DPSST Fire Safety 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the minimum safe distance a firefighter should maintain from a propane tank involved in a fire to avoid a BLEVE?
- 50 feet
- 100 feet
- 300 feet (Correct answer)
- 500 feet
Correct answer: 300 feet
A BLEVE (Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion) can project tank fragments hundreds of feet, requiring at least 300 feet of clearance.
Question 2: 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 and require non-conductive extinguishing agents.
Question 3: The fire tetrahedron adds which fourth element to the traditional fire triangle?
- Carbon dioxide
- Chain reaction (Correct answer)
- Combustion pressure
- Carbon monoxide
Correct answer: Chain reaction
The fire tetrahedron adds the uninhibited chemical chain reaction as the fourth element beyond heat, fuel, and oxygen.
Question 4: During a wildland-urban interface (WUI) fire, which defensible space zone is defined as 0–30 feet from a structure?
- Zone 1 (Correct answer)
- Zone 2
- Zone 3
- Zone 0
Correct answer: Zone 1
Zone 1 (0–30 feet) is the lean, clean, and green zone where vegetation should be highly modified to reduce ignition potential.
Question 5: What does the acronym RECEO-VS stand for in firefighting strategy?
- Rescue, Exposures, Confinement, Extinguishment, Overhaul, Ventilation, Salvage (Correct answer)
- Response, Entry, Containment, Evacuation, Operations, Ventilation, Safety
- Rescue, Exposures, Control, Entry, Overhaul, Ventilation, Salvage
- Recon, Evacuation, Confinement, Extinguishment, Overhaul, Ventilation, Safety
Correct answer: Rescue, Exposures, Confinement, Extinguishment, Overhaul, Ventilation, Salvage
RECEO-VS defines fireground priorities in order: Rescue, Exposures, Confinement, Extinguishment, Overhaul, Ventilation, and Salvage.
Question 6: A firefighter notices the smoke at a structure fire has changed from light gray to dark black and turbulent. This MOST likely indicates:
- The fire is being extinguished
- The building has been ventilated
- A flashover or rapid fire growth is imminent (Correct answer)
- The fire has entered the decay stage
Correct answer: A flashover or rapid fire growth is imminent
Dark, turbulent, thick smoke indicates incomplete combustion and high heat buildup, which are warning signs of impending flashover.
Question 7: Which nozzle pattern provides the best protection for a firefighter advancing into a burning structure?
- Straight stream
- Narrow fog
- Wide-angle fog (60–90°) (Correct answer)
- Broken stream
Correct answer: Wide-angle fog (60–90°)
A wide-angle fog pattern creates a water shield that absorbs radiant heat and provides protection while advancing.
DPSST Fire Safety 2
What is the minimum safe distance a firefighter should maintain from a propane tank involved in a fire to avoid a BLEVE?