Definition of Terms Cellulose – A highly combustible and substance, is a process that evolves

explosive compound produced by the light and heat.

1. Abatement – Any act that would reaction of nitric acid with a cellulose
remove or neutralize a fire hazard. material. 24. Corrosive Liquid – Any liquid
which causes fire when in contract
2. Administrator – Any person who 12. Cellulose Nitrate Plastic with organic matter or with certain
acts as agent of the owner and (Pyroxylin) – Any plastic substance, chemicals.
manages the use of a building for materials or compound having
him. cellulose nitrate (nitro cellulose) as 25. Crazing of Glass - Formation of
base. irregular cracks in glass due to rapid
3. Air craft service station - That intense heat - possibly when
portion of an airport where flammable 13. Chief of the Local Fire Service - accelerant is used.
liquids are stored or dispensed and The official duly designated to head
shall include all facilities essential the local fire service; or in cities/ 26. Cryogenic – Descriptive of any
thereto such as underground tanks municipalities where the policemen material which by its nature or as a
from which aircraft fuel and lubricants are also performing the functions of result of its reaction with other
maybe drawn through dispensing the Fire service, the station elements produces a rapid drop in
device. commander of the Integrated temperature of the immediate
National Police. surroundings.
4. Alligatoring or Alligator Pattern -
A burned patternn usually on woods 14. Class A fire - Fire involving 27. Curtain Board – A vertical panel
resembling the skin marking of an ordinary combustible materials such of non-combustible or fire resistive
alligator, often used to trace the fire as wood, cloth, paper, rubber and materials attached to and extending
to its origin. plastics. below the bottom chord of the roof
trusses, to divide the underside of the
5. Assembly Occupancy - The 15. Class B fire – Fire inflammable roof into separate compartments so
occupancy or use of a building or liquids and gases. that heat and smoke will be directed
structure or any portion thereof by a upwards to a roof vent.
group of person for civic, political 16. Class C fire – Fire involving
education travel, religious, social, energized electrical equipment. 28. Damper – A normally open device
amusement or recreational purposes. installed inside an air duct system
17. Class D fire – Fire involving which automatically closes to restrict
6. Atoms - The smallest particles of combustible metals, such as the passage of smoke or fire.
elements that take part in a chemical magnesium, sodium, potassium, and
reaction. other similar materials. 29. Depth of Char - Depth of burning
wood used to determine length of
7. Automatic Fire Suppression 18. Combination Standpipe – Pipe burn thereby locating the point of
System – An integrated system of line system filled with water origin of fire.
connected to a constant water supply
underground or overhead piping or for the use of the Fire Service and the 30. Dip Tank – a tank, vat or
both connected to a source of occupants of the buildings solely for container of flammable or
extinguishing agent or medium and the suppression purposes. combustible liquid in which articles or
design in accordance with fire materials are immersed for the
protection engineering standards 19. Combustible Fiber Loose purposed of coating, finishing,
which when actuated by its automatic House – An enclosed and isolated treating or similar processes.
detecting device, suppresses fire structure where loose fibers are
within the area protected. worked upon, and used as storage 31. Distillation – The process of first
for such fibers. raising the temperature to separate
8. Blasting Agent – Any material or the more volatile from the less volatile
mixture consisting of a fuel and 20. Combustible Fiber – Any readily parts and then cooling and
oxidizer used to set off explosives. ignitable and free burning fiber such condensing the result vapor so as to
as cotton, oakum, rags, waste cloth, produce a nearly purified substance.
9. Boiling Point - The temperature at waste paper, kapok, hay, straw,
which a liquid is transformed or Spanish moss, excelsior and other 32. Dry Standpipe – A type of
converted to vapor. similar materials commonly used in standpipe system in which the pipe
commerce. are normally not filled with water.
10. Cargo Tank - Any container Water is introduced into the system
mounted on a tank vehicle with a 21. Combustible, Flammable or
Inflammable – Descriptive of thru fire Service connection when
capacity of at least four hundred fifty materials that are easily set on fire. needed.
(450) liters used for carrying
flammable or combustible liquids. It 22. Combustible Liquid – Any liquid 33. Duct System - A continuous
does not apply to the fuel tank of a having a flash point at or above passageway for the transmission of
motor vehicle. 37.8oC (100oF). air.

11. Cellulose Nitrate or Nitro 23. Combustion - The burning of any 34. Dust – A finely powdered
substance which, when mixed with air 55. Fire Safety Construction – Refers
in the proper proportion and ignited 46. Fire Engine - A heavy motor truck to design and installation of walls,
will cause an explosion. equipped with fire fighting apparatus, barriers, doors, windows, vents,
means of egress etc. integral to and
35. Electrical Arc – An extremely hot especially power driven pumps for incorporated into a building or
luminous bridge formed by the throwing water and chemical under structure in order to minimize danger
passage of an electric current across high pressure, a.k.a. FIRE TRUCK. to life from fire, smoke, fumes or
a space between two conductors or panic before the building is
terminals due to the incandescence 47. Fire Exit Drill – A practice drill for evacuated. These features are also
of the conducting vapor. the orderly and safe evacuation of designed to achieved, among others,
occupants in a building. safe and rapid evacuation of people
36. Ember – A hot piece of lump that through means of egress sealed from
remains after a material has partially 48. Fire Hazard – Any condition or smoke or fire, the confinement of fire
burned, and is still oxidizing without act which increases or may cause an of the building by means of smoke-
the manifestation of flames. increase in the probability of the
occurrence of fire, or which may sealed and fire resistant doors, walls
37. Endothermic Reaction - Changes obstruct, delay, hinder or interfere and floors. It shall also means to
whereby energy is absorbed or is with fire fighting operations and the include the treatment of building
added before the reaction takes safeguarding of life and property. components or contents with flame
place. retardant chemicals.
49. Fire Hydrant or Fire Plug - An
38. Exothermic Reaction - Those that upright pipe with a spout or nozzle in 56. Fire Service – An organization or
release or give off energy (heat) thus the street for drawing from a water a component of integrated National
they produce substances with less Police charged with the mission of
energy than the reactants. main source especially for fighting fire protection, fire protection and fire
fire. conditions.
39. Explosive – Includes any
chemical compound or mechanical 50. Fire Inspector/Fire Safety 57. Fire Trap – A building unsafe in
mixture, that is commonly used or Inspector/ or Fire Prevention case of fire because it will burn easily
Inspector – Personnel of the Fire or because it lacks adequate exits or
intended for the purpose of producing Service of the INP performing Fire fire escapes.
an explosion. safety and fire prevention functions.
58. Fire Wall – a wall designed to
40. Explosive Magazine – building, 51. Fire Lane – The portion of a prevent the spread of fire, having a
Structures or facilities used for the roadway or public-way that should be
storage of explosive shells, projectile kept opened and unobstructed at all fire resistance rating of not less than
and ammunition. times for the expedient operations of four hours with sufficient structural
fire fighting units. stability to remain standing even if
41. Finishes – Materials used as final construction on either side collapses
coasting of a surface for ornamental 52. Fire Protective Assembly - An under fire condition.
or protective purposes. assembly incorporated in a structure
designed to prevent the spread of 59. Flame Retardant – Any
42. Fire – The active principle of compound, or mixture which when
burning, characterized by the heat fire, such as dampers, curtain boards, applied properly improves the fire
and light of combustion. fire stoppers, etc.. resistant quality of fabrics and other
materials.
43. Fire Alarm – Any visual or audible 53. Fire Protective and Fire Safety
signal produce by a device or system Device – Any device intended for the 60. Flame Spread Rating – The time
to warm the occupants of the building protection of buildings or persons to in which flame will spread over the
include but not limited to built-in surface of a burning material.
or fire fighting elements of the protection system such as sprinklers
presence or danger of fire to enable and other automatic extinguishing 61. Flash Point – The minimum
them to undertake immediate action system, detectors for heat, smoke temperature at which any materials
to save file and property and to and combustion products and other gives off vapor in sufficient
suppress the fire. warning system components,
personal protective equipment such concentration to form an ignitable
44. Fire Alerting System – A fire as fire blankets, helmets, fire suits, mixture with air.
alarm system activated by the gloves and other garments that may
presence of a fire, where the signal is be put on or worn by persons to 62. Forging – A process where a
transmitted to designated location protect themselves during fire. piece of metal is heated prior to
instead of sounding a general alarm, changing its shape or dimensions.
in order to prevent panic. 54. Fire Resistance Rating - Th time
durationn that a material or 63. Fulminate – A kind of stable
45. Fire Door – A fire resistive door construction can withstand the effect explosive compound, which explodes
prescribed for openings in fire of hundred fire test. by percussion.
separation walls or portions.
64. Fumigant – A gas, fume, or vapor 76. Line of Demarcation or 87. Oxidation - The act of uniting or of
used for the destruction or control of Demarcation Line - The line between causing a substance to unite with
insects, fungi, vermin, germs, the charred and uncharred portion of oxygen.
rodents, or other pets. a burned material.
88. Oxidizing Agent - The substance
65. Hazardous Fire Area – Any land 77. Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) – that acquires electrons during an
covered with dry grass, cogon, reeds, any flammable gas liquefied through oxidation-reduction reaction. In the
brush, and other highly combustible pressure. The liquid vaporized under course of the reaction, the oxidizing
normal atmospheric pressure. agent is reduced.
growth that fires are likely to occur
therein and hard to suppress. 78. Means of Egress – A continuous 89. Oxidizing Material – A material
and unobstructed route of exit from that readily yields oxygen in
66. Hazardous Operation/Process – any point in a building, structure or quantities sufficient to stimulate or
Any act of manufacturing, fabrication, facility to a public way. support combustion.
conversion, etc., that uses or
produces materials which are likely to 79. Occupancy – The purpose for 90. Panic Hardware – A mechanical
cause fires or explosions. which a building or portion thereof is device consisting of linkages and a
used or intended to be used. horizontal bar across a door, which
67. High Rise Building – Buildings, when pushed from the inside will
structures or facilities fifteen (15) 80. Occupant – Any person actually cause the door to open and facilitate
meter or more in height. occupying and using a building or exit from a building, structure or
portions thereof by virtue of a lease facility.
68. Horizontal Channel – Any contract with the owner or
uninterrupted space between administrator or by permission or 91. Packing Rooms – Rooms where
horizontal layers of stored sufferance of the latter. baled, bundled or piled materials are
commodities. Such channel may be segregated into desires sizes or
formed by pallets, shelving, racks or 81. Occupant Load – The maximum groups.
other storage arrangements. number of persons that may be
allowed to occupy a particular 92. Plenum – An air compartment or
69. Horizontal Exit – Passageway building, structure or facility or chamber to which one or more ducts
from one building to another or portions thereof. are connected and which form part of
through or around a wall in an air distribution system.
approximately the same floor level. 82. Oil Burning Equipment – An oil
burner of any type together with its 93. Point to Point Search - A method
70. Hose Box – A box or cabinet tank, piping, wiring controls, blower of searching victims by first attending
where fire hoses, valves and other and related devices, and shall include or saving the first person then
equipment are stored and arranged all oil fired units, heating and cooking proceeding to save the next victim.
for fire fighting. appliances.
94. Pressurized or Forced Draft
71. Hose Reel – A cylindrical device 83. Organic Coating – A liquid Burning Equipment – Type of burner
turning on an axis around which a fire mixture of binders such as alkyd, where the fuel is subjected to
hose is wound and connected. nitrocellulose, acrylic, or oil, and pressure prior to discharge into the
flammable and combustible solvents combustion chamber and/or which
72. Hydrocarbon - Any substance such as hydrocarbon, ester, ketone includes fans or other provisions for
containing primarily carbon and or alcohol, which when spread on a the introduction of air at above
hydrogen. surface becomes a durable protective normal atmospheric pressure into the
and decorative finish. same combustion chamber.
73. Hypergolic Fuel – A rocket or
liquid propellant, which consists of 84. Organic Peroxide – A strong 95. Public Assembly Building – Any
combinations of fuels and oxidizers oxidizing organic compound which building or structure where fifty (50)
which ignite spontaneously on releases oxygen readily. It causes fire or more people congregate, gather,
contact with each other. when in contact with combustible or assemble for any purpose.
materials especially under conditions
74. Industrial Baking and Drying – of high temperature. 96. Public Way – Any street, alley or
The industrial process of subjecting other strip of land unobstructed from
materials to heat for the purpose of 85. Overloading – The use of one or the ground to the sky, deeded,
removing solvents or moisture from more electrical appliances or devices dedicated or otherwise permanently
the same, and/or to fuse certain appropriated for public use.
chemical salts to from a uniform which draw or consume electrical
glazing on the surface of materials current beyond the designed capacity 97. Pyrophoric – Descriptive of any
being treated. of the existing electrical system. substance that ignites spontaneously
when exposed to air.
75. Jumper – A piece of metal or an 86. Owner – The person who holds
electrical conductor used to bypass a the legal rights of possession or title 98. Refining – A process where
safety device in an electrical system. to a building or real property. impurities and/or deleterious
materials are removed from a mixture
 condition by clandestine means, such
in order to produce a pure element or as illegally wiring an electrical matter
compound. It shall also refer to partial to steal electricity.
distillation and electrolysis.
109. Tank Vehicle – Any vehicle
99. Self-Closing Doors – Automatic carrying or towing a cargo tank used
closing doors that are designed to for transporting flammable fluids or
confine smoke and heat and delay hazardous chemicals.
the spread of fire.
110. Technology - The branch of
100. Smelting – Melting or fusing of knowledge that deals with industrial
metallic ores or compounds so as to
separate impurities from pure arts and sciences; the science of
materials. technical process.

101. Smoke Developed Rating – A 111. Triage - The act of separating

rating of a combustible materials rescued victims to facilitate uniform
based on the density and volume of medical assistance.
smoke developed within a certain
112. Vapor Density - The weight of the
period of time when its surface is volume of pure gas composed to the
ignited. weight of a volume of dry air on the
same temperature and pressure.
102. Smoking – Puffing, carrying
and/or use of lighted pipe, cigar, 113. Vapor Pressure - When liquid is
cigarette or tobacco in any form. heated in a liquid container, the
molecules in a liquid state escape to
103. Specific Gravity - The ratio of the form gaseous molecules. The gas
weight of a solid or liquid substance molecules strike one another as well
to the weight of an equal volume of as the walls of the container and may
water. return to the liquid state; the force

104. Spontaneous Combustion - The exerted by the molecules on the

ignition of combustible substance surface of the liquid at equilibrium.
without the applicationof flame or
spark due to continuing oxidation until 114. Vestibule – A passage hall or
enough heat accumulates in a antechamber between the outer
confined space and ignition doors and the interior parts of a
temperature is released. house or building.

105. Spraying Area – Any area in 115. Vertical Shaft – An enclosed

which dangerous quantities of vertical space of passage that
flammable vapor or combustible extends from floor to floor, as well as
residues, dust or deposits are present from the base to the top of the
due to the operation of spraying building.
devices.

106. Sprinkler System – An integrated

network of hydraulically designed
piping installed in a building, structure
or area with outlets arranged in a
systematic pattern which
automatically discharges water when
activated by heat or combustion
products from a fire.

107. Standpipe System – A system of

vertical pipes in a building to which

fire hoses can be attached on each

floor, including a system by which
water is made available to the outlets
as needed.

108. Tampering - The act of bringing

about an improper situation or