FST Emergency Response Procedures & Safety Protocols 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which condition describes a backdraft event?
- Rapid fire growth caused by sudden fuel addition
- Explosive ignition when oxygen is introduced to an oxygen-depleted smoldering fire (Correct answer)
- Fire spreading horizontally across a ceiling layer of hot gases
- Sudden failure of a fire-rated assembly under thermal stress
Correct answer: Explosive ignition when oxygen is introduced to an oxygen-depleted smoldering fire
Backdraft occurs when oxygen is suddenly introduced — such as by opening a door — to a smoldering, oxygen-depleted fire, causing rapid explosive combustion.
Question 2: Under NFPA 72, audible fire alarm notification appliances in occupiable spaces must produce a sound level of at least how many dB above ambient noise?
- 5 dB
- 10 dB
- 15 dB (Correct answer)
- 20 dB
Correct answer: 15 dB
NFPA 72 requires audible notification appliances to produce a sound level at least 15 dB above the average ambient sound level to ensure occupants can hear the alarm.
Question 3: What is the correct method for controlling a flammable liquid (Class B) fire with a dry chemical extinguisher?
- Apply agent directly to the center of the flame
- Sweep the agent from side to side across the base of the fire (Correct answer)
- Apply agent from above in a downward arc
- Encircle the fire perimeter first, then move inward
Correct answer: Sweep the agent from side to side across the base of the fire
For Class B fires, the correct technique is to sweep the dry chemical agent from side to side at the base of the flames to knock down and smother the fire.
Question 4: An Area of Rescue Assistance (ARA) is required by the IBC primarily for:
- Storing emergency medical equipment
- Providing a safe waiting location for mobility-impaired occupants unable to use stairs (Correct answer)
- Housing backup fire alarm control panels
- Staging firefighter equipment during operations
Correct answer: Providing a safe waiting location for mobility-impaired occupants unable to use stairs
An Area of Rescue Assistance is a fire-rated space near a stairwell where mobility-impaired occupants can wait safely and communicate with emergency responders.
Question 5: Which protocol requires employers to maintain an accurate count of personnel after emergency evacuation?
- NFPA 1 Chapter 10
- OSHA 29 CFR 1910.38 Emergency Action Plan (Correct answer)
- IFC Section 401
- ANSI/ASSP Z15.1
Correct answer: OSHA 29 CFR 1910.38 Emergency Action Plan
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.38 requires emergency action plans to include procedures for accounting for all employees after evacuation is completed.
Question 6: What does the acronym IDLH stand for in hazardous atmosphere assessment?
- Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (Correct answer)
- Internal Detection Limit Hazard
- Incident Declared Life-threatening Hazard
- Integrated Dose Limit for Humans
Correct answer: Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health
IDLH — Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health — is the concentration of an airborne contaminant that poses an immediate threat to life or could impair escape.
Question 7: During a post-emergency building re-entry, who has the authority to authorize occupants to return to a building after a fire?
- The building owner or property manager
- The senior fire safety technician on duty
- The incident commander or authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) (Correct answer)
- The insurance carrier's loss control representative
Correct answer: The incident commander or authority having jurisdiction (AHJ)
Re-entry authorization rests with the incident commander or the AHJ, who must confirm the structure is safe and hazards have been mitigated before allowing occupants back.
FST Emergency Response Procedures & Safety Protocols 5
Which condition describes a backdraft event?