IPMA-HR FIREFIGHTER WRITTEN EXAM (FF-EL) | VERIFIED EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS - LATEST VERSION
IPMA-HR FIREFIGHTER
1. Which four elements make up the fire tetrahedron?
A. Fuel, heat, water, and smoke
B. Fuel, heat, oxygen, and a chemical chain reaction
C. Fuel, oxygen, nitrogen, and light
D. Heat, wind, fuel, and pressure
B — The tetrahedron adds the uninhibited chemical chain reaction to
the original fire triangle of fuel, heat, and oxygen.
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,2. Removing the fuel from a fire is best described as which method of
extinguishment?
A. Starvation
B. Smothering
C. Cooling
D. Chain breaking
A — Starvation removes the fuel source, such as shutting off a gas valve
or creating a firebreak.
3. Applying water to a fire primarily extinguishes it by
A. Removing all oxygen from the room
B. Stopping the chemical chain reaction
C. Cooling the burning material below its ignition temperature
D. Removing the fuel
C — Water absorbs large amounts of heat as it turns to steam, which
lowers the fuel temperature.
4. Which class of fire involves ordinary combustibles such as wood,
paper, and cloth?
A. Class B
B. Class C
C. Class D
D. Class A
D — Class A fires involve ordinary solid combustibles.
5. A fire involving gasoline or cooking oil spilled in a garage is
classified as
A. Class A
B. Class C
C. Class D
D. Class B
D — Class B covers flammable and combustible liquids and gases.
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,6. Which extinguisher class letter is used for fires in combustible
metals such as magnesium or titanium?
A. Class D
B. Class K
C. Class B
D. Class C
A — Class D agents are specially designed for combustible metals, and
water can make these fires worse.
7. A Class K extinguisher is intended for fires involving
A. Energized electrical panels
B. Commercial cooking oils and fats
C. Combustible metals
D. Paper and wood
B — Class K agents are designed for the very hot vegetable oil and
animal fat fires found in commercial kitchens.
8. The letters PASS, used when operating a portable extinguisher,
stand for
A. Push, Aim, Spray, Stop
B. Pull, Aim, Spray, Step back
C. Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep
D. Point, Alert, Squeeze, Sweep
C — Pull the pin, aim at the base, squeeze the handle, and sweep side to
side.
9. When using a portable extinguisher, the nozzle should be aimed at
A. The top of the flames
B. The base of the fire
C. The smoke layer
D. The center of the smoke column
B — Aiming at the base attacks the burning fuel rather than the flames
above it.
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, 10. Flashover is best described as
A. An explosion caused by fresh air entering an oxygen-starved fire
B. The collapse of a burning roof
C. A slow spread of fire through a wall void
D. The near-simultaneous ignition of all combustible surfaces in a room
D — Flashover occurs when radiant heat raises everything in a
compartment to its ignition temperature at once.
11. A backdraft is most likely to occur when
A. A fire burns in an open field
B. Water is applied to a Class A fire
C. A smoke alarm activates
D. Air is suddenly introduced into a confined, oxygen-depleted fire
D — Superheated gases can ignite explosively when oxygen returns to a
ventilation-limited fire.
12. Which warning sign most strongly suggests a possible backdraft?
A. Bright orange flames visible through a window
B. Light gray smoke drifting slowly upward
C. Crackling sounds from an open doorway
D. Pulsing smoke from small openings and blackened windows
D — Pulsing smoke and smoke-stained glass show a fire starved for air
and holding unburned gases.
13. Heat transfer through direct contact between objects is called
A. Convection
B. Radiation
C. Conduction
D. Evaporation
C — Conduction moves heat through solids by direct contact, such as
heat traveling along a metal pipe.
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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS - LATEST VERSION
IPMA-HR FIREFIGHTER
1. Which four elements make up the fire tetrahedron?
A. Fuel, heat, water, and smoke
B. Fuel, heat, oxygen, and a chemical chain reaction
C. Fuel, oxygen, nitrogen, and light
D. Heat, wind, fuel, and pressure
B — The tetrahedron adds the uninhibited chemical chain reaction to
the original fire triangle of fuel, heat, and oxygen.
Page 1 of 46
,2. Removing the fuel from a fire is best described as which method of
extinguishment?
A. Starvation
B. Smothering
C. Cooling
D. Chain breaking
A — Starvation removes the fuel source, such as shutting off a gas valve
or creating a firebreak.
3. Applying water to a fire primarily extinguishes it by
A. Removing all oxygen from the room
B. Stopping the chemical chain reaction
C. Cooling the burning material below its ignition temperature
D. Removing the fuel
C — Water absorbs large amounts of heat as it turns to steam, which
lowers the fuel temperature.
4. Which class of fire involves ordinary combustibles such as wood,
paper, and cloth?
A. Class B
B. Class C
C. Class D
D. Class A
D — Class A fires involve ordinary solid combustibles.
5. A fire involving gasoline or cooking oil spilled in a garage is
classified as
A. Class A
B. Class C
C. Class D
D. Class B
D — Class B covers flammable and combustible liquids and gases.
Page 2 of 46
,6. Which extinguisher class letter is used for fires in combustible
metals such as magnesium or titanium?
A. Class D
B. Class K
C. Class B
D. Class C
A — Class D agents are specially designed for combustible metals, and
water can make these fires worse.
7. A Class K extinguisher is intended for fires involving
A. Energized electrical panels
B. Commercial cooking oils and fats
C. Combustible metals
D. Paper and wood
B — Class K agents are designed for the very hot vegetable oil and
animal fat fires found in commercial kitchens.
8. The letters PASS, used when operating a portable extinguisher,
stand for
A. Push, Aim, Spray, Stop
B. Pull, Aim, Spray, Step back
C. Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep
D. Point, Alert, Squeeze, Sweep
C — Pull the pin, aim at the base, squeeze the handle, and sweep side to
side.
9. When using a portable extinguisher, the nozzle should be aimed at
A. The top of the flames
B. The base of the fire
C. The smoke layer
D. The center of the smoke column
B — Aiming at the base attacks the burning fuel rather than the flames
above it.
Page 3 of 46
, 10. Flashover is best described as
A. An explosion caused by fresh air entering an oxygen-starved fire
B. The collapse of a burning roof
C. A slow spread of fire through a wall void
D. The near-simultaneous ignition of all combustible surfaces in a room
D — Flashover occurs when radiant heat raises everything in a
compartment to its ignition temperature at once.
11. A backdraft is most likely to occur when
A. A fire burns in an open field
B. Water is applied to a Class A fire
C. A smoke alarm activates
D. Air is suddenly introduced into a confined, oxygen-depleted fire
D — Superheated gases can ignite explosively when oxygen returns to a
ventilation-limited fire.
12. Which warning sign most strongly suggests a possible backdraft?
A. Bright orange flames visible through a window
B. Light gray smoke drifting slowly upward
C. Crackling sounds from an open doorway
D. Pulsing smoke from small openings and blackened windows
D — Pulsing smoke and smoke-stained glass show a fire starved for air
and holding unburned gases.
13. Heat transfer through direct contact between objects is called
A. Convection
B. Radiation
C. Conduction
D. Evaporation
C — Conduction moves heat through solids by direct contact, such as
heat traveling along a metal pipe.
Page 4 of 46
