NFPA Firefighter II flashcards

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

Mayday

Radio distress signal used when a firefighter is lost, trapped, out of air, or unconscious; it takes priority over all other radio traffic and requires the channel to be cleared.

LUNAR report

Standard content for a Mayday message: Location, Unit, Name, Air remaining, and Resources needed; it gives the incident commander the information required to direct rescue efforts.

Personnel accountability report

A roll call confirming the status of every member assigned to an incident; it is completed at benchmarks, after an evacuation, and whenever the incident commander requests it.

Two-in/two-out

OSHA rule requiring two trained and equipped firefighters outside to monitor and rescue the two members who enter an IDLH atmosphere for interior structural firefighting.

Rehab return-to-duty rule

Under NFPA 1584, a member whose heart rate stays above 100 beats per minute after 20 minutes in rehabilitation should not be returned to fireground duties.

SCBA 50 percent rule

Air management practice in which the firefighter begins to exit when the gauge shows half the cylinder capacity remaining, so the low-air alarm never sounds inside the hazard zone.

Emergency evacuation signal

Audible signal of three cycles of three seconds on and three seconds off; when sounded, all members exit the structure and report to supervisors for a personnel accountability report.

CAN report

A concise progress report containing Conditions, Actions, and Needs; unit leaders use it to keep the incident commander informed of the situation and required resources.

Emergency traffic

Phrase used on the fireground to interrupt routine radio traffic so a priority message can be transmitted; the incident commander acknowledges and holds all other transmissions.

NFPA 1221

Standard on public emergency services communication systems; it sets benchmark times, including answering 95 percent of emergency calls within 15 seconds.

Plain language radio

NIMS requirement that fireground messages use clear text instead of ten-codes, so responders from different agencies understand one another on multijurisdiction incidents.

Arrival report

First radio message from the first-arriving unit, describing what is showing, announcing the actions being taken, and stating who is establishing command.

Emergency alert button

Orange button on a portable radio that transmits an emergency tone and identifies the user to the communications center when the firefighter cannot speak.

NFA fire flow formula

Needed fire flow in gallons per minute equals length times width times the number of stories involved, divided by three; used to estimate water required for a building fire.

Reading smoke

Size-up method that evaluates smoke by volume, velocity, density, and color; fast, dense, dark smoke with high velocity indicates high heat and possible flashover conditions.

Type V construction

Wood-frame construction in which structural members are wholly or partly of wood; common in residential occupancies and prone to rapid fire spread through concealed spaces.

Nozzle pressures

Standard nozzle pressures are 50 psi for smooth-bore handline nozzles and 100 psi for combination fog nozzles, unless the manufacturer specifies a different operating pressure.

Primary search

Rapid, systematic search of the fire area for victims, conducted by crews with a charged hoseline or a designated search rope, usually before the fire is knocked down.

Overhaul evidence preservation

After fire control, firefighters open concealed spaces to find hidden fire while avoiding disturbance of the area of origin and any evidence, which is left for the investigator.

Utility control

Shutting off gas at the meter and electricity at the main breaker to limit fire spread and firefighter hazards; the incident commander decides when utilities are secured.

Cribbing stack rule

Cribbing stacks should not be higher than twice the width of their base; this two-to-one rule keeps the stack stable when lifting or stabilizing vehicles and structural members.

Vehicle stabilization order

Extrication sequence of stabilizing the vehicle on all four sides with chocks and cribbing before managing glass and disentangling the patient with hydraulic rescue tools.

Confined space oxygen range

Atmospheric testing of a permit-required confined space starts with oxygen; entry requires oxygen between 19.5 and 23.5 percent, flammables below 10 percent LEL, and acceptable toxics.

Reach-throw-row-go

Water rescue priority sequence: first reach with an object, then throw a flotation device, then row a boat, and go into the water only as a trained, equipped rescuer.

RIC/FAST

Rapid intervention crew staged outside the hazard zone with a charged hoseline, hand tools, thermal imager, rope, and ladders, ready to rescue trapped or lost firefighters.

Ladder rescue placement

Ground ladders are set at a 75-degree angle; the tip goes three to five rungs above the roof for roof access and level with the sill for a window rescue.

Fire cause classifications

NFPA categories for fire cause are accidental, natural, incendiary, and undetermined; firefighters report observations but do not make an official cause determination.

V-pattern

Fire pattern that spreads upward and outward from a point of origin, forming a V shape; the base of the V indicates where the fire started.

Extinguisher classes

A for ordinary combustibles, B for flammable liquids, C for energized electrical equipment, D for combustible metals, and K for commercial cooking oils and fats.

Class A extinguisher distance

NFPA 10 requires a Class A portable extinguisher within 75 feet of travel for occupants; Class B extinguishers are limited to 50 feet of travel.

Preincident plan elements

Preincident survey content includes occupancy and construction, access, water supply, utilities, special hazards, built-in fire protection, and emergency contact information for the building.

Hydrant color coding

NFPA 291 marking: blue for 1,500 gpm or more, green for 1,000 to 1,499 gpm, orange for 500 to 999 gpm, and red for less than 500 gpm.