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D O D |
U .S. Department of Defense. |
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D O E |
U.S. Department of Energy. |
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D O J |
U.S. Department of Justice. |
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Dam
|
A physical
barrier used to reduce a quantity of liquid flowing into the environment.
Materials used to make dams are concrete, earth, and other barriers
temporarily or permanently constructed to hold back the spill or leak.
Containment |
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Damage |
The severity of
injury, or the physical, functional, or monetary loss that results when
control of a hazard is not effective. Impairment of the usefulness or value
of a person or property. |
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Damage assessment
|
Evaluation of the degree of actual or
imminent destruction of a hazardous materials incident. |
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Damper |
An adjustable source of airflow resistance,
often installed at a right angle to air/gas flow, that serves as a means to
regulate or distribute airflow in a ventilation system. A metal "door"
placed within the fireplace chimney. Normally closed when the fireplace is
not in use. |
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Damp proofing |
The black, tar like waterproofing material
applied to the exterior of a foundation wall. |
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Dangerous when wet |
Materials that when exposed to water allow a
chemical reaction to take place and often produce flammable or poisonous
gases, heat, and a caustic solution. An example is sodium and water. |
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Daylight |
The end of a pipe (the terminal end) that is
not attached to anything. |
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DC |
Direct current. Also, in medical terms to
'discontinue' or stop a treatment or medication |
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DEA |
Abbreviation for the Drug Enforcement Agency. |
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Dead bolt |
An exterior security lock installed on
exterior entry doors that can be activated only with a key or thumb-turn.
Unlike a latch, which has a beveled tongue, dead bolts have square ends. |
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Dead end corridor
|
An extension of a corridor or aisle beyond an
exit or an access to an exit that forms a pocket in which occupants may be
trapped. |
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Dead end hydrant |
Fire hydrant that receives water from only
one direction. |
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Dead end main |
A water main supplied from only
one direction, usually resulting in poor flow. Water main that is not looped
and in which water can flow in only one direction. |
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Dead light |
The fixed, non-operable window section of a
window unit. |
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Dead load |
The
weight of structural parts of a building and other fixed loads. |
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Debridement |
The cleansing of a wound by cutting away dead
or infected tissue, foreign matter, etc. |
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Debriefing |
An element of incident termination which
focuses on the following factors:1. Informing responders exactly what
hazmats they were (possibly) exposed to, and the signs and symptoms of
exposure, 2. Identifying damaged equipment requiring replacement or repair,
3. Identifying equipment or supplies requiring specialized decontamination
or disposal, 4. Identifying unsafe work conditions, 5. Assigning
information-gathering responsibilities for a post-incident analysis |
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Deck gun |
A large and fixed water nozzle attached to an
engine. Deck guns deliver larger amounts of water than hand-held hose. Also
known as a Monitor, Turret Pipe, Deck Pipe or Master Stream., is a large
fixed nozzle usually mounted on the top of a fire engine. |
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Deck pipe |
One of several master stream
appliances mounted on a fire department pumper or a fireboat and connected
directly to the pump. Deck pipes are sometimes referred to as deck guns or
turret pipe. |
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Deck, decked |
To install the plywood or wafer board
sheeting on the floor joists, rafters, or trusses. |
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Decking |
The material used in constructing a deck. |
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Decomposition |
Breaking down of a substance to a less
complex form. This can be accomplished by the introduction of heat, through
the addition of neutralized chemicals, or through biodegradation. |
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Decompression |
The process of gradually lowering elevated
ambient pressure to eliminate dissolved gases from a diver's bloodstream and
tissues. |
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Decon |
Popular abbreviation referring to the process
of decontamination. |
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Decontamination corridor |
An exit passageway usually located at the
edge of the exclusion zone (hot zone) where decontamination takes place. It
leads to the cold zone. |
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Decontaminate |
To remove a hazardous material or unwanted
contaminant. |
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Decontamination |
The process or effort to remove a contaminant
from an individual, object, surface, material, or area to the extent
necessary to preclude the occurrence of a foreseeable adverse health effect.
The removal of a hazardous substance to prevent the occurrence of an adverse
health effect that may result from exposure to it. A preliminary
decontamination is done near the scene to allow the wearer to safely remove
a chemical protective garment. However, before the exposed garment can be
worn again, it must be thoroughly decontaminated to remove any chemical that
may have been absorbed into the protective barrier. |
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Decontamination shower
|
An emergency shower common to industrial
facility locations to remove product contamination. Also a tool to use when
decontamination of emergency response personnel, exposure victims, tools,
equipment and protective garments. This maybe a temporary set up or
established as part of a fixed industrial operation or building.
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Dedicated circuit |
An electrical circuit that serves only one
appliance (i.e., dishwasher) or a series of electric heaters or smoke
detectors. |
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Defensive mode |
The committing of the fire
department’s resources to protecting exposures and limiting risk to
firefighters when the fire has progressed to the point that an offensive
attack will accomplish nothing. The goal is to simply confine the fire to
the building/area of origin. No aggressive interior firefighting operations
take place in the defensive mode. All fire streams are operated onto the
fire from the outside. This strategy is employed when a fire has advanced to
the point where attack operations are too dangerous, and/or the fire is
beyond the capabilities of on scene resources. |
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Defensive tactics |
These are less aggressive spill and fire
control tactics where certain areas may be "conceded" to the emergency, with
response efforts directed toward limiting the overall size or spread of the
problem. |
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Defibrillation |
The use of direct current electric shock to
terminate ventricular fibrillation and restore effective cardiac function. |
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Defibrillator
|
An electrical device used to counteract
fibrillation of the heart muscle and restore normal heartbeat by applying a
brief electric shock. |
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Deflagration
|
A chemical reaction producing
vigorous heat and sparks or flame, moving through the material (as black or
smokeless powder) at less than the speed of sound. A major difference among
explosives is the speed of the reaction. Can also refer to intense burning.
A characteristic of Class B explosives. |
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Degree of hazard
|
A relative measure of how much harm a
substance can do. |
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Dehydration
|
The removal of water. In medical terms,
excessive loss of body water. Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract that
cause vomiting or diarrhea, heat exposure, prolonged vigorous exercise
kidney disease, and medications (diuretics). lead to dehydration. Symptoms
and signs of dehydration include increasing thirst, dry mouth, weakness or
lightheadedness, and a darkening of the urine or a decrease in urination.
Severe dehydration can lead to changes in the body's chemistry, kidney
failure, and become life-threatening. Firefighters are prone to quick
dehydration when working in high ambient air temperatures and humidity,
while wearing protective clothing or gear. This condition quickly puts
firefighters at risk for further heat related injuries of heat cramps, heat
exhaustion, heat stroke, that could result in coma and death. |
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Delamination |
Separation of the plies in a panel due to
failure of the adhesive. Usually caused by excessive moisture. |
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Delegation of Authority
|
A statement provided to the Incident Commander by the Agency
Executive delegating authority and assigning responsibility. The Delegation
of Authority can include objectives, priorities, expectations, constraints,
and other considerations or guidelines as needed. Many agencies require
written Delegation of Authority to be given to Incident Commanders prior to
their assuming command on larger incidents. |
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Deluge system
|
A fire protection sprinkler
system in which the sprinkler heads are always open. The system is
controlled by a valve that operates automatically by a thermostatically
actuated device. |
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Demand
|
A self-contained breathing
apparatus that supplies air to the wearer on demand. |
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Demobilization Unit
|
Functional Unit within the
Planning Section responsible for assuring orderly, safe, and efficient
demobilization of incident resources. |
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Density
|
A term used to denote the weight
per unit volume of a substance. The density of any substance is obtained by
dividing the weight by the volume. |
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Department of Public
Safety |
A method some communities use to provide fire and law enforcement
services. A department of public safety either relies on all or most members
being trained as both police officers and firefighters. Also, at a State
level, this department could include other divisions. In Missouri, this
department governs the Missouri Water Patrol, The Highway Patrol, The State
Fire Marshal's Office, State of Missouri Emergency Management Agency (SEMA)
and Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control. |
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Deputy
|
A fully qualified individual who,
in the absence of a superior, could be delegated the authority to manage a
functional operation or perform a specific task. In some cases, a Deputy
could act as relief for a superior and therefore must be fully qualified in
the position. Deputies can be assigned to the Incident Commander, General
Staff, and Branch Directors. Also in rank classification within the fire
service, a Deputy Chief is the immediate subordinate to the Fire Chief.
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Desiccant |
A substance,
such as silica gel, that removes moisture (water vapor) from the air to
maintain a dry atmosphere in containers of food or chemical packaging. |
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Detection
|
a) Sensing the existence of a fire,
especially by a detector, from one or more products of the fire, such as
smoke, heat, ionized particles, infrared radiation, and the like. (b) The
act or process of discovering and locating a fire. |
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Detonation
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A reaction in which the velocity of the
reaction front through the unreached fuel medium is equal to or greater than
the speed of sound. A wave that passes along the body of an explosive,
instantaneously converting the explosive into gas, e.g., dynamite. An
explosion at speeds above 3,300 feet per second. |
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Dew point
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The temperature at which air, by cooling,
becomes saturated with vapor, and droplets begin to form. |
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DHS
|
Department of Homeland Security |
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Differential Dry Pipe
Valve |
A valve in dry-pipe sprinkler
systems in which air pressure is used to hold the valve closed and thus hold
the water back. |
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Dike |
A physical barrier used as a defense against
the flowing of a liquid material into the environment. Refers to concrete,
earth, and other barriers temporarily constructed to hold back the spill or
leak. See Dam. |
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Dilution
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The application of water-to-water miscible
hazardous materials. The goal is to reduce the hazard of a material to safe
levels-by reducing its concentration. |
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Dip stick
|
Method of gauging using a measuring pole
inserted in the tank to determine the depth of liquid in the tank. Then,
using the appropriate innage/outage tables, the amount of commodity in the
tank is determined. |
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Director
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The ICS title for individuals
responsible for supervision of a Branch |
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Disconnect
|
A large (generally 20 Amp) electrical ON-OFF
switch. |
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Dispatch
|
1) To direct emergency services
to respond to an alarm. 2) The office where this action takes place. 3) The
implementation of a command decision to move a resource or resources to an
assigned operational mission or from one place to another |
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Dispatch Center
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A facility from which resources
are ordered, mobilized, and assigned to an incident. |
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Displacement
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Volume or weight of a fluid displaced by a
floating body of equal weight; amount of water forced into the pump thus
displacing air. |
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Disposable respirator
|
A respirator for which maintenance is not
intended, and that is designed to be discarded after excessive resistance,
sorbent exhaustion, physical damage, or at the end of service life when it
is rendered unsuitable for use. |
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Distillation
|
Going from the liquid to gaseous to liquid
state. |
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Distribution system
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That part of an overall water supply system
that receives the water from the pumping station and delivers it throughout
the area to be served. |
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Distributor Nozzle
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A nozzle used to create a broken
stream usually used on basement fires. |
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Division
|
Divisions are used to divide an
incident into geographical areas of operation. A Division is located within
the ICS organization between the Branch and the Task Force/Strike Team. (See
Group.) Divisions are established when the number of resources exceeds the
manageable span of control of the Operations Chief. Divisions are
identified by alphabetic characters for horizontal applications and, often,
by floor numbers when used in buildings. Also, within the Fire Department
organizational structure, a name given to identify a specific type of work
done within a group of workers. Examples: Fire Prevention Division,
Suppression Division, Apparatus Maintenance Division, Training Division.
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DOC
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Department Operations Center |
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Documentation Unit |
Functional Unit within the
Planning Section responsible for collecting, recording, and safeguarding all
documents relevant to the incident |
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Doffing
|
The process of taking off or removing. In the
fire service this means Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) or
chemical or structural firefighting protective clothing. The opposite of
donning. |
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Domestic consumption
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Water consumed from the water supply system
by residential and commercial occupancies. |
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Donning
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The process of putting on. In the fire
service this means Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) or chemical or
structural firefighting protective clothing. The opposite of doffing. |
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Door stop
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The wooden style that the door slab will rest
upon when it's in a closed position. |
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Doorjamb, interior
|
The surrounding case into which and out of
which a door closes and opens. It consists of two upright pieces, called
side jambs, and a horizontal head jamb. These 3 jambs have the "door stop"
installed on them. |
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Dormer
|
An opening in a sloping roof, the framing of
which projects out to form a vertical wall suitable for windows or other
openings. |
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Dose |
The amount of substance ingested, absorbed
and/or inhaled per exposure period. The accumulated amount of a chemical to
which a person is exposed. |
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Dosimeter
. |
A small, nuclear radiation
detection device that registers the total amount of gamma radiation to which
it has been exposed |
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DOT (Department Of Transportation) |
The administrative body of the executive branch of the federal
government responsible for transportation policy, regulations, and
enforcement. Regulates transportation of materials to protect the public as
well as fire, law, and other emergency response personnel. |
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Double glass
|
Window or door in which two panes of glass
are used with a sealed air space between. Also known as Insulating Glass |
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Double hung window
|
A window with two vertically sliding sashes,
both of which can move up and down. |
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Draft |
The process of obtaining water
from a static source into a pump that is above the source’s level.
Atmospheric pressure on the water surface forces the water into the pump
where a partial vacuum has been created. |
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Drafting
|
Drafting is the pulling of water
from a source other than accepting pressurized water from a hydrant or
another fire apparatus. Cisterns, lakes, ponds and swimming pools are often
used in drafting operations. Many departments in rural areas without fire
hydrants use drafting. |
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Drafting pit
|
An underground reservoir of water
usually located at a training center to draft from for pumper testing. |
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Drag |
A procedure of dragging hooks
through water to find drowning victims. A rescue procedure for removing
victims from a fire area. Vernacular term used when advancing a hose line,
i.e. "Drag a line" |
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Drain tile |
A
perforated, corrugated plastic pipe laid at the bottom of the foundation
wall and used to drain excess water away from the foundation. It prevents
ground water from seeping through the foundation wall. Sometimes called
perimeter drain. |
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Drain valve
|
Valve on a pump discharge that facilitates
the removal of pressure from a hose line after the discharge has been
closed. Also a drain valve is required on sprinkler systems to remove static
water within the system; so that the system can be repaired or restored. |
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Drill |
A training session to practice
fire fighting operations. |
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Drill school
|
A fire department school where engine,
ladder, and rescue company drills may be performed by company units under
the supervision of the fire department instructors and where probationary
firefighters are instructed in use of equipment and basic techniques. |
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Drill tower
|
A training structure normally
more than three stories used by training personnel to develop realistic fire
service situations. |
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Drip |
(a) A member of a cornice or other horizontal
exterior finish course that has a projection beyond the other parts for
throwing off water. (b) A groove in the underside of a sill or drip cap to
cause water to drop off on the outer edge instead of drawing back and
running down the face of the building |
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Drip cap
|
A molding or metal flashing placed on the
exterior topside of a door or window frame to cause water to drip beyond the
outside of the frame. |
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Driver / Operator
|
See Fire Apparatus Driver/Operator. |
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Driver reaction distance
|
Distance a vehicle travels while a driver is
transferring the foot from the accelerator to the brake pedal after
perceiving the need for stopping. |
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Drop Down
|
The spread of fire by the dropping or falling
of burning materials. Synonymous with Fall Down. |
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Drug lab
|
Often referred to as a clandestine
laboratory, an illegal site for the manufacture of chemicals or drugs. |
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Drum
|
A cylindrical packaging made of metal,
plastic, fiberboard, plywood, or other suitable materials used for
containerizing liquids and solids. Metal and plastic drums can vary in size
up to 23 inches in diameter and 34 inches high. Drums are sometimes called
buckets, cans, or pails. |
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Dry barrel hydrant
|
Fire hydrant that has its opening valve at
the water main rather than in the barrel of the hydrant. When operating
properly, there is no water in the barrel of the hydrant when it is not in
use. These hydrants are used in areas where freezing could occur. |
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Dry Chemical
|
A special fire-extinguishing chemical, sodium
or potassium bicarbonate or monosodium phosphate powder, usually available
from semi-fixed or portable extinguisher. Suitable for combating
appropriately sized Class B and C fires. A term applied to an extinguishing
agent suitable for use on flammable liquids and electrical fires. |
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Dry hose line
|
Hose line without water in it; an un-charged
hose line. |
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Dry hydrant
|
Permanently installed pipe that has pumper
suction connections installed at static water sources to speed drafting
operations. |
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Dry
in |
To install the black roofing felt (tar paper)
on the roof. |
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Dry pipe sprinkler
system |
A fire protection sprinkler system that has air instead of
water under pressure in its piping. Dry systems are often installed in areas
subject to freezing. |
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Dry Powder
|
The extinguishing agent suitable
for use on combustible metal fires. |
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Dry standpipe system
|
Standpipe system that has closed water supply
valves or that lacks a fixed water supply. |
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Drywall (or Gypsum Wallboard
(GWB), Sheet rock or Plasterboard) |
Wall board or gypsum- A manufactured panel
made out of gypsum plaster and encased in a thin cardboard. Usually 1/2"
thick and 4' x 8' or 4' x 12' in size. The panels are nailed or screwed onto
the framing and the joints are taped and covered with a 'joint compound'.
'Green board' type drywall has a greater resistance to moisture than regular
(white) plasterboard and is used in bathrooms and other "wet areas". |
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Dual pumping
|
Operation where a strong hydrant is used to
supply two pumpers by connecting the pumpers intake-to-intake. The second
pumper receives the excess water not being pumped by the first pumper, which
is directly connected to the water supply source. Sometimes incorrectly
referred to as tandem pumping. |
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Dub |
To cut off the corners of shingles at the
valleys |
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Duct
|
A conduit used for conveying air at low
pressure. The heating system. Usually round or rectangular metal pipes
installed for distributing warm (or cold) air from the furnace to rooms in
the home. Also a tunnel made of galvanized metal or rigid fiberglass, which
carries air from the heater or ventilation opening to the rooms in a
building. |
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Dump Tank
|
Also called a portable pond, this is a
collapsible container made of either vinyl or canvas and is used at remote
fire scenes as a water source. Tankers will ferry water to the dump tank,
deposit their water there, and then return to the water source for another
load. This allows the pumper on the scene to have a continuous water supply
and frees the tanker from having to remain on the scene while its water is
pumped through the engine to the working fire personnel. |
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Dura board, dura rock
|
A panel made out of concrete and fiberglass
usually used as a ceramic tile backing material. Commonly used on bathtub
decks. Sometimes called Wonder board |
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Dust explosion |
The rapid burning with explosive
force of any combustible dust. Dust explosions generally are two explosions.
A small explosion or shock wave creates additional dust in an atmosphere
causing the second and larger explosion. |
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DWV (drain-waste-vent)-
|
The section of a plumbing system that carries
water and sewer gases out of a home. |
