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Fire Fighter I > Firefighter PPE > Flashcards

Firefighter PPE Flashcards

1
Q

What 2 NFPA standards apply to PPE?

A
  • PPE design and construction: NFPA 1500, Standard on Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting
  • PPE care and maintenance: NFPA 1851
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2
Q

What items included in firefighter PPE?

A
  • Respiratory protection equipment
  • Personal alert safety system (PASS)
  • Helmets, coats, trousers, boots, protective gloves, and protective hoods
  • Eye protection
  • Hearing protection
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3
Q

What is the proper way to wear PPE?

A
  • All closures fastened
  • Facepiece in place
  • Air cylinders activated before entering the structure
  • Helmet face shield down
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4
Q

Should you get your PPE checked to ensure that it is properly donned before entering a structure?

A

Yes. You should do a “buddy check” by another firefighter or safety officer.

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5
Q

What six sets of PPE might a firefighter use at different incidents?

A
  • Stationwear
  • Structural firefighter’s protective clothing
  • Wildland firefighter’s protective clothing
  • Roadway operations protective clothing
  • Emergency medical protective clothing
  • Chemical protective clothing
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6
Q

What type of clothing should be worn under PPE?

A

Natural fiber clothing because synthetic can melt to the skin!

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7
Q

Are firefighters allowed to bring home their contaminated clothing to wash?

A

No, it can only be washed at the station or by a contractor.

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8
Q

What personal modifications are allowed on PPE?

A

None!

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9
Q

What is the upper temperature limit of the protective clothing?

A

It is usually somewhere above 400°F. Note that during heat exposure the clothing absorbs the heat, which prevents transfer to the skin, but there are limits to how much heat it can absorb. The time that it takes to reach a dangerous absorbtion limit depends on heat transfer rate. It will likely take longer than expected to cool so proceed with caution.

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10
Q

How can heat absorbed by PPE affect firefighters’ health?

A

PPE also prevents heat from being transferred away from your body. Therefore sweating will not cool your body down, since the PPE traps heat and moisture inside. This will significantly increase the following conditions:

  • Breathing and heart rate increase
  • Skin temperature increases
  • Core temperature increases
  • Physiological stress
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11
Q

How can firefighters ensure that their PPE does not become over heated and affect their health?

A

They must be mindful of their exposure to hot temperatures and they must remain at the rehab station long enough to let their PPE cool off before returning to the incident.

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12
Q

What are the three ways in which fire helmets protect firefighters?

A
  • Preventing heat or scalding water from touching the ears and neck
  • Preventing impact injuries from objects or falls
  • Protection from heat and cold
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13
Q

Are safety glasses required at all times when on an incident?

A

No, the SCBA is sufficient eye protection when air quality requires SCBA. For work in non-toxic areas, safety glasses are a requirement.

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14
Q

What are the three layers of protective coats?

A
  1. Outer shell
  2. Moisture barrier
  3. Thermal Barrier

Note, this is the same for the protective pants. In addition, they both have reinforcement in high compression areas and areas prone to wear.

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15
Q

What are the 5 required design features mandated by the NFPA reguarding protective coats?

A
  1. Retroreflective trim
  2. Wristlets - to protect the wrists from embers and hot water
  3. Collar - to protect the neck
  4. Closure system - i.e. velcro, snaps, clips or zippers to fasten the coat
  5. Drag rescue device (DRD) - harness and hand loop for dragging
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16
Q

What safety features are required for firefighter boots?

A
  • Puncture resistance
  • Crushing resistance
  • Waterproof
  • Fireproof

Note that firefighter boots can be rubber or leather but leather absorbs contaminants so rubber is safer for HAZMAT.

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17
Q

What is PASS?

A

PASS stands for Personal Alert Safety System notifies other firefighters if a firefighter has been motionless for more than 30 seconds or if they pushed the emergency button. It must create a sound of 95 decibels for one hour. Note that this is integrated with your SCBA; the PASS is activated when you turn the SCBA on.

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18
Q

When do firefighters have to wear hearing protection?

A
  • While in the apparatus
  • While operating powertools, generators, pumps, or PASS devices
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19
Q

How many decibels are firefighters allowed to experience before hearing protection is required?

A

85

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20
Q

True or False: Firefighter coats have enough reflective material to meet the NFPA standard for Roadway Operations.

A

False. All firefighters must wear a five point breakaway reflective vest for roadway operations.

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21
Q

Is it okay to wear PPE that does not quite fit?

A

No, because it will provide reduced protection. Tight clothing will leave exposures in the safety material and loose clothing will not insulate properly.

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22
Q

What is the minimum overlap between the coat and the pants?

A

2 inches at all times. So, if you bend down there still needs to be 2 inches of coat on your back.

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23
Q

Who is responsible for firefighter PPE?

A

Each firefighter is responsible for their own PPE.

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24
Q

What are the two kinds of respiratory protection equipment?

A
  • Atmosphere supplying respirators
  • Air purifying respirators
25
Q

What are the five common respiratory hazards?

A
  • Oxygen deficiency
  • Elevated temperatures
  • Particulate contamination
  • Gases and vapors
  • Airborn pathogens
26
Q

What defines an “oxygen-deficient atmospere?”

A

An environment with less than 19.5% oxygen

27
Q

At what oxygen percentage does the human body increase respiratory rate?

A

18%

28
Q

What is pulmonary edema?

A

Liquid build-up in the lungs

29
Q

What is the smallest particulate that the human body can filter on its own?

A

1 micrometer

30
Q

What are the most common particulate contaminants to which firefighters are subjected on the job?

A
  • Vehicle exhaust
  • Chemical reactions
  • Heated metal dust
  • Combustion
31
Q

When is a firefighter most exposed to particulate contaminants?

A

During overhaul

32
Q

What is the difference between a gas and a vapor?

A

Gases are naturally found in a gaseous state whereas vapors are gases that are typically solid or liquid that have been heated up.

33
Q

Relative to a hazmat incident, where should firefighters position themselves?

A

Upwind, uphill, upriver

34
Q

What are the five main non-fire gases and vapor that firefighters encounter?

A
  • CO2
  • Ammonia
  • Sulfur Dioxide
  • Chlorine
  • Pesticides
35
Q

Where are some locations that toxic gases could be found?

A
  • Sewers
  • Storm drains
  • Caves
  • Trenches
  • Storage tanks
  • Tank cars
  • Bins
36
Q

What are HEPA filters?

A

High-efficiency particulate air filters are used against airborne pathogens

37
Q

What are the two main types of SCBA?

A
  • Open-circuit: allows exhaled air to be discharged or vented into the atmosphere.
  • Closed-circuit: recycles exhaled air; removes carbon dioxide and restores compressed, chemical, or liquid oxygen. Not approved for firefighting.
38
Q

What are the componants of a SCBA face piece?

A
  • Frame and lens
  • Head harness and straps
  • Exhalation valve
  • Nose cup
  • Speaking diaphragm
  • Regulator fitting / hose connection
39
Q

What items should be checked prior to donning SCBA?

A
  • Check the air cylinder gauge to ensure it’s full
  • Check the remote gauge and cylinger gauge to ensure that they read within the manufacturer’s recommended limits
  • Check the harness assembly and facepiece to ensure that all straps are fully extended
  • Operate all valves to ensure that they function properly and are left in the correct position
  • Test the low pressure alarm
  • Test the PASS device to ensure that it is working
  • Check all battery-powered functions
40
Q

When should you take a SCBA out of service?

A

When the pressure reading on the different gauges varies by 1,000 PSI or more.

41
Q

What are some limitations of SCBA?

A
  • Limited visibility
  • Decreased ability to communicate
  • Decreased endurance - due to the weight of SCBA which is 25 to 35 pounds on average

To overcome these limitations, train with the SCBA to establish a baseline for your individual air usage and overcome the weight and mobility challenges. In addition, be sure to properly care for, maintain, and inspect the SCBA regularly.

42
Q

What safety precautions should be taken when using SCBA?

A
  • Closely monitor how you feel while wearing SCBA
  • Before entering the IDHL zone, check your cylinder pressure and estimate your point of no return based upon your air supply, pressure, and mission objective.
  • Work in teams of two or more and remain in physical, visual, or verbal contact
  • While in the IDHL zone, check your air supply status frequently
  • Exit the IDHL before the low air alarm activates to avoid using the reserve air supply
43
Q

How far into a building can we go with a SCBA cylinder?

A

Halfway based on your available air supply

44
Q

What are the 6 emergency indicators that would signal the need to exit an IDHL?

A
  1. Activation of SCBA low-pressure air alarm
  2. SCBA failure
  3. Withdrawal orders issused by the incident commander or safety officer
  4. Changes in environmental conditions such as temperature or wind direction and speed
  5. Changes in oxygen level
  6. Indications of new hazards
45
Q

Are firefighters allowed to use glasses and contact lenses in a SCBA face piece?

A

They can wear glasses if they do not come into contact with the safety glass of the facepiece. They can wear soft contact lenses if they have worn them for more than six months without issues.

46
Q

How do firefighters know that their SCBA is running out of air?

A

When they have less than 33% remaining air, an alarm will sound or vibrate, which cannot be turned off until all the remaining air is bled from the tank.

47
Q

What is rapid intervention crew universal air coupling (RICUAC)?

A

All SCBA have a valve that can accomodate any receiving tube if the firefighter is critically low on air supply.

48
Q

What is an emergency escape breathing support system?

A

This is similar to the RICUAC, but instead of being for emergency rescues, it occurs when one firefighter has a malfunctioning SCBA and can connect to another firefighter’s air canister.

49
Q

What percent oxygen levels must be displayed on the heads up display?

A

100, 75, 50, 33

50
Q

How often should firefighters inspect their SCBA?

A

At the start of every shift

51
Q

What is the minimum air capacity a cylinder can have at the beginning of a shift?

A

90%

52
Q

Can you use paper towel to clean the face shield?

A

No because it leaves scratches

53
Q

Can you place the regulators and hoses underwater for cleaning?

A

No

54
Q

How often will safety officers inspect firefighter safety gear?

A

Annually

55
Q

What is a firefighter breathing air replenishment system?

A

A cache of compressed air held in tall buildings so that firefighters don’t have to walk up and down the stairs to get more air.

56
Q

What three forms of contact are required between firefighters while they are in the IDLH ?

A

Visual, physical, and verbal

57
Q

What is pulmonary edema?

A

Liquid build-up in the lungs

58
Q

What are 3 nonemergency exit techniques?

A
  1. Buddy system - work in teams of at two people and exit together
  2. Controlled Breathing - this reduces air consumption, prolonging the time you have to exit
  3. Egress Paths - when you exit an IDHL, use the same path that you used to enter to minimize the risk of getting lost and the time to exit. However, you should be mindful of other exits in case your entry route is blocked. One alternative is to follow hoselines or search lines out.
59
Q

What is the recommended fill rate for a SCBA cylinder?

A

300 - 600 PSI

Fire Fighter I (15 decks)

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