Chapter 6: Calculating Required Fire Flows

Question 1

What is the definition of Required Fire Flow (RFF)?

Answer 1

The amount of water that must be applied to the fire in order to control and/or extinguish it in a reasonable amount of time.

Question 2

What are the 3 methods of determining required fire flow for manual fire fighting operations?

Answer 2

1. The Iowa State Formula;
2. The National Fire Academy Formula;
3. The Insurance Services Office Formula

Question 3

Who correctly theorized that if water could be broken up into little drops and discharged across the fire, it would absorb the heat and dilute the burning gases?

Answer 3

Glenn Griswold

Question 4

Griswold settled on an impinging-stream designed nozzle that created optimally small droplets of water at pressures between _____ and _______ psi?

Answer 4

50 and 275 psi

Question 5

Griswold founded the:

Answer 5

Fog Nozzle Company

Question 6

Griswold’s company produced nozzles called the:

Answer 6

Griswold Fognozl (Also called the California Fognozl)

Question 7

His Coast Guard research involved inserting fog streams via applicator pipes into completely closed rooms (except a small exhaust opening) containing oil fires:

Answer 7

Lloyd Layman

Question 8

Lloyd Layman’s fire attack method was the:

Answer 8

Indirect attack

Question 9

Lloyd Layman’s fire attack method does not work well on:

Answer 9

Incipient fires

Question 10

Floyd Nelson and Keith Royer founded the:

Answer 10

International Society of Fire Service Instructors

Question 11

What are the 2 fundamental principles was the Iowa State Formula based on?

Answer 11

1) 1 gallon of water will produce, with a margin of safety, 200 cubic feet of steam
2) 1 gallon of water will absorb, with a margin of safety, all of the heat that can be produced with the O2 available in 200 cubic feet of normal air

Question 12

1 cubic foot of pure O2 combined with ordinary fuels produces ____ BTUs?

Answer 12

535 BTUs

Question 13

Air contains __% of oxygen?

Answer 13

21%

Question 14

Flame production stops when O2 levels drop below __%

Answer 14

15%

Question 15

Only __% of air is available for heat production

Answer 15

7%

Question 16

The number of BTUs produced by 1 cubic foot of air is:

Answer 16

37 BTUs

Question 17

1 gallon of water converted to 200 cubic feet of steam absorbs _____ BTUs?

Answer 17

9,330 BTUs

Question 18

Royer and Nelson concluded that 1 gallon of water can absorb all of the heat produced by _____ cubic feet of air?

Answer 18

200 cu. ft

Question 19

Nelson and Royer determined that the maximum time required for effective use of the adjustable fog nozzle is:

Answer 19

30 seconds

Question 20

The National Fire Academy is a:

Answer 20

Federal government agency (Department of Homeland Security)

Question 21

This “quick calculation” formula can be used as a tactical tool to determine fire flow requirements on scene:

Answer 21

National Fire Academy Formula

Question 22

The NFA advises that the NFA formula is considered reliable only if __ floors or fewer are on fire:

Answer 22

4 floors

Question 23

Before exposures or other additions, the NFA formula is:

Answer 23

Square footage of one floor of the structure divided by 3

Question 24

If more than one floor is involved and before exposures and other additions, the NFA formula is:

Answer 24

Square footage of one floor of the structure divided by 3, multiplied by the number of floors

Question 25

When using the NFA formula, you should add __% of fire flow for each side of the building with exposures?

Answer 25

25%

Question 26

In buildings of fire-resistive construction, if other floors are not yet involved but are threatened by possible extension of fire, those floors should be considered an:

Answer 26

Exposure; | Add 25% of fire flow for each exposure

Question 27

This formula has never been validated by definitive scientific or practical testing:

Answer 27

The NFA Formula

Question 28

Their mission is to provide useful and reliable risk evaluation info to property insurance companies:

Answer 28

The Insurance Services Office

Question 29

Fire fighters use this formula to calculate fire flow in manual fire fighting the least?

Answer 29

The Insurance Services Office Formula

Question 30

This formula was not designed to be used on the fire ground:

Answer 30

The Insurance Services Office Formula

Question 31

When using this formula to determine fire flow in manual fire fighting, the user has to determine the construction type of the involved structure:

Answer 31

The Insurance Services Office Formula

Question 32

The Insurance Services Office Formula is not applicable to these structures:

Answer 32

1 and 2 family dwellings not exceeding 2 stories

Question 33

When calculated and applied properly, in manual fire fighting, this fire flow formula is generally considered the most reliable:

Answer 33

The Insurance Services Office Formula

Question 34

The constant number extrapolated during the research to develop the Insurance Services Office Formula is:

Answer 34

18

Question 35

When using the Insurance Services Office Formula, what is the coefficient used for wood frame construction?

Answer 35

1.5

Question 36

When using the Insurance Services Office Formula, what is the coefficient used for ordinary construction?

Answer 36

1.0

Question 37

When using the Insurance Services Office Formula, what is the coefficient used for heavy timber construction?

Answer 37

0.9

Question 38

When using the Insurance Services Office Formula, what is the coefficient used for noncombustible construction?

Answer 38

0.8

Question 39

When using the Insurance Services Office Formula, what is the coefficient used for fire resistive construction?

Answer 39

0.6

Question 40

In the Insurance Services Office Formula, A is the:

Answer 40

Area of the floor

Question 41

In the Insurance Services Office Formula, C is a:

Answer 41

Coefficient related to the type of construction for the occupancy in question

Question 42

List the coefficients related to construction type for use in the Insurance Services Office Formula in consecutive order:

Answer 42

1. Wood frame construction: C = 1.5 2. Ordinary Construction: C = 1.0 3. Heavy Timber Construction: C = 0.9 4. Noncombustible construction: C = 0.8 5. Fire-resistive construction: C = 0.6

Question 43

In the Insurance Services Office Formula, all floors are included in the area except:

Answer 43

Basements

Question 44

In the Insurance Services Office Formula, if the building is constructed of fire-resistive materials and its vertical openings are unprotected, consider the ____ largest successive floor areas as its area:

Answer 44

6

Question 45

In the Insurance Services Office Formula, if the building is constructed of fire-resistive materials and its vertical openings are properly protected, consider the ____ largest successive floor areas as its area:

Answer 45

3

Question 46

The Insurance Services Office recommends that the calculated fire flow be rounded to the nearest ___ gpm if the flow is less than ____ gpm, and to the nearest ___ gpm if the flow is greater than ___ gpm?

Answer 46

1. 250 gpm 2. 2,500 gpm 3. 500 gpm 4. 2,500 gpm

Question 47

In the Insurance Services Office Formula, the minimum fire flow planned for any structure should be:

Answer 47

500 gpm

Question 48

In the Insurance Services Office Formula, the maximum fire flow, depending on the type of structure, should be: ______ gpm for wood frame construction; ______ gpm for ordinary and heavy timber construction; ______ gpm for non-combustible construction; ______ gpm for fire-resistive construction; ______ gpm for a normal one-story building of any type of construction

Answer 48

``` 8,000 gpm; 8,000 gpm; 6,000 gpm; 6,000 gpm; 6,000 gpm ```

Question 49

In the Insurance Services Office Formula, the factors that require adjusting the fire flow include:

Answer 49

1. The level of fire hazard 2. The presence of sprinkler protection 3. Exposures

Question 50

In the Insurance Services Office Formula, when adjusting fire flow for additional factors, the maximum fire flow may be increased to ______ gpm:

Answer 50

12,000 gpm

Question 51

In the Insurance Services Office Formula, when adding to the flow for fire hazard level, the basic fire flow may be reduced up to ___ percent for low-fire-hazard occupancies or increased up to ___ percent for high-fire-hazard occupancies?

Answer 51

25%; | 25%

Question 52

In the Insurance Services Office Formula, when adding to the fire flow for automatic sprinkler systems, the basic fire flow may be reduced by ____ percent for complete auto-sprinkler protection, and up to ___ percent for buildings made of fire-resistive or non-combustible materials and have a low fire hazard:

Answer 52

50%; | 75%

Question 53

In the Insurance Services Office Formula, a percentage should be added to the adjusted fire flow for structures exposed within _____ feet of the fire area under consideration?

Answer 53

150 feet

Question 54

In the Insurance Services Office Formula, when adjusting the fire flow to incorporate exposures, the total percentage shall be the sum of the percentages for each side, bu shall not exceed ___ percent of the fire flow?

Answer 54

75%

Question 55

In the Insurance Services Office Formula, an exposure 50 feet from the fire building requires an additional __ percent per side?

Answer 55

15%

Question 56

In the Insurance Services Office Formula, wood frame structures separated by less than ___ feet shall be considered one fire area:

Answer 56

10 feet

Question 57

In the Insurance Services Office Formula, normally an unpierced party (common) wall may warrant up to a ___ percent exposure charge?

Answer 57

10 percent

Question 58

In the Insurance Services Office Formula, where wood shingle roofs could contribute to spreading fires, add ___ gpm:

Answer 58

500 gpm

Question 59

In the Insurance Services Office Formula, any noncombustible building is warranted a ___ coefficient?

Answer 59

0.8 coefficient

Question 60

In the Insurance Services Office Formula, if residences are continuous as with row houses and town homes, a minimum fire flow of ____ gpm is recommended:

Answer 60

2,500 gpm

Question 61

Comparatively, manual firefighting is much less efficient than:

Answer 61

Automatic Sprinkler Systems

Question 62

Each sprinkler will flow about __ to __ gpms?

Answer 62

8 to 15 gpms

Question 63

In general, the NFPA indicates that 5 or fewer activated sprinklers extinguish more than __ percent of all fires in sprinklered buildings:

Answer 63

90 percent

Question 64

Required flow rates for automatic sprinkler systems include only the amount of water the system is designed to flow:

Answer 64

On its own. Not to include the supplemented amount at the fdc

Question 65

What are the 2 methods of designing sprinkler systems recognized by NFPA 13?

Answer 65

1. Pipe schedule method | 2. Hydraulic calculation method

Question 66

NFPA 13 limits new sprinkler systems being designed by the pipe schedule method to occupancies of less than _____ square feet?

Answer 66

5,000 square feet

Question 67

The primary advantage for using the pipe schedule method for designing sprinkler systems is:

Answer 67

The ease of calculation, particularly with smaller systems

Question 68

This method of designing fire sprinkler systems tend to use larger pipe and therefore is the less economical method:

Answer 68

Pipe schedule method

Question 69

The pipe schedule method does not take this into consideration:

Answer 69

Friction loss

Question 70

NFPA 13 requires extra hazard occupancies to use this method for designing sprinkler systems?

Answer 70

Hydraulically calculated method

Question 71

Buildings over 5,000 square feet in size may have a pipe schedule sprinkler system if they have a residual pressure of ___ psi available at the top line of sprinklers for both occupancy classes:

Answer 71

50 psi

Question 72

This method of designing fire sprinkler systems involves using mathematical calculations to determine the required piping and other design factors:

Answer 72

Hydraulic Calculation Method

Question 73

Which class of standpipes are equipped with 2 1/2" discharges?

Answer 73

Class 1

Question 74

If a high rise structure is equipped with a single Class 1 standpipe, that system is required to have a minimum available flow rate of ___ gpm without being boosted by the fire department?

Answer 74

500 gpm

Question 75

If a high rise structure is equipped with more than one Class 1 standpipe, the first system must have an available flow of ___ gpm, and each additional standpipe must have available ___ gpm, up to a maximum of ____ gpm?

Answer 75

500 gpm; 250 gpm; 1.250 gpm

Question 76

A high rise structure with a Class 1 standpipe requires a pressure of at least ___ psi at its most hydraulically demanding discharge?

Answer 76

100 psi

Question 77

A structure that is not considered a high rise that is equipped with a class 1 standpipe is allowed to achieve its flow requirements by being supplied by:

Answer 77

The fire department

Question 78

This class of standpipe is designed to be used by building occupants and usually have ___ feet to ___ feet of unlined ____ inch cotton fire hose?

Answer 78

Class 2; 75-100 feet; 1 1/2 inch

Question 79

Class 2 standpipes require a flow of ___ gpm at a minimum of ___ psi, with no increased requirements for having multiple standpipes?

Answer 79

100 gpm; | 65psi

Question 80

Class 3 standpipe water supply requirements are:

Answer 80

Identical to those for Class 1 standpipes

Question 81

Class 3 standpipe systems are a:

Answer 81

Combination of class 1 and class 2 systems