Chapter 17 Glossary: Fire Attack And Foam

Front 1

Adjustable-gallonage fog nozzle

Back 1

A nozzle that allows the operator to select a desired flow from several settings.

Front 2

Aeration

Back 2

The process of inducing air into the foam solution, which expands and finishes the foam.

Front 3

Alcohol-resistant foam

Back 3

Used for fighting fires involving water-soluble materials or fuels that are destructive to other types of foams. Some alcohol-resistant foams are capable of forming a vapor-suppressing aqueous film on the surface of hydrocarbon fuels. (NFPA 412)

Front 4

Aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF)

Back 4

A concentrated aqueous solution of one or more hydrocarbon and/or fluorochemical surfactants that forms a foam capable of producing a vapor-suppressing, aqueous film on the surface of hydrocarbon fuels. (NFPA 403)

Front 5

Attack engine

Back 5

An engine from which attack lines have been pulled.

Front 6

Automatic-adjusting fog nozzle

Back 6

A nozzle that can deliver a wide range of water stream flows. It operates by means of an internal spring-loaded piston.

Front 7

Bankshot (bank-down) method

Back 7

A method that applies the stream onto a nearby object, such as a wall, instead o directly aiming at the fire.

Front 8

Batch mixing

Back 8

Pouring foam concentrate directly into the fire apparatus water tank, thereby mixing a large amount of foam at one time.

Front 9

Booster hose (booster line)

Back 9

A noncollapsible hose used under positive pressure having an elastomeric or thermoplastic tube, a braided or spiraled reinforcement, and an outer protective cover. (NFPA 1962)

Front 10

Breakaway nozzle

Back 10

A nozzle with a tip that can be separated from the shut-off valve.

Front 11

Bresnan distributor nozzle

Back 11

A nozzle that can be placed in confined spaces. The nozzle spins, spreading water over a large area.

Front 12

Butterfly valves

Back 12

Valves that are found on the large pump intake valve where the hard or soft suction hose connects.

Front 13

Cellar nozzle

Back 13

A nozzle used to fight fires in cellars and other inaccessible places. The device works by spreading water in a wide pattern as the nozzle is lowered through a hole into the cellar.

Front 14

Class A foam

Back 14

Foam intended for use on Class A fires. (NFPA 1150)

Front 15

Class B foam

Back 15

Foam intended for use on Class B fires. (NFPA 1901)

Front 16

Compressed air foam (CAF)

Back 16

Class A foam produced by injecting compressed air into a stream of water that has been mixed with 0.1 percent to 1.0 percent foam.

Front 17

Compressed air foam system

Back 17

A foam system that combines air under pressure with foam solution to create foam. (NFPA 1901)

Front 18

Film-forming fluoroprotein (FFFP)

Back 18

A protein-based foam concentrate incorporating fluorinated surfactants that forms a foam capable of producing a vapor-suppressing aqueous film on the surface of hydrocarbon fuels. This foam can show an acceptable level of compatibility with dry chemicals and might be suitable for use with those agents. (NFPA 412)

Front 19

Fixed-gallonage fog nozzle

Back 19

A nozzle that delivers a set number of gallons per minute (liters per second) as per the nozzle’s design, no matter what pressure is applied to the nozzle.

Front 20

Fluoroprotein foam

Back 20

A protein-based foam concentrate to which fluorochemical surfactants have been added. This has the effect of giving the foam a measurable degree of compatibility with dry chemical extinguishing agents and an increase in tolerance to contamination by fuel. (NFPA 402)

Front 21

Foam concentrate

Back 21

A concentrated liquid foaming agent as received from the manufacturer. (NFPA 11)

Front 22

Foam eductor

Back 22

A device placed in the hose line that draws foam concentrate from a container and introduces it into the fire stream.

Front 23

Foam injector

Back 23

A device installed on a fire pump that meters out foam by pumping or injecting it into the fire stream.

Front 24

Foam proportioner

Back 24

A device or method to add foam concentrate to water to make foam solution. (NFPA 1901)

Front 25

Foam solution

Back 25

A homogeneous mixture of water and foam concentrate in the proper proportions. (NFPA 1901)

Front 26

Fog-stream nozzle

Back 26

A nozzle that is placed at the end of a fire hose and separates water into fine droplets to aid in heat absorption.

Front 27

Handline nozzle

Back 27

A nozzle with a rated discharge of less than 1325 L/min (350 gpm). (NFPA 1964)

Front 28

Low-volume nozzle

Back 28

A nozzle that flows 40 gallons per minute (2.5 liters per second) or less.

Front 29

Master stream device

Back 29

A large-capacity nozzle that can be supplied by two or more 2½-inch (64-mm) hose lines or large-diameter hose or fixed piping. It can flow between 350 and 1500 gallons per minute (22.1 and 94.6 liters per second). These devices include deck guns and portable ground monitors.

Front 30

Master stream nozzle

Back 30

A nozzle with a rated discharge of 1325 L/min (350 gpm) or greater. (NFPA 1964)

Front 31

Medium-diameter hose (MDH)

Back 31

Hose with a diameter of 2½ or 3 inches (64 or 76 millimeters).

Front 32

Nozzle

Back 32

A constricting appliance attached to the end of a fire hose or monitor to increase the water velocity and form a stream. (NFPA 1965)

Front 33

Nozzle shut-off

Back 33

A device that enables the fire fighter at the nozzle to start or stop the flow of water.

Front 34

Piercing nozzle

Back 34

A nozzle that can be driven through sheet metal or other material to deliver a water stream to that area.

Front 35

Premixed foam

Back 35

Solution produced by introducing a measured amount of foam concentrate into a given amount of water in a storage tank. (NFPA 11)

Front 36

Protein foam

Back 36

A protein-based foam concentrate that is stabilized with metal salts to make a fire-resistant foam blanket. (NFPA 402)

Front 37

Small-diameter hose (SDH)

Back 37

Hose with a diameter ranging from 1 to 2 inches (25 to 51 millimeters).

Front 38

Smooth-bore nozzle

Back 38

A nozzle that produces a straight stream that is a solid column of water.

Front 39

Smooth-bore tip

Back 39

A nozzle device that is a smooth tube, which is used to deliver a solid column of water.

Front 40

Sweep (roll-on) method

Back 40

A method of applying foam that involves sweeping the stream just in front of the target.

Front 41

Triple-layer load

Back 41

A hose loading method in which the hose is folded back onto itself to reduce the overall length to one-third before loading the hose in the bed. This load method reduces deployment distances.

Front 42

Water curtain nozzle

Back 42

A nozzle used to deliver a flat screen of water that forms a protective sheet of water to protect exposures from fire.