LESSON 13

DEFINITIONS

Ammunition: A metal or other shell containing a fulminate, or containing a black or

smokeless powder, for the purpose of propelling projectiles; or black or
smokeless powdered packed for use as a propelling charge or for saluting
purposes.
Black Powder Gun (gun powder): Any explosive substance composed of sulphur,
charcoal and either sodium nitrate or potassium nitrate.
Blasting Cap: A cap, or detonator, with wires attached for exploding the same by means
of electricity.
Blasting powder: An explosive substance composed of sulphur, charcoal and sodium
nitrate, specially prepared for the purpose of blasting.

QUESTIONS

1. While acting as company commander, your company is first to respond to an alarm of

fire in a three story building occupied as follows:
First floors and basement by a retail drug firm; second and third floors, by living
apartments.
a. State all the hazards of life and property which exist under the above conditions.
b. If you were in command of this fire for 10 minutes, state fully just what you would
do and the order in which action should be taken, giving reasons for your
procedure.
2. a. Name four kinds of ladders used in fire fighting, and state uses to which each kind
may be put.
b. What is the effect of placing the foot of the ;ladder too far from the building? Too
near?
c. What size of ladder should be used to reached the roof of a five-story building, and
how far would you place the foot of the ladder from the wall of the building?

FALSE AND TRUE

(Is the statement False or true?)

3. T F—Locating the fires is never facilitated by means of ventilation.

4. T F—Incombustible walls with no unprotected openings minimize exposure hazard.
5. T F—Roofs or other coverings over vertical shafts cause the horizontal spread of fire.
6. T F—Drafts at fires are usually created by large volumes of heated air rising and cold
air rushing in to take its place.
7. T F—when two lines of hose of equal length are laid and siamesed, the friction loss is
reduced about 50%.
8. T F—A 2-inch water main supplies one-half as much water as does a 4-inch main.
9. T F—When three lines of hose of equal length are laid, the friction loss is increased
over a single line about 85%.
10. T F—Obstructed stairways constitute a life hazard.
11. T F—Protection is never afforded by the moving of material in buildings not involved
with fire.
12. T F—When a fire or explosion occurs in oil tanks the frame arresters do not allow the
fire to pass through the pipe.
13. T F—a proper mixture of dust and air must have an external source to ignite same to
cause an explosion.
14. T F—Flame arresters are devices which, when installed in pipe lines, do not permit
inflammable or explosives gases to pass through.
15. T F—Buildings used for the storage or manufacture of non-combustible material
never constitute a serious exposure hazard.
16. T F—The location of the water tower in the street is important to consider when it is
desired to work on fires in tall buildings.
17. T F—Such addition of water to sulphuric acid, if water is in great quantity, will cause
an explosion.
18. T F—A fire in the basement of a building can readily extend to the tenth floor without
at first involving intermediate floors.
19. T F—Fire shutters which can easily be closed y occupants of building are at all times
good protection.
20. T F—Fire permitted to reach the stage of mushrooming generally force themselves
into all openings at the top of the building.

COMPLETION STATEMENTS

21. The pressure created by water at rest is commonly known as ………pressure.

22. The name for malicious and willful setting of fires in……….
23. Of volume and pressure in the use of fire stream,…………...
24. The rate of change of position of a body is called………..
25. Change of position of a body (continual) is called ……………….
 ANSWERS TO LESSON 13

1. a. If the fire occurs at night, there is a severe hazard to life; life hazard would
be less if fire occurs in daytime, except insofar as possible generation of poisonous gases
is concerned. This hazard might be severe if the quantity of chemicals stored on the
premises is large. Possibility of explosion is present, but to a minor degree. Hazard to
property would include presence of highly inflammable liquids, such as alcohol, cleaning
fluids, oils, etc., commonly found in retail drug establishments. As noted above, there is
a possibility of explosion of vapors from chemicals which are exposed to fire.
b. Problem does not state at what time fire occurs, nor in what part of the
building it is burning upon the arrival of the company. It will therefore be assumed that
the worst condition has developed, namely, that the fire is discovered around midnight,
and that it has fully involved the basement of the building and is about to enter first floor
stair hall.
First, if there is any question whatsoever as to the ability of the apparatus
responding on the first alarm being able to cope with the fire, an additional alarm should
be transmitted without delay.
Assuming that the first alarm brings out three engine companies and two truck
companies, procedure during the first ten minutes would be as follows:
First engine company stretch in two lines to cover all vertical passages from the
basement to upper floors such as stairwells, dumbwaiter, etc.
First truck company sends two men to roof to open up over stairwell so that smoke
and gases may be removed there from. Balance of members of first truck company on
hand go through the building and get all tenants out. If there is any danger whatsoever of
persons jumping, ladders should be raised to windows to get these people to the street
safely, if they cannot be brought down by stairway.
Holding the fire to the basement, and ventilating the stairwell by opening windows
and doors on ground floor and opening will keep the stairway the roof up above stair
shaft, available for use by tenants of the building in getting to the ground.
In laying in lines of hose they should be kept to one side of passageway so as not to
obstruct egress of tenants.
Second engine company arriving would be ordered to stretch a line to rear of fire
building and to operate into basement through rear window, if such is provided. If not, a
cellar pipe should be put into play. This second company, when men are available should
stretch a second line to front of building also to operate into the basement from sidewalk
entrance, if possible. If not possible, then another cellar pipe should be put into operation
through the floor at the front of the basement.
These lines, however, would not be stretched in until all persons have reached the
street, or are sure of reaching it.
For ventilating the basement, openings would be cut in floor front and rear at
windows, if windows and doorways cannot provide satisfactory ventilation.
In the event that fire has reached the ground floor upon the arrival of the
department, then the first two lines in would kill the fire on the ground floor, one of the
lines going to the floor above while the other line holds the fire to the basement. In the
meantime, persons would have to be removed from the various floors by ladders, unless
the stairway was quickly made safe for them by killing fire therein and thoroughly
ventilating.
 2. (a) Four kinds of ladders employed in fire fighting are: Pompier or scaling
ladder; roof or hook ladder; ground ladder, single; ground ladder, extension. The scaling
ladder is used for reaching floors beyond the reach of the other ladder equipment of the
department and where fire escapes are not available. It is also used for mounting
obstructions in an emergency such as getting over high walls, etc. The scaling ladder is
sometimes employed for opening windows for ventilating, particularly where wire glass
is present. In this case, the scaling ladder is used from the floor below the fire floor, and
the hook of the ladder is driven into the windowpane, and pulled downward, ripping out
the glass.
The hook, or roof ladder, is used for operating on inclined or gable roofs. The
hooks are placed over the ridges and the ladder laid flat on the roof. In this manner a
secure point of operation is provided the men working thereon.
Ground ladder, single, is used for reaching the lower floors of a building.
The extension ladder is commonly employed for reaching the higher floors.
Extension ladders also are made in short lengths such as 16-foot extension, which are
sometimes used inside buildings as well as for reaching the lower floors of a building.
(b) The effect of placing the foot of a ladder too far from a building is to place the
ladder under a greater strain than is necessary. A ladder has its greatest strength when
vertical. While such position would be impractical in fire fighting operations, the nearer
a ladder is placed to vertical the greater will be its strength. If the foot of a ladder is
placed too near a building, the ladder becomes unstable, and may fall outward when men
begin to climb it. It also makes it much more difficult for the men to climb.
(c) Assuming the height of each story as 12 feet and assuming that a trussed
ladder is used, a 65-foot ladder would be required. This is the minimum size which could
be used, and it gives but two feet spare length to extend over the roof.
The foot of the ladder would be placed 15 feet from the building. This is found
by dividing the length of the ladder by 5, and adding 2 to the result so secured; 65 divided
by 5 is 13, plus 2 is 15 feet, the distance which the base of the ladder should be placed
from the building.

FALSE AND TRUE ANSWERS

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

ANSWERS TO COMPLETION STATEMENTS

21. ………………..static………………
22. ……………..arson (or incendiarism) ………………
23. ……………….pressure…………………….
24. …………..velocity…………………
25. …………….motion.