F80 Water Supply and Fire Suppression 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: According to NFPA 291 color coding, what color bonnet indicates a fire hydrant with a flow capacity of 1,500 GPM or greater?
- Red
- Orange
- Green
- Blue (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Blue
NFPA 291 recommends blue bonnets for hydrants capable of delivering 1,500 GPM or more at 20 psi residual pressure.
Question 2: Which type of sprinkler head activates only at the individual head directly exposed to sufficient heat?
- Deluge open-head sprinkler
- Pre-action system head
- Closed-head sprinkler with a fusible link or glass bulb (Correct answer)
- Foam-water sprinkler head
Correct answer: Closed-head sprinkler with a fusible link or glass bulb
Closed-head sprinklers activate individually only when their fusible link or glass bulb is exposed to enough heat, limiting water discharge to the fire area.
Question 3: What does residual pressure measure during a fire hydrant flow test?
- Static pressure when no water is flowing anywhere in the system
- Pressure remaining in the water distribution system while water is actively flowing (Correct answer)
- Maximum pressure rating of the distribution main
- Pump discharge pressure at the fire apparatus
Correct answer: Pressure remaining in the water distribution system while water is actively flowing
Residual pressure is the pressure remaining in the water supply system while water is flowing at the test hydrant, indicating available supply during firefighting operations.
Question 4: What is the primary function of a Post Indicator Valve (PIV)?
- To regulate system water pressure automatically
- To provide a visible open/shut indication of a water control valve without entering the building (Correct answer)
- To measure volumetric water flow through the system
- To connect fire department hose lines directly to hydrants
Correct answer: To provide a visible open/shut indication of a water control valve without entering the building
A Post Indicator Valve shows 'OPEN' or 'SHUT' through a window in the post, allowing personnel to verify valve status from outside the building.
Question 5: What extinguishing agent is used in Class D fire extinguishers for combustible metal fires?
- Water mist
- Multipurpose dry chemical
- Halon 1211
- Specialized dry powder formulated for the specific metal involved (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Specialized dry powder formulated for the specific metal involved
Class D extinguishers use dry powder agents specifically formulated for the combustible metal involved, such as sodium chloride for magnesium or graphite-based powder for sodium.
Question 6: What is the purpose of a fire department connection (FDC) on a building?
- To drain excess water from the sprinkler system after a fire
- To allow fire department pumpers to supplement water supply to the building's sprinkler or standpipe system (Correct answer)
- To test the static pressure of the internal water system
- To connect building fire alarms directly to the fire dispatch center
Correct answer: To allow fire department pumpers to supplement water supply to the building's sprinkler or standpipe system
The FDC (often called a Siamese connection) allows fire department pumpers to inject water into a building's suppression system to supplement or replace the municipal supply.
F80 Water Supply and Fire Suppression 1
According to NFPA 291 color coding, what color bonnet indicates a fire hydrant with a flow capacity of 1,500 GPM or greater?