Firefighter Building Construction

Question 1

What are the five types of building construction classified by NFPA 220?

Accepted Answer

Type I, Type II, Type III, Type IV, and Type V

Answer

Wood frame, masonry, steel, concrete, and composite

Answer

Residential, commercial, industrial, institutional, and mixed-use

Answer

Ordinary, heavy timber, fire-resistive, non-combustible, and combustible

Question 2

Which type of building construction is considered the most fire-resistive?

Accepted Answer

Type I (Fire-resistive)

Answer

Type II (Non-combustible)

Answer

Type III (Ordinary)

Answer

Type IV (Heavy Timber)

Question 3

What is 'balloon frame' construction?

Accepted Answer

A framing method where wall studs run continuously from the foundation to the roof without interruption

Answer

A steel frame building with inflatable insulation panels between the studs

Answer

A modular construction technique using prefabricated wall panels

Answer

A method where each floor has its own separate wall framing that acts as a fire stop

Question 4

Which type of building construction uses heavy timber structural members with minimum dimensions specified by code?

Accepted Answer

Type IV (Heavy Timber)

Answer

Type I (Fire-resistive)

Answer

Type II (Non-combustible)

Answer

Type III (Ordinary)

Question 5

What is the primary hazard of lightweight truss construction during a fire?

Accepted Answer

Lightweight trusses can fail rapidly because the small metal connector plates lose strength quickly under heat

Answer

Trusses conduct electricity more readily than standard dimensional lumber

Answer

Lightweight trusses produce more toxic smoke than heavy timber construction

Answer

They are more difficult to ventilate than platform frame structures

Question 6

In Type III (ordinary) construction, what are the exterior walls typically made of?

Accepted Answer

Non-combustible masonry materials such as brick, stone, or concrete block

Answer

Steel and glass curtain wall systems

Answer

Non-combustible or limited-combustible materials only, with no masonry requirement

Answer

Heavy timber with fire-resistive coatings applied to all exposed surfaces

Question 7

What term describes a concealed space within a building structure where fire can spread unseen?

Accepted Answer

Void space

Answer

Plenum

Answer

Chase

Answer

Interstitial space