TCFP FIRE INVESTIGATOR EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2025
Is NFPA 921 a guide or a standard? - (ANSWER)It is the Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations
What are the six steps of the scientific method? - (ANSWER)Recognize 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? - (ANSWER)Analyze the data
What step of the scientific method is deductive reasoning? - (ANSWER)Test the hypothesis
What are the four parts of the fire tetrahedron? - (ANSWER)Fuel (reducing agent)
Heat
Oxidizing agent
Uninhibited chemical chain reaction
What kind of reaction absorbs energy, an endothermic or an exothermic reaction? -
(ANSWER)Endothermic
What is heat transfer by direct contact called? - (ANSWER)Conduction
What is heat transfer by gas flow / air movement called? - (ANSWER)Convection
What is heat transfer by microwave energy called? - (ANSWER)Radiation
What is a fuel controlled fire? - (ANSWER)A fire that is limited by the amount of combustibles.
,TCFP FIRE INVESTIGATOR EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2025
What is a ventilation controlled fire? - (ANSWER)A fire that is limited by the amount of oxygen.
What are the stages of fire growth? - (ANSWER)Ignition
Growth
Flashover
Fully Developed
Decay
What is a flashover? - (ANSWER)The 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? - (ANSWER)Flameover or rollover
What factors influence flashover conditions? - (ANSWER)Size of the compartment
Height of ceiling
Ventilation
Amount of fuel
Layout of fuel
Location of fire in the compartment
What are fire patterns? - (ANSWER)The physical manifestation of the affects of fire on materials.
What are the different types of fire patterns on the walls and ceiling? - (ANSWER)Plume Generated
patterns (often V shaped)
Ventilation generated patterns
Hot gas layer patterns (Line of demarcation)
,TCFP FIRE INVESTIGATOR EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2025
What is spalling? - (ANSWER)The 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? - (ANSWER)Pyrolized carbonaceous material
What is oxidation? - (ANSWER)Physical change in appearance of a material resulting from the
combination of oxygen.
What is alloying? - (ANSWER)Mixing two metals heated then cooled to change their properties. Often
melts at a lower temperature.
What is a clean burn? - (ANSWER)When 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? - (ANSWER)Elemental carbon produced during incomplete combustion.
What is calcination? - (ANSWER)When 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? - (ANSWER)Bulbs 25
watts or less pull away. Bulbs greater than 25 watts will expand towards the fire.
What causes heat shadowing? - (ANSWER)An object blocking the travel of radiated heat.
What is a dead load? - (ANSWER)The weight of things attached to the building, like flooring, cloumns,
and roof coverings.
What is a live load? - (ANSWER)A load that can move, like people, furniture, wind, water, and snow.
, TCFP FIRE INVESTIGATOR EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2025
What is compartmentation? - (ANSWER)Design features of a building that limit fire growth to the room
of origin.
What are the five building construction types? - (ANSWER)Type I - Fire resistant
Type II - Non combustible
Type III - Ordinary
Type IV - Heavy timber
Type V - Wood frame
What is ordinary construction? - (ANSWER)Exterior walls are masonry and frame is wood.
What is wood frame construction? - (ANSWER)Lightweight wood construction, used in apartments,
houses.
What is platform frame construction? - (ANSWER)Each floor is a seperate platform.
What is balloon frame construction? - (ANSWER)The wall studs extend from the foundation to the roof.
What is Ohm's Law? - (ANSWER)V=IR
(E = I x R)
What is voltage? - (ANSWER)Pressure
What is current? - (ANSWER)Flow
What is resistance? - (ANSWER)Friction, opposition to the flow
What is an overload? - (ANSWER)Power needs exceed the circuit's capacity.
Is NFPA 921 a guide or a standard? - (ANSWER)It is the Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations
What are the six steps of the scientific method? - (ANSWER)Recognize 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? - (ANSWER)Analyze the data
What step of the scientific method is deductive reasoning? - (ANSWER)Test the hypothesis
What are the four parts of the fire tetrahedron? - (ANSWER)Fuel (reducing agent)
Heat
Oxidizing agent
Uninhibited chemical chain reaction
What kind of reaction absorbs energy, an endothermic or an exothermic reaction? -
(ANSWER)Endothermic
What is heat transfer by direct contact called? - (ANSWER)Conduction
What is heat transfer by gas flow / air movement called? - (ANSWER)Convection
What is heat transfer by microwave energy called? - (ANSWER)Radiation
What is a fuel controlled fire? - (ANSWER)A fire that is limited by the amount of combustibles.
,TCFP FIRE INVESTIGATOR EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2025
What is a ventilation controlled fire? - (ANSWER)A fire that is limited by the amount of oxygen.
What are the stages of fire growth? - (ANSWER)Ignition
Growth
Flashover
Fully Developed
Decay
What is a flashover? - (ANSWER)The 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? - (ANSWER)Flameover or rollover
What factors influence flashover conditions? - (ANSWER)Size of the compartment
Height of ceiling
Ventilation
Amount of fuel
Layout of fuel
Location of fire in the compartment
What are fire patterns? - (ANSWER)The physical manifestation of the affects of fire on materials.
What are the different types of fire patterns on the walls and ceiling? - (ANSWER)Plume Generated
patterns (often V shaped)
Ventilation generated patterns
Hot gas layer patterns (Line of demarcation)
,TCFP FIRE INVESTIGATOR EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2025
What is spalling? - (ANSWER)The 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? - (ANSWER)Pyrolized carbonaceous material
What is oxidation? - (ANSWER)Physical change in appearance of a material resulting from the
combination of oxygen.
What is alloying? - (ANSWER)Mixing two metals heated then cooled to change their properties. Often
melts at a lower temperature.
What is a clean burn? - (ANSWER)When 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? - (ANSWER)Elemental carbon produced during incomplete combustion.
What is calcination? - (ANSWER)When 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? - (ANSWER)Bulbs 25
watts or less pull away. Bulbs greater than 25 watts will expand towards the fire.
What causes heat shadowing? - (ANSWER)An object blocking the travel of radiated heat.
What is a dead load? - (ANSWER)The weight of things attached to the building, like flooring, cloumns,
and roof coverings.
What is a live load? - (ANSWER)A load that can move, like people, furniture, wind, water, and snow.
, TCFP FIRE INVESTIGATOR EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2025
What is compartmentation? - (ANSWER)Design features of a building that limit fire growth to the room
of origin.
What are the five building construction types? - (ANSWER)Type I - Fire resistant
Type II - Non combustible
Type III - Ordinary
Type IV - Heavy timber
Type V - Wood frame
What is ordinary construction? - (ANSWER)Exterior walls are masonry and frame is wood.
What is wood frame construction? - (ANSWER)Lightweight wood construction, used in apartments,
houses.
What is platform frame construction? - (ANSWER)Each floor is a seperate platform.
What is balloon frame construction? - (ANSWER)The wall studs extend from the foundation to the roof.
What is Ohm's Law? - (ANSWER)V=IR
(E = I x R)
What is voltage? - (ANSWER)Pressure
What is current? - (ANSWER)Flow
What is resistance? - (ANSWER)Friction, opposition to the flow
What is an overload? - (ANSWER)Power needs exceed the circuit's capacity.
