NFPA 1003 ARFF flashcards
NFPA 1003 ARFF · Build recall with a focused review session.
32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Airport movement area
- Runways, taxiways, and aprons where aircraft operate; ARFF drivers must know markings, lighting, holding positions, and access routes to reach incidents without runway incursion.
- ARFF response time standard
- NFPA 403 benchmark: the first ARFF vehicle reaches the runway threshold within 3 minutes and any other point on the airport within 4 minutes from alarm.
- Local standby alert
- Airport emergency alert for an aircraft with a known difficulty but no accident; ARFF and designated agencies staff positions and prepare for possible full emergency.
- Mayday versus Pan-Pan
- Mayday signals distress or imminent danger requiring immediate assistance; Pan-Pan signals urgency without immediate danger; both are spoken three times on the radio.
- Jet A flash point
- Jet A and Jet A-1 kerosene fuels have flash points above 38 C (100 F); they do not readily ignite at ambient temperature but produce flammable vapors when heated or misted.
- Composite aircraft hazard
- Carbon and glass fiber structures can splinter, conduct electricity, and release toxic smoke; damaged fibers can penetrate skin and contaminate wounds, so use PPE and decontaminate.
- Overwing emergency exit
- A cabin exit located above the wing that leads to an escape slide or wing surface; it is a primary rescue entry point when doors are blocked or jammed.
- Hydraulic fluid Skydrol
- Phosphate-ester hydraulic fluid used in aircraft; it can cause skin and eye burns, produces irritating smoke, and its mist can ignite at high temperature.
- Bumper turret
- A foam and water nozzle mounted at the front of an ARFF vehicle; it allows pump-and-roll attack and initial knockdown while the apparatus remains mobile.
- Balanced-pressure proportioning
- A foam proportioning system that balances foam concentrate pressure with water pressure to inject the correct percentage across varying flows; it requires calibration and maintenance.
- Dry chemical system
- An ARFF apparatus system using nitrogen-pressurized sodium bicarbonate or PKP powder; it knocks down three-dimensional fires but does not cool or blanket fuel spills.
- Pump-and-roll
- Driving an ARFF vehicle while pumping from its turret or bumper nozzle; it enables moving attack and repositioning but limits available flow and requires a clear escape route.
- AFFF 3 percent
- Aqueous film-forming foam concentrate mixed with 97 percent water; it forms a film over hydrocarbon fuel, suppresses vapor, and is common in ARFF vehicle and fixed systems.
- Foam application rate
- The flow of foam solution per area of fuel fire, typically 0.10 gpm/ft2 for hydrocarbon fires per NFPA 403; insufficient rate allows fire to burn through the foam blanket.
- Foam expansion ratio
- The ratio of finished foam volume to foam solution volume; low expansion is below 20:1, medium is 20-200:1, and high expansion exceeds 200:1; ARFF uses low expansion.
- Rain-down technique
- Applying foam from above and outside a three-dimensional fire so it falls gently onto the burning area; it avoids plunging the stream and disturbing the foam blanket.
- Rescue priority order
- Stabilize the aircraft, control fire, gain entry, extricate survivors, triage and treat, then transport; rescuing occupants takes priority when survivable space exists.
- Overwing hatch entry
- A rescue entry through an overwing emergency exit; remove the hatch, manage the escape slide, and protect survivors from wing surfaces and fuel spills.
- START triage
- Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment sorts survivors by respiration, perfusion, and mental status into immediate, delayed, minor, and expectant categories to prioritize transport.
- Escape slide hazard
- An inflatable slide deployed from an aircraft door; it inflates automatically, can re-inflate, and becomes hot or slippery; keep the slide path clear and assist survivors down.
- Rescue-first tactic
- Committing a protected handline and rescue team to reach survivable space before full extinguishment; it requires a foam blanket or fire control to protect rescuers and occupants.
- Offensive fire attack
- Direct foam and water onto the fire and fuel spill to extinguish and cool; use a turret for initial knockdown, then handlines for close-in operations while maintaining a foam blanket.
- Defensive fire attack
- A tactic used when the aircraft is fully involved or collapse is imminent; protect exposures, cool from outside, and avoid committing personnel inside the wreckage.
- Three-dimensional fire
- Fire involving pressurized fuel, running fuel, or engine and APU components; use dry chemical for knockdown and foam or water to cool and secure the source.
- Airport Emergency Plan
- A written plan required by NFPA 424 and ICAO Annex 14 that assigns roles, alert levels, communications, command, mutual aid, and response procedures for airport emergencies.
- Unified Command
- An ICS structure in which agencies with jurisdictional or functional responsibility jointly set objectives and tactics; ARFF, law enforcement, EMS, and airport operations may co-command.
- Full emergency alert
- An airport alert for an aircraft with a potential accident, such as landing gear failure or engine fire; it activates the full emergency response and positions ARFF units.
- Plain-language radio
- Using clear, everyday words instead of codes on emergency radio; identify unit, location, action, and need so all agencies can understand and coordinate.
- ARFF proximity suit
- A reflective heat-resistant suit worn for radiant heat protection near aircraft fires; it is not designed for direct flame entry or prolonged contact with burning fuel.
- Rehab and heat stress
- ARFF gear increases heat load; rotate crews, provide hydration, cooling, and rest, and monitor mental status and vital signs per NFPA 1584 rehabilitation guidelines.
- Lithium battery fire
- Aircraft lithium-ion battery fire can undergo thermal runaway; water or special agent is used for cooling and extinguishment, and Halon may not stop the reaction.
- Tire explosion zone
- The danger area beside an aircraft wheel; approach tires from fore or aft, not from the side, because a ruptured tire or brake can explode laterally with lethal force.