Fire Alarms & Communication Intermediate SFFMA Objectives: 16-02.01 – 16-02.04 2Hrs received

SFFMA Objectives 16-02.01 Trainee shall identify areas assigned for first-alarm response. 16-02.02 Trainee shall demonstrate both mobile and portable radio equipment. 16-02.03 Trainee shall identify supervisory alarm equipment provided in the fire station and the prescribed action to be taken upon receipt of designated signals. 16-02.04 Trainee shall identify fire location indicators provided to direct firefighters to specific locations in protected public or private properties.

Guidelines for Radio Communications Use plain English or clear text without codes of any kind Clear text — Standardized set of fire-specific words and phrases, often used in the wildland fire community Use a moderate rate of speaking (Continued) Firefighter II

Guidelines for Radio Communications Use a moderate amount of expression in speech Use a vocal quality that is not too strong or weak Keep things such as gum and candy out of the mouth (Continued) Firefighter II

Guidelines for Radio Communications Be concise and to the point Think about what should be said before keying the microphone (Continued) Firefighter II

DISCUSSION QUESTION What is the guiding principle in emergency services radio communications? Firefighter II

Guidelines for Radio Communications Everyone on the fireground should follow two basic rules Units must identify themselves in every transmission The receiver must acknowledge every message (Continued) Firefighter II

Guidelines for Radio Communications Do not transmit until the frequency is clear Any unit working at an emergency scene has priority over routine transmissions Do not use profane or obscene language on the air (Continued) Firefighter II

Guidelines for Radio Communications All radio frequencies are monitored Hold the radio/microphone 1 to 2 inches (25 mm to 50 mm) from the mouth (Continued) Firefighter II

Guidelines for Radio Communications On the emergency scene Avoid laying the microphone on the seat of the vehicle Do not touch the antenna when transmitting Firefighter II

Arrival Reports Also called a report on conditions or situation report Establish a time of arrival and inform other responding units of what actions might be needed (Continued) Firefighter II

Arrival Reports Format Situation found Action(s) taken/actions to be taken Command status (Continued) Firefighter II

Arrival Reports Some situations require more detail Address, if other than the one initially reported Building and occupancy description Nature and extent of fire or other emergency Attack mode selected (Continued) Firefighter II

Arrival Reports Some situations require more detail (cont.) Rescue and exposure problems Instructions to other responding units Location of Incident Command position Establishing Command Water supply situation Firefighter II

Progress Reports Used to keep the communications center continually advised Firefighter II

Progress Report Items Transfer of Command Change in command post location Progress (or lack of) toward incident stabilization Direction of fire spread (Continued) Firefighter II

Progress Report Items Exposures by direction, height, occupancy, and distance Any problems or needs Anticipated actions Firefighter II

Tactical Channels Most often used for large incidents Small routine incidents usually do not require a tactical channel In many departments, units are initially dispatched on the primary dispatch channel (Continued) Firefighter II

Tactical Channels Upon arrival on the scene, units may switch to an assigned tactical channel Firefighter II

Tactical Channels: Telecommunicator Roles Assign a tactical frequency Ensure additional responding units are aware of the assigned tactical channel Notify other agencies and services of the incident and the need for them to respond Provide updated information Firefighter II

Calls for Additional Resources Normally, only the Incident Commander may strike multiple alarms or order additional resources Know local procedure for requesting additional resources Be familiar with alarm signals (Continued) Firefighter II

Calls for Additional Resources When multiple alarms are struck, a radio-equipped mobile communications vehicle can be used to reduce the load on the communications center (Continued) Firefighter II

Calls for Additional Resources Firefighters must be able to communicate the need for team assistance Firefighter II

Emergency Radio Traffic Person transmitting the message should make the urgency clear Telecommunicator should give an attention tone, advise all other units to stand by, and then advise the caller to proceed (Continued) Firefighter II

Emergency Radio Traffic After the emergency communication is complete, telecommunicator notifies all units to resume normal or routine radio traffic Firefighter II

Evacuation Signals Used when the IC decides that all firefighters should immediately withdraw All firefighters should be familiar with their department’s method of sounding an evacuation signal (Continued) Firefighter II

Evacuation Signals Radio broadcast Similar to emergency traffic broadcast Message is broadcast several times (Continued) Firefighter II

Evacuation Signals Audible warning devices Will work outside small structures May not be heard by everyone Can be confused with those being used by units arriving at the scene Firefighter II

Personnel Accountability Report (PAR) A systematic way of confirming the status of any unit operating at an incident When requested, every supervisor must verify the status of those under his or her command (Continued) Firefighter II

Personnel Accountability Report (PAR) May have to rely on touch or hearing to verify each member’s status Others in the chain of command must rely on radio reports from their subordinates (Continued) Firefighter II

Personnel Accountability Report (PAR) Command can request a PAR at any time, but one is usually requested when: The incident is declared under control Change in strategy Sudden catastrophic event Emergency evacuation A firefighter missing or in distress Firefighter II

Incident Reports National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) outlines information needed NFIRS uses the Internet to transfer data from each state to the federal database A vital part of the emergency Available to the public (Continued) Firefighter II

Incident Reports An incident report should include detailed information Entered into databases at the state and national level Information is used for a variety of purposes Firefighter II

Fixed-Temperature Heat Detectors Relatively inexpensive compared to other types of systems Can be slowest to activate Activate when heated to temperature for which rated (Continued) Firefighter II

Fixed-Temperature Heat Detectors Installed in highest portions of room Should have activation temperature rating slightly above highest ceiling temperatures normally inspected in space (Continued) Firefighter II

Fixed-Temperature Heat Detectors Activate by one or more of three mechanisms Fusible device Frangible bulb Continuous line detector Firefighter II

Rate-of-Rise Heat Detectors Operate on assumption that temperature in room will increase faster from fire than from normal atmospheric heating Designed to initiate signal when rise in temperature exceeds 12° to 15°F (-11°C to -9°C) in one minute (Continued) Firefighter II

Rate-of-Rise Heat Detectors Can be initiated at room temperature far below that required for initiating fixed-temperature device Reliable, not subject to false activations Pneumatic rate-of-rise spot detector (Continued) Firefighter II

DISCUSSION QUESTION What are some places that these detectors should not be installed because of false activations? Firefighter II

Rate-of-Rise Heat Detectors Pneumatic rate-of-rise line detector Rate-compensated detector Thermoelectric detector Firefighter II

Smoke Detectors Detect presence of smoke; must transmit signal to another device that sounds alarm Respond to smoke or other products of combustion Preferred over heat detectors Firefighter II

Smoke Alarms Capable of Detecting presence of smoke Sounding an alarm Firefighter II

Photoelectric Smoke Detectors Use photoelectric cell coupled with tiny light source Function in two ways to detect smoke Firefighter II

Ionization Smoke Detectors Detect minute particles, aerosols produced during combustion Use a tiny amount of radioactive material to ionize air molecules as they enter chamber within detector (Continued) Firefighter II

Ionization Smoke Detectors Respond satisfactorily to most fires Respond faster to flaming fires than smoldering ones Firefighter II

Power Sources of Smoke Alarms Battery-operated Household current Firefighter II

DISCUSSION QUESTION How can we get citizens to remember when to change their smoke alarm batteries? Firefighter II

Flame Detectors Types Among most sensitive detectors used to detect fires Prone to being activated by nonfire conditions (Continued) Firefighter II

Flame Detectors Usually positioned in areas where other light sources unlikely Positioned to have unobstructed view of protected area (Continued) Firefighter II

Flame Detectors Some single-band IR detectors sensitive to sunlight, should be installed in fully enclosed areas UV detectors virtually insensitive to sunlight, can be used in areas not suitable for IR detectors Firefighter II

Fire-Gas Detectors Monitor levels of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide because these are only chemicals released from all fires Initiate alarm signal faster than heat detector but not as quickly as smoke detector (Continued) Firefighter II

Fire-Gas Detectors Can be more discriminating than other types Can be designed to be sensitive only to specific gases (Continued) Firefighter II

Fire-Gas Detectors Use semiconductors/catalytic elements to sense gas, transmit signal to initiate alarm Not used as frequently as other types Firefighter II

Combination Detectors Various combinations of previously described means of detection may be used in single device Firefighter II

DISCUSSION QUESTION What are some examples of combination detectors? Firefighter II

Indicating Devices Some produce loud signal to attract attention in high-noise areas Some generate electronic tone audible in almost any type of environment Some employ bells, horns, chimes (Continued) Firefighter II

Indicating Devices Others use speakers that broadcast prerecorded evacuation instructions May include visual alarm indicators to accommodate special circumstances/populations (Continued) Firefighter II

Indicating Devices May include strobe indicators — Must meet requirements of Americans with Disabilities Act in areas where there may be people with hearing impairments Firefighter II

Automatic Alarm Systems Transmit signal to off-site location to summon organized assistance Produce automatic response upon activation of local alarm May be installed to complement wet-pipe or dry-pipe sprinkler systems Firefighter II

Auxiliary Systems Local energy systems Shunt systems Parallel telephone systems Firefighter II

Remote Station Systems Similar to auxiliary systems but connected to fire department telecommunication center directly/through answering service by some means other than municipal fire alarm box system (Continued) Firefighter II

Remote Station Systems (Continued) Firefighter II

Remote Station Systems Can be connected by leased telephone line or radio signal on dedicated frequency Common in localities not served by central station systems (Continued) Firefighter II

Remote Station Systems May transmit coded or noncoded signal Must have ability to transmit trouble signal to fire alarm center when system impaired (Continued) Firefighter II

Remote Station Systems May not have local alarm capabilities if evacuation is not desired action in fire May be monitored by entity besides fire department Firefighter II

Proprietary Systems Used to protect large commercial, industrial buildings, high-rise buildings, groups of commonly owned buildings in single location (Continued) Firefighter II

Proprietary Systems Each building/area has own system wired into a common receiving point somewhere on facility The receiving station Capabilities Courtesy of Paul Ramirez. Firefighter II

Central Station Systems Very similar to proprietary systems; instead of having alarm-receiving point monitored by occupant’s representative on protected premises, receiving point is at off-site, contracted service point called a central station (Continued) Firefighter II

Central Station Systems Central station is alarm company that contracts with individual customers (Continued) Firefighter II

Central Station Systems When alarm initiated at contracting occupancy, central station employees take information, initiate appropriate emergency response (Continued) Firefighter II

Central Station Systems Response usually includes calling fire department, representatives of protected occupancy Alarm systems at protected property and central station most commonly connected by supervised telephone lines Firefighter II

Supervising Fire Alarm Systems Designed to be self-supervising Older systems Newer systems Sounds of alarm, trouble signals may differ with each brand (Continued) Firefighter II

Supervising Fire Alarm Systems Many fixed fire suppression systems depend on signal from manual pull station/from automatic fire detection device to trigger suppression system Firefighter II

Auxiliary Services Available on Newer Systems Shutting down, altering airflow in heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems for smoke control Closing smoke/fire-rated doors, dampers (Continued) Firefighter II

Auxiliary Services Available on Newer Systems Facilitating evacuation by increasing air pressure in stairwells to exclude smoke Overriding elevator controls Monitoring operation of commercial incinerator management systems (Continued) Firefighter II

Auxiliary Services Available on Newer Systems Monitoring refrigeration systems, cold-storage areas Controlling personnel access to hazardous process/storage areas Detecting combustible/toxic gases Firefighter II