S-130 Safety Protocols & Tactical Operations 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When approaching a wildland fire for initial attack, crews should position themselves on which side of the fire for maximum safety?
- Directly ahead of the fire's main head
- On the flanks or heel of the fire, never ahead of the head (Correct answer)
- Uphill from the fire's point of origin
- On the side with the densest fuels to slow spread
Correct answer: On the flanks or heel of the fire, never ahead of the head
Initial attack is safest from the flanks or heel of the fire; working ahead of the fire's head puts crews in the direct path of the most rapid and intense spread.
Question 2: Which radio protocol is required when a firefighter needs to make an emergency transmission during suppression operations?
- Announce the crew's location on any available channel
- State 'MAYDAY' clearly, identify yourself, and give your location and situation (Correct answer)
- Wait for a clear channel before transmitting
- Use the incident command channel exclusively and request a relay
Correct answer: State 'MAYDAY' clearly, identify yourself, and give your location and situation
The emergency radio protocol requires clearly stating MAYDAY, identifying yourself, and providing location and nature of the emergency to ensure rapid response.
Question 3: When conducting a firing operation during backfire or burnout, what must be confirmed before ignition begins?
- Fuel moisture content is above 15%
- Aerial resources are in a holding pattern
- LCES is established and all personnel are accounted for (Correct answer)
- Night operations have concluded and daylight is available
Correct answer: LCES is established and all personnel are accounted for
Before any ignition operation begins, LCES must be fully established and all crew members must be confirmed in safe positions.
Question 4: A burnout operation differs from a backfire primarily in:
- The type of ignition device used
- Its scale — burnouts are tactical and local; backfires are large-scale strategic operations requiring higher authorization (Correct answer)
- The direction of fire spread relative to wind
- The fuel types targeted for consumption
Correct answer: Its scale — burnouts are tactical and local; backfires are large-scale strategic operations requiring higher authorization
Burnouts remove fuels adjacent to a control line and are tactical; backfires are large strategic operations set at a distance to stop fire advance and require higher-level authorization.
Question 5: What does the term 'anchor point' mean in fireline construction?
- The location where crews rest and refuel during a shift
- A secure starting point, often a natural or constructed barrier, from which to build a fire line (Correct answer)
- The spot where the incident command post is established
- The point where two crews' fire lines converge
Correct answer: A secure starting point, often a natural or constructed barrier, from which to build a fire line
An anchor point is a secure starting location — such as a road, river, or burned area — that prevents the fire from flanking around the end of the constructed line.
Question 6: Which personal protective equipment (PPE) is mandatory for all wildland firefighters during suppression operations?
- Hard hat, Nomex shirt and pants, leather boots, gloves, and eye protection (Correct answer)
- Full structural turnout gear with SCBA
- Nomex shirt, cotton pants, and safety goggles
- Hard hat and leather boots only; other gear is situational
Correct answer: Hard hat, Nomex shirt and pants, leather boots, gloves, and eye protection
All wildland firefighters must wear a hard hat, flame-resistant Nomex clothing, leather boots at least 8 inches high, gloves, and eye protection during suppression operations.
Question 7: What is the purpose of the 'two-way communications' element within LCES?
- To allow crews to order additional resources without leaving the line
- To ensure lookouts can warn crews and crews can confirm receipt of warnings (Correct answer)
- To coordinate meal and rest schedules across the division
- To provide live weather updates from the National Weather Service
Correct answer: To ensure lookouts can warn crews and crews can confirm receipt of warnings
Two-way communications within LCES ensures that warnings from lookouts are transmitted AND acknowledged, closing the loop so no crew member is left uninformed of a hazard.
S-130 Safety Protocols & Tactical Operations 4
When approaching a wildland fire for initial attack, crews should position themselves on which side of the fire for maximum safety?