Essentials of
Firefighting (4th Edition)
Chapter 1-Firefighter Orientation & Safety
FF 1 Test Review (Statements)
- Unity of Command is based on the principle that a person can ONLY report to 1 supervisor.
- Chain of Command is the pathway of responsibility from highest to lowest.
- An officer can effectively supervise 3 to 7 firefighters.
- Span of Control is the number of personnel that one person can effectively manage.
- Division of Labor is used to assign responsibility.
- Discipline is the setting/enforcement of limits or boundaries for expected performance.
- NFPA 1001 states the requirements for firefighters.
- A fire company is a group of firefighters assigned to a specific apparatus.
- Typical duties of a FF1 or FF2 are to attend training, perform salvage, ensure loss control measures, climb ladders, and administer 1st aid.
- The fire apparatus Driver/Operator is responsible for operating mechanical equipment at a fire scene.
- The fire department Safety Officer is responsible for safety of emergency operations.
- The fire department Officer is responsible for resources and planning.
- Information Systems personnel are responsible for maintaining electronic databases.
- Telecommunicators are responsible for dispatching units.
- Fire police personnel are responsible for assisting police with traffic control.
- NBC stands for Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical.
- NFPA 742 states the competencies for hazmat responders.
- The public fire and life safety educator is responsible for informing the public about fire hazards and safety.
- NFPA 1003 states the qualifications for airport firefighters.
- The fire protection engineer/specialist is responsible for advising a department's upper administration on department operations and fire prevention.
- Fire and arson investigators conduct investigations of a fire area.
- Fire prevention officers conduct technical and supervisory work in the fire prevention program.
- An Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) license is required to provide basic life support.
- A Paramedic (EMT-P) license is required to provide advanced life support.
- The drillmaster is responsible for administering all department training activities.
- A policy is a guide to decision-making.
- A procedure is a detailed guide to action.
- An order is a written or verbal instruction based on policy or procedure.
- A directive is a written or verbal instruction NOT based on policy or procedure.
- A Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is a predetermined plan for an emergency situation.
- Fireground priorities are life safety, incident stabilization, and property conservation.
- Facilities is part of the service branch of Logistics in the IMS system.
- SOP's are usually initiated by the first-responding companies.
- Operations is responsible for directing tactical operations in the IMS system.
- Planning is responsible for collecting, evaluating, disseminating, and using information about the incident in the IMS system.
- Logistics is responsible for providing facilities, services, and materials in support of an incident in the IMS system.
- A Division is a geographic designation assigning responsibility for all operations within an assigned area.
- A Group is a functional unit.
- The Incident Commander (IC) is in charge of an overall incident.
- Brush Companies are usually used to extinguish fires in the urban interface.
- Truck Companies are usually used to perform forcible entry.
- Fire Protection Engineers usually act as consultants on fire department operations and fire prevention.
- Engine Companies usually deploy hoselines for attack and exposure protection.
- The local EMS system and SOP's determine the level of 1st aid training required by firefighters.
- Triage is the sorting of victims by severity of injury.
- Firefighters may be called on by law enforcement for forcible entry purposes.
- Most firefighter injuries are preventable.
- NFPA 1500 contains the minimum requirements for a fire department safety and health program.
- The basic concept of a health and safety program is to provide safety throughout the fire department.
- A good safety program will reduce accidents and exposures, prevent human suffering, and prevent damage/loss of equipment.
- The success of a safety program begins with the top of the chain of command.
- The fire department is responsible for limiting the number of stress-related accidents and injuries.
- Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) are available to all fire department members and their immediate families.
- A minor debriefing should occur when firefighters are required to work more than 1 shift under psychologically stressful conditions.
- Participation in critical stress debriefing should be mandatory, regardless of the employees ability to cope with situations.
- EAPs should provide referrals to health care services when necessary.
- Firefighters should be aware of cardiovascular and cancer risks.
- The most common danger a firefighter faces is riding the fire apparatus.
- Firefighters riding in open-cab seats should wear helmet and eye protection.
- Hearing protection should be worn when noise levels exceed 90 decibels.
- The best place for a firefighter to be on a fire apparatus is seated and belted in a fully enclosed cab.
- Handrails should not be used when trying to jump free of an apparatus in contact with electrical wires.
- Use of safety bars on open-cab apparatus is not as safe as fully enclosed cabs.
- The fire department is responsible for the safety of visitors in the fire station.
- Back injuries are the most expensive type for firefighter injury in terms of worker's compensation.
- Good housekeeping is essential in preventing slip, trip, and fall accidents.
- Back strains are the most common injury when improper lifting and carrying techniques are used.
- Cheater bars should never be used to provide extra leverage for a tool.
- Tools should be inspected before and after each use.
- A tool should not be modified before consulting the manufacturer.
- Tools should be cleaned and stored after each use.
- It is never acceptable to bypass the ground plug of a 3-prong plug.
- Rotary and Chain saws are the most commonly used saws in the fire service.
- Saws should be allowed to cool before refueling.
- No power saw should be used in atmospheres containing flammables.
- Non-essential persons should always be kept out of work areas.
- A hoseline should be available any time a power saw that produce sparks is used.
- NFPA 1500 requires that personnel who may engage in structural firefighting, participate in training at least monthly.
- All personnel participating in training must wear full protective gear.
- Before training, personnel with severe headaches or colds should be given a physical exam to determine their fitness for tasks at hand.
- It is considered unprofessional for firefighters to take unnecessary risks.
- Horseplay during training can be prevented by ensuring everyone can see demonstrations and allow all to participate in activities.
- Firefighter actions may be limited by the IC based on the chances of the operation being successful.
- Firefighters are not responsible for the situation of victims. They are only there to help.
- Law enforcement personnel is usually responsible for emergency scene control, however, fire personnel may assist.
- It is the responsibility of the IC to secure and manage an emergency scene.
- Friends and relatives of victims should be kept away from the actual incident, but within the cordoned area with a firefighter or other person.
- Establishing zone boundaries depends on work area needed, degree of hazard, and general topography.
- Firefighter ID tags should be turned in prior to entering the fireground.
- The SCBA tag system provides accountability in addition to tracking of time remaining for air bottles.
- Personnel Accountability Systems should also account for personnel who respond to a scene in vehicles other than fire department apparatus.
- Personnel entering hazardous atmospheres will have a record of time of entry and time of exit.
- Relief crews are sent in shortly before the estimated time that the first crew's SCBA low-pressure alarms will sound.