Discover the Path to Successful Fire Investigations with
TCFP Guidance.
A Latest Updated Exam Study Guide Current Edition
2025/2026
Is NFPA 921 a guide or a standard? - ansIt is the Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations
What are the six steps of the scientific method? - ansRecognize the need
Define the problem
Collect the data
Analyze the data
Develop a hypothesis
Test the hypothesis
What step of the scientific method is inductive reasoning? - ansAnalyze the data
What step of the scientific method is deductive reasoning? - ansTest the hypothesis
What are the four parts of the fire tetrahedron? - ansFuel (reducing agent)
Heat
Oxidizing agent
Uninhibited chemical chain reaction
What kind of reaction absorbs energy, an endothermic or an exothermic reaction? -
ansEndothermic
What is heat transfer by direct contact called? - ansConduction
What is heat transfer by gas flow / air movement called? - ansConvection
What is heat transfer by microwave energy called? - ansRadiation
What is a fuel controlled fire? - ansA fire that is limited by the amount of combustibles.
What is a ventilation controlled fire? - ansA fire that is limited by the amount of oxygen.
What are the stages of fire growth? - ansIgnition
Growth
Flashover
Fully Developed
Decay
What is a flashover? - ansThe transition phase from growth to fully developed, where all
surfaces reach ignition temperature almost simultaneously.
What is ignition of the underside of the hot gas layer called? - ansFlameover or rollover
What factors influence flashover conditions? - ansSize of the compartment
Height of ceiling
,Discover the Path to Successful Fire Investigations with
TCFP Guidance.
A Latest Updated Exam Study Guide Current Edition
2025/2026
Ventilation
Amount of fuel
Layout of fuel
Location of fire in the compartment
What are fire patterns? - ansThe physical manifestation of the affects of fire on materials.
What are the different types of fire patterns on the walls and ceiling? - ansPlume Generated
patterns (often V shaped)
Ventilation generated patterns
Hot gas layer patterns (Line of demarcation)
What is spalling? - ansThe separation of chunks of concrete with explosive force caused by
the expansion of water (moisture) trapped in the concrete as it turns to steam
What is char? - ansPyrolized carbonaceous material
What is oxidation? - ansPhysical change in appearance of a material resulting from the
combination of oxygen.
What is alloying? - ansMixing two metals heated then cooled to change their properties.
Often melts at a lower temperature.
What is a clean burn? - ansWhen there was enough heat to burn away all carbon deposits
(soot) on a surface leaving a "clean" surface. Occurs on non-combustible surfaces.
What is soot? - ansElemental carbon produced during incomplete combustion.
What is calcination? - ansWhen chemically bound water is driven out of gypsum walls by the
heat of the fire.
Does a 25 Watt light bulb expand towards the fire or pull inward away from it? - ansBulbs 25
watts or less pull away. Bulbs greater than 25 watts will expand towards the fire.
What causes heat shadowing? - ansAn object blocking the travel of radiated heat.
What is a dead load? - ansThe weight of things attached to the building, like flooring,
cloumns, and roof coverings.
What is a live load? - ansA load that can move, like people, furniture, wind, water, and snow.
What is compartmentation? - ansDesign features of a building that limit fire growth to the
room of origin.
What are the five building construction types? - ansType I - Fire resistant
Type II - Non combustible
Type III - Ordinary
Type IV - Heavy timber
Type V - Wood frame
What is ordinary construction? - ansExterior walls are masonry and frame is wood.
,Discover the Path to Successful Fire Investigations with
TCFP Guidance.
A Latest Updated Exam Study Guide Current Edition
2025/2026
What is wood frame construction? - ansLightweight wood construction, used in apartments,
houses.
What is platform frame construction? - ansEach floor is a seperate platform.
What is balloon frame construction? - ansThe wall studs extend from the foundation to the
roof.
What is Ohm's Law? - ansV=IR
(E = I x R)
What is voltage? - ansPressure
What is current? - ansFlow
What is resistance? - ansFriction, opposition to the flow
What is an overload? - ansPower needs exceed the circuit's capacity.
Alternating Current VS Direct Current - ansAlternating current - the electrons flow out from
the source and then back to it, alternating directions.
Direct current - electrons flow one way.
Single Phase service - ansResidential. Three conductors: Two insulated conductors at 120 V
each, and a bare ground wire.
Three phase system - ansCommercial. Four conductors: Three insulated conductors (480,
240, or 208 V), and a bare ground wire.
What is the difference between grounding and bonding? - ansGrounding connects the system
to the earth (ground). Bonding connects to systems together so the charge stays the same
between them.
What is overcurrent protection? - ansA device that protects the system from excess current.
Includes:
Circuit breakers
Plug fuses
Type S fuses
Time delay fuses
Cartridge fuses
What are the colors of residential wires? - ansHot - black or red
Neutral - gray or white
Ground - bare or green
What are some methods of electrical heat production? - ansResistance heating
Short circuit
, Discover the Path to Successful Fire Investigations with
TCFP Guidance.
A Latest Updated Exam Study Guide Current Edition
2025/2026
Ground fault
Parting Arc
Excessive current
What is the difference between and arc and a spark? - ansSparks are thrown metal particles
Arcs are brief discharges of electricity
What is arc tracking? - ansArc following salts, dusts, or liquids along a path.
What is arc mapping? - ansMapping out of electrical damage in a circuit.
What is static electricity? - ansA stationary charge caused by movement of one object against
another. Lighting is a static disharge.
What are the five conditions nessecery for Static Arc Ignition? - ansA Means of static
generation
A means of accumulating and maintaining the charge
A static discharge with sufficient energy
A fuel source
Coexistence of the arc and fuel source
Name two fuel gasses: - ansLP (liquid petroleum)
Natural gas
What is the difference between tanks and cylinders for LP gas? - ansTanks: storage with
greater than 1000 LBs water capacity.
Cylinder: Portable, usually consumer.
What are some human factors related to fire initiation in a structure? - ansImproper
maintenance and operation
Housekeeping
Product labels, warnings, and instructions
Recalls
Violations of fire safety codes and standards
What are the age groups and types of child firesetters? - ansChild 2-6, curiosity
Juvenile 7-13, psychological or emotional problem
Adolescent 14-16, stress, anger, or other psychological or emotional problems
TCFP Guidance.
A Latest Updated Exam Study Guide Current Edition
2025/2026
Is NFPA 921 a guide or a standard? - ansIt is the Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations
What are the six steps of the scientific method? - ansRecognize the need
Define the problem
Collect the data
Analyze the data
Develop a hypothesis
Test the hypothesis
What step of the scientific method is inductive reasoning? - ansAnalyze the data
What step of the scientific method is deductive reasoning? - ansTest the hypothesis
What are the four parts of the fire tetrahedron? - ansFuel (reducing agent)
Heat
Oxidizing agent
Uninhibited chemical chain reaction
What kind of reaction absorbs energy, an endothermic or an exothermic reaction? -
ansEndothermic
What is heat transfer by direct contact called? - ansConduction
What is heat transfer by gas flow / air movement called? - ansConvection
What is heat transfer by microwave energy called? - ansRadiation
What is a fuel controlled fire? - ansA fire that is limited by the amount of combustibles.
What is a ventilation controlled fire? - ansA fire that is limited by the amount of oxygen.
What are the stages of fire growth? - ansIgnition
Growth
Flashover
Fully Developed
Decay
What is a flashover? - ansThe transition phase from growth to fully developed, where all
surfaces reach ignition temperature almost simultaneously.
What is ignition of the underside of the hot gas layer called? - ansFlameover or rollover
What factors influence flashover conditions? - ansSize of the compartment
Height of ceiling
,Discover the Path to Successful Fire Investigations with
TCFP Guidance.
A Latest Updated Exam Study Guide Current Edition
2025/2026
Ventilation
Amount of fuel
Layout of fuel
Location of fire in the compartment
What are fire patterns? - ansThe physical manifestation of the affects of fire on materials.
What are the different types of fire patterns on the walls and ceiling? - ansPlume Generated
patterns (often V shaped)
Ventilation generated patterns
Hot gas layer patterns (Line of demarcation)
What is spalling? - ansThe separation of chunks of concrete with explosive force caused by
the expansion of water (moisture) trapped in the concrete as it turns to steam
What is char? - ansPyrolized carbonaceous material
What is oxidation? - ansPhysical change in appearance of a material resulting from the
combination of oxygen.
What is alloying? - ansMixing two metals heated then cooled to change their properties.
Often melts at a lower temperature.
What is a clean burn? - ansWhen there was enough heat to burn away all carbon deposits
(soot) on a surface leaving a "clean" surface. Occurs on non-combustible surfaces.
What is soot? - ansElemental carbon produced during incomplete combustion.
What is calcination? - ansWhen chemically bound water is driven out of gypsum walls by the
heat of the fire.
Does a 25 Watt light bulb expand towards the fire or pull inward away from it? - ansBulbs 25
watts or less pull away. Bulbs greater than 25 watts will expand towards the fire.
What causes heat shadowing? - ansAn object blocking the travel of radiated heat.
What is a dead load? - ansThe weight of things attached to the building, like flooring,
cloumns, and roof coverings.
What is a live load? - ansA load that can move, like people, furniture, wind, water, and snow.
What is compartmentation? - ansDesign features of a building that limit fire growth to the
room of origin.
What are the five building construction types? - ansType I - Fire resistant
Type II - Non combustible
Type III - Ordinary
Type IV - Heavy timber
Type V - Wood frame
What is ordinary construction? - ansExterior walls are masonry and frame is wood.
,Discover the Path to Successful Fire Investigations with
TCFP Guidance.
A Latest Updated Exam Study Guide Current Edition
2025/2026
What is wood frame construction? - ansLightweight wood construction, used in apartments,
houses.
What is platform frame construction? - ansEach floor is a seperate platform.
What is balloon frame construction? - ansThe wall studs extend from the foundation to the
roof.
What is Ohm's Law? - ansV=IR
(E = I x R)
What is voltage? - ansPressure
What is current? - ansFlow
What is resistance? - ansFriction, opposition to the flow
What is an overload? - ansPower needs exceed the circuit's capacity.
Alternating Current VS Direct Current - ansAlternating current - the electrons flow out from
the source and then back to it, alternating directions.
Direct current - electrons flow one way.
Single Phase service - ansResidential. Three conductors: Two insulated conductors at 120 V
each, and a bare ground wire.
Three phase system - ansCommercial. Four conductors: Three insulated conductors (480,
240, or 208 V), and a bare ground wire.
What is the difference between grounding and bonding? - ansGrounding connects the system
to the earth (ground). Bonding connects to systems together so the charge stays the same
between them.
What is overcurrent protection? - ansA device that protects the system from excess current.
Includes:
Circuit breakers
Plug fuses
Type S fuses
Time delay fuses
Cartridge fuses
What are the colors of residential wires? - ansHot - black or red
Neutral - gray or white
Ground - bare or green
What are some methods of electrical heat production? - ansResistance heating
Short circuit
, Discover the Path to Successful Fire Investigations with
TCFP Guidance.
A Latest Updated Exam Study Guide Current Edition
2025/2026
Ground fault
Parting Arc
Excessive current
What is the difference between and arc and a spark? - ansSparks are thrown metal particles
Arcs are brief discharges of electricity
What is arc tracking? - ansArc following salts, dusts, or liquids along a path.
What is arc mapping? - ansMapping out of electrical damage in a circuit.
What is static electricity? - ansA stationary charge caused by movement of one object against
another. Lighting is a static disharge.
What are the five conditions nessecery for Static Arc Ignition? - ansA Means of static
generation
A means of accumulating and maintaining the charge
A static discharge with sufficient energy
A fuel source
Coexistence of the arc and fuel source
Name two fuel gasses: - ansLP (liquid petroleum)
Natural gas
What is the difference between tanks and cylinders for LP gas? - ansTanks: storage with
greater than 1000 LBs water capacity.
Cylinder: Portable, usually consumer.
What are some human factors related to fire initiation in a structure? - ansImproper
maintenance and operation
Housekeeping
Product labels, warnings, and instructions
Recalls
Violations of fire safety codes and standards
What are the age groups and types of child firesetters? - ansChild 2-6, curiosity
Juvenile 7-13, psychological or emotional problem
Adolescent 14-16, stress, anger, or other psychological or emotional problems
