprofen)
*cause of most fire tragedies
miscommunication
info to be reported
need for help in patrol area, fire behavior, machinery in area, hazards
natural fireline
no fuels, wet, permafrost, mineral soil, river
Explain the importance of respecting cultural differences in terms of food, standards of behavior, dress and customs.
no making fun of clothing, food, religious customs, social/ethnic customs
*proper radio use procedures
no swearing, answer promptly, have pencil and notepad, be brief, declare an emergency by breaking into radio traffic and asking to be cleared, talk into microphone, use normal voice
*simple, progressive
one hose after another hose, multiple hoses connected with gated y's veering off
*types of coordinated crew techniques
one-lick, leap frog (bump up)
Identify 9 parts of a fire. Shows the direction in which the fire is burning , this is the hottest and most active part of the fire. ___
origin, head, flank, rear/heal, perimeter, finger, pocket, island, spot fire > head
elements of fire triangle
oxygen, heat, fuel
systematic mopup
-start with hottest area and progress to coolest -plan a beginning and an end, keep to plan and work methodically -work inward from the control line -examine the entire area -make sure instructions are clear, ask questions -for large burns or complicated situations, block system should be implemented, set priorities and number each block
Identify appropriate Watch Out Situations. Given a scenario, identify the situations.
1 fire not scouted and sized up 2 in country not seen in daylight ***3 safety zones and escape routes not identified ***4 unfamiliar with weather and local factors influencing fire behavior ***5 uninformed on strategy, tactics and hazards ***6 instructions and assignment not clear ***7 no communication link with crew members/supervisor ***8 constructing fireline without safe anchor point 9 building fireline downhill with fire below 10 attempting frontal assault on fire 11 unburned fuel between you and the fire ***12 cannot see main fire, not in contact with anyone who can 13 on a hillside where rolling material can ignite fuel below ***14 weather is getting hotter and drier ***15 wind increases and/or changes direction 16 getting frequent spot fires across line ***17 terrain and fuels make escape to safety zones difficult 18 taking a nap near fireline
*safety procedures to follow when traveling by 1 vehicle 2 boat 3 helicopter 4 aircraft 5 on foot
1 seat belts, spaced apart 2 step on, wear vest, stay seated, have even weight distribution 3 don't approach from rear, secure chin strap and items, follow directions of crew member, have even weight distribution, when getting off you duck and move away quickly 4 follow pilot and crew members directions, don't open doors, don't smoke, don't distract pilot, don't slam the door, assure nothings's hanging outside of door that could damage, seatbelts, know emergency procedure according to pilot or crew member 5 stay together, 10 feet apart, aware of hazards (darkness, tools, snags, whipping branches, rolling rocks/logs, unstable footing, streams, holes)
Two most important functions of fire shelter
1- reflect radiant heat, but not designed for direct flame heat 2- provide cooler, breathable air to protect your lungs and airway
*describe 10 Firefighting Orders of Command. Apply appropriate Standard Firefighting Orders to minimize the potential for serious injury or death.
1. Keep informed on fire weather conditions and forecasts 2. Know what your fire is doing at all times 3. Base all actions on current and expected behavior of the fire 4. Identify escape routes and safety zones, and make them known. 5. Post lookouts when there is possible danger. 6. Be alert. Keep calm. Think clearly. Act decisively. 7. Maintain prompt communications with your forces, your supervisor and adjoining forces. 8. Give clear instructions and insure that they are understood. 9. Maintain control of your forces at all times. 10. Fight fire aggressively, having provided for safety first.
*the proper distance between crew members is
10 feet
burning out with drip torch
2 diesel 1 gas
Identify common denominators on tragedy fires.
4 - on relatively small fires or isolated areas of large fires -in deceptively light fuels, such as grass, herbs, and light brush - when fire responds to topographic conditions and runs uphill - when there is an unexpected shift in wind direction or in wind speed
*Explain what the LCES (lookouts, communications, escape routes and safety zones) system is and how it relates to the Standard Firefighting Orders. ___ ___
> lookouts, communications
*rolling hose
male inside
Describe the general responsibilities of each section in the Incident Command System (ICS).
Command- overall responsibility and decision making for incident Operations- develops and implements the strategy and tactics that can be divided geographically or functionally to maintain span of control Planning- responsible for documenting and displaying the approved strategy and tactics for the incident Logistics- responsible for providing support and service for all incident personnel Finance Administration-
*dealing with hazardous materials (diamond with numbers on it)
Department of Transportation
Explain the firefighter's accountability for personal and agency property.
It's expensive, so take care of it.
blacklining concept
It's preburning the fuels adjacent to the control line before a prescribed burn, where there's no unburned material between the fireline and the fire edge.
Develop a list of personal gear needed for an extended period away from their home station.
PPE- hardhat, eye protection, hearing protection, gloves, flame resistant clothing (Nomex), boots (leather), socks, fire shelter with vinyl cover, canteens, headlamp, chainsaw chaps (if use chainsaw), first aid kit, flat files, food 1-2 meals minimum, personal gear pack, sleeping bag, incident response pocket guide
strengthen control line by two methods
Rearranging Fuels, Trenches, Waterbars -rearranging fuels adjacent to line by breaking into small piles so that there's no burning inside the big pile of fuel -.fireproofing fuels adjacent to line by burying rotten trees with dirt and rocks so that sparks don't catch them on fire if the fire does get near the line
Describe the difference between deployment sites and safety zones.
Safety zone- able to watch, relaxed Deployment zone- life or death Ex. burned ground, rocks/dirt, road
engine boss
again
*Discuss fiver other useful firefighting terms. If there's material on line, what do you do with it?
control line- a comprehensive term used for all the constructed or natural fire barriers and treated fire edges used to contain the fire fireline- any cleared strip or portion of a control line from which flammable material has been removed by scraping or digging down to mineral soil anchor point-an advantageous location, generally a fire barrier, from which to start constructing fire line. Used to minimize the chance of being outflanked by the fire while the line is being constructed mopup- final extinguishment of a fire after it is lined class of fire- this classifies the size of the fire with class "A" being the smallest and class "G" being the largest > if on the line but not in line of fire majority of the time, push outside. The point is to not fuel the fire. If in line of fire, push in so it doesn't bring igniting fuels out.
methods of attack
direct attack, indirect attack, flanking/parallel attack
*if you have water in a fire shelter, what do you do with it
drink it
you get hit with a blast of superheated air before the flame front reaches you, to avoid impact
drop to the ground as quickly as possible and do whatever it takes to get into your shelter, find the lowest point available and get you face down into the dirt, dig a shallow hole and use a dry bandana to breathe through
*conditions contributing to spot fires
dry weather, steep topography, heavy fuel, crown fires, whirlwinds or dustdevils, torched out lone tree, wind across fireline, punky logs and tree roots hidden beneath the fireline in the soil, snags, flashy fuels
*urban interface problems associated with wildfires
entrances and exits being too narrow, hazardous materials- powerlines, propane tanks, storage sheds, plantations, trees against house, people are sensitive about their homes
*good communications
face to face, written, hand signals, use of runners, mirror, airhorns/whistles
Describe firefighter's chain of command.
firefighter> crew boss, engine boss, crew rep, strike team leader, task force leader, division group supervisor, operations branch director, operations section chief-OPERATIONS incident commander, safety officer, information officer, liaison officer COMMAND
*what to do with damaged tools
flag/mark (and tie end in knot if it's a hose)
Define an incident and describe how the incident management structure is organized.
flood, hurricane, wildfire, search and rescue. Finance Administration>Logistics>Planning>Operations>Command
*Fireline Construction Standards: factors that influence standards for line construction
fuel type, fuel moisture, continuity and arrangement of fuels, temperatures will inversely affect fuel moisture, increases in wind
cautions of fusees
fumes from fusee, slag drips from fusee
*examples of firing devices
fusees, drip torch, canisters, stubbies
*items to wear and take into fire shelter
gloves, radio, hard hat, water
Explain different types of crew organizations commonly used in initial attack and extended attack.
hand crews, engine crews, helitack crews
*fire suppression practices
hotspotting, cold trailing, cup trench, scratch line, fireproofing
suppression techniques
hotspotting, cold trailing, scratch line, fireproofing fuels, burning out
affect situational awareness
inexperience, stress, fatigue, distractions, attitude
*searching for spot fires
inspect area adjacent to fire determined by your supervisor, select two reference points in that area, travel between points in a pattern parallel to the fireline-systematically covering that area, patrol at intervals determined by fuel type
Explain how eating well and staying hydrated can reduce firefighter fatigue.
lots of water over gatorade, no alcohol, one egg a day, whole wheat not white, limit salt, lots of fruit and vegetables, limit sugar, get lots of carbohydrates
wet mopup, dry mopup
water, tools and put in bone pile tools, put in bone pile
visual inspection of shelter in polyethylene case should be made
when fire shelter is issued to you, at the beginning of each fire season, every two weeks during fire season
*3 factors that affect the fire most
wind, temperature, relative humidity (box canyons, steep slope)