LESSON 24

DEFINITIONS

Apron: a covering of timber or metal to protect a surface against the action of water
flowing over it. In theaters, it is the portion of the stage floor which projects into
the auditorium.
Arc Lamp: An electric lamp in which the light is produced by an electric arc formed by
passing a current across the space between two carbons.
Asbestos Wood: Sheets of building material made of short fiber asbestos mixed with
cement.
Assured (or the Insured): The person mentioned in the insurance policy as the legal
owner or custodian of the property insured.

QUESTIONS

1. You answer an alarm of fire at 2 a.m. in a three story tenement house. Fire has gained
considerable headway. The roof of several buildings in the vicinity have ignited from
sparks. You are in charge for 15 minutes. State in detail your actions until the arrival
of a superior officer.
Also, review probable hazards to life in this type of building and include measures
to be taken to protect those in danger.
2. If a motor pumping engine (centrifugal) rated at 300 pounds pressure is hooked up in
tandem with a high pressure hydrant, delivering 300 pounds pressure to the pumper,
what would be the effect at the pumper outlet.
Would the pressure at the outlet be the same as the hydrant, or would it be
increased, and how much?
Would the discharge from the pumper be the same as from the hydrant or would it
be increased, and how much?
3. Are animal oils in any form susceptible to spontaneous ignition? Are animal oils
volatile?

FALSE AND TRUE

(Is the statement False or true?)

4. T F—Water is efficient in extinguishing fires of all kinds.

5. T F—It is not worth while to Siamese hose lines on very long stretches.
6. T F—During a fire in a sprinklered building it is desirable that the sprinklers be kept
supplied.
7. T F—No particular life hazard is involved in fighting fires involving baled fibers such
as jute, tow, cotton and paper.
8. T F—Saving of time is a non-essential feature in the transmission of fire alarm
signals.
9. T F—Factories are seldom located so that they will be exposed to danger of fire from
their neighbors.
10. T F—Foodstuffs subjected to smoke and heat have little value from the standpoint of
salvage.
11. T F—Location of ship fires is sometimes ascertained by the color of plates above the
water line.
12. T F—An explosion is the instantaneous burning of material, with the liberation of
heat and gases.
13. T F—Sprinkler systems in operation at a fire should be carefully watched by salvage
men to avoid unnecessary water damage.
14. T F—Officers are not required to ascertain whether or not their orders are clearly
understood by their men
15. T F—In laying out hose, the hose wagon should keep to the hydrant side of the
street.
16. T F—The first duty of the Fire Department officer in charge of a fire in a ship is to
get in touch with the Captain or 1st Mate of the ship.
17. T F—Foreign materials in the interior of the grinding machine can cause a dust
explosion.
18. T F—Centrifugal pumps have the ability to create a vacuum while positive
displacement pumps have not.
19. T F—A gallon of water is 12 inches wide, 12 inches high and 12 inches long.
20. T F—Ventilation is one of the greatest aids in extinguishing ship fires.
21. T F—There is a dust explosion hazard in connection with the following: feathers,
magnesium, zinc, grain, cork.
22. T F—Ventilating a building on fire sometimes appears to be the wrong thing to do.

COMPLETION STATEMENTS

23. The “burning point” of a material is that temperature at which it ………….

24. Carbon has a ………..”burning point” than wood.
25. Heat travels from point to point by one or more of the following three methods:
……..and …….., and ………….
26. Phosgene gas may be formed when the discharge of a ………….. extinguisher strikes
heated iron in a fire but not when the discharge of a ……… extinguisher strikes it.
 ANSWERS TO LESSON 24

1. Although the problem does not explicitly state such, it will assumed that at the
time fire is discovered the tenement house is well filled with occupants, at that they have
not been notified of the fire. Under this conditions the life hazard will be extreme. The
fire hazard will also be severe due to the exposure fires caused by embers. It will be
further assumed that I arrived with an engine company, and am followed by two other
engine companies and two ladder companies.
Assuming that I am the first officer to arrive, and roll in with my engine company
on a box alarm, my operations would be as follows: I would immediately order
transmission of second alarm.
Life hazard must receive first consideration. First engine company will therefore
stretch in two lines to the stairwell, and kill the fire around the stair-well if such is
possible. If the fire is originated in the basement, one of the lines will be assigned to
cover the door leading to the basement within the building.
First truck company ordered to send two men to the roof at once to ventilate by
opening up over stairwell, and removing hatch covers from roof.
Balance of ladder company go through the building and, by using stairways, if
such are available, get all tenants to the street.
If stairway cannot be used, then ladders will have to be placed front and rear in
attempt to get the people out of the building to safety.
In any case, ventilation and any prompt use of streams to hold the fire are
absolutely necessary.
If there are buildings either side of the fire building through which persons may
get from the upper floors of the tenement house, these means would be employed.
If necessary, in the operation of saving life, second due to engine company would
be ordered to stretch in line to operate at such point as conditions require.
If line is not immediately necessary in saving of life, this company would be
assigned to covering exposures to neighboring buildings, where roofs have already
ignited from embers.
In accomplishing this, a single line may stretched from pumper, and branched into
two small diameter lines with small nozzles for covering the neighboring roofs. Third
engine company would be placed in similar service.
Upon the arrival of additional apparatus, it would be assigned to operate on the
fire, and all efforts would be made to hold the fire from extending until the arrival of a
superior officer.
2. If a motor pumping engine (centrifugal) rated at 300 pounds pressure is
hooked up in tandem with a high pressure hydrant, delivering 300 pounds pressure to the
pumper, the pressure at the discharge outlet of the pumper would be somewhat less than
600 pounds assuming that the pumper was delivering an increase of pressure of 300
pounds to the water which is supplied to it by the hydrant. The difference between the
pressure at the pumper outlet and 600 pounds is due to the loss of pressure by friction of
the water when passing through the pumper. In answering examination questions it is
usually assumed that the pressure at the discharge outlet of the pumper will be equal to
the pressure created by the pump, plus the pressure of water delivered to it. In this case,
it would be assumed that the discharge pressure is 600 pounds.
 The discharge from the pumper under the above conditions would be the same as
that delivered by the hydrant, the only function of the pumper in this case being raise the
pressure. As a general rule, any pressure delivered to the pumper by the hydrant makes it
possible for the pumper to discharge more water at a moderate pressure. It is the power
of a gasoline motor which determines the performance of a pumper, and if the gasoline
motor is helped in its work by the pressure furnished by the hydrant, it can naturally
operate at a higher speed when under this pressure, thus increasing the discharge. Pumps
of rotary and piston types utilize less of the hydrant pressure.
3. Practically all animal oils used in commerce are susceptible to spontaneous
ignition. Among these might be mentioned tallow, ole oil, lard oil, neat’s-foot oil, red
oil, and fish oil.
None of them is volatile.
The normal flesh point of these oils centers around 500 degrees Fahr.

FALSE AND TRUE ANSWERS

4. F 11. T 18. F
5. F 12. T 19. F
6. T 13. T 20. T
7. F 14. F 21. T
8. F 15. T 22. T
9. F 16. T
10. T 17. T

ANSWERS TO COMPLETION STATEMENTS

23 ………….ignites.
24 …………..higher…………….
25. …………conduction ………..convection…………radiation……..
26. ………….carbon tetrachloride……….. soda and acid ………..