ERT ERT Fire Safety & Suppression 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What are the three elements of the fire triangle that must be present for combustion to occur?
- Fuel, oxygen, and heat (Correct answer)
- Fuel, nitrogen, and spark
- Carbon, oxygen, and pressure
- Hydrogen, oxygen, and ignition
Correct answer: Fuel, oxygen, and heat
The fire triangle requires fuel (combustible material), oxygen (oxidizer), and heat (energy source) — removing any one element will extinguish or prevent fire.
Question 2: Which class of fire involves ordinary combustible materials such as wood, paper, and cloth?
- Class A (Correct answer)
- Class B
- Class C
- Class D
Correct answer: Class A
Class A fires involve ordinary solid combustibles like wood, paper, cloth, and plastics, and are effectively extinguished with water or dry chemical agents.
Question 3: What type of fire extinguisher is most appropriate for a Class B (flammable liquid) fire?
- CO2 or dry chemical extinguisher (Correct answer)
- Water extinguisher
- Class D dry powder extinguisher
- Wet chemical extinguisher
Correct answer: CO2 or dry chemical extinguisher
CO2 and dry chemical extinguishers smother Class B fires by displacing oxygen or interrupting the chemical chain reaction without spreading the burning liquid.
Question 4: When using a portable fire extinguisher, what does the acronym PASS stand for?
- Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep (Correct answer)
- Point, Activate, Spray, Secure
- Pull, Aim, Spray, Stabilize
- Prepare, Aim, Squeeze, Spray
Correct answer: Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep
PASS (Pull the pin, Aim at the base, Squeeze the handle, Sweep side to side) is the standard operating procedure for portable fire extinguisher use.
Question 5: What is the FIRST action an ERT member should take upon discovering a fire in a building?
- Activate the nearest fire alarm pull station (Correct answer)
- Attempt to extinguish the fire immediately
- Evacuate all personnel without alarming others
- Contact the facility manager
Correct answer: Activate the nearest fire alarm pull station
Activating the fire alarm immediately alerts all building occupants and automatically notifies the fire department, ensuring rapid evacuation and emergency response.
Question 6: Which of the following best describes a 'flashover' in a structure fire?
- Simultaneous ignition of all combustible materials in a compartment (Correct answer)
- Rapid spread of flame across a liquid surface
- Backdraft caused by sudden oxygen introduction
- Ignition of fire gases at the ceiling layer
Correct answer: Simultaneous ignition of all combustible materials in a compartment
Flashover is the near-simultaneous ignition of all exposed combustible materials in a space when radiant heat raises them to their ignition temperature.
ERT ERT Fire Safety & Suppression 1
What are the three elements of the fire triangle that must be present for combustion to occur?