CHSP Fire Safety and Life Safety 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does the acronym RACE stand for in healthcare fire emergency response?
- Rescue, Alarm, Confine, Extinguish/Evacuate (Correct answer)
- Report, Assess, Contain, Evacuate
- Remove, Alert, Control, Escape
- Respond, Activate, Call, Escape
Correct answer: Rescue, Alarm, Confine, Extinguish/Evacuate
RACE (Rescue, Alarm, Confine, Extinguish/Evacuate) is the standard mnemonic guiding healthcare fire response actions in the correct sequence, prioritizing human rescue first.
Question 2: What does the acronym PASS represent when using a portable fire extinguisher?
- Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep (Correct answer)
- Push, Activate, Spray, Smother
- Pull, Assess, Spray, Stand back
- Point, Arm, Shoot, Sweep
Correct answer: Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep
PASS stands for Pull the pin, Aim at the base of the fire, Squeeze the handle, and Sweep side to side — the correct sequential technique for operating a portable fire extinguisher.
Question 3: Which class of fire involves energized electrical equipment?
- Class A
- Class B
- Class C (Correct answer)
- Class D
Correct answer: Class C
Class C fires involve energized electrical equipment; water-based extinguishers must never be used because they conduct electricity and create a shock hazard.
Question 4: What is the primary NFPA standard governing means of egress and fire protection in healthcare occupancies in the United States?
- NFPA 13
- NFPA 70
- NFPA 99
- NFPA 101 (Correct answer)
Correct answer: NFPA 101
NFPA 101, the Life Safety Code, is the primary standard establishing requirements for means of egress, construction types, and fire protection systems in healthcare occupancies.
Question 5: In a healthcare facility, smoke compartments are primarily used during a fire emergency to facilitate which action?
- Store emergency firefighting equipment
- Horizontal evacuation to a safe area on the same floor (Correct answer)
- Serve as assembly areas for visitors
- Stage triage operations for injured staff
Correct answer: Horizontal evacuation to a safe area on the same floor
Smoke compartments enable horizontal evacuation, moving non-ambulatory patients to an adjacent compartment on the same floor, which is safer than attempting vertical evacuation via stairwells.
Question 6: What is the minimum fire resistance rating required for smoke barrier doors in healthcare occupancies per NFPA 101?
- 20 minutes (Correct answer)
- 45 minutes
- 60 minutes
- 90 minutes
Correct answer: 20 minutes
NFPA 101 requires smoke barrier doors in healthcare occupancies to carry a minimum 20-minute fire resistance rating, sufficient to slow smoke migration between compartments.
Question 7: Which type of automatic sprinkler system is most appropriate for an unheated storage area in a healthcare facility where pipes could freeze?
- Wet pipe system
- Dry pipe system (Correct answer)
- Deluge system
- Pre-action system
Correct answer: Dry pipe system
A dry pipe system keeps pipes filled with pressurized air or nitrogen rather than water, preventing freezing; water only enters the pipes after a sprinkler head activates.
CHSP Fire Safety and Life Safety 1
What does the acronym RACE stand for in healthcare fire emergency response?