CBM Safety Procedures & Emergency Response 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When a prescribed burn escapes control, what is the FIRST action a burn boss should take?
- Notify the agency administrator immediately
- Attempt to contain the escape with available resources
- Activate the emergency action plan and notify dispatch (Correct answer)
- Retreat all personnel to a safety zone
Correct answer: Activate the emergency action plan and notify dispatch
Activating the emergency action plan and notifying dispatch is the first priority so resources can be mobilized while personnel are accounted for.
Question 2: Which condition described in the LCES system refers to preplanned areas where firefighters can survive a fire entrapment?
- Lookouts
- Communications
- Escape Routes
- Safety Zones (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Safety Zones
Safety Zones are preplanned areas large enough to protect personnel from radiant heat during entrapment.
Question 3: A spot fire has started 200 yards ahead of the main fire front. What is this situation called?
- Slop-over
- Spotting (Correct answer)
- Torching
- Crowning
Correct answer: Spotting
Spotting occurs when firebrands are carried by wind and ignite new fires ahead of or outside the main fire perimeter.
Question 4: What minimum safety zone size is generally recommended to protect a person standing upright from a 10-acre fire?
- At least equal to the flame length in all directions
- Four times the flame length as a radius (Correct answer)
- Half the flame length as a radius
- One acre per person present
Correct answer: Four times the flame length as a radius
Standard guidance requires a safety zone radius of at least four times the expected maximum flame length.
Question 5: During a prescribed burn, a crew member reports feeling dizzy and short of breath. What should the burn boss suspect first?
- Dehydration from overexertion
- Carbon monoxide poisoning from smoke inhalation (Correct answer)
- Heat stroke from ambient temperature
- Allergic reaction to vegetation
Correct answer: Carbon monoxide poisoning from smoke inhalation
Dizziness and shortness of breath in smoke are classic early signs of carbon monoxide poisoning, which can rapidly become life-threatening.
Question 6: Which communication protocol is used to verify that all personnel have received a critical safety message during a prescribed burn?
- Simplex radio broadcast
- Read-back or acknowledgment (Correct answer)
- Text message confirmation
- In-person briefing only
Correct answer: Read-back or acknowledgment
Read-back acknowledgment ensures the receiver repeats critical information back to confirm it was received correctly.
Question 7: What does the term 'contingency resources' mean in prescribed burn planning?
- Equipment reserved for post-burn monitoring
- Suppression resources identified in advance to respond if the fire escapes (Correct answer)
- Backup ignition devices in case primary tools fail
- Personnel assigned to conduct mop-up operations
Correct answer: Suppression resources identified in advance to respond if the fire escapes
Contingency resources are suppression assets pre-identified in the burn plan that can be rapidly deployed if the prescribed fire escapes.
CBM Safety Procedures & Emergency Response 2
When a prescribed burn escapes control, what is the FIRST action a burn boss should take?