Question 1
What highly volatile liquid can cause grave danger to EHS and FS professionals at incident scenes because its vapor is 2.6 times heavier than air, has an extremely low autoignition temperature of 212 degrees Fahrenheit, and has a flammable range extending from 1% to 44% by volume?
Carbon disulfide
Trimethylamine
Ethyl acetate
Methyl ethyl ketone
Question 2
What are highly volatile chemical agents that can cause seizures, respiratory failure, and cardiac arrest upon inhalation exposure called?
Chocking agents
Blood agents
Vesicants
Nerve agents
Question 3
Some chemical warfare agents are organic compounds that can inflict harm or cause mass casualties. Which of the following is a fluorinated agent?
Sarin
Tabun
Mustard gas
Diphosgene
Question 4
Unsaturated hydrocarbons are generally more reactive (less stable) than saturated hydrocarbons. Which of the following organic compounds is the LEAST reactive?
Cyclohexane
CH2=CH-CH=CH2
CH3-C ≡ C-CH3
2-methylpropene
Question 5
PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) are man-made organic chemicals that were first manufactured in 1929, but their manufacture was banned in 1979 when they were found to cause effects such as cancer, birth defects, and liver damage. Which of the following is FALSE regarding PCBs?
If analysis of a transformer fluid shows a PCB concentration of less than 50 ppm, EPA considers the transformer PCB contaminated.
The highly toxic compounds polychlorinated dibenzofurans and dibenzo-p-dioxins are products of incomplete combustion of PCB fires.
PCB transformers are still in use today.
The tolerance limit of PCB residues in shellfish is 2 ppm.
Question 6
Ethanol Fires can be difficult to extinguish. Discuss why this is true and what approach firefighters might use to fight this type of fire.
Your total response must be at least 200 words in length.
Question 7
The multiple components of crude oil are separated by a process called fractionation (fractional distillation) at petroleum refineries.
1. Rank (or arrange) the following petroleum products according to their increasing risk of fire and explosion at room temperature, and provide the technical basis for the ranking: asphalt, aviation gasoline, transmission fluids, propane, and kerosene.
2. Why do most experts recommend the use of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) to extinguish crude oil fires inside a bulk storage tank?