CHFM - Certified Healthcare Facility Manager Fire and Life Safety Flashcards

In a healthcare facility, which fire suppression system is most appropriate for a commercial kitchen hood?

Answer: Wet chemical suppression system

Wet chemical systems use a potassium-based agent that reacts with cooking grease (saponification) to form a soapy foam that suppresses the fire and cools the hot grease to prevent re-ignition. NFPA 96 requires listed suppression systems in commercial cooking hoods.

What is the function of a fire alarm system's notification appliance circuit (NAC)?

Answer: To power and supervise audible and visual alarm devices such as horns, strobes, and speakers

The NAC is the circuit that connects the fire alarm control panel to the audible and visual notification appliances that alert building occupants when an alarm condition is detected.

What does 'occupant load' determine in NFPA 101 for healthcare occupancies?

Answer: The number of means of egress required and the required width of exits

Occupant load in NFPA 101 determines the number and width of required means of egress. Each exit must be sized to allow the calculated occupant load to evacuate within a reasonable time, and a minimum number of exits is required based on occupant load.

A healthcare facility manager reviews maintenance records and finds that several fire doors do not latch. What is the correct action?

Answer: Repair or replace the doors immediately and document as a fire door deficiency requiring ILSM

Fire doors that fail to latch cannot perform their function of containing fire and smoke. This is a life safety deficiency requiring immediate corrective action and, if repairs are delayed, implementation of ILSMs.

What is the purpose of the 'defend in place' fire safety strategy used in healthcare occupancies?

Answer: To protect patients who cannot self-evacuate by moving them horizontally to adjacent compartments rather than evacuating the building

Defend in place recognizes that healthcare patients cannot be safely evacuated vertically. Instead, patients are moved horizontally to an adjacent smoke compartment while fire is contained by barriers, sprinklers, and closed doors.

Under NFPA 101, which construction type is permitted for a new multi-story hospital building?

Answer: Type I (fire resistive) — non-combustible construction with fire-rated structural elements

NFPA 101 requires new healthcare occupancies taller than one story to use Type I (fire resistive) construction, which uses non-combustible materials with rated protection for structural elements, providing the highest fire resistance.