CPS Firefighter flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Main Idea

The central point the passage makes about its topic, usually stated in the opening or closing paragraph and supported by every other sentence in the text.

Supporting Detail

A specific fact, name, number, or example in a passage that answers who, what, when, where, or how; it proves the main idea rather than replacing it.

Valid Inference

A conclusion that follows necessarily from stated evidence plus ordinary reasoning; it is never contradicted by the passage and requires no outside facts.

EXCEPT Question

A question asking which option is not supported; three choices are backed by the passage, and the remaining unverified choice is the answer.

Pronoun Reference

The noun a pronoun replaces; locate the closest preceding noun that matches in number and gender and makes the sentence logically sensible.

Contrast Signal Words

Words such as however, although, but, and yet that announce a reversal of meaning; the author's important claim usually follows them.

Author's Tone

The writer's attitude toward the subject, revealed by word choice rather than topic alone; common labels include objective, critical, sympathetic, and urgent.

Percent Change Formula

Change divided by the original value, multiplied by 100; a 20 percent decrease followed by a 20 percent increase leaves 96 percent of the starting amount.

Rate Equation

Distance equals rate multiplied by time; rearranged, time equals distance divided by rate, and rate equals distance divided by time.

Weight of One Gallon

One gallon of water weighs about 8.34 pounds, and one cubic foot holds about 7.48 gallons, so a cubic foot weighs roughly 62.4 pounds.

Pressure Head Conversion

One pound per square inch of pressure supports a column of water about 2.31 feet high; multiply psi by 2.31 to obtain feet of head.

Friction Loss Formula

Friction loss equals C times Q squared times L, where Q is flow in hundreds of gallons per minute and L is hose length in hundreds of feet.

Order of Operations

Evaluate parentheses first, then exponents, then multiplication and division from left to right, then addition and subtraction from left to right.

First-Class Lever

A lever with the fulcrum between the effort and the load, such as a seesaw or crowbar; mechanical advantage may be greater or less than one.

Second-Class Lever

A lever with the load between the fulcrum and the effort, such as a wheelbarrow; the effort arm is always longer, so mechanical advantage exceeds one.

Third-Class Lever

A lever with the effort between the fulcrum and the load, such as a fishing rod or shovel; mechanical advantage is always less than one.

Lever Mechanical Advantage

The effort arm length divided by the load arm length; measure each arm from the fulcrum to the point where that particular force is applied.

Pulley Mechanical Advantage

A fixed pulley only redirects force and has an advantage of one; a movable pulley shares the load between two ropes, halving the effort required.

Meshed Gear Rotation

Two gears with teeth engaged turn in opposite directions; the larger gear rotates more slowly and delivers greater torque than the smaller gear.

Pressure Formula

Pressure equals force divided by area; applying the same force over a smaller area produces proportionally greater pressure, as with a narrow nozzle.

Scene Safety Priority

Before patient care or documentation, confirm the scene is safe, identify hazards, and request additional resources when risk exceeds your training and equipment.

Chain of Command

Report problems and information to your immediate supervisor; bypass the chain only when a safety or criminal matter requires higher authority immediately.

Conflict Resolution Sequence

Listen without interrupting, restate the other person's concern, ask what outcome they want, then propose a specific next step both parties accept.

Need-to-Know Rule

Personal or case information is shared only with people who require it to do their job; casual discussion with coworkers, family, or media is prohibited.

Reporting a Personal Error

State what happened, when it happened, and what you did about it, promptly and without blaming others; concealment converts a mistake into an integrity violation.

Confirming Ambiguous Order

Repeat the instruction back in your own words, ask about the specific part that is unclear, and get acknowledgement before starting the work.

Chunking

Grouping separate items into small meaningful clusters, such as three or four at a time, so more information fits within short-term memory.

Spaced Repetition

Reviewing material at increasing intervals, such as hours and then days, produces stronger long-term recall than one long study session.

Recency Effect

Items presented last are remembered better than middle items; deliberate review of final points protects against this natural pattern of forgetting.

Systematic Observation Sweep

Scanning in a fixed order, such as left to right and top to bottom, then foreground to background, so that no detail is skipped.

Number Pairing Technique

Grouping digits into pairs or triples when memorizing addresses, plates, or phone numbers, then rehearsing the grouped pattern aloud several times.

Verbatim Repeat-Back

Repeating an order exactly before acting forces attention to each detail and gives the speaker a chance to correct any mistake.