Fire Officer flashcards
Fire Officer · Build recall with a focused review session.
36 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Progressive discipline
- A stepwise disciplinary process moving from verbal counseling to written reprimand, suspension, demotion, and termination, with documented notice at each step.
- Just cause
- A seven-part test requiring notice, a reasonable rule, investigation, fair process, proof, equal treatment, and a penalty proportionate to the offense.
- FLSA 7(k) exemption
- A work-period rule allowing fire agencies to use a 7- to 28-day cycle for overtime calculation instead of the standard 40-hour workweek.
- Span of control
- The number of subordinates one supervisor can effectively direct; NIMS recommends 3 to 7, with 5 as optimal.
- Grievance procedure
- A contractual or policy process with defined steps and deadlines for an employee to challenge a management action.
- Performance improvement plan
- A documented, time-bound plan identifying deficiencies, measurable goals, support, and a review date, typically 30 to 90 days.
- Open meeting law
- A statute requiring public notice and access to government meetings, permitting closed sessions only for enumerated topics such as personnel or litigation.
- Public records request
- A formal demand for government records that must be answered within a statutory deadline, with only exempt material withheld.
- Public information officer
- The designated single point of contact who releases incident and agency information to media and the public.
- Mutual aid agreement
- A written interagency arrangement specifying resources, cost recovery, liability, and command authority during shared incidents.
- Community risk reduction
- A data-driven process that identifies local risks and directs prevention, education, and response resources to reduce them.
- Line-item budget
- A budget organized by object of expenditure such as salaries, supplies, and equipment, showing detailed spending categories.
- Capital budget
- The portion of a budget covering items with a useful life beyond one year, such as apparatus and stations.
- Standard operating procedure
- A mandatory written directive that prescribes required actions, distinguishing it from a guideline that permits field discretion.
- Single Audit threshold
- The federal expenditure level, currently $750,000 in a fiscal year, above which a recipient must obtain a Single Audit.
- Records retention schedule
- A legally authorized list specifying how long each record class must be kept before destruction.
- Fire cause classifications
- The categories used to classify a fire's cause: accidental, natural, incendiary, undetermined, and equipment failure.
- Area of origin
- The general location where a fire began, distinguished from the point of origin, which is the exact spot within that area.
- NFA fire flow formula
- An estimate of needed fire flow in gallons per minute equal to length times width divided by three for a fully involved single-story building.
- Notice of violation
- A written notice citing the code section, the deficiency, the required correction, and a compliance deadline.
- Chain of custody
- A documented record tracking who collected, handled, and stored evidence from collection through trial.
- Incident command system
- A standardized on-scene management structure using common terminology, span of control, and a single or unified command.
- Unified command
- An ICS structure in which multiple agencies with jurisdiction jointly set objectives and manage the incident together.
- Personnel accountability report
- A roll-call confirming the location and status of every assigned member, taken at benchmarks and whenever conditions change.
- Rapid intervention crew
- At least two members in full PPE with tools, standing by outside the hazard area to rescue trapped or lost firefighters.
- Risk management principle
- The rule that firefighters risk a lot to save a lot, risk little to save little, and risk nothing to save what is already lost.
- Two-in/two-out rule
- A requirement that at least two firefighters enter an IDLH atmosphere only when at least two others are outside ready to rescue.
- NFPA 1500
- The standard establishing minimum requirements for fire department occupational safety, health, and wellness programs.
- Rehabilitation interval
- The point at which rest, rehydration, and vital-sign monitoring begin, typically after 20 to 30 minutes of strenuous work or one SCBA cylinder.
- Gross decontamination
- On-scene removal of contaminants from skin and PPE, ideally within one hour, to reduce absorption of carcinogens.
- Smoke alarm placement
- Installation on every level, inside each bedroom, and outside sleeping areas, with monthly testing and replacement every 10 years.
- Home escape plan
- A documented plan with two ways out of every room, an outside meeting place, and drills practiced at least twice yearly.
- Situational leadership
- A model matching directing, coaching, supporting, or delegating style to a follower's competence and commitment level.
- Transformational leadership
- A leadership approach built on idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration.
- SMART goals
- Objectives that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound, used to set and evaluate performance targets.
- Delegation accountability
- The principle that a leader may delegate authority and tasks but retains ultimate accountability for the outcome.