Chapter 6

Homework
Portable Fire Extinguishers
Section A: Key Term
Directions: Type the definition of the terms below on the yellow box provided.
1. Fire Extinguisher (p. 254)
Portable fire fighting device designed to combat incipient fires.
2. Extinguishing Agent (p. 254)
Any substance used for the purpose of controlling or extinguishing a fire

3. Class A Fire (p. 255)

Fires involving ordinary combustibles such as wood, paper, cloth, and similar materials

4. Dry Chemical (p. 255)

Any one of a number of powdery extinguishing agents used to extinguish fires

5. Class B Fire (p. 256)

Fires of flammable and combustible liquids and gases

6. Class C Fire (p. 256)

Fires involving energized electrical equipment.

7. Dry Powder (p.

Extinguishing agent suitable for use on combustible metal fires
8. Class K Fire (p. 258)
Fires in cooking appliances that involve combustible cooking media, such as vegetable or animal oils and
fats; commonly occurring in commercial cooking facilities such as restaurants and institutional kitchens.
(K is for KITCHEN)

9. Protective Coat (p. 190)

Coat worn during fire fighting, rescue, and extrication operations

10. Wet Chemical Systems (p. 258)

Extinguishing system that uses a wet chemical solution as the primary extinguishing agent; usually
installed in range hoods and associated ducting where grease may accumulate.

11. Saponification (p. 258)

Phenomenon that occurs when mixtures of alkaline based chemicals and certain cooking oils come into
contact, resulting in the formation of a soapy film

12. Smothering (p. 258)

Act of excluding oxygen from a fuel

13. Water Mist Stored-Pressure Extinguisher (p. 261)

Fire extinguisher capable of discharging atomized water through a special applicator; pressurized water
mist extinguishers use distilled water, whereas back-pump water mist extinguishers use ordinary water.

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14. Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) (p. 261)
Synthetic foam concentrate that, when combined with water, can form a complete vapor barrier over
fuel spills and fires and is a highly effective extinguishing and blanketing agent on hydrocarbon fuels.

15. Air-Aspirating Foam Nozzle (p. 262)

Foam nozzle designed to provide the aeration required to make the highest quality foam possible; most
effective appliance for the generation of low-expansion foam.

16. Halogenated Extinguishing Agents (p. 262)

Chemical compounds (halogenated hydrocarbons) that contain carbon plus one or more elements from
the halogen series. Halon 1301 and Halon 1211 are most commonly used as extinguishing agents for
Class B and Class C fires.

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Homework
Portable Fire Extinguishers
Section B: True/False
Directions: Type True or False on the blanks provided; if False, write the correct
statement on the lines provided.
1. Portable fire extinguishers are often suitable for more than one class of fire.
True (pg. 254)
2. Class C extinguishing agents are capable of conducting electricity.

False: the Class C extinguishers will not conduct electricity. (pg. 256)
3. A portable fire extinguisher should be used only for the fire type or types for which it is intended.
True (pg. 266)
4. Water and water-based agents cannot be used on a Class C fire until the electricity has been shut
off.
True (p.261 )
5. When using a Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) Extinguisher the operator should apply foam
directly on the fuel.
False: When using an Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) extinguisher the operator should not
apply foam directly on the fuel. (p. 262)
6. Clean agent extinguishers should not be used to extinguish fires in energized electrical equipment.
False: Clean agent extinguishers can be used to extinguish fires in energized electrical equipment. (p.
262)
7. Dry chemical agent application may result in a cloud of airborne particulate that may reduce
visibility and create respiratory problems.
True (p. 263)
8. Any dry powder extinguishing agent can be used on any combustible metal.
False: No single dry powder agent will control or extinguish fires in all combustible metals. (p. 264)
9. Dry powder extinguishing agent should be applied gently to avoid breaking the crust that may form
over burning metal.
True (p. 266)
10. When using a portable fire extinguisher, the operator should approach a fire from the leeward side.
False: Windward side. Approach the fire from upwind; that is, with the wind at your back. Once in
position to attack the fire, use the PASS application method. (p. 267)

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Portable Fire Extinguishers
Section C: Fill in the Blank
Direction: Type the correct answer on the blanks provided.
1. Portable fire extinguishers are identified in two ways: geometric shapes and pictographs (p. 254)
2. Class A and B extinguishers are classified with letter and numerical ratings. (p. 254)
3. Extinguisher ratings for Class A portable fire extinguishers are based primarily on the amount of
water and the duration and range of discharge used in extinguishing test fires. (p. 255)
4. Extinguisher ratings for Class B portable fire extinguishers are based on the approximate square foot
area of a flammable liquid fire that a nonexpert operator can extinguish using one full extinguisher.
(p. 256)
5. The use of water or water-based agents on Class D. fire will cause the fire to react violently, emit
bits of molten metal, and could injure nearby firefighters. (p. 257)
6. The finished foam of aqueous film foaming extinguishers floats on the surface of fuels that are
lighter than water. (p. 262)
7. A clean agent that does not harm the ozone layer and provides U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) approved alternative to Halons is Halotron. (p. 262)
8. When selecting a portable fire extinguisher for use in areas with sensitive computer equipment,
select clean agent or carbon dioxide extinguishers. (p. 266)
9. When using a portable fire extinguisher, ensure that there is a clear exit for immediate escape. (p.
268)
10. Empty extinguishers should be laid on their sides. (p. 268)

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Portable Fire Extinguishers
Section D: Picture Identification
Directions: Type the correct answers in yellow box provides
Fire Extinguisher: Identify the type of extinguisher in the yellow box provided.

1. Class A stored-pressure water 2. Stored pressure dry chemical (left) and

extinguisher (p. 260) cartridge operated dry chemical (right)
(p. 264)

3. CO2 (carbon dioxide) extinguisher p. 263)

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Portable Fire Extinguishers
Section E: Matching
Part I: Classes of Fire
Match the classification of fire with the correct description
Class C 1. Fires that involve energized electrical equipment. (p. 256)
Class A 2. Fire that involve ordinary combustibles such as textiles, paper, plastics,
rubber, and wood. (p. 255)
Class K 3. Fire that involve combustible cooking oils such as vegetable or animal fats.
(p. 258)
Class B 4. Fire that involve flammable and combustible liquids and gases. (p. 256)
Class D 5. Fire that involve combustible metals and alloys such as titanium, lithium, and
magnesium. (p. 256)
Part I: Extinguishing Agents
Match the classes of fire with the extinguishing agent description
Class D 1. Dry powder (p. 263)
Class B 2. Carbon dioxide, dry chemicals and the correct class of foam. (p. 256)
Class K 3. Wet chemical agents (p. 258)
Class A 4. Water, water-based agents and dry chemicals (p. 255)
Class C 5. Once power supply has been turned off or disconnected, firefighters can treat
the fire as a fire involving ordinary combustibles or flammable and
combustible liquids and gases. (p. 256)
Part III: Types of Portable Fire Extinguishers
Match the type of portable fire extinguisher with the correct description
Aqueous film 1. Useful in combating fires in or suppressing vapors from small liquid fuel spill.
forming foam (AFFF) (p. 261)
Water mist 2. Agent is deionized water and nozzles produce a fine spray. (p. 261)
stored-pressure
extinguishers
Carbon Dioxide 3. Available as handheld and wheeled units; most effective in extinguishing Class
B and Class C fires. (p. 262)
Clean Agent 4. Effectively cool and smother fires in Class A and B fuels; developed to replace
Halons. (p. 262)
Wet chemical 5. Contain a special potassium-based low-pH agent; intended for use on Class K
stored-pressure fires. (p. 261)
Pump-type water 6. Intended primarily for use on ground cover fires; operators usually wear
extinguishers on their backs. (p. 261)
Stored-Pressure 7. Useful for small Class A fires and extinguishing confined hotspots during

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water overhaul; tanks store water and compressed air or nitrogen. (p. 260)
Dry Chemical 8. For use on Class A-B-C fires and/or Class B-C fires; among the most common
extinguishers in use. (p. 263)
Dry Powder 9. For use on fires involving Class D combustible metals. (p. 264)

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Portable Fire Extinguishers

Section F: Multiple Choice

Directions: Type the correct answer in the yellow box provided.
1. Which combustible metal is often used in cameras and laptops and can be identified by bright white
emissions during the combustion process? (p. 257)
☐ A. Lithium
☐ B. Titanium
☐ C. Potassium
☒ D. Magnesium
2. Class K rated portable fire extinguishers work because of: (p. 258)
☐ A. cooling
☐ B. smothering
☒ C. saponification
☐ D. chemical flame inhibition
3. Fires involving lubricating oils and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) are classified as: (p. 256)
☐ A. Class A fires
☒ B. Class B fires
☐ C. Class C fires
☐ D. Class D fires
4. For which classification of fire do portable extinguisher ratings take into account the reactions
between the metal and the agent? (p. 257)
☐ A. Class A
☐ B. Class B
☐ C. Class C
☒ D. Class D
5. For which method of expelling portable extinguisher contents does the operator apply pressure to a
pump that increases the pressure within the container? (p. 260)
☒ A. Manual pump
☐ B. Stored pressure
☐ C. Pressure cartridge
☐ D. Semi-automatic pump
6. For which method of expelling portable extinguisher contents does compressed air or inert gas
within the container force agent out of a nozzle? (p. 260)
☐ A. Manual pump
☒ B. Stored pressure
☐ C. Pressure cartridge
☐ D. Semi-automatic pump

7. What is added to stored-pressure water extinguishers to increase their effectiveness on fires such as

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Portable Fire Extinguishers
deep-seated upholstered furniture fires? (p. 261)
☐ A. Wet Chemical agents
☐ B. Potassium bicardonate
☐ C. Class B foam concentrate
☒ D. Class A foam concentrate
8. Which portable fire extinguisher would be safe to use on energized electrical equipment? (p. 261)
☐ A. Stored-pressure water extinguishers
☒ B. Water mist stored-pressure extinguishers
☐ C. Wet chemical stored-pressure extinguishers
☐ D. Aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) extinguishers
9. Which portable fire extinguisher is most effective on static pools of flammable liquids? (p. 262)
☐ A. Stored-pressure water extinguishers
☐ B. Water mist stored-pressure extinguisher
☐ C. Wet chemical stored-pressure extinguishers
☒ D. Aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) extinguishers
10. Which portable fire extinguisher uses gas that displaces available oxygen and smothers the fire?
(p. 262)
☐ A. Clean agent extinguishers
☐ B. Dry powder extinguishers
☐ C. Dry chemical extinguishers
☒ D. Carbon dioxide extinguishers
11. Which portable fire extinguishers has a has gaseous discharge that usually forms dry ice crystals?
(p. 262)
☐ A. Clean agent extinguishers
☐ B. Dry powder extinguishers
☐ C. Dry chemical extinguishers
☒ D. Carbon Dioxide extinguishers
12. Which portable fire extinguisher is available in hand-held and wheeled units and has two basic
designs: cartridge-operated and stored-pressure? (p. 264)
☐ A. Clean agent extinguishers
☐ B. Dry powder extinguishers
☒ C. Dry chemical extinguishers
☐ D. Wet chemical extinguishers

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13. Which of the following is a commonly used dry chemical? (p. 263)
☐ A. Hydrofluoric acid
☒ B. Sodium bicarbonate
☐ C. Potassium hydroxide
☐ D. Monoammonium sulfoxide
14. Which type of extinguishing agent may need to be applied with a scoop or shovel? (p. 264)
☐ A. Clean agent
☒ B. Dry powder
☐ C. Dry chemical
☐ D. Carbon Dioxide
15. When using a portable fire extinguisher, apply the agent from a point where it reaches: (p. 266)
☒ A. but does not disturb the fuel surface
☐ B. and is able to disrupt the fuel surface
☐ C. and goes up and over the fuel surface by several feet
☐ D. an area that encircles the fire and contains a buffer of several feet

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Portable Fire Extinguishers
Section G: Short Answer
Directions: Type your answer in the yellow box provided.
1. Describe the four methods used to extinguish fires? (p. 258)
● Smothering — Excluding oxygen from burning process
● Cooling — Reducing burning material below its ignition temperature
● Chemical flame inhibition — Interrupting chemical chain reaction in burning process
● Saponification — Forming oxygen-excluding soapy foam surface
2. What is the difference between dry chemical extinguishers and dry powder extinguishers? (p. 263)
Dry chemical agents are for use on Class A-B-C fires
Dry powder extinguishers are only for use on Class D fires.
3. List four factors to consider when selecting the proper portable fire extinguisher. (p. 266)
● Classification of burning fuel
● Rating of extinguisher
● Hazards to protect
● Size, intensity of fire
● Atmospheric conditions
● Availability of trained personnel to operate extinguisher
● Ease of handling extinguisher
● Life hazard or operational concern
4. What items should be checked immediately before using a portable fire extinguisher? (p. 267)
● External condition — No apparent damage
● Hose/nozzle — In place
● Weight — Feels as though it contains agent
● Pressure gauge (if available) — Should register reading within operable range
5. Explain the PASS application method for portable fire extinguishers? (p. 267)
P — Pull pin
A — Aim nozzle at base of fire
S — Squeeze handles together to release short burst to test extinguisher, then squeeze
continuously to release agent
S — Sweep nozzle back and forth to cover burning material

Fire Fighter I Chapter 6 Homework