FIRE GUARD CERTIFICATION F-03 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
When and where are place of assembly safety personnel required? - answer- At least 1 fireguard wherever 75 or more people are going to be gathered indoors or 200 or more gathered outdoors (also dependent on Certificate of Occupancy restrictions)
What type of fires are portable fire extinguishers used for? - answer- Portable fire extinguishers are important in preventing a small fire from growing into a catastrophic fire, however, they are not intended to fight large or spreading fires.
What to do regarding fires that have spread - answer- By the time the fire has spread, fire extinguishers, even if used properly, will not be adequate to extinguish the fire. Such
fires should be extinguished by the building fire extinguishing systems or trained firefighters only.
P.A.S.S. - answer- Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep
Class A fire - answer- Caused by ordinary combustible materials (such as wood, paper, and cloth). To extinguish a Class A fire, these extinguishers utilize either the heat absorbing effects of water or the coating effects of certain dry chemicals
Class B fire - answer- Caused by flammable or combustible liquids and gases such as oil, gasoline, etc. To extinguish a Class B fire, the blanketing-smothering effect of oxygen-excluding media such as CO2, dry chemical or foam is most effective.
Class C fire - answer- Involve electrical equipment. These fires must be fought with fire extinguishers that do not conduct electricity. Foam and water type extinguishers must not be used to extinguish electrical fires. After shutting off the electrical equipment, extinguishers for Class A or B fires may be used.
Class D fire - answer- Caused by ignitable metals, such as magnesium, titanium, and metallic sodium, or metals that are combustible under certain conditions, such as calcium, zinc, and aluminum. Generally, water should not be used to extinguish these fires.
Class K fires - answer- Fires that involve vegetable oils, animal oils, or fats in cooking appliances. This is for commercial kitchens, including those found in restaurants, cafeterias, and caterers.
A multi-purpose dry chemical fire extinguisher may be used to extinguish multi- classes fires - answer- Symbols on fire extinguishers - answer- The symbol with the shaded background and the slash indicates when the extinguisher must not be used.
How often should fire extinguishers be checked? - answer- Monthly
The owner of the business is responsible to select a person to do a monthly inspection. This monthly inspection is called a "quick check".
What is involved in a fire extinguisher "quick check"? - answer- (1) the fire extinguisher is fully charged
(2) it is in its designated place
(3) it has not been actuated or tampered with
(4) there is no obvious or physical damage or condition to prevent its operation.
The information of the monthly inspection record must include: - answer- the date of the inspection, the name/initials of the person who did the inspection
Annual inspection of fire extinguishers - answer- At least annually all Portable Fire Extinguishers must be checked by a W-96 Certificate of Fitness holder from FDNY approved company. After each annual inspection W-96 COF holder will replace the PFE
tag. The information of the annual inspection record must be indicated on the new PFE tag.
PFE tag - answer- Portable Fire Extinguisher Tag, required starting 2018
PFE tag hologram strip dimensions - answer- A real hologram strip is 3 inches long by 1⁄4 inch wide. Counterfeit tags will NOT have a high quality silver hologram. The hologram on a counterfeit tag will NOT change color as it is moved against the light.
Examples of public gatherings that may need place of assembly safety personnel - answer- Cabarets, indoor skating rinks, bowling alleys, museums, dance halls, movie theaters, tv studios admitting an audience, sports arenas, circuses, stadiums, performing arts theaters, passenger terminals, etc.
Another example of a place that may need place of assembly safety personnel - answer- Any event that needs a TPA; festivals, outdoor concerts, etc.
TPA - answer- Temporary Place of Assembly Permit
How many place of assembly safety personnel will be required? - answer- Refer to your facility's fire safety and evacuation plan, the Fire Code, or Fire Department rules/policies. For temporary place of assembly situations, refer to TPA permit