PDX DCEO Qualification Card

Describe how to respond to the following FACP alarms: System Trouble alarm

Contact Johnson Controls (also the on-call manager) for customer support. Essentially find the cause of the problem and have a device serviced if needed.

Describe the system response to the following scenarios for a "dry" pre-action system: The sprinkler head is broken, no smoke detectors are tripped

No water engaged. Two smoke detectors are also required to disengage the interlock on the deluge valve.

Describe the system response to the following scenarios for a "dry" pre-action system: The sprinkler head is broken, two smoke detectors are alarming

Water has been engaged in that area.

Describe the system response to the following scenarios for a "dry" pre-action system: The sprinkler head is intact, two smoke detectors are alarming

No water engaged. Two smoke will have disengaged the interlock on the deluge valve but the compressed air or nitrogen in the Dry line will keep the valve closed.

Discuss the different classes of fire

Class "A" Fire: Wood, paper, traditional/organic combustibles

Class "B" Fire: Gasoline, petroleum, and synthetic combustibles

Class "C" Fire: Electrical, transformers

Class "D" Fire: Combustible metals (magnesium, zinc, etc.)

Class "K" Fire: Animal fats, cooking oil

Explain how the following types of smoke detectors operate: Ionization

Americium, a source for ionizing radiation emits alpha particles across an ionization chamber. There are two plates that have an applied voltage via a battery. This charges one plate positive, and the other negative. The alpha particles bounce electrons off of oxygen and nitrogen atoms in the air. The positively charged oxygen and nitrogen atoms are attracted to the negative plate, while the negatively charged ions are attracted to the positively charged plate. This creates a continuous circuit.

Explain how the following types of smoke detectors operate: Photo-electric

A light beam is emitted across a labyrinth in a straight line. In the event of a fire, smoke particles make their way across the light beam and scatter the light. This scattered light makes its way down to a photoelectric cell. When the photoelectric cell detects light, it generates current and causes an alarm.

Explain how the following types of smoke detectors operate: VESDA

When smoke particles enter the chamber, they interrupt the interal laser beam. This causes the circuit to be broken, causing an alarm, due to the drop in current.

How frequently are the diesel fire pumps inspected and tested?

Diesel fire pumps are tested and inspected biweekly.

What extinguishing agent is used in the PERDIX?

A non conductive dry agent.

What is a Clean Agent Fire Suppression, Where do we use it, what chemical do we use?

Non Conductive/Corrosive, Safe to Use on Electrical Equipment, Near Critical Spaces (ERM's, Gallery, etc.) Halotron

What is a fire impairment form and why is it used?

Any planned or unplanned event or action that takes existing fire protection equipment out of service. Impairments are used for tracking purposes.

What is the fire tetrahedron?

A tetrahedron is best described as a pyramid, which is a solid with four plane faces. All the four elements essentially must be present for the occurrence of fire i.e. oxygen, heat, fuel, and a chemical chain reaction. If you remove any of the essential elements, the fire will be extinguished.

What is the volume of the fire water storage tank?

Varies by site. PDX4 does not have fire water storage tanks.

What types of fire extinguishers does your building have?

ABC Fire extinguishers Chemical: Halotron

With regard for the Fire Alarm Control Panel (FACP): Discuss what happens when a fire alarm is triggered

The FACP is monitored by Johnson Controls whom of which will contact DCEO upon the event that any alarm is detected on the FACP. If DCEO does not answer within 5 minutes they contact the fire station, which voids AWS insurance.

With regard for the Fire Alarm Control Panel (FACP): What is a supervisory alarm?

Supervisory Alarms are alarms that inhibit the system from operating as designed

With regard for the Fire Alarm Control Panel (FACP): What is a trouble alarm?

Trouble alarms indicate problems with device inputs, like a bad battery, clogged filter, loss of Comms, etc.

Define the following terms as it relates to the Generator: Auto Mode

A mode where the generator will stand by until called upon automatically by AMCOP where it will run until AMCOP shuts it down

Define the following terms as it relates to the Generator: Run Mode

A manual mode of operation that forces the generator to start/generate power