Fire Safety and First Aid
This domain tests the physics of fire, the correct extinguisher for each class, evacuation behaviour, and basic life support a supervisor may need to direct before help arrives.
Fire basics
Fire needs fuel, heat and oxygen; removing any one stops it. Classes: A solids (wood, paper), B flammable liquids, C gases, D metals, F cooking oils and fats (K in some standards). Electrical fires are treated by isolating the power first. Water conducts electricity and spreads burning oil, so it is wrong for B, F and live electrical fires. CO2 suits electrical equipment and flammable liquids; foam suits liquids; dry powder is a general-purpose compromise; wet chemical suits cooking oil.
Extinguisher and evacuation drill
Use PASS: Pull the pin, Aim at the base of the fire, Squeeze the handle, Sweep. Keep an exit behind you and withdraw if the fire grows. Evacuation logic is RACE: Remove people at risk, Alarm, Contain the fire by closing doors, Evacuate or Extinguish. Fire doors must never be wedged. Escape routes stay clear and unlocked from the inside.
First aid essentials
Check the scene is safe before approaching. Follow DRABC: Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing, Circulation. Unresponsive and not breathing normally: call for help, start CPR at 100-120 compressions per minute, 30 compressions to 2 breaths, and use an AED as soon as it arrives. Control severe bleeding with direct pressure. Cool burns with running water, never ice or butter. Place an unconscious breathing casualty in the recovery position. Obtain consent where possible, and always record and hand over.
Worked example
A chip pan ignites in the canteen. Water is the classic fatal error. Correct action: turn off the heat if safe, smother with a fire blanket or wet cloth, use a Class F extinguisher, evacuate and call the fire service.
Traps
Wrong extinguisher class; standing too close; re-entering a building; moving a casualty with a suspected spinal injury.