What are the four key attributes to reading smoke?
What are the four key attributes to reading smoke?
“Smoke” leaving a structure has four key attributes: volume, velocity (pressure), density, and color. A comparative analysis of these attributes can help the fire officer determine the size and location of the fire as well as the potential for a hostile fire event like flashover.
What does size-up mean in firefighting?
Size-up is defined in most fire service texts as the on-going evaluation of problems confronted within a fire situation. Size-up starts with the receipt of an alarm and continues until the fire is under control. This process is carried out many times and by many different individuals at each fire or emergency event.
What is the main purpose of sizing up the fire?
Every fire situation must be sized-up to determine the most effective way to attack and suppress the fire with the forces available and without jeopardizing the safety of crew or equipment.
When reading smoke the smoke density is an indication of what?
3. DENSITY indicates the color of smoke, the quality of burning, and the severity of the event. A. The thicker the smoke, the more likely a hostile spread event.
What do the different colors of smoke mean?
Thick, black smoke indicates heavy fuels that are not being fully consumed. At times, black smoke can be an indicator that a manmade material is burning such as tires, vehicles or a structure. As a general rule, the darker the smoke, the more volatile the fire is.
What is the first step in the fire size up process?
Size-up starts with the receipt of an alarm and continues until the fire is under control. This process is carried out many times and by many different individuals at each fire or emergency event. The responsibility of size-up initially lies with the first officer of the first unit or company that arrives on scene.
How do you size up a fire?
Size-up is defined in most fire service texts as the on going evaluation of problems confronted within a fire situation. Size-up starts with the receipt of an alarm and continues until the fire is under control. This process is carried out many times and by many different individuals at each fire or emergency event.
What does the Colour of smoke mean?
At times, black smoke can be an indicator that a manmade material is burning such as tires, vehicles or a structure. As a general rule, the darker the smoke, the more volatile the fire is. Grey smoke can indicate that the fire is slowing down and running out of materials to burn.
What is the color of smoke?
The color of the smoke depends on the material that is burning. Natural materials such as unfinished wood will change to tan or brown colored smoke, whereas plastics and painted surfaces appear to be grey in color. However, black smoke can appear grey when it is mixed with moisture from other heated materials.
What’s the correct size up for a fire?
They must convey a variety of information over the radio, essentially make sense out of an often chaotic scene and direct their crew and/or incoming crews the strategy that will be implemented to attack and extinguish the fire. We are taught in our basic fire school the correct 13 point size-up can be remembered as the acronym COAL WAS WEALTH.
How to search for current fire and smoke conditions?
Search for Current Fire and Smoke Conditions in a city, state or area. (e.g. “Seattle, WA”, “Washington”, “Smith River, CA”) Or search for conditions near your current location Local conditions are not available Either allow geolocation from your device or search for current conditions. Fire and Smoke Map Fire and Smoke Map
Why is it important to know how to read smoke?
Every Firefighter should know how to Read Smoke and recognize the warning signs of Hostile Fire Events. Proper Size-Up will not only assist with establishing a good Action Plan, but it can also save the lives of Firefighters.
What does volume of smoke tell you about a fire?
Smoke volume by itself tells very little about a fire, but it sets the stage for understanding the amount of fuels that are off-gassing within a given space. A hot, clean-burning fire will emit very little visible smoke; yet, a hot, fast-moving fire in an underventilated building will show a tremendous volume of smoke.