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Brannigans 6th Ed > Ch 13-14 > Flashcards

Ch 13-14 Flashcards

(116 cards)

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1
Q

Advocacy groups and certification programs for Green construction

A

US green building council

Leadership and energy and environmental design LEED Certification

Building research establishment environmental assessment method BREEAM

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2
Q

For the purpose of studying green construction from a firefighting perspective, we can group these green systems and four general categories:

A

Eco friendly materials
Energy conservation
Water conservation
Energy generation

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3
Q

A few interesting eco – friendly materials

A

Bamboo
Adobe
Hempcrete- cannabis core mixed with lime and water
Biopolymers- naturally produced green plastics for construction
Ammonia - refrigerant

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4
Q

In green construction, green walls include:

A

Structural insulated panels SIPs - wall assemblies without studs.

Structural insulated sheathing – structural stabilization, insulation, and moisture barrier over wood studs. Used in wood frame dwellings 

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5
Q

Plastic lumber includes recycle plastic waste. Can be used in many applications. Hazards include.

A

The same combustibility characteristics as the original plastics that were recycled

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6
Q

Building integrated photovoltaics or BIPV are examples of

A

PV systems Inc. into the building. These could be wall panel systems or PV shingles.
PV shingles may be extremely slippery and unsafe to break

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7
Q

Two general types of solar water heating systems are distinguished as:

A

Active systems – looks similar to a PV panel. Uses a roof mount collector and a pump. 

Passive Systems – heat water directly through the use of a batch collector, a large well insulated tank. Usually roof mounted.

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8
Q

Garden apartments are typically up to what height limit

A

Traditionally three stories, four stories is becoming more common place

Some individual unit may be more than one floor

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9
Q

In garden Apartments, most fires start in

A

In the tenant spaces.

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10
Q

And garden apartment, gas meters are typically located

A

Located in one basement location.

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11
Q

Water supply concerns in garden apartments include:

A

Rusty water or contamination
Small undersized mains, 4 inches
Low GPM flows

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12
Q

Older and newer, massive, single structure apartment buildings have one, denominator –

A

Almost exclusively of type III construction, most notably, lightweight, wood frame construction.
Some are type II but that is a fraction 

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13
Q

When responding to reported fires in large apartment buildings, several suggestions include

A

Call for additional help as soon as possible if you can’t establish the location and extent of fire spread
Supply the FDC
Look for indications of fire in concealed spaces
Check the ceilings in adjacent units
Treat these buildings like balloon frame structures
Attack fires with overwhelming forces, lots of hose lines and water
Assign a safety officer, interior and exterior
Protect, protect all exposures

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14
Q

Older row, houses, and townhouses have these issues

A

Contiguous structures often have common attics or cocklofts
They may have party walls
There may be no fire barrier or no firewall between

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15
Q

Styles of single-family homes can be categorized in:

A

The California bungalow – one story, no ridge beam
The Cape Cod – 1.5 stories, steep pitched roof
The Ranch – open interiors, large attics, extended overhangs. No heat detector in the attic.
The split level – three floors joined by short stairways
The Victorian – very ornamental, steep, pitched roofs, balloon frame construction

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16
Q

Harraz buildings are generally defined as:

A

Beyond the reach of an area ladder. 

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17
Q

General classifications of high rises are grouped into years. These include.

A

1870–1930, early fire resistive buildings

1930–1940, later high-rise buildings, post WW2, exterior fire tower stairways, adequate standpipes, opening windows, floors were segregated

Modern high-rise buildings – fluorescent lights, air conditioning, lighter buildings, reinforced concrete, fireproofing of steel, etc.

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18
Q

A major overhaul of building a fire codes took place in the 1970s. This included lots of features in high-rise buildings. Some of these include:

A

A command center where all fire safety features are monitored and controlled, typically in the lobby.
This may also include a communication system
After 911, they require requirements for more communication systems and radio signal amplifiers

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19
Q

Forcible entry in occupancies in high-rise buildings, may be an issue. Having doors may have multiple locks. An option is.

A

Opening the gypsum wall board or gypsum block or terra-cotta tile which are easily penetrated.

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20
Q

Elevator door restrictions are designed to

A

Prevent the door from being open from the inside. These are in the form of metal angle irons.

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21
Q

Smoke movement in high-rise buildings can occur through a condition called lapse. This is:

A

When the atmospheric temperature is constantly decreasing as the height increases. Smoke moves up and away from the fire.
Pause occurs when a layer of air is warmer than the air below it.
The inversion layer axes a roof to the rising smoke.

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22
Q

In areas with closely spaced, high-rise buildings, they may experience a canyon effect in which:

A

The wind will increase in velocity as it squeezes through narrow openings between buildings.

Additionally, wind blowing against a tall building will usually split about 2/3 the way of the building. Upper portion flows over the roof and the lower portion flows down, forming a vortex and increases in velocity.

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23
Q

tuned – mass dampers are heavy weights installed high in a building, adjusted by computer to:

A

To counter the wind-induced oscillations. Reducing the sway in the wind.

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24
Q

Stack effect inside tightly sealed buildings is most significant in cold climates in the winter time because of the big difference between inside and outside temperatures. Stack effect also happens in warm climate.

Stack effect is not caused by a fire. The products of combustion ride on the stack effect currents.

The different types of stack effect are:

A

Winter stack effect also known as positive stack effect

Summer stack effect also known as reverse stack effect

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25
In winter or positive stack effect the movement of smoke: 
Moves from lower floors through vertical shafts gradually decreasing until 1/3 to 1/2 the billing height at the neutral zone. In the neutral zone, the flow becomes horizontal.
26
In summer or reverse stack effect, movement of air is:
Movement of air is downward. This is not as extreme as winter stack effect because the temperature differential is much less.
27
Air conditioning systems may be separated into type types of systems that affect smoke movement. These include.
Individual room units – very little effect of smoke movement Single floor systems – smoke can be distributed across the entire floor Multifloor Systems – depending on the system, the smoke can be recycled throughout the building, or it may have true full exhaust capabilities
28
Some buildings have breakable tempered glass windows, typically spaced
On 50 foot centers around the building perimeter. They must be identified such as a reflective Maltese cross sticker.
29
In regards to smoke management systems, a well designed and properly maintain system can supplement automatic, sprinklers, but
It is no substitute for adequate fire protection. The key to a smoke management system is to study it before the fire and understand the system.
30
Air standpipes are stainless steel piping systems in high-rise buildings that serve the purpose of
Providing SCB a filling stations every few floors.
31
Trash in residential occupancies is a major issue for fire hazard. These issues can include.
Trash being left in elevators, hallways, basements, and lobbies. Trash chutes that go to large compactors in the basement, should be preplanned with the anticipation that there will be a fire.
32
Because of the need to be assured that toxic gas is released in a fire will be severely limited, and not dependent on a smoke control system, the only practical solution is:
The use of automatic sprinklers to limit toxic gas is released by a fire. Reaction time, which is alarm time until water is on the fire is typically 20 minutes or longer. Sprinklers are the core of the fire safety for the occupants of high-rise buildings.
33
The only construction material that does not yield heat when burned and pure oxygen is
Gypsum. Although when binders and paper are added, it does yield some heat. After gypsum is heated, it gives up moisture and calcinates/deteriorates
34
35
There’s no such thing as a fire rated top floor/attic ceiling. Because:
The constant flow of air makes a fire rated structure, impossible, due to interconnected voids and the attic.
36
A few major defects in firewalls are:
Not bringing the firewall through the roof with a parapet Allowing overhangs or mansards to project beyond the firewall Permitting the firewall to end at the interior of a combustible exterior wall, enables the fire to pass around it Utility openings in firewalls Permitting the firewall to act as a party wall or structurally as part of both buildings
37
Fire barriers and draft stops are rated/non-rated?
Fire barriers are theoretically fire rated Draft stops are non-rated Both are intended to limit the combustible void area in the attic to which the fire has access. 
38
Automatic sprinklers that protect occupied spaces will most likely only extinguish
Content fires. They rarely control a fire that originates or extends into the void.
39
According to the book, there’s no class of building in which good fire planning and training can pay off more than:
In garden apartments.
40
New building code state that atria connect what areas? Code requirements for atria?
Atria connects a minimum of two floors with no minimum size requirements. Building codes typically allow up to three floors to be open to the atrium Full sprinkler protection is required unless the atria is more than 55 feet above the floor. Smoke control systems are required, as well as standby power for the building
41
42
In Atria, Activation of the smoke control system is usually triggered by:
Water flow and smoke detectors, and projected beam detectors
43
44
Often in atria and floors open to the atrium, sprinklers are
Zoned separately from the rest of the building with a separate riser
45
The most dangerous time for a place of worship to be vulnerable to a fire is
During renovations
46
In hospitals and nursing homes, the key to patient safety is
Moving patients horizontally rather than vertically in buildings with smoke barriers, 1-hour rated walls, the subdivide each floor.
47
Corridors and hospitals have a minimum width of
8 feet to accommodate Rolling hospital beds
48
The acronym RACE is used in hospitals and nursing homes staff members. This means:
Remove all people in immediate danger Activate the manual pull station and call 911 Close door to confined smoke and fire Extinguish the fire if possible
49
They are currently five occupancy classifications of detention facilities, depending on the level of restraint:
Use condition 1 – free movement is permitted from smoke compartment to the exterior Use condition 2 – free movement is permitted within the building between smoke compartments Use condition 3– free movement permitted within the building within smoke compartment. Other movement is a remote control release Use condition 4 – free movement is permitted within an occupied space within a smoke compartment. Other movement is by remote control release Use condition 5– free movement is restricted from the occupied space. Manual release is necessary.
50
In regards to office buildings, the open office plan describes
Low height partitions to create cubicles for personal space otherwise the office is one large open room. No compartmentalization.
51
Sprinkler systems in most parking garages are
Dry standpipes without a permanent water supply. Must be supplied through the FDC.
52
By definition, open parking garages have to have at least 20% of two sides of each tier open to the atmosphere. Each tier must have 40% open to the atmosphere. Type in size of parking garages are:
Type I can be as high as 12 tiers without sprinklers Type II can be up to 10 tiers without sprinklers
53
Hallways and corridors in schools have a width of at least
6 feet in most cases
54
Storage buildings can be classified by construction types as types I-IV. Most of these facilities are either
Type II or III construction 
55
In hazardous material storage, an example of a familiar exotic gas is
Silane, a pyrophoric gas that ignites in air without an ignition source
56
In hazmat storage facilities, most fire codes require the creation of a ??? to document material safety, and inventory
Hazardous materials management plan HMMP - explain how the materials are to be safely used and stored Hazardous materials inventory statement, HMIS - is a list of the materials present at the site, including quantities
57
Some hazmat are allowed in storage and considered exempt regarding quantities permitted. This is based on the type of hazmat. These low quantity materials are permitted in a control area, which is:
The control area is essentially an area surrounded by a 1-hour rated fire assembly
58
Explosion venting in special purpose buildings is designed to
Channel the force of an internal explosion in a desired direction
59
Most stadiums are which construction type
Type I construction.
60
The smoke control system and other fire protection systems in a covered mall are similar to
Those that are found in an atrium. The difference is vertical and horizontal movement of smoke and fire gases
61
Taxpayers and strip malls have many commonalities. It may be difficult to distinguish between the two. Some differences are:
Taxpayers are commonly type III construction with brick, bearing walls and wood joist members Usually one story, 6 to 10 units, and have a common attic space Strip malls could be type II, III, or IV. Nearly all our one story, typically no basements, larger than taxpayers with up to 15 to 20 small stores and an anchor store, a greater depth than taxpayers. May also have a common attic.
62
Tenants in strip malls can be any combination. It’s possible to have:
Assembly, Mercantile, business, and hazardous occupancies, all in the same strip mall.
63
Strip malls, most building codes required fire rated separations between different occupancy types. These can be 1 – 4 hour rated. To reduce the hourly rating, provisions are
Installation of automatic sprinklers, they reduce the hourly rating
64
Many times firewalls are required and must have 2-4 hour ratings and resist partial collapse. These walls most extend:
From the foundation to above the roof line. They may not be allowed to terminate below the roof deck.
65
Billing codes are required for the placement of draft stopping and fire stopping at what intervals?
Draft stopping required to limit the size of attic compartments to 3000 ft.² and floor voids to 1000 ft.² Fire stopping is required at a maximum of 20 feet intervals
66
In retail sales rooms larger than 12,000 ft.², most building codes require
Automatic sprinkler protection.
67
Nightclubs with occupant loads greater than 100 require sprinklers if the area is
Greater than 5000 ft.²
68
Forcible entry through glass doors with aluminum frames is usually accomplished by
Using the through the lock entry technique
69
A strip mall with steel bar joists and a built-up roof can be subject to a metal deck roof fire. This is usually involving:
EPDM, or rubber roofing over metal deck with crimped seams
70
In a theater, the difference between a stage and a platform is:
The stage as a proscenium , arch and wall. This is the opening and curtains separating the audience from this stage. The platform is a raised area for presentations, including lighting and sound system The stage has much higher fire protection requirements, and fire resistant members.
71
A key element in the life safety of building occupants is not how high the building is but
How long it takes an occupant to reach an area safe from the hazard
72
An underground building is defined in building codes as having
An occupied level at least 30 feet below the level of exit discharge. This requires automatic, sprinklers, standpipes, emergency power, fire alarm system, PA system, smoke management system.
73
The most common underground buildings are
Rail transit stations, and subways
74
Principal contributing factors of fire problems and warehouses, which have remained the same over the years are:
High concentration of fuels Tremendous dollar values Few employees per unit area failure to segregate extra hazardous materials, such as flammable liquid liquids Vulnerability to arson Failure of management to give serious attention to potential fire problems Inadequate fire protection in design or maintenance
75
An additional problem of fires and warehouses have to do with pallets. This is because.
Idle pallet storage is very dangerous. Resembles Wood crib used for fire tests. The surface area of pallets are much larger (36 times) than stack boxes
76
In warehouses, FDC are required unless
There are less than 20 sprinklers in the system Our permission obtained from the AHJ.
77
High rack storage and modern rack storage in warehouses must provide which fire protection?
In rack sprinkler systems in the intermediate levels of the Storage ESFR sprinklers may also be required These are along with sprinklers, located in the roof line or ceiling.
78
79
In reference to fire doors and protected warehouses, keep the following things in mind.
Firewalls are considered to be passive fire protection, but a few do not have openings. As many as 50% of fire doors have been found in operative. Overhead rolling doors are particularly susceptible to failure. (3 of 12 when tested worked correctly.) The most dependable fire barrier in a warehouse is a solid masonry wall parapeted through the roof
80
The principal active defense in warehouse protection is:
Automatic sprinkler protection. When a huge warehouse loss occurs, many times it’s sprinkler protection is inadequate or fails early.
81
Examples of where low expansion foam and high expansion foam systems are used:
Low expansion foam can be used in areas with a potential for flammable liquid fire High expansion foam may be used to protect class A warehouses such as rolled paper for newspapers
82
Fire officers should assign a liaison person from the crew to obtain preplan information. This means.
Liaison individual should obtain the information and disseminate it to everyone who should have it and update pre-plan information
83
Many warehouses use mechanical smoke and heat vents along with draft curtains to ventilate a building during a fire. These are specifically:
Fusible link activated clamshell type openings Rectangular plastic domes that shriek under the heated fire and drop out Draft curtains are typically made of sheet metal Manually activated, smoke and heat vents with release cables
84
In a high-rise fires, operations usually take place in which locations? Assuming occupants should be moved to 5 floors below the fire and protected in place if they’re not evacuated completely
The fire floor, 1 floor above, and 2 floors below the fire Separate attack and evacuation stairwells The lobby
85
What is the minimum wind speed that cannot be reversed with PPV fans? I.e. Causes a wind driven fire?
Winds in excessive of 25 mph or more
86
if a building has more than one stairwell and only one is pressurized, that one should be used for?
Pressurized stairwells should be the evacuation stairwell
87
The 2 criteria for successful and efficient forcible entry:
The door and the locking system Having the right tool for the job It may be simpler to go through the wall board instead of the lock
88
In a high-rise fire, the standpipe connection should be made:
On the landing below the fire floor 
89
When weather conditions dictate that the stack effect will be a significant factor, company officers should be aware that:
Smoke detector activation or 911 calls may have come from a person not on the actual fire floor. They may be several floors away.
90
In regards to PPV fans, the carbon monoxide put out by the fan motors:
Is much less than the CO being generated in the smoke by the fire. After the smoke is cleared, change the ventilation plan to vent for CO
91
Rear doors of tenant spaces in a mall will likely be heavily secured to prevent burglary. When providing for horizontal ventilation, you should:
Commit enough resources and equipment, crew members and extra sawblades to force entry
92
High piled storage racks can be a collapse hazard, some are up to 30 feet tall. When attacking a high piled Storage rack fire, you should.
Use a 2.5” hose line when possible from a safe distance. Never advance beyond the point where racks might collapse behind you and block your egress
93
In regards to a heavily involved warehouse fire on arrival, the building and the contents are most likely lost. It’s not worth getting a member injured killed for property that is probably insured and has no salvageable value. The best offensive attack would be to
Supply, the FDC and sprinkler systems to the maximum.
94
Local building and fire codes are sometimes more/less restrictive than the national codes?
Sometimes more restrictive because they are more specific to the hazards within the community
95
Garden apartments are typically not required to have standpipes if they are what size?
3 or less stories avoid standpipe requirements. 4 or more story apartment buildings should have a standpipe
96
3-story townhouses with residential elevators should not be used by firefighters because
These are low load capacity elevators.
97
In apartment fires in unsprinkler balconies with overhangs, consider using:
A blitz attack with a 2 1/2 inch hose line or a deck gun to knock it back before it spreads beyond your reach.
98
Vertical ventilation of a fire in an attic space with lightweight trusses is a gamble and a race against time. Consider what type of attack?
Consider an indirect attack, either through the roof or in the gable ends to steam the fire with a fog nozzle This is virtually creating a sprinkler system
99
In regard to collapse, especially an older residential buildings, which room is the most subject to collapse?
The bathroom is most subject to collapse due to the weight of the fixtures, and the number of poked through holes in the floor. Additionally, Wood floor rot is a problem Kitchens would be next due to heavy appliances and the same other reasons.
100
In Multi story buildings, what are the safest places to initiate an interior fire attack?
Stairways and landings are the safest place to initiate an interior attack. If stairways are weak, fire feathers should stay close to the inside walls.
101
Of the three types of wood frame building collapses, this is the most dangerous because it gives no warning:
The inward/outward collapse is the most dangerous in a wood frame building. This can result in the simultaneous collapse of two or more size of the structure
102
The book recommends to turn on a portable gas detecting monitor when?
When enroute because it takes a few minutes for the unit to calibrate 
103
Per the book, When dispatched to an attached garage fire, make the attack with the exception to the interior attack rule by:
Attack the garage fire head on from the main garage door. Prop the door with a ladder or pipe pole if needed. Send a backup or exposure line into the house to protect the garage walk-in door but do not open it. Then check the attic for extension. If the initial attack is through the garage, interior door, fire may be drawn from the garage into the house.
104
In strip malls or occupancies that use firewalls for separation, exposure bravo and Delta considerations are:
Consider using PPV fans and both exposures to pressurize those compartments.
105
According to the book, a trench cut for ventilation in row houses should have a staffing level of
A minimum of six firefighters and a hose line. A proper trench cut must extent from one wall to another i.e., side Alpha to side Charlie across the roof.
106
If during an emergency patient in the hospital must be moved horizontally, and they should be moved lower as well, a good practice is to
Slide the mattress with the patient onto the floor, then drag the mattress to a safe area.
107
Even in educational occupancies, if the building is fewer than four floors, then
Expect long hose lays because there will not be a standpipe. Use a long 2 1/2 inch hose with a gated wye
108
Decorative dormers may be used to access the attic space. They can be used for.
Horizontal ventilation and attack on an attic fire by putting a nozzle through the dormer window.
109
Stairwell support operations consist of:
Staging one firefighter for every two floors to shuttle equipment two floors at a time.
110
HMIS stands for
Hazardous materials inventory statement – a list of the materials, hazards and quantities of hazmat products within a building
111
HMMP stands for
Hazardous materials management plan – how hazardous materials are to be stored and safely used within the building
112
The condition in which the atmospheric temperature is constantly decreasing as the height increases
Lapse
113
114
An elevator landing zone is what area?
Within 18 inches above or below the floor
115
Smoke barriers are/are not required to have?
Smoke barriers are not required to have fire resistance ratings, although they may.
116
A building or portion of a building within which hazardous materials are allowed to be stored, dispensed, used, or handled in quantities, not exceeding the maximum allowable quantities
Control area

Brannigans 6th Ed (8 decks)

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