Basic Firefighter Written Practice Exam

Which water flow method would likely create the most ice during a fire in cold temperatures?

1. Solid stream

2. Fog stream

3. Master stream

4. Hollow stream

The correct answer is: Solid stream

Using a solid stream is likely to create the most ice during a fire in cold temperatures due to the concentrated nature of the water flow. When a solid stream is deployed, the water is delivered with high velocity and pressure, impacting surfaces directly with minimal dispersion. This results in significant amounts of water accumulating in a specific area before it has a chance to evaporate or be absorbed. In cold conditions, this concentrated delivery leads to a rapid freezing process as the water has a longer duration of contact with surfaces, forming ice. Additionally, the lack of vaporization that typically occurs in a fog stream, which disperses water into smaller droplets and creates more surface area for evaporation, means that more water can accumulate without immediately freezing. Furthermore, while other methods like fog stream or hollow stream may reduce ice formation due to their vaporization effects, a solid stream maintains a high volume of water in a single area, accelerating ice formation where temperatures are below freezing.