CSU FIR3301 2019 February Full Course Latest

FIR3301 Fire Behavior and Combustion
Unit I Journal
Instructions
In the introduction to the unit lesson, it is mentioned how previous courses may not have prepared you well enough to undertake the principles of fire behavior and combustion. Do you agree? If not, what might you need to do to be fully prepared?
Please do not use any outside material to support your rationalization or even disagreement of this concept. If you disagree with this statement, express why, supporting your disagreement with tangible thoughts.
Your journal entry must be at least 200 words. No references or citations are necessary.
 
FIR3301 Fire Behavior and Combustion
Unit II Journal
Instructions
A cause and effect diagram, often called a fishbone diagram (below), can help in brainstorming to identify possible causes of a problem or even sorting ideas into useful categories. As firefighters, most of us learn from visual learning styles. The fishbone diagram below is a visual way to look at cause and effect of thermal radiation. The effect is displayed at the fish’s head, with the possible contributing causes to the effect of thermal radiation listed on the bones. The main cause of thermal radiation is at the very top or very bottom of the fish in red font. The diagram identifies possibly five reasons why thermal radiation from a flame is of importance in fire behavior and combustion. In addition, it is important to the safety of firefighters.
 
 
From the diagram above, discuss if you believe thermal radiation can compromise a firefighter’s ability to escape from or survive a fire if trapped in a compartment 10’ x 10’ x 8’. Why, or why not?
Your journal entry must be at least 200 words. No references or citations are necessary.
 
 
FIR3301 Fire Behavior and Combustion
Unit III Journal
Rube Goldberg, an American cartoonist, was best known for cartoons that depicted complicated gadgets that were intended to perform simple tasks. The cartoon below shows a complicated gadget to make life simpler by getting the pan ready to cook breakfast as the alarm clock winds the cord to turn on the stove top. However, if left unattended, will the thermal radiation that occurs from the electric stove top heat the surroundings (book, cooking oil bottle, etc.) to the point of ignition, setting off the smoke detector, or is the thermal radiation absorbed by cooking oil in the pan until it reaches a combustible mixture, setting off the smoke detector and igniting the room? How might you alter this setup? Do you believe your setup is the best choice to prevent a fire? Why?
 
 
FIR3301 Fire Behavior and Combustion
Unit IV Journal
Instructions
There are many instructors (and even some studies) which demonstrate the sequence of turbulent diffusion flames leading to a backdraft using small scale models made from cardboard or plywood. Even full-scale models have been used in teaching backdrafts and fire behavior. In each of the training events (or studies), the door or plywood windows are open when the fire is lit. Once the flames become turbulent, then the door or window is closed unlike on a fire scene. After watching the smoke conditions, the instructor opens the door or window allowing oxygen-rich air to rush in, creating a backdraft. Some believe this type of training can lead to a false understanding of a backdraft. However, others support this form of training and espouse it is the same as what is seen on the fire ground.
Based on what you believe, is it realistic? Why, or why not?
 
FIR3301 Fire Behavior and Combustion
Unit V Journal
Instructions
Our textbook suggests smoke inhalation is a factor in most fire deaths in the United States, especially those that result from post-flashover fires. The authors continue stating single exposure to fire smoke can have both acute effects (e.g., death, incapacitation, impaired mobility, and reduced clarity of thinking) and post-exposure effects (e.g., lung damage). Firefighters can experience chronic effects from multiple exposures to smoke, as seen recently with the cancer risk heightened due to smoke inhalation. Have you, or someone you know, experienced inhalation of the irritants in smoke? Was it involved in initiating a fast attack because of a trapped civilian or other reason? Have you ever initiated a fast attack with your SCBA mask not completely sealed, believing the positive pressure would keep out smoke and irritants? Why, or why not? Your journal entry must be at least 200 words. No references or citations are necessary.
 
FIR3301 Fire Behavior and Combustion
Unit VI Journal
Instructions
In this unit, we covered radiative transfer (from soot and flames to combustible materials) in the hot upper layers of smoke, which affects the rate of flaming and the likelihood of ignition. We saw that both soot and aerosols reduce the ability to see in a fire, causing smoke obscuration in which firefighters cannot see, and it can disorient them.
Below is a summary of the administrative report subject, Two Fire Fighters Die of Smoke and Soot Inhalation in Residential Fire in Pennsylvania, taken from https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/pdfs/face9803.pdf
On October 27, 1997, two male fire fighters died of smoke and soot inhalation while fighting a residential fire. An Engine Company comprised of four fighters was responding to a 911 call of a downed power line in a residential neighborhood when one of the fire fighters noticed smoke emitting from the basement area of a nearby residence. Without notifying fire dispatch of the change in conditions (smoke coming from the residence), three fire fighters entered the residence to assist the residents out, and to survey the conditions and location of the fire. The Lieutenant and one firefighter, using flashlights, proceeded through the light haze visible in the living room into the dining room and breakfast room, and down the stairs to the basement to evaluate the situation, then retreated from the basement to the outside to don their self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA).Two of the fire fighters reentered the residence with a charged 3/4-inch booster line and proceeded to the basement to attack the fire. This was the last time either fire fighter was seen alive. According to the medical examiner, the cause of death was smoke and soot inhalation.
Choose one question, and respond to it.
Could the smoke encountered have affected the firefighters’ cognitive abilities prior to donning SCBA?
Was the smoke and soot in the basement so irritating that it forced the firefighters to retreat from the basement to don their SCBA?
Could the positive pressure from the SCBA drive the particulates that were already inhaled into the firefighters’ upper airways deeper into their lungs, causing more damage?
Could the smoke encountered have affected the firefighters’ abilities to orient themselves after donning SCBA and caused the loss of their sense of direction resulting in them running out of air?
Compare and contrast the case study with other cases or events in your own experience. Which aspects of this incident were similar? Which were different? What are your thoughts?
Your journal entry must be at least 200 words. No references or citations are necessary.
 
 
FIR3301 Fire Behavior and Combustion
Unit VII Journal
Instructions
 
 
 
Recently, there has been discussion over the importance of not advancing into a fire until you have cooled the smoke with a wetting agent. The theory is that once the smoke is cooled, reheating of the combustibles in the compartment will be slower, as the cooled smoke can no longer produce the radiative heat conditions to support flashover. Reportedly, smoke conditions will not worsen, contrary to what has been taught in many fire academies. What has been your observation, experience, reflection, or reasoning for wetting agents or water on cooling smoke? Do you support this? Why, or why not?
 
FIR3301 Fire Behavior and Combustion
Unit VIII Journal
Instructions
How will this course enhance your professional success?
 
 
 
FIR3301 Fire Behavior and Combustion
Unit I Essay
Instructions
Scenario-Based Case Study (in Unit VII)
The final project (scenario-based case study) is designed to draw upon your imagination to think creatively on the principles of fire through situational awareness of fire behavior and combustion. There are six parts (essays) to the scenario-based case study. From Unit I through Unit VI, you will complete one part of the scenario-based case study per unit. During Unit VII, you will write a summary and then compile all the parts into one document as your final project. The scenario-based case study will challenge your knowledge of what was previously learned about fire in the fire academy or basic firefighter classes.
Critically think about the principles of fire and the ever-increasing thermal energy seen today. You will evaluate and develop a new understanding of the chemistry and physics of fire in today’s world of synthetic materials as related to firefighting.
Please click here to view the scenario. Please click here to access a PDF of the presentation.
In addition, each unit’s lesson will also have additional information pertaining to the scenario under the section Points to Ponder–Building on the Scenario.
Preparing for the Scenario-Based Case Study
Before you begin writing each essay, follow these guidelines to help you prepare and understand the case study.
Read and examine the scenario background information thoroughly.   
Take notes, highlight relevant facts, and underline points.
Focus your analysis.
Identify one or two key concepts from the unit lesson.
How do these key concepts relate to fire behavior and combustion in the scenario?         
Interpret and draw on conclusions about the key concepts in the scenario.
Evaluate possible explanations for the fire behavior and growth.
Review course readings, discussions, outside research, and your experience.  
Select the best concept to explain why the fire growth is where it is in this unit, based on the Points to Ponder–Building on the Scenario.
Consider strong supporting evidence. Is this concept realistic?
You should draw on the evidence from the textbook, study guide, and scholarly articles to provide logical arguments in support of those concepts, listing similarities or any differences that may be seen from other sources.
Unit I Essay
For this assignment, you will complete the first essay of the scenario-based case study. The essay will be a one- to two-page narrative focusing on arguments that support what the authors discuss in Chapters 1 and 3, as well as other research that you conduct related to these concepts.
As you review the material in the textbook and scenario, make sure you:
distinguish the chemical elements that contributed to the fire,
recognize measurements to understand the behavior of the fire,
describe if enthalpy was a contributing factor in fire growth,
define concepts and terms new to you, and
prepare and disseminate tangible arguments about the concepts.
Use APA guidelines, and summarize your response. To supplement your discussion and support your conclusions, you should use information from the CSU Online Library from reputable, reliable sources, such as journal articles, case studies, scholarly papers, and other sources that you feel are pertinent. All sources used, including the textbook, must be referenced; paraphrased and quoted material must have accompanying citations following APA guidelines. You must include at least three sources, including your textbook.
 
FIR3301 Fire Behavior and Combustion
Unit II Essay
Instructions  For this assignment, you will complete the second essay of the scenario-based case study. The essay should be a one- to two-page narrative focusing on arguments that support what the authors discuss in Chapter 4 and Chapter 5, as well as other research that you conduct related to these concepts.
The questions below may help you in focusing your essay on the one or two concepts chosen.
Why is it important to know the difference between intensive and extensive properties in the scenario?
What is the difference between conduction and radiation?
How does the fact that heat flows from hotter to colder affect how you fight a fire using the scenario?
What is the difference between thermally thick and thermally thin?
What is radiative heat transfer?
Why is it important to understand the effects of pain from radiant exposure?
How does fire affect building structures, and how can that knowledge be used when fighting a structure fire?
Use APA guidelines, and summarize your response. To supplement your discussion and support your conclusions, you should use information from the CSU Online Library from reputable, reliable sources, such as journal articles, case studies, scholarly papers, and other sources that you feel are pertinent. All sources used, including the textbook, must be referenced; paraphrased and quoted material must have accompanying citations following APA guidelines. You must include at least three sources, including your textbook.
 
FIR3301 Fire Behavior and Combustion
Unit III Essay
Instructions
For this assignment, you will complete the third essay of the scenario-based case study. The essay should be a one- to two-page narrative focusing on arguments that support what the authors discuss in Chapter 6, as well as other research that you conduct related to these concepts.
The questions below may help you in focusing your essay on the one or two concepts chosen.
What are the most common oxidizers in the scenario?
What are the stages of a fire seen in the scenario?
What occurs when sufficiently high temperature is created in two rooms where both combustible materials and oxygen are present and restricted in one apartment?
On what does the spread mechanism of a fire depend? What occurred in Apartment 2-B, 2-C, or even 2-H?
What is the difference between flammability and combustibility in the scenario?
Describe the differences between flashover, smoke explosion, or backdraft in the scenario.
Use APA guidelines, and summarize your response. To supplement your discussion and support your conclusions, you should use information from the CSU Online Library from reputable, reliable sources, such as journal articles, case studies, scholarly papers, and other sources that you feel are pertinent. All sources used, including the textbook, must be referenced; paraphrased and quoted material must have accompanying citations following APA guidelines. You must include at least three sources, including your textbook.
FIR3301 Fire Behavior and Combustion
Unit IV Essay
Instructions
For this assignment, you will complete the fourth essay of the scenario-based case study. The essay should be a one- to two-page narrative focusing on arguments that support what the authors discuss in Chapters 7 and 12, as well as other research that you conduct related to these concepts.
The questions below may help you in focusing your essay on the one or two concepts chosen.
The plume of a fire burning in the apartment contains three zones. What are the differences between the layers in the zones?
When a fire plume hits a ceiling, it spreads horizontally, radiating thermal energy and accelerating fire growth. Why is this important to understand?
A two-way flow occurs through the doorway of a fire room. The inflow through the lower portion of the opening is driven by air entrainment into the flames. The mass outflow through the upper portion of the opening is slightly higher due to the added mass of the combustion products. Why is this important for firefighters to understand?
The ventilation pattern can change during a fire. What determines the hot upper layer temperature and optical density during a fire in a compartment with an opening?
What is the neutral plane?
Why is understanding the neutral plane critical to life safety?
Use APA guidelines, and summarize your response. To supplement your discussion and support your conclusions, you should use information from the CSU Online Library from reputable, reliable sources, such as journal articles, case studies, scholarly papers, and other sources that you feel are pertinent. All sources used, including the textbook, must be referenced; paraphrased and quoted material must have accompanying citations following APA guidelines. You must include at least three sources, including your textbook.
FIR3301 Fire Behavior and Combustion
Unit V Essay
Instructions
For this assignment, you will complete the fifth essay of the scenario-based case study. The essay should be a one- to two-page narrative focusing on arguments that support what the authors discuss in Chapters 8, 9, and 11, as well as other research that you conduct related to these concepts. You are to focus on one or two concepts in this unit’s chapters and relate to the fire that now involves several rooms and other apartments. Make sure the points are tangible. The narrative should consist of your evaluation of the textbook and other resources, listing the most compelling evidence or argument.
The questions below may help you to focus your essay on the one or two concepts chosen.
How does the rate of flame spread over the surface of the cooking oil (liquid) depend on the flash point?
If the cooking oil is at or above its flash point, is the flame spread rate fast, and will the spilled oil engulf with flames within seconds?
With the intense heat in the room, is the cooking oil already evaporating sufficiently to reach the lower flammability limit in the vapor phase over the fuel surface?
Does chemical change occur within solid materials in and around the apartment and within the chemistry of the volatiles during pyrolysis?
Does the dripping or running of the synthetic fabric that is draped from the ceiling to the floor increase the fire spread rate due to the increase in burning surface?
Can the heat from the apartment fire cause skin burns and/or weaken the structure to the point of collapse?
Can a single exposure to the smoke in the apartment have acute effects (e.g., death, incapacitation, impaired mobility, and reduced clarity of thinking) and post-exposure effects (e.g., lung damage) to the downed firefighter?
Use APA guidelines, and summarize your response. To supplement your discussion and support your conclusions, you should use information from the CSU Online Library from reputable, reliable sources, such as journal articles, case studies, scholarly papers, and other sources that you feel are pertinent. All sources used, including the textbook, must be referenced; paraphrased and quoted material must have accompanying citations following APA guidelines. You must include at least three sources, including your textbook.
 
FIR3301 Fire Behavior and Combustion
Unit VI Essay
Instructions For this assignment, you will complete the sixth essay of the scenario-based case study. The essay should be a one- to two-page narrative focusing on arguments that support what the authors discuss in Chapter 10, as well as other research that you conduct related to these concepts.
The questions below may help you to focus your essay on the one or two concepts chosen.
Were there any factors that influenced the smoke or fire effluent occurrence of the extreme fire behavior phenomenon?
Did extreme fire behavior involve aerosols (soot particles and liquid droplets) and gases? If so, what type of event happened?
Were there any effects of the under-ventilated burning?
Did aerosol droplets from the condensation of gases affect fire attack or rescue efforts?
Did the radiative transfer from the soot, flames, and hot upper layers in the fire room affect the rate at which the fuel burns and the likelihood of ignition? Did this affect fire attack or rescue efforts?
What impact did the soot and aerosols have on the ability to see in a fire?
What effect did the smoke obscuration have on fire attack or even rescue efforts?
Use APA guidelines, and summarize your response. To supplement your discussion and support your conclusions, you should use information from the CSU Online Library from reputable, reliable sources, such as journal articles, case studies, scholarly papers, and other sources that you feel are pertinent. All sources used, including the textbook, must be referenced; paraphrased and quoted material must have accompanying citations following APA guidelines. You must include at least three sources, including your textbook.
 
FIR3301 Fire Behavior and Combustion
Unit VII Final Project
Instructions
For the final project, you will complete the following instructions.
Complete the seventh essay of the scenario-based case study. The essay should be a one- to two-page narrative focusing on arguments that support what the authors discuss in Chapter 13, as well as other research that you conduct related to these concepts. You are to focus on one or two concepts in this unit’s chapters and relate to the fire that now involves several rooms and other apartments. Make sure the points are tangible. The narrative should consist of your evaluation of the textbook and other resources, listing the most compelling evidence or argument.
The questions below may help you to focus your essay on the one or two concepts chosen.
Is water with added wetting agents more effective than plain water for the extinction of fire in fibrous materials, such as furnishings?
Should a wetting agent be applied to the ceiling, walls, and floor?
Should water with wetting agents be used in practical firefighting?
Does the use of firefighting foam, when combined with other tactics, create a more efficient fire attack?
Do wetting agents improve water efficiency, (surface tension reduction) when used on structure fires?
Complete an executive summary, which is a one page well-organized and thoughtful narrative that will be an overall summary of the scenario-based case study course project on the apartment fire. This narrative should expand on what you have learned during the different parts covered in each unit so you can understand issues that exist within the fire behavior and combustion. Place the summary after the title page followed by each unit’s essay.
The Final Project (entire scenario-based case study incorporating professor feedback from previous units) should include the following elements:
title page;
executive summary, which must be the first section of the paper (do not make it all background information; it should clearly state an overview);
body with each unit’s essay using level one, level two, and level three headings as needed to separate and organize your paper into sections (See this tutorial for help with level headings);
a one- or two-paragraph conclusion that recaps and summarizes all the essays; and
a separate references page, listing all references used during the assignment.
As with all the other assignments, use APA guidelines. To supplement your discussion and support your conclusion, you should use information from the CSU Online Library from reputable, reliable sources, such as journal articles, case studies, scholarly papers, and other sources that you feel are pertinent. All sources used, including the textbook, must be referenced; paraphrased and quoted material must have accompanying citations following APA guidelines. You must include all references used in each essay in alphabetical order on the references page.
 
FIR3301 Fire Behavior and Combustion
Unit VIII Reflection Paper
Instructions
For this unit, you will write a one- to two-page reflective paper on your experience with the scenario-based case study, course, and on what you have learned. Really reflect on how this learning experience has caused you to change or influenced your thoughts on fire behavior and combustion. Use your experience during the course, to respond to ONE of the questions below.
Will you change any tactical strategies on live fires that you respond to based on what you learned from the scenario-based case study? How? Why, or why not?
Did the course have any positive or negative bearing on your thoughts about fire behavior and combustion?
Looking back, what would you have done differently in writing your scenario-based case study project?
Why do you think you made the particular responses to the scenario-based case study that you did? Do you think these were the right responses?
What are your thoughts on the overall experience in general? Was it a useful learning experience? What specific skills or perspectives did you acquire as a result that will make the task of firefighting safer?
Click here to view a CSU Writing Center tutorial for help on how to write a Reflection Paper.