Download IAAI CFI Exam Bank 2025: Fire Science and Investigation Questions and Answers and more Quizzes Advanced Education in PDF only on Docsity!
IAAI CFI EXAM BANK 2025 | ACCURATE
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REAL EXAM 250 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
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"Boiling Point - CORRECT ANSWER=> The temperature or point at which the vapor pressure of a liquid
equals the external pressure applied"
"Bonding - CORRECT ANSWER=> The process of electrically connecting two or more conductive
objects"
"Bottom Passenger Side of the Windshield - CORRECT ANSWER=> Most engine fires typically penetrate
the interior compartment at this location of the vehicle"
"Brass Prongs (male ends) - CORRECT ANSWER=> An investigator can closely examine this component
of a cord to determine if it was plugged into a receptacle"
"Calcination - CORRECT ANSWER=> The chemical and physical changes that occur in gypsum wallboard
surfaces during a fire"
"Carbon Monoxide - CORRECT ANSWER=> A narcotic gas that one might be exposed to in the fire"
"Carbon Monoxide - CORRECT ANSWER=> The levels of this toxin dissipate over time after removal
from the fire environment."
"Carbon Monoxide Poisoning - CORRECT ANSWER=> This toxic condition does NOT cause a cherry-pink
coloration to the skin of the fire victim and is NOT visible on all skin types"
"Carburetor Backfire - CORRECT ANSWER=> This occurrence is the most common open-flame ignition
source in non-fuel injected vehicles"
"Ceiling jet - CORRECT ANSWER=> When the fire plume reaches the ceiling of a room and moves
laterally along the ceiling"
"Christmas Tree - CORRECT ANSWER=> An item in the home that burns at a peak HRR of 3000-
5000kW, which is hotter than a pool of gasoline or a polyurethane chair"
"Clean Burn - CORRECT ANSWER=> This occurs when intense radiated heat or direct flame contacts a
surface during the fire, burning away deposits"
"Collapsed Furniture Springs - CORRECT ANSWER=> This is a fire effect to furniture that does NOT
provide the investigators with clues concerning the type of ignition source, but can show fire spread and intensity"
"Color - CORRECT ANSWER=> A fire characteristic that is NOT necessarily an accurate indicator of the
flame temperature"
"Color Codes - CORRECT ANSWER=> This feature distinguishes the heat-sensitive bulbs of sprinkler
heads from each other"
"Combustion - CORRECT ANSWER=> A chemical process of oxidation, which occurs at a rate fast
enough to produce heat and usually light in the form of either a glow or a flame"
"Compartmentation - CORRECT ANSWER=> A building design feature that aims to limit the fire to its
origin."
"Competent Ignition Source - CORRECT ANSWER=> Located at the origin, these should be considered
individually during the development of a cause hypothesis"
"Complete PPE - CORRECT ANSWER=> This should be donned when dealing with hazardous chemicals"
"Conduction - CORRECT ANSWER=> An example of heat transfer, when the heating of a steel beam to
an unexposed part of a building results in a fire in that location"
"Connection Points - CORRECT ANSWER=> Overheating on a circuit is most likely to occur at this
location on a circuit"
"Joint Investigation - CORRECT ANSWER=> Consensus agreement between interested parties should be
developed prior to the commencement of WHAT?"
"Crazing - CORRECT ANSWER=> Complicated patterns in glass"
"Crime Scenes - CORRECT ANSWER=> A type of scene or circumstances, in which fires do NOT always
destroy all physical evidence"
"Current (amperage) - CORRECT ANSWER=> A factor in OHM's law that can be calculated if you know
resistance and voltage"
"Dust Explosion - CORRECT ANSWER=> An explosion that most often occurs in confined areas of
relatively wide dispersal, where combustible dust can accumulate in sufficient quantity to support a propagating reaction."
"Engine Oil Analysis - CORRECT ANSWER=> This analysis may be performed to determine the pre-fire
condition of the engine and to establish possible motive for the destruction of the vehicle."
"Evidence - CORRECT ANSWER=> The fire scene itself needs to be considered as WHAT?"
"Evidence Collection - CORRECT ANSWER=> The process of photographing an item, then collecting,
tagging and putting it in a log"
"Evidence Collection and Documentation - CORRECT ANSWER=> The importance of this fire
investigative practice is no different in wildfire investigations, compared to structural fires."
"Evidence Custodian - CORRECT ANSWER=> The person at a fire scene who manages various aspects of
the evidence collection process, including an evidence log and evidence bagging, tagging, preservation and storage"
"Exigent Circumstances - CORRECT ANSWER=> The justification used to enter a property in order to
extinguish a fire"
"Final Hypothesis - CORRECT ANSWER=> Also known as "Conclusions""
"Fire Death Team - CORRECT ANSWER=> A team comprised of a homicide detective, medical examiner,
and fire investigator"
"Fire Dynamics Analysis - CORRECT ANSWER=> A type of analysis used to predict fire phenomena and
characteristics of the environment"
"Fire Effects - CORRECT ANSWER=> Observable or measurable changes in or on a material as the result
of a fire"
"Fire Growth Rate - CORRECT ANSWER=> Once a fuel is ignited in a motor vehicle, any additional fuels
contained in the vehicle have significant effect on WHAT fire factor?"
"Fire Intensity - CORRECT ANSWER=> In a wildland fire, this fire characterisic is indicated by the degree
of damage to the wildland fuel"
"Fire Origin - CORRECT ANSWER=> This investigative determination is based on witness information,
fire patterns, arc mapping, and fire dynamics"
"Fire Scene Access - CORRECT ANSWER=> The fifth and sixth amendments DO NOT answer questions
regarding constitutional protections in relation to WHAT fire investigation aspect? (4th amendment issue)"
"Fire Scene Reconstruction - CORRECT ANSWER=> Recreating pre-fire positions of contents"
"Fire-rated Door - CORRECT ANSWER=> This type of door must be used when installed in a fire-rated
wall."
"First or Second Degree Burns - CORRECT ANSWER=> This is the typical extent of thermal injuries
sustained from an explosion flame front, due to the very short duration."
"Flame Spread Rating - CORRECT ANSWER=> A system used to rate a material's flame spread potential.
*And these are the categories: Class A: Flame spread index 0- Class B: Flame spread index 26- Class C: Flame spread index 76-200"
"Flammable Gases - CORRECT ANSWER=> This type of fuel can only be ignited by a spark or pilot flame
over specific ranges of gas concentration"
"Flammable Liquid - CORRECT ANSWER=> A liquid with a flash point below 100*F"
"Flash point - CORRECT ANSWER=> The characteristic of an appropriate mixture of vapor-to-air, which
will cause it to ignite when subjected to an ignition source"
"Flash Point - CORRECT ANSWER=> A specific fuel characteristic, which will have little or no
significance when the fuel is released in a spray form."
"Flashover - CORRECT ANSWER=> In this phenomenon, the radiant ignition of exposed combustible
materials is key"
"Flashover - CORRECT ANSWER=> This phenomenon will occur in a compartment with a low ceiling
and fire on the floor, before the same fire in a room with high ceilings"
"Flashover - CORRECT ANSWER=> This fire phenomenon is not really a consideration for wildfires"
"Floor Assemblies - CORRECT ANSWER=> These construction features are tested for fire spread from
below, but NOT from above"
"Forced and Natural - CORRECT ANSWER=> The two mechanisms of convection heat transfer"
"Heat Release Rate - CORRECT ANSWER=> The fire characteristic that most affects fire growth during
the pre-flashover phase of a fire"
"Heat transfer - CORRECT ANSWER=> The transport of heat energy from one point to another point,
caused by temperature difference between those points"
"Heat transfer - CORRECT ANSWER=> The fire phenomenon responsible for much of the physical
evidence used by fire investigators"
"High-Order Damage - CORRECT ANSWER=> The shattering type of explosion damage"
"H.I.N. - CORRECT ANSWER=> The type of number an investigator should look for during a boat fire
investigation"
"Hot Surfaces - CORRECT ANSWER=> This vehicle component will NOT usually ignite gasoline"
"Human Body Fat - CORRECT ANSWER=> Component of the human body that will act as a fuel and
sustain a flame"
"Hypergolic Material - CORRECT ANSWER=> Any substance that will spontaneously ignite or explode
upon exposure to an oxidizer."
"Hypergolic Materials - CORRECT ANSWER=> Materials that can react with each other"
"Ignitable Liquid - CORRECT ANSWER=> A type of material that, when trapped in a concrete floor, can
be recovered by using lime, diatomaceous earth, or non-self-rising flour."
"Ignition by Electrical Energy - CORRECT ANSWER=> Ignition that involves transferring sufficient heat
to a fuel by passage of electrical current to ignite material that is closeby"
"Ignition Temperature - CORRECT ANSWER=> The minimum temperature needed to heat a fuel so as
to ignite and begin self-sustained combustion"
"Incandescent Light Bulbs - CORRECT ANSWER=> An item that tends to "pull" toward the heat source
(*if over 25 watts)"
"Incendiary Fire - CORRECT ANSWER=> A category of fire that is strongly indicated by the confirmation
of multiple fires"
"Incendiary Fire - CORRECT ANSWER=> A category of fire that is associated with multiple fires and
trailers"
"Incident Scene Commander - CORRECT ANSWER=> This person can grant permission for a fire
investigator to enter a scene before the fire is completely extinguished"
"Inductive Reasoning - CORRECT ANSWER=> The reasoning process of moving from specific
observation to broader generalizations (*Induction is to "increase" *Develop hypothesis ("induce") *More uncertain than deduction *Based on empirical data, training, and experience)"
"Interested Party - CORRECT ANSWER=> Any person, entity, or organization with obligations or whose
rights or interest might be affected by the investigation of a specific incident"
"Interviews - CORRECT ANSWER=> (1) Trust, (2) Caution, and (3) Distrust are three types of what?"
"Inverted Cone Pattern - CORRECT ANSWER=> This fire pattern is often caused by a natural gas leak"
"Inverted Cone Patterns - CORRECT ANSWER=> Fire patterns commonly created when a vertical flame
plume does not reach the ceiling"
"Team Leader Committee - CORRECT ANSWER=> In what group is one representative selected from
each investigative party?"
"Irregular Pattern - CORRECT ANSWER=> A certain pattern that is not necessarily an indicator of the
presence of an ignitable liquid"
"Job Performance Requirement - CORRECT ANSWER=> A professional description that (1) describes
the specific job task, (2) lists items necessary to complete the task, and (3) describes measurable outcomes and evaluations for the task"
"Joint Investigations - CORRECT ANSWER=> These can occur simultaneously and involve separate and
independent examinations through which each party may develop an independent hypothesis"
"Kerosene - CORRECT ANSWER=> Which of these fuels has the lowest ignition temperature: kerosene,
gasoline, methane, or propane?"
"Kinetic Energy - CORRECT ANSWER=> The type of energy that is converted suddenly from potential
energy during an explosion, with the production and release of gases under pressure."
"Laboratory Analysis - CORRECT ANSWER=> This entity must confirm any sample obtained by canine
alert, to be considered valid"
blue LEFT (health) white BOTTOM (special/specific) *(0 minimal to 4 severe hazard)"
"NFPA 921 - CORRECT ANSWER=> Not every portion of WHAT document is essential to every fire or
explosion incident"
"NFPA website - CORRECT ANSWER=> To submit a proposal to the NFPA 921 Committee, forms are
available from the _____________________."
"Noncombustible - CORRECT ANSWER=> Type of construction principally used in industrial type
buildings"
"Nondisclosure Agreement - CORRECT ANSWER=> This protects confidential, trade secret, and
propriety information in a fire investigation"
"Occupant Access - CORRECT ANSWER=> During a major investigation involving multiple tenants, this
should NOT be allowed until after the entire area has been examined and safety concerns have been addressed"
"Exterior Walls - CORRECT ANSWER=> The primary difference between Ordinary and Frame
constructions involves mostly the construction of WHAT?"
"Outside Screw and Yoke - CORRECT ANSWER=> One type of valve commonly used to control water
flow to fire sprinkler system *which is open when the position of the stem is up"
"Overcurrent - CORRECT ANSWER=> The electrical compromise between an energized wire and a
ground wire"
"Overhaul - CORRECT ANSWER=> The process of extinguishing hotspots and searching for hidden fires,
after suppression efforts"
"Oxidation - CORRECT ANSWER=> A chemical reaction that combines a substance with oxygen"
"Oxidation - CORRECT ANSWER=> The basic chemical process associated with combustion"
"Oxide Interface - CORRECT ANSWER=> This occurs when there is a poor electrical connection"
"Paper - CORRECT ANSWER=> A material that is NOT commonly subject to self-heating"
"Photography - CORRECT ANSWER=> While the scene is being "dug out" or excavated, this technique is
used throughout the investigation process to document the sequence of events."
"Physical Evidence of the Cause - CORRECT ANSWER=> When the origin is clearly defined, it is possible
to make a credible determination regarding the cause of the fire, even without the availability of WHAT?"
"Polyurethane Sofa - CORRECT ANSWER=> A fuel item that has the greatest peak heat release rate (in
unconfined burning)."
"Pooled Blood under the Body - CORRECT ANSWER=> This evidence can be identified, which indicates
pre-death trauma in a fire fatality"
"Post-indicator Valve - CORRECT ANSWER=> This device is generally used to control the flow of water
to a sprinkler system, hydrant, or another device with underground piping"
"Power - CORRECT ANSWER=> The rate at which energy is used"
"Preservation - CORRECT ANSWER=> This concept regarding physical evidence and the fire scene in
general is NOT the sole responsibility of the fire investigator."
"Protection Device - CORRECT ANSWER=> The remains of this component of an appliance may indicate
if it was operating at the time of the incident"
"Protocol - CORRECT ANSWER=> During a major investigation, this agreed-upon procedure is
important to establish and follow when a particular item is deemed evidence."
"Pugilistic Posture - CORRECT ANSWER=> A common post-mortem response of the body to heat,
resulting in the contracting of muscles as a direct result of the fire."
"Pyrolysis - CORRECT ANSWER=> A process in which material is decomposed, or broken down, into
simpler molecular compounds by the effects of heat alone"
"Pyrophoric Material - CORRECT ANSWER=> Any substance that spontaneously ignites upon exposure
to atmospheric oxygen."
"Pyrotechnics - CORRECT ANSWER=> This item may be found on a boat because they are often used in
firework events"
"Radiative Ignition - CORRECT ANSWER=> Fire spread from one fuel package to another is generally
caused by WHAT?"
"Sequential Photographs - CORRECT ANSWER=> Type of photography that is helpful in understanding
the relationship of a small subject to its relative position in a larger area"
"Serial Fire-Setting - CORRECT ANSWER=> Geographic area, clusters, temporal frequency, and
materials and methods are useful in identifying and establishing this act"
"Simple Sketch - CORRECT ANSWER=> At a minimum, this investigative practice should be done on all
fire scenes"
"Fire Size and Duration - CORRECT ANSWER=> Determining which pattern was produced at the point
of origin becomes more difficult as WHAT increases?"
"Sleeving - CORRECT ANSWER=> The softening and loosening of the wire's thermoplastic insulation
due to heating (fire)"
"Sloping Sides - CORRECT ANSWER=> Whether a hole burned into a horizontal surface was created
from above or below may be identified by examining WHAT?"
"Smoldering - CORRECT ANSWER=> This type of fire normally produces char that results from thermal
decomposition"
"Societal-motivated Arson - CORRECT ANSWER=> A subcategory of revenge/retaliation that is
generally not satisfied with a single fire"
"Solo - CORRECT ANSWER=> Fire scene examinations should NOT be conducted in WHAT MANNER?"
"Spalling - CORRECT ANSWER=> Damage and fire patterns occurring to concrete that is NOT a positive
indicator of a liquid accelerant"
"Specific Gravity - CORRECT ANSWER=> The ratio of the density of a substance to the density of a
standard (usually water for a liquid or solid, and air for a gas)"
"Specific Gravity of Air - CORRECT ANSWER=> The ratio of the average molecular weight of a gas or
vapor to the average molecular weight of air"
"Specific Gravity of a liquid or solid - CORRECT ANSWER=> The ratio of the mass of a given volume of a
substance to the mass of an equal volume of water (at a temp. of 4C)"
"Speed of Fire Growth - CORRECT ANSWER=> This fire characteristic is NOT indicated by the angle of
the borders of the V pattern"
"Spoliation - CORRECT ANSWER=> This concept does NOT mean that an item of evidence cannot be
removed from the fire scene in order to preserve it or protect it from theft, for instance."
"Spontaneous Combustion - CORRECT ANSWER=> What fire process is vehicle motor oil NOT prone to
undergo"
"Spontaneous Combustion - CORRECT ANSWER=> A phenomenon that does NOT occur to human
bodies (not supported by evidence)"
"Spontaneous Heating - CORRECT ANSWER=> The process whereby a material increases in
temperature without drawing heat from its surroundings"
"Sprinkler Head - CORRECT ANSWER=> Combustible materials should be kept 18 inches away from this
fire protection device"
"Stoichiometric Ratio - CORRECT ANSWER=> The optimum fuel/air mixture where combustion is most
efficient"
"Surface Orientation - CORRECT ANSWER=> This is the difference between wildfire V- patterns and
compartment fire V-patterns"
"Sweating - CORRECT ANSWER=> Heaters located just under the interior faces of a refrigerators keep
this from occurring"
"Thermal Cutoff - CORRECT ANSWER=> TCO stands for this, and "T" in particular"
"Thermal Cutoff - CORRECT ANSWER=> A component in heat-producing appliances, which operates by
melting of an internal pellet when the appliance overheats, which turns off the unit"
"Thermal Inertia - CORRECT ANSWER=> The property of a material that characterize its rate of surface
temperature rise when exposed to heat"
"Thermal Inertia - CORRECT ANSWER=> Thermal conductivity, density, and heat capacity are the three
components of WHAT?"
"Thermal Protector - CORRECT ANSWER=> A specific type of protective device that motors are
generally equipped with in a counter-top appliance, which may reset when the motor cools"
"Toxic Gases - CORRECT ANSWER=> More people are killed by this in a fire incident, not necessarily by
the flames of fire"
"Trailers - CORRECT ANSWER=> Fire patterns that indicate a deliberate attempt to distribute fire from
one location to another"
"Ventilation-Controlled Fire - CORRECT ANSWER=> A type of fire that produces more carbon monoxide
and more soot than fuel-controlled fires ((not sure which is hotter, but probably peak fuel-controlled, imo))"
"Violent Explosions - CORRECT ANSWER=> Fuel-air mixtures at or near the lower explosive limit (LEL)
do NOT always produce less ___________________ than those fuel-air mixtures at or near the upper explosive limit (UEL)."
"Weatherhead - CORRECT ANSWER=> A specific device on a structure that is associated with electricity
and is part of the electrical system"
"Wet-Pipe System - CORRECT ANSWER=> The most reliable type of sprinkler system"
"Wildfires - CORRECT ANSWER=> Weather history is an important factor when investigating these
types of fires"
"Wood Trusses - CORRECT ANSWER=> The failure of one of these types of construction features can
affect adjacent members of a similar type"
"X-rays - CORRECT ANSWER=> These medical procedures should be done of the entire deceased body,
including the clothing and associated debris found near the body."
"Zone Model - CORRECT ANSWER=> A type of fire dynamics analysis model that divides each room
into two or more spaces"
"Computational Fluid Dynamics Model - CORRECT ANSWER=> A type of fire dynamics analysis model
that divides the room into many cells (*Field or CFD model)"
"Power (Watts) - CORRECT ANSWER=> What is the product found by multiplying current (amps) times
voltage (volts)?"
"Orange to Black (Low to High) - CORRECT ANSWER=> Color coded sprinkler head bulbs, range from
what colors? (*From low to high temp: orange, red, yellow, green, blue, purple, black)"
"Electrical Ignition - CORRECT ANSWER=> The ignition source that requires that heat transfer from an
electrical source be maintained long enough to bring the adjacent fuel up to its ignition temperature."
"Up Position - CORRECT ANSWER=> An outside screw and yoke valve is open when the stem is in
WHAT position"
"Volts = current times resistance (v=ir) - CORRECT ANSWER=> Formula for Ohm's Law"
"Power = volts times current (p=vi) - CORRECT ANSWER=> Formula for power"
“Combustible Liquid - CORRECT ANSWER=> A liquid with a flash point ABOVE 100F"
"12.5 - CORRECT ANSWER=> If the current flowing out from an electrical panel is 12.5 amps, and it
then flows through an electrical load of 1500 watts, what is the amperage of the remaining current flow of the return circuit?"
"1000 - CORRECT ANSWER=> If a hair dryer draws 8.3amps (in a home with 120-volt service), what is
the wattage? *Power (P) = current (I) x voltage (V) Watts = amps x volts"
"1987 - CORRECT ANSWER=> The year of the first edition of NFPA 1033"
"1.5 times - CORRECT ANSWER=> The recommended distance for securing the perimeter of a blast
scene *That is, the distance from the furthest debris"
"1100°F - CORRECT ANSWER=> What temperature in the upper gas layer causes the onset of
Flashover?"
"1960°F - CORRECT ANSWER=> The temperature at which copper melts"
"2 W/cm2 - CORRECT ANSWER=> The measurement of the radiant heat flux (from gas layer to the
floor) that indicates the onset of flashover"
"240 volts - CORRECT ANSWER=> The voltage between the two hot wires at the service entrance
cables in most single-family residences in the United States (single-phase service with three wires)"
"3 years - CORRECT ANSWER=> The revision cycle for NFPA 921 (timespan)"
"350°F - CORRECT ANSWER=> The flash point of power steering fluid"
"35-70 p.s.i. - CORRECT ANSWER=> In high-pressure fuel-injected vehicles, this is the typical range of
pressure that is used to pump fuel from a fuel tank"
"Auto-ignition - CORRECT ANSWER=> Initiation of combustion by heat but without a spark or flame"
"Backdraft - CORRECT ANSWER=> A deflagration resulting from the sudden introduction of air into a
confined space containing oxygen-deficient products of incomplete combustion"
"Backdraft - CORRECT ANSWER=> An explosion caused by a combination of combustible materials
heated to the ignition point and a sudden introduction of oxygen to support combustion"
"Backfire Flame Arrestor - CORRECT ANSWER=> A boat device that owners fail to keep clean, which is a
frequent cause of engine compartment fires on boats"
"Ballast - CORRECT ANSWER=> A device on a fluorescent light fixture that transforms the voltage from
normal household voltage to a higher voltage"
"Battery - CORRECT ANSWER=> The starter motor draws its energy from this source"
"Beyond a Reasonable Doubt - CORRECT ANSWER=> The burden of proof in a criminal trial"
"Bimetallic Thermostats - CORRECT ANSWER=> The component that controls temperature in many
heat-producing appliances"
"BLEVE - CORRECT ANSWER=> This may occur when the vapor pressure of a liquid exceeds
atmospheric pressure *And this is the most common mechanical explosion"
