Building Construction Flashcards
7 cards from real Firefighter practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Building Construction flashcards as text
Which of the following is a warning sign of potential structural collapse that should prompt firefighters to withdraw from a building?
Answer: Bowing, bulging, or leaning of exterior walls
Bowing or bulging of exterior walls indicates the wall has lost structural integrity and may collapse onto firefighters operating in or around the building.
What is a 'pancake collapse'?
Answer: A collapse where multiple floors fail and stack horizontally on top of one another
A pancake collapse occurs when floors fail and fall flat, stacking on top of each other like pancakes, typically leaving very little survivable void space for occupants.
The 'two-in, two-out' rule established by OSHA 29 CFR 1910.134 and NFPA 1500 requires that:
Answer: Two firefighters working inside a hazardous atmosphere must have at least two firefighters outside ready and equipped to perform rescue
The two-in, two-out rule requires that when two or more firefighters operate in an immediately dangerous atmosphere, a minimum of two firefighters remain outside the hazard area, ready and equipped to rescue them.
Which type of structural collapse creates survivable triangular void spaces along the walls because a floor or roof sags in the middle?
Answer: V-shape collapse
In a V-shape collapse, a floor or roof fails in the middle and droops downward, creating triangular void spaces along both supporting walls where survivors are most likely to be found.
Bowstring truss roofs are considered particularly hazardous to firefighters because:
Answer: The metal connector plates and gusset plates weaken rapidly under heat, potentially causing sudden and total roof collapse
Bowstring trusses depend on metal connector plates that fail quickly under fire conditions, and when one connection fails the entire roof can collapse suddenly with virtually no warning.
What does a lean-to (A-frame) collapse create that is critical to search and rescue operations?
Answer: A survivable triangular void space along the supported wall where victims are likely to shelter
A lean-to collapse occurs when one end of a floor or roof falls while the other end remains supported, creating a triangular void space along the standing wall that is the primary search area for live victims.
When operating inside a building with unprotected lightweight steel bar joist construction during a fire, firefighters must recognize that:
Answer: Steel loses a significant portion of its structural strength when exposed to elevated temperatures, even without direct flame contact
Unprotected steel loses approximately 50% of its strength at around 1,100°F and can fail completely at temperatures routinely reached in structure fires, even without being directly in the flames.