Definition of Terms 11.

Cellulose Nitrate or Nitro Cellulose – A

highly combustible and explosive compound
1. Abatement – Any act that would remove or produced by the reaction of nitric acid with a
neutralize a fire hazard. cellulose material.

2. Administrator – Any person who acts as 12. Cellulose Nitrate Plastic (Pyroxylin) – Any
agent of the owner and manages the use of plastic substance, materials or compound
a building for him. having cellulose nitrate (nitro cellulose) as
base.
3. Air craft service station - That portion of an
airport where flammable liquids are stored or 13. Chief of the Local Fire Service - The official
dispensed and shall include all facilities duly designated to head the local fire service;
essential thereto such as underground tanks or in cities/ municipalities where the
from which aircraft fuel and lubricants maybe policemen are also performing the functions
drawn through dispensing device. of the Fire service, the station commander of
the Integrated National Police.
4. Alligatoring or Alligator Pattern - A burned
patternn usually on woods resembling the 14. Class A fire - Fire involving ordinary
skin marking of an alligator, often used to combustible materials such as wood, cloth,
trace the fire to its origin. paper, rubber and plastics.

5. Assembly Occupancy - The occupancy or 15. Class B fire – Fire inflammable liquids and
use of a building or structure or any portion gases.
thereof by a group of person for civic,
political education travel, religious, social, 16. Class C fire – Fire involving energized
amusement or recreational purposes. electrical equipment.

6. Atoms - The smallest particles of elements 17. Class D fire – Fire involving combustible
that take part in a chemical reaction. metals, such as magnesium, sodium,
potassium, and other similar materials.
7. Automatic Fire Suppression System – An
integrated system of underground or 18. Combination Standpipe – Pipe line system
overhead piping or both connected to a filled with water connected to a constant
source of extinguishing agent or medium and water supply for the use of the Fire Service
design in accordance with fire protection and the occupants of the buildings solely for
engineering standards which when actuated the suppression purposes.
by its automatic detecting device,
suppresses fire within the area protected. 19. Combustible Fiber Loose House – An
enclosed and isolated structure where loose
8. Blasting Agent – Any material or mixture fibers are worked upon, and used as storage
consisting of a fuel and oxidizer used to set for such fibers.
off explosives.
20. Combustible Fiber – Any readily ignitable
9. Boiling Point - The temperature at which a and free burning fiber such as cotton, oakum,
liquid is transformed or converted to vapor. rags, waste cloth, waste paper, kapok, hay,
straw, Spanish moss, excelsior and other
10. Cargo Tank - Any container mounted on a similar materials commonly used in
tank vehicle with a capacity of at least four commerce.
hundred fifty (450) liters used for carrying
flammable or combustible liquids. It does not 21. Combustible, Flammable or Inflammable –
apply to the fuel tank of a motor vehicle. Descriptive of materials that are easily set on
fire.
22. Combustible Liquid – Any liquid having a
flash point at or above 37.8oC (100oF). 33. Duct System - A continuous passageway for
the transmission of air.
23. Combustion - The burning of any substance,
is a process that evolves light and heat. 34. Dust – A finely powdered substance which,
when mixed with air in the proper proportion
24. Corrosive Liquid – Any liquid which causes and ignited will cause an explosion.
fire when in contract with organic matter or
with certain chemicals. 35. Electrical Arc – An extremely hot luminous
bridge formed by the passage of an electric
25. Crazing of Glass - Formation of irregular current across a space between two
cracks in glass due to rapid intense heat - conductors or terminals due to the
possibly when accelerant is used. incandescence of the conducting vapor.

26. Cryogenic – Descriptive of any material 36. Ember – A hot piece of lump that remains
which by its nature or as a result of its after a material has partially burned, and is
reaction with other elements produces a still oxidizing without the manifestation of
rapid drop in temperature of the immediate flames.
surroundings.
37. Endothermic Reaction - Changes whereby
27. Curtain Board – A vertical panel of non- energy is absorbed or is added before the
combustible or fire resistive materials reaction takes place.
attached to and extending below the bottom
chord of the roof trusses, to divide the 38. Exothermic Reaction - Those that release or
underside of the roof into separate give off energy (heat) thus they produce
compartments so that heat and smoke will be substances with less energy than the
directed upwards to a roof vent. reactants.

28. Damper – A normally open device installed 39. Explosive – Includes any chemical
inside an air duct system which automatically compound or mechanical mixture, that is
closes to restrict the passage of smoke or commonly used or intended for the purpose
fire. of producing an explosion.

29. Depth of Char - Depth of burning wood used 40. Explosive Magazine – building, Structures or
to determine length of burn thereby locating facilities used for the storage of explosive
the point of origin of fire. shells, projectile and ammunition.

30. Dip Tank – a tank, vat or container of 41. Finishes – Materials used as final coasting of
flammable or combustible liquid in which a surface for ornamental or protective
articles or materials are immersed for the purposes.
purposed of coating, finishing, treating or
similar processes. 42. Fire – The active principle of burning,
characterized by the heat and light of
31. Distillation – The process of first raising the combustion.
temperature to separate the more volatile
from the less volatile parts and then cooling 43. Fire Alarm – Any visual or audible signal
and condensing the result vapor so as to produce by a device or system to warm the
produce a nearly purified substance. occupants of the building or fire fighting
elements of the presence or danger of fire to
32. Dry Standpipe – A type of standpipe system enable them to undertake immediate action
in which the pipe are normally not filled with to save file and property and to suppress the
water. Water is introduced into the system fire.
thru fire Service connection when needed.
44. Fire Alerting System – A fire alarm system combustion products and other warning
activated by the presence of a fire, where the system components, personal protective
signal is transmitted to designated location equipment such as fire blankets, helmets, fire
instead of sounding a general alarm, in order suits, gloves and other garments that may be
to prevent panic. put on or worn by persons to protect
themselves during fire.
45. Fire Door – A fire resistive door prescribed
for openings in fire separation walls or 54. Fire Resistance Rating - Th time durationn
portions. that a material or construction can withstand
the effect of hundred fire test.
46. Fire Engine - A heavy motor truck equipped
with fire fighting apparatus, especially power 55. Fire Safety Construction – Refers to design
driven pumps for throwing water and and installation of walls, barriers, doors,
chemical under high pressure, a.k.a. FIRE windows, vents, means of egress etc.
TRUCK. integral to and incorporated into a building or
structure in order to minimize danger to life
47. Fire Exit Drill – A practice drill for the orderly from fire, smoke, fumes or panic before the
and safe evacuation of occupants in a building is evacuated. These features are
building. also designed to achieved, among others,
safe and rapid evacuation of people through
48. Fire Hazard – Any condition or act which means of egress sealed from smoke or fire,
increases or may cause an increase in the the confinement of fire of the building by
probability of the occurrence of fire, or which means of smoke-sealed and fire resistant
may obstruct, delay, hinder or interfere with doors, walls and floors. It shall also means to
fire fighting operations and the safeguarding include the treatment of building components
of life and property. or contents with flame retardant chemicals.

49. Fire Hydrant or Fire Plug - An upright pipe 56. Fire Service – An organization or a
with a spout or nozzle in the street for component of integrated National Police
drawing from a water main source especially charged with the mission of fire protection,
for fighting fire. fire protection and fire conditions.

50. Fire Inspector/Fire Safety Inspector/ or Fire 57. Fire Trap – A building unsafe in case of fire
Prevention Inspector – Personnel of the Fire because it will burn easily or because it lacks
Service of the INP performing Fire safety and adequate exits or fire escapes.
fire prevention functions.
58. Fire Wall – a wall designed to prevent the
51. Fire Lane – The portion of a roadway or spread of fire, having a fire resistance rating
public-way that should be kept opened and of not less than four hours with sufficient
unobstructed at all times for the expedient structural stability to remain standing even if
operations of fire fighting units. construction on either side collapses under
fire condition.
52. Fire Protective Assembly - An assembly
incorporated in a structure designed to 59. Flame Retardant – Any compound, or
prevent the spread of fire, such as dampers, mixture which when applied properly
curtain boards, fire stoppers, etc.. improves the fire resistant quality of fabrics
and other materials.
53. Fire Protective and Fire Safety Device – Any
device intended for the protection of 60. Flame Spread Rating – The time in which
buildings or persons to include but not limited flame will spread over the surface of a
to built-in protection system such as burning material.
sprinklers and other automatic extinguishing
system, detectors for heat, smoke and
61. Flash Point – The minimum temperature at fuels and oxidizers which ignite
which any materials gives off vapor in spontaneously on contact with each other.
sufficient concentration to form an ignitable
mixture with air. 74. Industrial Baking and Drying – The industrial
process of subjecting materials to heat for
62. Forging – A process where a piece of metal the purpose of removing solvents or moisture
is heated prior to changing its shape or from the same, and/or to fuse certain
dimensions. chemical salts to from a uniform glazing on
the surface of materials being treated.
63. Fulminate – A kind of stable explosive
compound, which explodes by percussion. 75. Jumper – A piece of metal or an electrical
conductor used to bypass a safety device in
64. Fumigant – A gas, fume, or vapor used for an electrical system.
the destruction or control of insects, fungi,
vermin, germs, rodents, or other pets. 76. Line of Demarcation or Demarcation Line -
The line between the charred and uncharred
65. Hazardous Fire Area – Any land covered portion of a burned material.
with dry grass, cogon, reeds, brush, and
other highly combustible growth that fires are 77. Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) – any
likely to occur therein and hard to suppress. flammable gas liquefied through pressure.
The liquid vaporized under normal
66. Hazardous Operation/Process – Any act of atmospheric pressure.
manufacturing, fabrication, conversion, etc.,
that uses or produces materials which are 78. Means of Egress – A continuous and
likely to cause fires or explosions. unobstructed route of exit from any point in a
building, structure or facility to a public way.
67. High Rise Building – Buildings, structures or
facilities fifteen (15) meter or more in height. 79. Occupancy – The purpose for which a
building or portion thereof is used or intended
68. Horizontal Channel – Any uninterrupted to be used.
space between horizontal layers of stored
commodities. Such channel may be formed 80. Occupant – Any person actually occupying
by pallets, shelving, racks or other storage and using a building or portions thereof by
arrangements. virtue of a lease contract with the owner or
administrator or by permission or sufferance
69. Horizontal Exit – Passageway from one of the latter.
building to another or through or around a
wall in approximately the same floor level. 81. Occupant Load – The maximum number of
persons that may be allowed to occupy a
70. Hose Box – A box or cabinet where fire particular building, structure or facility or
hoses, valves and other equipment are portions thereof.
stored and arranged for fire fighting.
82. Oil Burning Equipment – An oil burner of any
71. Hose Reel – A cylindrical device turning on type together with its tank, piping, wiring
an axis around which a fire hose is wound controls, blower and related devices, and
and connected. shall include all oil fired units, heating and
cooking appliances.
72. Hydrocarbon - Any substance containing
primarily carbon and hydrogen. 83. Organic Coating – A liquid mixture of binders
such as alkyd, nitrocellulose, acrylic, or oil,
73. Hypergolic Fuel – A rocket or liquid and flammable and combustible solvents
propellant, which consists of combinations of such as hydrocarbon, ester, ketone or
alcohol, which when spread on a surface
 becomes a durable protective and decorative subjected to pressure prior to discharge into
finish. the combustion chamber and/or which
includes fans or other provisions for the
84. Organic Peroxide – A strong oxidizing introduction of air at above normal
organic compound which releases oxygen atmospheric pressure into the same
readily. It causes fire when in contact with combustion chamber.
combustible materials especially under
conditions of high temperature. 95. Public Assembly Building – Any building or
structure where fifty (50) or more people
85. Overloading – The use of one or more congregate, gather, or assemble for any
electrical appliances or devices which draw purpose.
or consume electrical current beyond the
designed capacity of the existing electrical 96. Public Way – Any street, alley or other strip
system. of land unobstructed from the ground to the
sky, deeded, dedicated or otherwise
86. Owner – The person who holds the legal permanently appropriated for public use.
rights of possession or title to a building or
real property. 97. Pyrophoric – Descriptive of any substance
that ignites spontaneously when exposed to
87. Oxidation - The act of uniting or of causing a air.
substance to unite with oxygen.
98. Refining – A process where impurities and/or
88. Oxidizing Agent - The substance that deleterious materials are removed from a
acquires electrons during an oxidation- mixture in order to produce a pure element or
reduction reaction. In the course of the compound. It shall also refer to partial
reaction, the oxidizing agent is reduced. distillation and electrolysis.

89. Oxidizing Material – A material that readily 99. Self-Closing Doors – Automatic closing doors
yields oxygen in quantities sufficient to that are designed to confine smoke and heat
stimulate or support combustion. and delay the spread of fire.

90. Panic Hardware – A mechanical device 100. Smelting – Melting or fusing of metallic
consisting of linkages and a horizontal bar ores or compounds so as to separate
across a door, which when pushed from the impurities from pure materials.
inside will cause the door to open and
facilitate exit from a building, structure or 101. Smoke Developed Rating – A rating of a
facility. combustible materials based on the density
and volume of smoke developed within a
91. Packing Rooms – Rooms where baled, certain period of time when its surface is
bundled or piled materials are segregated ignited.
into desires sizes or groups.
102. Smoking – Puffing, carrying and/or use of
92. Plenum – An air compartment or chamber to lighted pipe, cigar, cigarette or tobacco in
which one or more ducts are connected and any form.
which form part of an air distribution system.
103. Specific Gravity - The ratio of the weight
93. Point to Point Search - A method of of a solid or liquid substance to the weight of
searching victims by first attending or saving an equal volume of water.
the first person then proceeding to save the
next victim. 104. Spontaneous Combustion - The ignition
of combustible substance without the
94. Pressurized or Forced Draft Burning applicationof flame or spark due to
Equipment – Type of burner where the fuel is continuing oxidation until enough heat
 accumulates in a confined space and ignition
temperature is released. 114. Vestibule – A passage hall or
antechamber between the outer doors and
105. Spraying Area – Any area in which the interior parts of a house or building.
dangerous quantities of flammable vapor or
combustible residues, dust or deposits are 115. Vertical Shaft – An enclosed vertical
present due to the operation of spraying space of passage that extends from floor to
devices. floor, as well as from the base to the top of
the building.
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 condition by clandestine
means, such as illegally wiring an electrical
matter to steal electricity.

109. Tank Vehicle – Any vehicle carrying or

towing a cargo tank used for transporting
flammable fluids or hazardous chemicals.

110. Technology - The branch of knowledge

that deals with industrial arts and sciences;
the science of technical process.

111. Triage - The act of separating rescued

victims to facilitate uniform medical
assistance.

112. Vapor Density - The weight of the volume

of pure gas composed to the weight of a
volume of dry air on the same temperature
and pressure.

113. Vapor Pressure - When liquid is heated in

a liquid container, the molecules in a liquid
state escape to form gaseous molecules.
The gas molecules strike one another as well
as the walls of the container and may return
to the liquid state; the force exerted by the
molecules on the surface of the liquid at
equilibrium.