TB 155 - Wildland Urban Interface Structure Defense

Question 1

Firefighters can prepare themselves for wildland structure defense activities by developing a sound understanding of:

Answer 1

-wildland structure environment
-fire behavior and forecasting
-Risk Management process
-tactical terms and associated tactical actions.

Question 2

Leaders Intent:

The first and foremost INTENT during structure defense is to keep firefighters and the public SAFE.
Secondly, once that safety can be ensured, then we can aggressively work towards?

Answer 2

keeping the wildland fire away from structures and communities.

Question 3

What are the two basic structure environments in the wildland?

Answer 3

INTERFACE - A condition where structures abut the wildland (clear line of demarcation)
•Greater potential for house to house ignition

INTERMIX - A condition where structures are scattered throughout a wildland area.
•Usually requires a higher ratio of engines to structures
•More complex to triage and defend

Question 4

________ is a preplanned area where firefighters can immediately take refuge for temporary shelter and short-term relief without using a fire shelter in the event that emergency egress to an established Safety Zone is compromised.

Answer 4

Temporary Refuge Area (TRA)

Question 5

________ is a preplanned area of sufficient size and suitable location that is expected to protect fire personnel from known hazards without using fire shelters.

Answer 5

Safety Zone

Question 6

Always have an exit strategy in the WUI:

Answer 6

• Employ tactical maneuver to avoid heat injury, move away from the fire

• Move to a Temporary Refuge Area

• Withdraw along an Escape Route

• Move into a Safety Zone.

Question 7

Standardized references you can use to validate your fire behavior forecast:

Answer 7

• Incident Response Pocket Guide

• Look Up, Look Down, Look Around indicators

• Extreme Fire Behavior indicators (spotting, crowning, rate of spread)

• Campbell Prediction System (CPS)

• Know what the fire is doing at all times in order to maintain an accurate fire behavior forecast.

• Know current weather conditions and forecasts. Consider wind speed, direction, relative humidity, temperatures.

• Observe current burning activity in order to predict flame length and intensity.

• Consider local weather factors and fire history

• Evaluate for wind shifts, micro-climates, weather indicators and hazards

• Evaluate surrounding fuels for type, height, continuity, and conditions

Question 8

A Structure’s triage category in the WUI is based on:

Answer 8

-forecasted fire behavior
-surrounding area terrain
-any defensible space.

Question 9

What are the different structure triage categories in the WUI?

Answer 9

1. Not-Threatened
2. Threatened Defensible
3. Threatened Non-Defensible

Question 10

Explain the 3 structure triage categories….

1. Not-Threatened:
2. Threatened Defensible:
3. Threatened Non-Defensible:

Answer 10

1. Not-Threatened: Safety Zone and TRA are present and construction features or defensible space make it unlikely that the structure will ignite during initial fire front contact.
2. Threatened Defensible: Safety Zone and TRA are present. Construction features, lack of defensible space, or other challenges REQUIRES firefighters to implement structure defense tactics DURING FIRE FRONT CONTACT.
3. Threatened Non-Defensible: Either there is NO SAFETY ZONE or TRA present and/or the structure has challenges that DO NOT ALLOW firefighters to safely commit to stay and protect the structure during fire front contact.

Question 11

Safety Zones should be identified and designated based upon _________.

Answer 11

forecasted fire behavior.

Question 12

If a structure becomes involved in fire in the WUI, and a decision is made to extinguish the fire, what is the appropriate PPE required?

Answer 12

Structure Fire PPE including SCBA

(DO NOT base your decision to remain at a structure and/or the safety of your personnel on the use of SCBA’s.)

Question 13

• Keep at least _____ gallons of water reserve in your apparatus tank

Answer 13

100 gal

Question 14

Strategy should reflect a “general” plan that is broad in scope and provides direction for accomplishing the incident objectives.

______ are the specific actions firefighters will take to accomplish the incident objectives.

Answer 14

Tactics

Question 15

Tactical Maneuver:

Answer 15

-Tactical maneuver implies movement or purposeful reaction to change.

-It is imperative that CONTINGENCY PLANNING be part of every tactical plan.

-Tactical maneuver (agility) is essential to ensure fire fighter safety since legitimate safety zones ARE NOT always immediately present in the WUI.

-Tactical maneuver can be an OFFENSIVE or DEFENSIVE action

Question 16

The following are the seven TACTICAL actions available to structure defense resources:

Answer 16

• CHECK AND GO

• PREP AND GO

• PREP AND DEFEND

• FIRE FRONT FOLLOWING

• BUMP AND RUN

• ANCHOR AND HOLD

• TACTICAL PATROL

Question 17

Check and Go tactic:

Answer 17

Question 18

Prep and Go tactic:

Answer 18

Question 19

Prep and Defend tactic:

Answer 19

Question 20

Fire Front Following tactic:

Answer 20

Question 21

Bump and Run tactic:

Answer 21

Question 22

Anchor and Hold tactic:

Answer 22

Question 23

Tactical Patrol:

Answer 23

Question 24

The goal of the “Fire Front Following” tactic is to?

Answer 24

-search for victims
-effect perimeter control
-extinguish spot fires around structures
-control hot spots
-reduce ember production.

Question 25

APPENDIX B- RISK MANAGEMENT PROCESS

Answer 25

Step 1: Situation Awareness
Step 2: Hazard Assessment
Step 3: Hazard Control
Step 4: Decision Point
Step 5: Evaluate

Question 26

Tactical Engagement Process:

Firefighters must anticipate the unexpected and build agility (Tactical Maneuver) into their plan with contingency planning.

The lexicon for contingency planning is P.A.C.E.:

Answer 26

P- Primary Plan [Offense] -Is focused on fire fighter safety and on mission objectives. Yields the most desirable results (Manning hose lines to suppress the fire around a structure)

A- Alternate Plan [Offense] A fall back plan that closely supports the Primary Plan (Retreating into or behind the structure until fire intensity diminishes)

C- Contingency Plan [Defense] A plan totally focused on the firefighter’s SAFETY. Move to a tactical refuge area or withdraw along the escape route and into a safety zone

E- Emergency Plan [Defense] A plan totally focused on individual firefighter SURVIVAL. When threatened by fire, firefighters should get into their fire shelter

Question 27

There are 5 “Levels of Engagement in wildland firefighting”.

Use acronym “DRAW-D” to identify a thoughtful and mindful approach to choosing the appropriate tactical action:

Answer 27

D- Defend
R- Reinforce
A - Advance
W- Withdraw
D- Delay

Question 28

Appendix F - Structure Assessment Checklist

Adequate clearance around a structure should be a minimum of _____ ft (steeper the slope the more clearance required).

Answer 28

100ft

Question 29

Guidelines for Estimated Resources for Structure Protection:

-_____ engine(s) per one structure, one additional engine for every four structures to be used as “backup” and for patrol.

-For structures that are close together (50’ or less), one engine may be adequate to protect ______ structures

Answer 29

-One engine

-two structures

Question 30

Power Line Safety:

-Maintain a ____ ft distance from TRANSMISSION lines

Spot fires or low ground fires can be fought with hose lines if heavy smoke or flame is not within _____ ft of the power lines

Answer 30

35 ft

100 ft

Question 31

Structure protection should start with a determination of ________.

Answer 31

the exit strategy

Question 32

Structure defense firefighting in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) is inherently dangerous because it is primarily associated with _______ firefighting.

Answer 32

in-direct

Question 33

Successful WUI firefighting operations are accomplished by selecting SOUND STRATAGIES supported by ___________.

Answer 33

effective TACTICAL actions that keep firefighters SAFE, protect the public and minimize property loss.

Question 34

Defending structures from a wildland fire will not be possible in every situation. What will dictate the strategies that will be used?

Answer 34

-Risk to firefighters

-Fire behavior

-Availability of resources