The A, B, C’s of Fire – bESTology Week 5

Published by rrfenton on February 20, 2017February 20, 2017

The A, B, C’s of Fire – bESTology Week 5

Water, water everywhere is no longer true in the fire suppression industry. Just as technology evolves, so does the response to fires. Whether you are a first responder to a kitchen fire, forest fire or an industrial fire, it’s important to know your A, B, C’s!

Fires are not all the same. Different fuels create different situations, requiring different types of responses. Keeping in mind the sides of the “fire triangle” – oxygen, heat and fuel – coupled with a chemical reaction, first responders are always on the lookout of how to remove or extinguish one or more of the sides of the triangle to suppress extreme danger – with or without water.

We have a lot to learn for Crossfire 2017. Let’s do this!

Resources

Types of Fires – Fire Equipment Manufacturer’s Association
Types of Fire Extinguishers – Fire Equipment Manufacturer’s Association
Fire Class – Wikipedia
The Fire Triangle – 2 videos
The Classes of Fire – video
Dry Chemical Suppression – Wikipedia
Gaseous Fire Suppression – Wikipedia
Halon Gas Suppression
3M Gas Flooding
Fire Suppression Systems – videos

Firestorm of Brainstorming

With a partner, research the newest and innovative industrial fire suppression systems. Brainstorm and discuss how CAD, sensors, math, engineering design and technical writing are involved with the installation and activation of each. Include Sapphire, Halon, dry chemical and foam systems in your discussion. Select the system(s) that would be beneficial for industries in your community.

Fire and Rescue Journal

Sketch ten (10) triangles in your journal. Label each with a specific type of fire, i.e., kitchen (grease), car (gasoline), battery. Identify the source for each side of your triangle and determine the “class” of fire. Decide the easiest, quickest and safest way to suppress each fire.

BEST Connection

Are you on FIRE to design a BEST game? Design a game involving four of the following game facets:

Three specific types of fires that can rotate between rounds
Three types of fire suppression systems
Three points of entry for a robot into a building (various degrees of complexity)
One drone equipped with a camera
Smoke (fog) simulating a fire
Requirement of non-verbal communication between driver and spotter due to limited visibility (smoke/fog)
Heat sensors on robot and a heat element on field
Smoke alarm
Search and rescue component
Ladder

Document your ideas and share with your local BEST hub director. Persuade him/her to develop future games for BEST – using your ingenuity and ideas!

Community Connection

Plan a field trip to a local fire protection company. Discover how they:

Select the appropriate suppression system for a customer
Use CAD in designing a system
Adhere to local, state and federal regulations
Incorporate sensors into a suppression system
Market their product in the community
Write their technical documents
Use math in their design work
Repair or provide maintenance on their systems
Troubleshoot problems
Recruit future employees

Using the knowledge gained from the visit, explore the possibilities of a career in the fire protection industry.

Hot Topic in the News this Week: Hyperbaric chambers have been touted for their healing and restorative powers, but a proliferation of the devices has experts concerned about the potential fire hazard. READ MORE – CLICK HERE.

A Burning Question for a Firefighter: After a foam suppression system engagement, what type of cleanup is required afterwards, if any?

(We encourage teams to contact a fire fighter or visit a fire station and ask this question. Record the answer in your journal)

Bloom’s Taxonomy: brainstorm, decide, discover, design, discuss, document, explore, identify, include, label, persuade, plan, research, select, share, sketch, use, write

Workforce Skills: reading comprehension, active listening, critical thinking, active learning. Coordination, writing, systems analysis, persuasion, complex problem solving, mathematics, equipment selection, installation, operation analysis, systems evaluation, science, technology design

While the information contained in this website has been compiled from sources believed to be current and reliable, Friends of BEST in Alabama, Inc. (FBA) cannot be held responsible for any errors, omissions or content changes. Links made from this website are to reputable organizations at the time of posting. However, FBA cannot be held responsible for content on such linked websites. The existence of such links does not represent an endorsement by FBA of any views expressed or products or services offered.

The A, B, C’s of Fire – bESTology Week 5