NFPA D/O Apparatus case studies
NFPA D/O Apparatus · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The NFPA Driver/Operator - Apparatus credential certifies that a firefighter can safely drive, operate, and maintain the fire apparatus a department assigns to them. It is built for personnel who have already completed basic firefighter training and are moving into the driver's seat - whether on an engine, a truck company, a tanker, or a specialized unit - and for the officers and training staff who supervise them. The NFPA D/O Apparatus case studies are 5 cases and about 3,627 words.
1Pump Discharge Pressure for a Second-Floor Attack Line
At 02:10 you are the operator on Engine 3, a 1,500 gpm single-stage pump, at a 2-story strip mall with fire in a second-floor unit. One attack line is deployed: 150 ft of 1¾-inch hose with a 15/16-inch smooth-bore tip at 50 psi nozzle pressure, flowing about 185 gpm.
715 words, about 4 min2Cavitation at a Pond Draft
At 11:40 you are operating Engine 12, a 1,250 gpm single-stage pump, drafting from a farm pond through 20 ft of 6-inch hard suction with a barrel strainer. The pond surface is 18 ft below the pump intake, the strainer is sitting in about 3 ft of water near the bank, and you are flowing two 2½-inch lines at 250 gpm each (500 gpm total).
706 words, about 4 min3Spotting the First Engine at a Garden Apartment with an FDC on the Charlie Side
You are the officer on Engine 4, first to arrive at a 3-story, 12-unit wood-frame garden apartment, 180 ft long. Fire is showing from a second-floor balcony on the Alpha side.
743 words, about 4 min4Aerial Setup on a Sloped Lot with a Sinking Pad
At 14:20, Quint 6 is the first aerial on scene at a 4-story, 48-ft office building with fire on the third floor, Charlie side. The only setup area is a parking lot on that side.
735 words, about 4 min5Brake Fade on a Loaded Tanker Descent
At 03:30 you are driving Tanker 9, a 2,000-gallon tanker with about 1,500 gallons on board (three-quarter full, baffled), grossing near 54,000 lb, on a 6 percent downgrade that runs 1.5 miles to a stop-sign intersection. The posted limit is 45 mph.
728 words, about 4 min