Task Force/Strike Team Leader, S-330
Pre-Course Quiz
(115 possible points, 81 points = passing)
Name:  Type in the brackets provided  	Score:      
Answers to the following questions may be found by reviewing the NWCG courses that are required or suggested training for the position (S-230, S-215, S290, S-260, L-280), Incident Response Pocket Guide, Fireline Handbook, NWCG 310-1 Wildland and Prescribed Fire Qualification System Guide, and the Glossary of Wildland Fire Terminology. Place answers or an X in the brackets provided throughout the document as demonstrated above.

1.	You need to find your transportation to the designated drop point.  Who would you contact? 
	       	Situation Unit 
	       	Communication Unit 
	       	Supply Unit 
	      	Ground Support Unit 

2.	It is important for the Task Force Leader to be familiar with the capabilities of: (select all that apply) 
	    	Engines 
	    	Crews 
	    	Equipment 
	    	Aircraft 

3.	List at least three references for firefighting safety guidelines. 

	1.    

	2.    

	3.    

4.	It is the responsibility of the Task Force/Strike Team Leader to ensure the _____________ of their assigned incident personnel. 

    	Fitness level / ROSS status 
   	Qualifications / Certifications 

5.	The __________________contains tables which provide line production rates for various resources under given conditions. 

   	Incident Response Pocket Guide 
   	NWCG Fireline Handbook 410-1 
   	Glossary of Wildland Fire Terminology 
   	Both a and b 

6.	In steep, rocky terrain a Type 1 dozer strike team will construct 3 times as much fireline in one hour as a Type 2 dozer strike team in 3 hours. 

   	True 
   	False 

7.	Your strike team crew and several other strike teams are being delivered to a mountain top by helicopter to a lengthy spike camp assignment. What two specialized positions would you anticipate being there to support your crews? 

   	Helispot manager and camp manager 
   	Facilities unit leader and camp crew 
   	Line EMT and a base camp manager 

8.	While modifying tactics, which of the following must be considered? 

   	Matching resource capability with task 
   	The current and expected fire behavior 
   	Local factors influencing the weather 
   	All of the above 

9.	Prior to receiving an assignment, what information is available from the
previous operational period’s Incident Action Plan?  (List 5 items)

	1.    

2.    
	
3.    
	
4.    
	
5.    

10.	As a task force leader you may have contract resources assigned to you. List at least three items that must be inspected prior to putting these resources to work. 

	1.    
	
2.    
	
3.    

11.	List at least three items that must be inspected for agency resources, prior to putting these resources to work. 

	1.    
	
2.    
	
3.    

12.	As a strike team leader of hand crews, what precautions would you take to control the issuing of equipment from the Supply Unit? 

13.	As a strike team leader you should try to sleep your resources in the same area. Who should you talk to if the incident camp map is not posted and you are not sure where the crew sleeping area is? 

14.	Who should attend the operational briefing with you and how many Incident Action Plans should you acquire? 

15.	What are the three categories in structure protection triage? 

	1.    

	2.    

	3.    

16.	List four hazards which present a threat during structure protection. 

	1.    

	2.    

	3.    

	4.    

17.	Engines engaged in structure protection should keep at least _ gallons of water in their tanks. 

18.	The minimum adequate clearance around a structure is _______ feet. 

19.	If you encounter a Hazardous Materials incident, what should be your initial actions? 

20.	What does this symbol mean when it is found on a building near the entrance?
	
   	The structure is safe to enter. 
   	The structure is safe in some areas. 
   	The structure is not safe. 
   	Search and rescue team has left this structure. 

21.	List at least five important considerations to re-evaluate during the operational period. 

	1.    

	2.    

	3.    

	4.    

	5.    

22.	What level of authority is required to authorize a backfire operation? 

   	Division/Group Supervisor 
   	Operations Section Chief 
   	Incident Commander 
   	Task Force Leader 

23.	What level of authority is required to authorize a burnout operation? 

   	Single Resource Boss 
   	Strike Team Leader 
   	Division/Group Supervisor 
   	Operations Section Chief 

24.	Give three examples of non-wildland fire (all-risk) uses of a task force. 

	1.    

	2.    

	3.    
25.	You are assigned as a Strike Team Leader-Crew (STCR) for a Type 2 hand crew strike team made up of various local agency firefighters. You are assigned to support operations during the initial attack of a rapidly growing wildland urban/interface fire. What are some steps you would take before deploying your crews? 

26.	Your crew strike team is having problems maintaining direct line construction because fireline intensities are too high. No aviation resources are assigned to your division at this time. You have not been able to contact your division supervisor.  Using the ICS structure, which aviation function do you contact for support? 

   	Helicopter pilot 
   	Air tactical group supervisor 
   	Air support group supervisor 
   	Air tanker pilot 

27.	Describe the steps to be taken when addressing serious fireline injuries. 

28.	When completing forms involving claims for lost, stolen or damaged property, what incident personnel should the crew boss coordinate with? 

   	Division/Group supervisor 
   	Compensation/Claims unit leader 
   	Security manager 
   	All of the above 
   	a and c 

29.	Who has responsibility for completing crew time reports? 

   	Each individual crew person 
   	The squad bosses 
   	The single resource boss 

30.	The three wildland fire leadership values are: 

   	Duty 
   	Accountability 
   	Communication 
   	Respect 
   	Integrity 

31.	What is the foundation of the risk management process? 

   	Hazard assessment 
   	LCES 
   	Situation awareness 
   	Hazard control 
   	Decision point 

32.	The risk management process is: 

   	A one time action. 
   	Applied only when hazards are encountered. 
   	A continual process. 
   	Performed only by safety officer. 

33.	You are given a fireline assignment that you consider unsafe.  What fire management tool provides the protocol to properly refuse the risk? 

   	Interagency Helicopter Operations Guide 
   	Incident Response Pocket Guide 
   	Incident Action Plan 
   	Glossary of Wildland Fire Terminology 

Use the Emergency Equipment Shift Ticket to answer questions 34-35. 
34.	The contract dozer assigned to your task force worked from 0630 until 1930 today.  During the shift, the dozer ran out of fuel making it unavailable for 45 minutes. There is no daily guarantee in the contract and they are not required to show a lunch break. Describe how you would complete the Emergency Equipment Shift Ticket shown below.

 
35.	The transport for your dozer was ordered to remain on the incident at a drop point in case the dozer was needed on another division. Each vehicle has its own agreement number.  You record the equipment time for the transport: 

   	On the same shift ticket as the dozer. 
   	Make a note on your unit log. 
   	On a separate shift ticket. 
   	Ground Support will complete the transport’s time. 

36.	You are on a Type 3 incident.  The private water tender supporting your engine strike team is doing a good job, but doesn’t appear to have been inspected, since it has a cracked windshield and broken tail lights. What should you do? 

37.	You have discovered that two of your crew members have been smoking marijuana. Describe your responsibilities to your crew and as a supervisor. 

38.	A new crew arrives in camp and takes two lunches.  Your crew goes to supply and there are not enough lunches. What steps would you take to resolve this situation?

 
39.	Upon arrival at the incident you are told to go to Division B and meet with the division supervisor (DIVS) Susan Hickman on road No. 211 at the Beaver Dam. What do you do? 

   	Get supplies and head for the dam. 
   	Ask for a map. 
   	Request a complete briefing and a current IAP. 
   	a and b 

40.	Name two assignments that the crew boss may need to plan for other than handline construction. 

	1.    

	2.    

41.	When constructing fireline using MIST tactics, what are the appropriate actions that would best facilitate site rehabilitation? 

   	Flush cut stumps, stockpile debris for scattering over site later, use natural barriers, avoid archeological sites. 
   	Flush cut stumps, scatter all the debris at least 100 feet from site, build roll trenches, build water bars. 
   	Ensure that nobody walks back over completed fireline. 
   	Let a resource specialist determine the actual line specifications. 

42.	As a crew boss, you evaluate firefighters on the line for: (list two) 

	1.    

	2.    

43.	Define the “DRAW-D” levels of engagement: 

D    	R    	A    	W    	D    

44.	Whenever possible, __ is used in fireline construction to minimize necessary rehabilitation efforts, without compromising firefighter safety.

 
45.	Topography most influences fire behavior by: 

   	Causing heavy fuel loading on southern aspects. 
   	Increasing stability throughout the atmosphere. 
   	Directly modifying general weather patterns. 
   	Decreasing flame lengths and rate of spread as slope increases. 

46.	Fire is burning in litter on top of the ground, but occasionally carries into the crowns of individual trees, which produces burning embers that start new fires outside the fire perimeter.  Choose the correct fire behavior sequence that fits the activities described. 

   	Crown fire with convection column and fire whirls. 
   	Running wind-driven fire with active crowning. 
   	Crown fire with flare-up and torching. 
   	Ground fire with smoldering and flare-ups. 
   	Surface fire with torching and spotting. 

47.	As air sinks, it:
 
   	Rises in pressure, cools and expands. 
   	Lowers in pressure, warms and compresses. 
   	Lowers in pressure, cools and expands. 
   	Increases in pressure, warms and compresses. 
   	Increases in pressure, warms and expands. 

48.	Wind direction is: 

   	The direction the wind is blowing toward. 
   	The direction the wind is blowing from. 
   	Not important for firefighters to know. 

49.	Local winds are best defined as: 

   	Small scale convective winds of local origin caused by differences in heating and cooling. 
   	The wind measured at the 20-foot level and is a result of the general wind. 
   	The wind measured at eye-level and is a result of the general wind. 
   	A large scale wind caused by a high pressure system.
 
50.	Air flows clockwise around low pressure systems and counterclockwise around high pressure systems. 

   	True 
   	False 

51.	Slope affects fuel availability to burn because: 

   	Fuels are preheated upslope through radiation and convection. 
   	Rolling firebrands ignite new fuels below. 
   	Drier sites are more prevalent on steeper slopes. 
   	a and b 

52.	Select the statement that best describes the effect of slope steepness on fuel availability.
 
   	A fire starting at the base of a slope has more fuel available for spread. 
   	Fuel beds on the upper third of the slope are always denser and more continuous. 
   	Fuel beds on south and southwest aspects usually are drier. 
   	All of the above. 

53.	The four fuel groups defined in the Fire Behavior Prediction System (FBPS) are: 

   	Grass, shrub, timber litter, and logging slash. 
   	Grass, weeds, forbs, and timber litter. 
   	Perennial, shrub, timber litter, and logs. 
   	Weeds, grass, timber litter, and logs. 

54.	Select the fuel complex that would reach its moisture of extinction first during nighttime humidity recovery of 20%. 

   	Heavy slash, no attached needles 
   	Cured cheatgrass 
   	Chaparral shrub 
   	Palmetto gallberry 

55.	What weather processes can and should be monitored visually? 

   	Thunderstorm buildups 
   	Clouds 
   	Approaching cold fronts 
   	Indications of stable or unstable air 
   	All of the above 

56.	Spot Weather Forecasts are: 

   	Forecasts issued to determine spotting potential on large fires. 
   	Forecasts that are issued to update television and radio forecasts. 
   	Forecasts that are issued to fit the time, topography, and weather of a specific location. 

57.	Initiate action based on: 

   	Current fire behavior 
   	Expected fire behavior 
   	Current and expected fire behavior 
   	Weather 

58.	En route to a fire you notice that smoke from a burning haystack rises straight up. What could this indicate on a wildland fire? 

   	An inversion may reduce the fire activity. 
   	An unstable atmosphere may increase fire activity. 
   	The relative humidity will be low. 
   	No information can be gained from the rising smoke. 

59.	Four factors that are responsible for the occurrence of fire behavior in the third dimension are: 

   	High fuel moistures, wind, low atmospheric moisture, and instability. 
   	Available fuels, wind, high atmospheric moisture, and instability. 
   	Available fuels, wind, low atmospheric moisture, and instability. 
   	Available fuels, wind, low atmospheric moisture, and stability.
 
60.	Which of the following is an indicator of stable air? 

   	Clear visibility 
   	Gusty winds and dust devils 
   	Inversion 
   	Thunderstorm development